ThunderingQuiet
In Your Mind
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Joined: 12/20/2007
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targaboat wrote:Does 80 cents a gallon difference in fuel cost mean anything?
Yes it does. With my DP I get 30% better mileage then I did with my V10 gasser motorhome. Which means that until the price of gas + 30% of that price exceeds the price of diesel I'm still ahead of the game.
targaboat wrote:Also consider the $200 oil changes that many diesel owners pay because there are no other facilities available in rural areas.
I have to change my oil once a year or 15,000 miles. The average gasser requires an oil change every 3000 miles or three months at aprox $30/$50 per oil change. So that works out to about $120/$200 a year. Don't see much difference there either.
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wolfe10
Texas
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Joined: 10/08/2000
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wolfe10 wrote:SCA (Supplemental Cooling Additive) is unique to HD diesels. Do not neglect it.
Test strips are available for abut $1 each. Takes 2 minutes to check.
I got a PM from LUeno asking about SCA's-- there may be others who need this information.
All diesels (all brands) except the Cummins B engine REQUIRE SCA'S in the cooling system unless an OAT based Extended Life Coolant such a Caterpillar ELC is used. Less than 5% of chassis/coach makers use this more expensive coolant.
SCA's are sacrificial-- they are used up in the normal operation of the engine. They protect the engine from permanent, EXPENSIVE DAMAGE such as erosion right through the cylinder wall.
The CORRECT concentration is important-- you do not want too little OR too much.
SCA Test Strips are inexpensive and easy to use-- just dip them in coolant and look at the color-- just like testing pool chemicals.
Fleetguard CC2604-A 4 pack. NAPA FIL4105: 4 Dana/Wix strips $3.
SCA can be added as a liquid or if you have a coolant filter, the filters come in different amounts of SCA.
If coolant has not been changed, I would contact chassis maker and ask for exactly what coolant/SCA they used and continue with that.
Some coolants come with SCA in them, so the OE may not have added SCA separately. But contacting coolant manufacturer will give you a compatible product.
Brett Wolfe
1993 Foretravel 36' U-240
Cat 3116, Allison 3060
Caterpillar RV Engine Owner's Club: www.catrvclub.org
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Two Jayhawks
lenexa ks
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Joined: 03/17/2003
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wolfe10 wrote: there may be others who need this information
Thanks Brett.
2002 Safari Zanzibar
CAT C12 455/1550
Allison 4000
Saturn Vue w/ReadyBrake
FMCA# 390819
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tatest
Oklahoma
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Joined: 05/14/2005
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No engines are bullet proof, all are subject to random failures, all have some parts, especially accessories, that wear out faster than others and need replacement one or more times during the design service life of the engine as a whole.
Large diesel engines are typically designed for a longer service life than smaller diesels and the gas engines in automobiles. Almost all commercial and industrial diesel engines have many different power ratings, corresponding different duty cycles and different designed service life.
In RV applications, diesel engines can have fairly high ratings (because the duty cycle is relatively light, 1/4 to 1/2 rated power a few hours a day) and provide a service life (5000 - 10,000 hours) that will exceed the life of the RV, or the lifetimes of several consecutive buyers.
On the other hand, the 3000 to 6000 hour life of a large gasoline engine also exceeds the usual life of the vehicle, especially if the application involves 100 to 300 hours a year typical for RVing.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
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LUeno
Southwest
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Joined: 07/13/2006
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I did a search regarding the use of SCA, one poster wrote that when utilizing ELC it doesn't need changing for several years (5 years), also you don't have to worry about using an SCA additive.
If true wouldn't the extra cost for ELC justifies the expense? Or am I just being lazy, looking for the easy way out.
LUeno
Captain: Pops
Ist Mate: Harlee "Vicious Attack Dog" only if you try to move her when she's sleeping...
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Joined: 01/20/2003
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LUeno wrote:I did a search regarding the use of ELC, one poster wrote that when utilizing ELC it doesn't need changing for several years, also you don't have to worry about using an SCA additive.
If true wouldn't the extra cost for ELC justifies the expense?
LUeno
PARTIALLY true. It doesnt REQUIRE changing for quite a few years BUT the "SCA's" still need to be monitored with test strips ( every 6 months I think??) and if they are low then a liquid form of them can be added
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
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wolfe10
Texas
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Joined: 10/08/2000
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LUeno wrote:I did a search regarding the use of SCA, one poster wrote that when utilizing ELC it doesn't need changing for several years (5 years), also you don't have to worry about using an SCA additive.
If true wouldn't the extra cost for ELC justifies the expense? Or am I just being lazy, looking for the easy way out.
LUeno
Actually quite a number of OTR trucks run Caterpillar ELC (or equivalent from other manufacturer) and many of us convert over to ELC as well.
And indeed the only thing you have to do is to add a "booster" after 3 years. It is then good for another 3 years.
NO SCA TESTING AND ADDING.
But make sure if you do this that you PROPERLY clean the cooling system before switching kinds of coolant. Caterpillar and others have a liquid cleaner you run through the cooling system to do it.
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LUeno
Southwest
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Joined: 07/13/2006
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Thanks everyone!!!
LUeno
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Lug_Nut
Newmarket , Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 06/13/2002
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Another product similiar that is used by Spartan and Cummins is Final Charge. With this no SCA are required and no testing. Additionally a blank SCA filter is used. Also, it is not expensive and is sold in most Walwart stores for $9.99 per gallon, already premixed.
'07 Newmar Essex 45' ISM 500 4 slides
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