New 2014 Glider kit. 60 series Detroit or N14 Cummins

Given the choice between a N14 and a Series 60 Detroit of similar vintage (read: non-EGR), I'd pick the Detroit, although I do have a soft spot for the Cummins. Bottom line, the Detroit's parts are cheaper, it's relatively easy and not to expensive to make them pull hard, while still getting decent fuel economy. The N14 does have a superior engine brake to the non-EGR Detroit, by my seat-of-the-pants measurements, though.

 

I would agree that the Detroit 60 would be the best all around choice. You can really make them pullers. I did a 2013 glider and put in a DDEC IV 60. I did the ported/polished/coated manifold thing, swapped out the waste gate turbo for a much better turbo with a blanket on it, I put Walker Megaflows on the stacks, put on a good damper and crankshaft balancer, and tweaked the ECM a little. Not bad. Pound for pound, I can walk any hill against any Cat or Cummins comparibly loaded. And I can do it while averaging high 7's mpg's. As was stated by others.... the 60 is far easier to maintain, and parts are much more reasonable in price and availability. Cats and Cummins are not bad. I also had a love affair with an N-14 that I took to 1.4 million miles. Should have never given it up. But I am very please with the 60 in my glider now. You match it up to the right trans and diffs, and you could have a winner.

 

I vote DD. Just like the others have said, its cheap, reliable, and good on fuel.

 

You want mpg put the detroit in you want power go cat. Hmm what's cummins good for?

 

all boats need an anchor!!!!!!!!!!!

 

N14 is more reliable mechanically, no bull gear problems. Series 60 gives you a bit better MPG and parts fot DD are cheaper

 

I am a cummins guy, but wouldn't own an N14 (or a CM870 for that matter). Hand me any aero truck with a CM871 that is in really good shape stock, and after a milk money delete with +8 timing shift, I will show you a truck that can break 10 mpg, averaging 9+ all day when driven right. The engine will run so smooth quiet on flat ground, you will need to look at RPM gauge to see if its still running. NO, it will not be a speed demon up the hills, it will actually be fuel efficient, but it will keep up with most stock trucks in its same HP class. You want power to bragg about? or do you want money for hauling your freight?

screw the bragging rights,...I want money for hauling my freight...

the one I did 3 weeks ago, the guy went 2,000 miles between fillups pulling 53-ft dryvans loaded 22k - 40k. His truck is only capable of holding 190 gallons of fuel. That guy also swore on his life I was a liar before all the changes. Lifetime on his truck (473k miles) was 6.1 mpg before that.

screw the overpriced KR glider crap!, I'm out here to make money hauling my freight, not give it to Mr. KR's buddies.


went west of denver, across I-70 and down I-15 last night (very bad for fuel mileage, this part of the country. Loveland, copper mountain, etc.). UPS freight, 27k in 53-trailer no skirts. Had to run 62+ mph to average 50. Fuel stop at nevada/cal state line was 8.56 mpg. An all time low for the last 2 months. It put me in a bad mood, I hate seeing that low a number.

7-MPG is pathetic for a non-egr full aero truck and trailer combo, even at 80,000 lbs if you ask me, especially if driven at or below 60 mph, but thats just my opinion now isn't it.




that should stirr up the KR worshipers and naay-sayers, now shouldn't it.


I will take being accused of being full of it all day over getting only 7 or 8 mpg out of a good truck.

 

DETROIT!!!!!!


The S60 is one of the most reliable fuel efficient engines ever built. The N14 is one of the most unreliable fuel hungry engines ever built. The s60 will get 1 mpg better then the n14 and wont fall apart. If it does, there is a detroit repair shop at every corner.

 

My s60 Detroit with leaking exhaust manifold (not all its getting to turbo) will out pull a stock cat motor any day. All ya gotta do is down shift one gear since the Detroit likes 200 rpm higher then the cat.

 

I guess the only thing I would like to see about those numbers, Rawze, is whether they are off the ECM readout or the actual pump to pump numbers. I consistently am in 9 mpg territory on the ECM. I have several pics I took with my iPhone showing 9+ mpgs over 3000+ miles just to make me feel better. On the books, I am closer to 8 mpg in the summer, and mid 7 in the winter, But then, I stay up north all winter long. When I am running the 4 lanes, I do pretty good. But I have to pull a lot of bulk stuff over hilly two lanes a lot. So I am quite comfortable with the high 7 to low 8 mpg numbers.

Henry Albert has been out doing PR work for Freightliner for a few years now and how he is getting high 8's, mid 9's, etc on fuel mileage. And each and every time, they use the ECM printouts. They never publish actual pump to pump, IFTA reportable numbers. One thing about mpg comments, is that the data can be skewed to favor a position. And we have no way of objective confirmation.