cat mpg opinions and advice

For clarification I'm not saying anyone should fudge their IFTA filings. Me and Les are just pointing out that using someone's IFTA numbers as proven concrete facts for any mileage gains is laughable. I can gain 2mpg+ on paper by washing my windshield.

 

Looks like the trolls are overrunning this site too.

 

So, the thread started with mpgs for acert. After driving nothing but cats for companies and being steadily unimpressed with the hp and economy, heres a few things i've learnt and would like to share that would be cheap mods for company drivers.

1. Check the air to air pressure, makes sure there is no leaks. Change air filters at least 2 a year regardless of what telltale under the hood says.
2. Check the fuel pressure with a gauge, you can make your own for about $85 bucks, just need a 0-160 psi gauge, found at most truck trailer shops, and a parker female coupler. Can get it at cat but they are double the price. Pressure should be between 110 and 125psi max. Most shops wont check these even during an inframe, unless they are asked. 1 major cause of low power in a acert is low fuel pressure. usually the return fuel check valve is worn out. should be checked at least once a year, changed one recently for a guy and gained 22 psi! Check valve #295-1441 about $75 bucks
3. Always run Cat fuel filters on cat motors, the others just dont flow enough fuel. The difference is roughly 30hp, or half a gear.
4. Fuel wire is cheap, 150 ohm resistor from radio shack and cat male pins 8T8729 is cat part # for like .80 cents each and some shrink tube around the whole works after you solder it together.
5. Boost wire, 5.6 k ohm resistor from radio shack and same pins as fuel wire.
6. Adjust the wastegate travel rod out about 1/4 inch. This will spool the turbo quicker, make sure after to always idle your engine for 1 min to allow the turbo to slow down before shut down. They say 3-4 mins is better and that was always rule of thumb back in the day.
7. A company is making air intake spacers that change the air going into the engine from the turbo, $180 bucks and very easy to install.

I drive a SDP with regen, and have gained over 1.3mpg with these simple mods, anybody can do these things and for O/O its would be huge saving, company guys, if you dont want to buy the gauges and stuff, drive up to a dealer, borrow a pressure gauge, most mechanics wont mind if you tell them what its for.

 

Are you saying the Cat filters run that much better than a Donaldson? Do you know how much a boost wire does for an sdp engine?

 

I don't have a ACERT just a single turbo 2ws and running a CAT fuel filter in the secondary filter makes mine feel sluggish. I run a baldwin there and CAT on the main fuel filter and it pulls a lot better than with cats on both. Just my observation.

 

. I've heard donaldson makes the cat filters, just haven't had time to cross ref as yet. Boost wire won't work on my SDP unless the temp is below 0 celceius. But when its below 0 it will pull a 240000lbs load the same speed as a 180000lbs one. !oost wire is 5.6k ohm found at radio shack. Cat harness connectors work better than just the pins

 

# 6 is interesting. Has anyone else tried this ?

It seems that with all the talk of upgraded turbos around here this should have been discussed to death earlier if it's that easy.


" 6. Adjust the wastegate travel rod out about 1/4 inch. This will spool the turbo quicker, make sure after to always idle your engine for 1 min to allow the turbo to slow down before shut down. They say 3-4 mins is better and that was always rule of thumb back in the day."

 

Established in June 1986, Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. (AFSI) is a joint venture of Caterpillar Inc. and Donaldson Company, Inc. AFSI manufactures liquid filters using automated, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques...

http://www.afsifilters.com/

 

I learnt from a guy over dinner. It defenetly makes the Acerts more response, not so sluggish, as do the aircellfleet air intake spacers