50 series Detroit

Graybeard

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Thanks for the info on empty miles it all helps me determine if I want to put on any larger trucks. I have read posts about the cat 3126 eng. and am surprised that cat has such a poor eng on the market, all my experence with their engines has been with the 3406 3408 and I hate to admit my age but I started with a 1693. I have been watching a local beer hauler that is using a 4 cyl. 50 series detroit pulling a 4 axle trailer grossing close to 100,000 lbs. The driver tells me he is getting 10.5 mpg loaded and up to 13 mpg empty. I'am thinking this might be just the power for a streight truck. I would like to know if any of you have had experence with this engine and what you think.

p.s. The beer truck is geared 4:80 in the rear with a overdrive trans.
 

Weave

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
I don't run a series 50 (yet), but have heard only good things about it. It is essentially a series 60 minus two cyl., and has a balance shaft. I have heard from other expediters running them who currently claim 750k basically trouble free miles. I will run either a series 50 (Currently only avail. in Freightliners with high hoods model 106, S50 is tall because it has an overhead cam) or a Cummins ISC on my next D unit.
-Weave-
 

vernon946

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
:) I agree with the good things I have heard about the Detroit 50 except there is a caution if you put one in anything little from Freightliner (FL106,FL80,FL70). :'( A friend has a 106 with the Detroit, and his front axle is so loaded that he has to carry his freight toward the rear of the box to avoid overloading the front axle. He turns down heavy loads as he doesn't want any scale tickets, which really kills his revenue. Maybe the answer would be specing the truck with 100 gal capacity and shifting the fuel tanks and batteries toward the rear.

Vernon946
 

FJK1954

Expert Expediter
i drive a d unit fl-106 with the 50 series and 9-speed trans. lots of power and i dont have any problems with weight. only thing ive had to do was 2 injectors so far...it has 250k miles. i like it quite well. frank
 

geo

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Navy
if you drive for fedexcc there is a extra 250,000 extra extend warranty aviable (don't know if still ineffect check contractor relations) for free
 

bojangles1

Expert Expediter
I have a 2000 FL106 with a series 50 Detroit in it. I get about ten mpg with a 9 speed tranny. I have no problems with weight and no one else should if their truck is set up correctly. The truck has 301,000 miles on it and the only work on the engine has been 3 injectors and an air compressor. Those were replaced early on. The engine has plenty of power, however it is pretty slow out of the hole.
 
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