Cat 475 vs 550 vs 625

Lol, as somebody who's stuck dealing with improperly converted acerts, I will emphatically beg anyone considering it to think twice. We have two tandems that had good running twins that the boss had converted to single because he was told they'd make way more power (both trucks are quad gravel haulers - meaning it's a tandem gravel truck pulling a tandem/tandem gravel trailer on an A-frame pintle hitch - rated for 53,500kg gross weight). Unfortunately the people doing the work don't have access to a proper single turbo conversion file so both trucks are neutered right now. We've managed to find a 700hp twin turbo program that has good timing and fuel maps for the conversion, they run good at low rpm and boost, spool quick and get awesome fuel mileage (6mpg pulling the quad working), but unfortunately the ECM is still looking for twins, and the boost and sensor readings that come along with them, so when it doesn't see the boost spike as fast as it should (main issue we had with previous tunes we tried), it cuts back the fuel for emissions regulations (meaning it cuts off the fuel so the truck doesn't smoke, lol), therefore cutting power when you need it most. Also, being as the wastegate on the single turbo serves a different function from that on the twins, when the sensor hits 26-27psi, the ECM automatically triggers the wastegate, which on the twins would switch from the smaller turbo to the big one and go for 45-50psi peak boost, but on the single turbo setup, this simply cuts off the boost at 27psi and doesn't let the engine get to 38-40psi like it should. I've managed to get the setup half way workable by pinching off the wastegate line so the ECM can't kick in to bypass, but the ECM is still looking for the twin turbo boost map readings and 48psi peak boost, and when it doesn't see it, it's still cutting back fuel and power.
Unfortunately this means that while the trucks can pull the quad trailers, they are not making nearly the power they need to pull properly.
Unfortunately our tuning guy is a Cummins specialist, and doesn't want to let me into the cat tuning software to see if I can fix the tune to run properly with the single turbo (he thinks that because the cat data file is so huge and complicated compared to his Cummins stuff, that I'm just going to make a mess and blow up the motor). I just want to get into the software and the file so I can learn and do it right, lol

 

Also, because one of the major advantages of a properly tuned file is extra injection timing (not just more fuel), the more you turn the power up, usually the better the fuel mileage gets. I've seen guys running the acerts upwards of 7-800hp getting double digit fuel mileage doing heavy haul and off road work. With a simple tridem trailer like I'm pulling right now, they're getting high teens.
Making power with these big cats is a lot more than just increasing the fuel flow, it's also about increasing the efficiency by using more timing, which doesn't work for meeting emissions regulations, but definitely makes for a much happier Kitty and substantially better power and efficiency.

 

As someone who's had to deal with this, I can unequivocally say that I'd never let my boss do another single turbo conversion. Our two have been nothing but problem after problem (tuning issues, not mechanical), and the promised power has never materialized. Even my boss regrets ever listening to whoever was telling him about how fantastic the single turbo conversion was.
If done correctly, they can be big powerhouses, for sure, but done incorrectly (like ours were), you basically ruin the usability of the truck

 

I’m guessing at location by the truck configuration and what you’re describing, but I think you need to take that truck to the little shop in the Acheson industrial park and talk to Dave.

 

Good guess on the location, lol... We're other end of the city, but I know that area well. But Acheson is getting to be a big place these days, whereabouts in the industrial park, or what's the name of the shop? There's several diesel and HD repair shops in there these days...

 

Dave Szybunka. Dave’s Diesel Repair. If you’re over the other side probably Wade Smigorowsky at Major Overhaul could help too. Both of those guys have been making yellow ones run for a long time.

 

Awesome man, thanks. I know Major well, knew them back when they were still tied up with DRM towing. Haven't been in there in quite a few years tho, lol.
As for DDR, that's kinda who I thought you meant after I thought about it, but I wasn't sure. Found their website, definitely well equipped, that's for sure, lol

 

I don’t know where you’d find a better Cat guy than Dave. Smig knows his stuff too.

 

Dave's Diesel has been recommended to me a few times as well.

 

I'd definitely go pre Acert, working around that conglomeration of a turbo setup just looks like a pain in the ### to me. With a little computer time and someone who knows what they're doing they will pull like a train and get decent mileage.