Ok I'm looking at Freightliners. I found one, a 2005 with 325,000 that was a fleet tuck. It has some warranty left. They want low $60's for it. It has 435/515 HP. Then I found 2004 Freightliner with around the same miles on it but for about $15,000 cheaper. The only thing it has a 375/430 hp.

I plan on pulling reefer, most on the east coast, though I'd love to get out west. I'm based out of florida and a lot of the freight will be from there (no hills there). How is the lower HP? I was told by one person to stay away from it, but I don't know much about this. How will this affect my MPG? What exactly should I be looking at?

Also the bigger engine is a 14. L while the smaller one is 12.7. I don't even know what this means. (I hated auto shop.)

Can anyone give me some advice please?

 

My guess is that the bigger one is a Cat and the other is a Detroit. If that is the case I don't see where you could go wrong with either. Both motors have been good to me.

 

I believe those are both Detroit Series 60, they have a 12.7 and a 14.0 Liter. The 370/430 is what many of the big fleets like Schneider run. You'll get better fuel mileage but be slower on the hills. As long as you don't have a huge ego, it's plenty of power to do the job.

 

Yes they are both Detroit. Now that I will be paying for the fuel, the better the fuel MPG the better. The only thing I was wondering, if it's chugging up a hill doesn't that bring down the MPG? Sorry if that was a stupid question and thanks for your help.

 

I had a 435 Cat and I thought the 3406E was a 14 L motor. That is why I guessed one was a Cat but, you could be right.

 

 

Person, are those smiles laughing in disagreement or you saying those two thing are worth smiling about?

 

430 hp is plenty for the average truck. Unless you're going to consistently be hauling 80k in the mountains, you won't need more than that unless all you want is bragging rights.

 

Be still my heart. Somebody as mechanical-dumb as me.

Those liters are the total volume of the cylinders summed up.

 

Oh yeah I'm mechanically dumb all right. Even as a kid when the other kids would be babbling about duel polly overhead bla bla bla, I couldn't understand a word. Can't stand sports either (don't worry I know what you are thinking, yes I'm married and yes to a woman )

Anyway I see packrat chimed in and that's good cause I can never understand half of what he writes, that is he seems to know about this stuff so let me ask, when they say the engine has 375/430hp what does that mean? It can either be configured for 375 or 430? or at different gears it is at 375 or 430?

Thanks