Needing advice on keeping an engine good

I don't get the question, so let's see ... if you know there is 400 revs between gears, and the torque peak is at 1250, then bring it up to 1450 to change gears and let it drop to 1000 in the next gear to accurate, this is out of the lugging range of the engine and crosses the peak torque range.

ALSO if you want to take care of the engine, run it every week or twice a week, let it warm up and take it for a spin, that helps the engine and batteries more than anything else.

 

Your power range is from idle up to the speed stop in the injection system, the torque curve is really an actual flat line with bump at the sweet spot.

You won't hurt anything short or long term by shifting at 1450 and letting it drop under the peak torque.

 

I consider this thread a good education on engine.

Why cannot we provide this same education to trucking school students? It's not necessarily in a reading form they can understand but actual doing by shifting correctly with Manaul in the two RPM's that we usually are concerned with.

I take my vehicle out for a walk now and then and it's one of the most beneficial things you can do. That and particularly careful additives to burn out the carbon in a brief time of flat out uphill or a sprint a few miles on the interstate.

There was a period of a few years where Dodge built 5 speed manuals that shifted at 1500 in small cummins that behaved like a mini version of a big rig without fluids or anything for emissions. I would pay particular attention to any oppertunity to acquire one of those.

 

If you keep it 14-1500 you’ll be better off. Once you lug it down to 1200 the little c13 doesn’t have the power to keep pulling.

 

Upshifting and getting up to speed, given you’re on mostly level terrain, you’ll be fine with the rpms dropping down below 1200 when you shift. But when you’re downshifting going up a hill having higher rpms will be your friend.

 

C-13's are strong little motors. I've been running a 470hp on 3.90's with 24.5 rubber. With the 13-speed she gets 64 mph at about 1450 rpm. Runs regularly in Canada at up to 101,000 lbs, usually between 90-94k and often runs a PTO blower. Pulls like a champ, but can't keep up to her bigger C-15 sisters on the hills.

Things you should look out for:

1) C-13's are slobbery motors, especially for CAT's. They will slobber out of the blowby or other places if they are dead idled, or not idled up high enough in cold weather. I keep mine at 1100 rpm whenever it's running. If she's dripping on the ground, I bring it up 50 rpm until it stops.

2) Tackle any serious oil leaks right away. I've got a leaky crank gasket that the shop doesn't want to fix, and it's driving me nuts. It's apparently about a 4-6 hour job, and I watched a video, with the right tools, I could do it and I have no training. It's not doing any favours to the motor, and on top of already being slobbery, I have to watch the oil like a hawk. But hey, it's not my name on the door, so I just get to do the best I can with it.

3) They have some touchy sensors that may cause you small troubles, but are relatively easy to replace.

--

Don't baby it. CAT's exist to pull, and pull strong. Keep her hot and ready to work. Shift point should be somewhere between 1500-1600, and she should pull down to 1200-1300. Watch the exhaust temps and get her to work.

Mine is a 2004, been rebuilt twice (first time it dropped a rod, and another it cracked a bearing, did I say she was a hot motor?). Got around 900,000 miles and probably a butt load of hours (no Espar heater and near full time blower work).

Only two problems I've had in almost a full year of driving was a oil pressure sensor (got a de-rate to 90% and finished out the week) and it blew up the water pump a couple weeks ago. Literally nothing but oil leaks from that crank gasket and probably around 100,000 miles of hard work.

 

How many C-13's have you driven? Maybe a weak-tuned one would struggle, but I've got two 470's that say completely different. 1-2-3-4 progressive shifting, 1100-1200-1300-1400, pulls strong in all gears at 100,000 gross. Lug starts kicking in around 900 or below.

My main truck will pull a 94,000 lb load up a hill as low as 1200 rpm, and the pyro temps don't go through the roof.