First hit as a new O/O.

CAT should publish recommended inspection / replacement intervals for various engine components. They will probably specify the interval in operating hours rather than miles.

 

those items have a service life span.

Turbos around 600-650K miles.

Waterpumps about the same.

If you get the engine manuals for this equipment, it gives manufacturer's recommended service intervals, "service life".

My timing belt never broke on my Honda Civic, but I still replaced the water pump and timing belt at 98K miles because THAT engine has a history overall of it happening at that mileage point.

reading the DD15 manual for this cascadia, there's a 5 year life recommended on hoses (pg 81) how many do you think really change them at 5 years or major overhaul?

Belts every 300,000 miles?

Must just be the old army maintenance NCO in me that has me doing it.

 

can you afford the down time on the road like this?

What if you had to pay for a wrecker? rental tractor to finish your load?

It's also cheap insurance to prevent that from happening.


Like I said, I am an old Maintenance NCO and see the benefit more than the cost.

And what you describe is the typical attitude from most equipment operators/owners.

Not just in trucking. Farming, construction etc.


ETA:


How much money do people piss away chasing the MPG game, but won't focus on preventive or life span maintenance.

 

All the engine manufacturers do.

But people never or rarely if ever do follow them....

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it."....

 

News flash......

You are going to pay for the parts one way or another.

You can do it on YOUR schedule and manage your expense....

Or break down at irregular and unplanned times with additional costs from unplanned breakdowns, emergency road service and/or additional operating expenses to cover motels/hotels and such.

Which makes more sense?

 

If you replaced / checked / rebuilt / had inspected everything as the engine builder's suggests, at the intervals they recommend, you would quickly go broke.
They publish guidelines to make sure you spend money .

 

It's REAL easy to change perfectly fine parts with new or rebuilt parts when someone ELSE is paying for it. Most parts you'll be changing out will be remanned, meaning that part has already failed once, and you're relying on the guy that repaired it to have not been hungover, etc. Items like turbos and water pumps are not like a timing belt on an interference motor. There is legitimate reasoning to do a $500 timing belt/water pump job on a Honda vs risking it break and turning into a $2500 job. You do the water pump at the same time as it saves a lot of repetitive labor with the timing belt for a little additional. Most things on big diesel can be done individually when needed.

Now, I'm not turning this into an engine debate, but 4 bolts and a couple hose clamps and that water pump is off a Detroit. It's also about $400 or so these days for a reman. The turbos are $800 for a reman or $700 for a new BW. It's about a 1-1.5 hour job on the side of the road if it didn't go and bust an oil seal. Go ahead and hit the EASY button.

 

If I have a component with a service life of 700,000 miles and it's at 690,000 miles. I am going to replace it.

I will take the time it's in the shop and go on vacation with the family with the money I saved from not having to pay for a wrecker and weekend or night time shop rates.

I will take the motel bill that I will have from that same break down and pay for a nice weekend for the wife and I to sit on the beach in Hawaii sipping Mai Tai's.

I like those options a whole lot more. As the components get older, it's not a matter of if, just when. You'd be better off to play the lottery than to guess when it will fail.