Whic engine has the best life span

A "longhood" pete 379 is 127" bumper to back of cab. the truck in your avitar is a longhood. the hood panel continues about 8" long behind the fender. A 119 the hood panel end just behind the fender and some are slightly sloped

 

The red top is the good one, the one I had wasn't and was a POS.

The problem I have with trusting an oil analysis is if I have a truck I want to get rid of, and I know it's got some issues. I can easily change the oil before I put it up for sale. Or put oil in out of another truck to make the numbers more believable. I know a guy that did this with a 525 N14 that I saw a 1" piece of bearing get stuck in the drain plug hole. This truck was days away from costing someone a chunk of cash. Not that it wouldn't be a good idea to have it done, just don't make it a huge selling point. Especially if it's an individual selling it.

 

Can't agree more, DO NOT buy a fleet truck. Their great at doing maintenance "paperwork" but not so good at actually doing the maintenance. They don't actually have to change the oil to to do an "oil change" as long as it's on paper, and I don't think they know what a grease gun is.

 

I personally prefer macks. ive never had any major probs. i drove 98... really dont recall which motor was in it, but it was bulletproof. was only about 330 hp but didnt bother me. got the job done.

 

I put 1,200,000 on my 550 cat before I had it inframed. It's put 780,000 more on it since then. Very dependable, runs 3400 miles every week. I don't think I could had better luck with any other kind of motor. For me I would pick a cat first.

 

Now if someone told you it was going to cost you $5,000 more to inframe your cat would it sway your decision on buying another? I mean come on man that engine cost you roughly $0.00416 more to own per mile in just the first overhaul vs a cummins!

 

I would still go with cat, because it has been virtually trouble free. No major expense. This motor has been trouble free. I'm not sure I would be able to say that with a cummins. Can't say for sure, cause I've never owned one.

 

That's my point I'm the same way. That's why I always laugh when someone uses the overhaul cost or the famous "cat parts are more expensive" line to discourage a purchase. It's trivial, it's like not buying a certain brand of car because the wiper blades are more expensive. I've spent more than that on lights. I'd like to know what parts these guys buying on a regular basis that would remotely affect the cost of ownership?

 

Maybe you can explain the hugh market share that cummins had over cat even before paccar purchased cummins , now it wasnt an easy task to de-throne the king.

 

Well for one they were cheaper when ordered new. Companies don't care about performance, they look at price. If the guy writing the check is also the guy driving the truck, performance makes a bigger impact in the buying process. I'm not saying Cummins is a terrible engine, but I've had plenty of both and side by side the Cat was always stronger.

And what do you mean "paccar purchased Cummins"? You mean before Cummins started making Paccar branded engines for Paccar trucks? Because they don't own them.