What engine N14 or pre-EGR ISX is beter?

n14

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ISX is better, more hospower, higher MPG, less noise, but more expensive maintanance....
ISX is HPI system engine. Unjectors are fuel pressure controlled with four solenoids.
Yeah, no expencive EGR issues, but all other parts are more expensive...
So it is dificult to advice what engine is better to have in your truck.

 

Unfortunatly N14 went to be hystory... They still on road but never be made any more. Seems to me it was one of the most popular engine all over the world. First time I saw it - in DAF95 with N14 select, later they appeared on imported from the USA trucks, but so many companies beyong the US borders used it: MAN/ERF, DAF, SISU (Finnish exotic truck), Volvo, BMC, Fatih (Turkey), MAZ (Belorussia), KAMAZ (Russia), KRAZ (Ukraine), ZIL (Russia), Nefaz... all the Chinise trucks of this class... Boats...

Stock N14 - is EPA2005/Euro-II emission standard engine, may be recalibrated to Euro-III, but it will never be certified higher w/o EGR ore SCR. But Cummins made new engine... and discontinued N14. They say HPI technology is better....

 

An N14 at the 460 hp level will give you great service, for a million, two if you change the oil regularly. at 500 hp it will give you 750,000 miles. at 525 HP about 500,000, and after a rebuild about 300,000. at 525 the heads squirm on the block, break head bolts leak coolant and oil from the head gasket. They have problems with the injector pass threw connectors and injectors, corrosion problems with the injector cups.
At 500 hp and above the main bearing caps have fretting problems.
I would buy one they are a great engine at 460 HP 1850 torque. # 1 or 2 on my list. the other one is a 12,7 Detroit 430 hp 1650 torque. 1900 versions of both.
A friend of mine went to Portland Oregon, and got a brand new N14, put in. Brand new not a rebuild, or a reconditioned one.
Just a thought!

 

n14 red top is TOPS

 

The very early ISX's had a lot of problems, and blew up regularly. The shop I worked at had a fleet customer buy a dozen trucks, 6 with Detroit's 14 liters and 6 with ISX's. I had to change the parameters on one Detroit. and I had all 6 ISX's out of frame 5 were totaled, one we did a long block.
A year or two later they were a good engine, even then Cummins would not repair the injection system, the exhaust in the fuel return line was extreme. The vent hose on the tank, would thrash around. We had the inspectors send them in with a rejection notice that we either fixed the air in fuel problem or installed an exhaust stack on it. I had that original notice for a lot of years.
You do realise that the red tops were just different valve covers. and if you want to cut down on the engine noise drivers would buy a 3 ft section of rad hose 2 to 3 inch. and they would put on three bungee straps holding it to the covers.

 

well, long story short: purchase new, just designed engine and be a guinea pig.....!!!!! They test new engines on us!

 

My n-14 red top 525hp went 818k and had none of the problems you listed, I o-hauled it because I needed to spend some money before the tax man got it and because I wanted to do it in my own shop with my mechanic doing it not spending a week or more sitting on the road paying twice what it should have cost. Ask anybody from cummins from the top down to the guys working on them what is the best engine cummins ever made. They will all say N-14