Is mercedes a good engine compare to detroit or caterpilar?

Worst junk I've ever had the displeasure of operating. The only thing about that motor that I liked was that it would get down to about 1100 before it would lug but I guess thats most motors nowdays. Not that it had power or anything. Constantly in the shop and nobody had a clue how to work on it. I'm on a C-12 Cat now and even though its .8 liters smaller and 25 less horse power, It will still blow that mercedes 4000 off the road and ain't been in the shop for nothin even though its at 1053000 miles-more than twice the mercedes had.

 

I have worked on Mercidies, and know lots of people that drive them, they are a good engine if used in the right place. The brake works great and can be used in town were a Jake can not.
If the shop does not know how to fix something that is not the engines fault. I have repaired engines that have been to multiple places, that is not the engines fault.
I have seen head gasket problems with the Mercidies, never seen a problem with cylinder kits, that were not high hours and miles and we have mountains in this area.
There was a problem with pass threw connectors and fuel lines.
If I was driving and had a choice I would rather have the Mercidies 4000 at 430 HP 1550 torque than a C12. pulling 72,000 lbs.

 

MB came out with an updated liner that most people don't seem to know about. That stopped liner scoring problems about 3 years ago. Are they perfect? Not by a long shot but they do have some strengths, light weight and usually good mileage. Easy to start in cold weather. But...

They aren't the answer for everyone. The engine brake is a joke. On the other hand very very few EGR problems with them.

 

Had one for 530,000 miles.
4 egr logs, 2 exhaust manifold centers, 1 turbo, 6 cyl heads wrong ones from the factory, 2 to 4 week in the shop waiting on parts 5 or 6 times.
Maybe the parts supply has got better over the years.
Life time mpg 6.65.
The engine brake worked fine if you spun the engine up to 2300 to 2400 rpm.
It's fine for a fleet not an o/o with out spare trucks.
MBE4000 are made in Brazil which dose explains much of the problems due to 3 different language barriers .

 

I have a C15 acert twin turbo. Its a good motor but needs a few mods to make it great. You can read on this forum about some of the what can be done. My next truck will have a cat under hood. I also have a ISX in a Volvo and I dont plan on buying anymore Volovs or ISX Motors!

 

Great engine, love my '07. Needs ECM programming to make it get good fuel mileage.

 

6.75mpg+ pulling light, driving slow, in the mountains, with 750+hp.

 

There is a reason that no one wants the "CAT's" that are new waiting to be put in a truck. You can buy a new truck with a new "CAT" till they run out of them.
Having fond memories of an engine that was good in its day is great. That would be a 3406B, the N14 and S60 overtook them.
The new Cats are time wise hard to work on, complex, every part is extremely expensive. Warranty wants you to do hours of free tests.
Parts are not as good as they should be, I have changed more Cams in CAT's than I did in both Cummins and Detroit's.
I am really impressed with the reports I am getting about the new Scr equipped 2011, DD15's. Lots of the fleets are buying them. It will be interesting, there are lots of players in this game.
Liner scuffing, quarter point, is caused by lack of cooling, oil to the bottom of the piston. Poor cooling system maintenance, causes lots of problems but the owner never says that it is the engine's fault and that goes with every product. How many of you have tested you rad cap in the last 6 months? Just a thought!