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
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.
