New CAT Engine

Read the replies, and all I can say is that I had better luck with CAT engines over the years... I didn't mind the Detroit Diesels, IMO they were good "middle-of-the-road" motors, but the Cummins engines always went kaput or otherwise caused trouble. And I'm a driver who checks fluid levels, belt tension, hoses and hose clamps, etc. Maybe I just had bad luck with the Cummins motors, lol...

The most reliable motor I had in an assigned truck was a 470hp CAT 3406E, that was a great compromise between power & fuel economy. And I drove trucks with 500hp & 550hp motors, as well as an underpowered dog with a 335hp motor, but those larger motors guzzled fuel compared to that 470, while the 470 still did a good job in pulling a grade. Not a bad motor at all for general purposes...

 

Tomorrow, my bare block rebuilt Cat that I swapped in favor of red hot garbage in my 2014 389, will hit 200,000 miles. $65,000 would probably be closer to $80,000 if I did it today. I DON’T think the new engine that Cat offers is overpriced. Cat never stopped building the C15 even though it wasn’t a “truck” configuration. The 12.7 Jimmy and N 14 are obsolete at this point. 14.6, 15.8, 15.2!Cats as well as 12.7 Detroit and N14 Cummins are the “Golden” engines of class 8 trucks IMO.

 

My dad always said he likes Cat power, Cummins sound, and a Detroit 12.7 jake. Our N14 does approximately 5.5 mpg on fuel, my brothers Series 60 gets a consistent 7-7.5. I just bought a 3406 B, guess we'll see what that engine will do!

 

Same freight? Something might be wrong with your n14. My Detroits get 6.5-8mpg and n14s about 0.5mpg less in the same conditions

 

You never had a good tuned and built Cat I assume?

 

I got an fld with a 3406e. Didn’t think they were rare. But man I love that truck.

 

...hold your breath when finding out about pricing

 

I've operated a Detroit 60 in a Classic XL, a 3406 in an FLD, Big Cam in a Kenworth, and an N14 in a Century and my 379. I love all of them! I just wouldn't pay more to repower this N14 to a new CAT. I can have the N14 blueprinted and balanced at a good machine shop for WAYYYY less money.

 

Is that from actual documented statistics or is that an opinion piece?

 

From what I’ve seen of my company’s Cummins engine, heck yes. In a heartbeat.