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The early reviews are
mixed on the
federally-mandated
low-emission engines
that were installed in
all 2007 trucks.
The federal
government mandated for
the low-emission engines
to be on all 2007
trucks. Many of the
trucks with these new
engines were tested
during 2006. Now, the
early reviews from some
of these users are in,
and vary, from “no big
problems,” and “lower
fuel miles per gallon,”
to “out-of service too
often,” and simply,
“they’ll do.” So, while
there are no ringing
endorsements, there
appear to be no real
disasters either.
 One
engine OEM tested its
engine for months in the
desert, at high
altitudes and in the
extreme cold of a
Canadian winter. But in
fleet testing, a group
of trucks got caught in
a once-in-a-century
snowstorm in Denver and
idled for three days,
plugging diesel
particulate filters
(DPFs). “Nobody ever
dreamed they’d be idling
for three days,” says
the engine rep. “It was
almost comical, but it
exposed an area that
could be improved before
the production date.”
Halvor Lines
(Superior, Wis.), says
its two trucks with ’07
engines have power and
reliability equal to
those with ’06 engines.
Maverick Transportation
(Little Rock, Ark.) has
run one truck 120,000
miles and says
performance and
maintenance schedules
are equal. Kerstetter
Trucking Co.,
(Reedsville, Pa.) has
run its one truck 64,000
miles with no loss in
fuel mileage (7.0 mpg)
or performance, and one
employee reports, “I
like how clean the
engine runs.” And
Zimmerman Truck Lines (Muffintown,
Pa.) reports getting 5.9
to 6.0 miles per gallon,
“same as our other
trucks.”
Some had bad news to
report. U.S. Xpress
Enterprises, Inc., (Chatanooga,
Tenn.) operated three
test engines in October
2006 and all had to be
replaced because of
malfunctions. “We’re not
sure the technology is
where it needs to be,”
warns one employee. And
Estes Express Lines
(Richmond, Va.) had
early issues with the
’07 engines and the
manufacturer kept taking
them back and adjusting
them.
One fleet has
operated four trucks
with 2007 engines for
one-and-a-half years
successfully and is
getting more delivered
this year. The fuel
economy is one-tenth of
a mile per gallon less
than the other trucks,
but the fleet manager
blames the new
ultra-low-sulfur diesel
(ULSD). The fleet is
currently testing some
fuel treatments. On the
new CJ-4 engine oil,
this fleet manager is
satisfied enough to plan
on extending his 30,000
mile change oil drain
interval to 50,000.
Also, he has no
under-hood heat issues,
possibly because the
OEMs expanded the
surface areas of their
radiators.
Also, one big fleet
has 500 2007 trucks
running and has been
looking at engine
reliability performance
and several cost
measurements and none of
the figures have really
been surprising.
However, the DPF
regeneration dash lights
do surprise the drivers.
There has been a drop in
fuel economy, but again
the question is whether
it is the engine or the
ULSD. On the DPF
cleaners, the fleet
manager is watching the
engine OEM do the
cleanings to see if it
can be brought in house.
One over-the-road
driver for New Century
Transportation
(Westhampton, N.J.) has
put 80,000 miles on his
2007 Cat engine and says
performance and fuel
economy are equal to
previous engines, and it
regenerates “all by
itself.”
And USA Dry Van
Logistics, LLC (McAllen,
Texas) agrees with this
assessment. It gets 7.2
or 7.4 mpg with one
brand of engine, better
than some other engines
the company tested.
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