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BIG RIG guys, I need ya'lls opinions

big94gmc

big94gmc

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What do ya'll think of the Detroit 12.7, 360hp?

I can't recall driving one way back when....I only recall driving an M-11 (under powered), an N-14 (decent), and a 425 Cat (more power then I could use). But I'm not too sure about the 12.7 Det.


Anyone have any experience?
 
Nope, sorry

When I bought my rig, if it didn't have a 475 kitty, or better, under the hood I wasn't interested. power = big cats! I've just seen too many detroits come apart, plus they are all severly underpowered, when your doin a big job ya need big power. I was always divin in the rocky mtns.





Let the :angry1: :angry1: :angry1: begin! :D
 
The 12.7 is a good engine, my favorite actually. I have never drove one under 430 HP though. There are 2 trucks I drive now and one has a 500 hp 12.7 Detroit and the other has the new 460 HP Mercedes engine. Both are excellent engines. Both trucks are day-cabs, awesome torque to weight ratio when bobtailing :D
 
unclematty said:
When I bought my rig, if it didn't have a 475 kitty, or better, under the hood I wasn't interested. power = big cats! I've just seen too many detroits come apart, plus they are all severly underpowered, when your doin a big job ya need big power. I was always divin in the rocky mtns.





Let the :angry1: :angry1: :angry1: begin! :D
Click to expand...

Funny thing is though that when I stroll through the garage at a local Freightliner or KW dealer I notice that the Detroits are getting new turbos, and the Cat's are getting new rods and mains. Cat motors just don't last as long as Detroit or Cummins.
 
They are putting bearings in the Detroit's too........just gotta fix the turbo first :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:
I love my Cat C-15, 550Hp tastes like chicken at 1250 rpm......
2005 KW W900L, 53' Reefer
 
I prefer a Cat any day. It's just that this truck I'm looking at at the moment ('99 FLD 120) has a 360hp 12.7 Det., and 10 speed Rockwell.



Also, I won't be using the truck I do end up purchasing to pull more then about 20-22K lbs. This will be a personal use truck.
 
Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, I've had 2 Detroits, a 11.1 and a 12.7............
neither 1 of them treated me right.
Broken rockers, injector tips, injector harness, injector pump and my friends Detroit just holed a piston after replacing a blown turbo.
He has a Cat now...... :haha:

You know what Detroits and Bananas havin commom......?
Aint neither one of them ripe till they turn yellow.

Good luck with the Green motor, some people swear by them,
some people swear at them.
 
depends on what your pulling i guess i never had any problems with detroits sure they seam underpowered but heres how you fix that
1. b4 you ever even get ready to drive do something to make you late
(this makes you hurry and adds to the violence)
2. check the feul level and fill up the oil
3. smash your least favorite finger just b4 you climb into the cab
4. vent your frustrations on the go pedal and shift like you want the bottom to fall out
5. cuss it till your GREEN in the face



balzer
 
While in college I was a diesel and heavy equipment mechanic. I am detroit factory certified to rebuild the engines and the associated electrical systems.
I personally think that the series 60 is a great engine. If you do get it I would recomend taking it to a shop thats setup to reprogram and get the latest software and get them to turn it up as much as they can. Youll want that power.

DDEC IV equipped 60s used the ceramic injector rollers and they would be what I would consider the engines weak point. If one busts on you they will take out that cam lobe in short order.

Iv pulled many a series 60 main bearing with a million miles on it that looked like it was straight out of a low milage engine, and iv sen plenty come in on the hook with ventelated block. I think it all depends on how the unit was maintained.

Usually even when they toss a rod out of the side of the block they will keep right on running unless it comes out the side that the computer is on. We had a guy take his trailer and go drop it off to wherever he was delivering it to and drive back across the city to our shop with a rod hanging out the block.

As a bit of trivia the series 60 engine should be painted blue, not the traditional detroit alpine green.

Also if you look closely on the side of the block youll see a symbol cast in the block that looks like a J and a D put together. Thats because the John Deere Tractor foundary was contracted by detroit to cast their series 60 blocks for them.

Also Detroit was/is the leader in big diesel engine electronics. They were the first ones to come out with electronic controlled fuel injection for those big diesels. It was used on series 60 engines when they came out in 1987 but there were a handfull of old 671s that had been adapted to run off of the DDEC 1 system.

Okay im going to stop now.....
 
original balzer said:
depends on what your pulling i guess i never had any problems with detroits sure they seam underpowered but heres how you fix that
1. b4 you ever even get ready to drive do something to make you late
(this makes you hurry and adds to the violence)
2. check the feul level and fill up the oil
3. smash your least favorite finger just b4 you climb into the cab
4. vent your frustrations on the go pedal and shift like you want the bottom to fall out
5. cuss it till your GREEN in the face



balzer
Click to expand...



I don't know how this helps, but it made me laugh my ass off!

From what I'm reading, I'm thinking that, even though I won't be pulling that much that often, it would be in my best interest to stay away from Detroits, and stick to Cats and Cummins. Yes? No?
 
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