opinions on kw T300

davekc · Apr 9, 2002

is this a truck that one would recommend? It is a 99 with a cat engine with only 50,000 miles. Want to get a year or two out
of it. thanks

Wild Bill · Apr 9, 2002

The Kenworth is a great truck! I have been driving one for nearly 2 years now and I have few complaints. I drive a 96 with 420,000 miles on it and it runs like a champ.

Only thing I can say is if that Cat engine is a 3176 RUN!!! Everyone I have know who had one (Myself included) have had nothing but problems with them. They won't pull a hill empty, and they are constantly breaking down. I would think twice before even using it as a boat anchor.

Find one with the Cummins engine and you will have a winner. Talk to Jeff Jones at the Fort Wayne truck center in Fort Wayne. Last time I was there he had a few used ones. Or you can check them out at http://www.fortwaynetruckcenter.com

Good luck

davekc · Apr 12, 2002

thanks for the info. Test drove it and it went about 75mph tops. Didn't seem to drag on the hills either. Still concerned with cat engines but it is dirt cheap with 50000 on it. One of those tough calls.

Wild Bill · Apr 14, 2002

Sounds familar, My Cat would do over 75 mph on flat land (Western states only, I would never speed }> :+ ) Could be a great deal or the mostly costly mistake ever devised since the institution on marriage :+

Weave · Apr 15, 2002

How many times do I have to say stay away from CAT 3126's??
The HEUI CAT's blow, big time..they cannot be rebuilt and cost upwards of $14,000 to replace.

davekc · Apr 16, 2002

stupid question? what does heui mean? Are you saying one of these cat motors won't make it to 100 or 125,000 miles? Had one previously and got 475,000 out of it before I sold it. Nothing major except water pump and alternator. It was a 3126. maybe a different type, this was in a 98 frieghtliner.....but i could tell you horror stories with the a/c on it.

Wild Bill · Apr 17, 2002

You may have gotten lucky. I have know several people who hasn't had any major mechanical problems with the cat motor. They still had the other symptoms..ie. no power..etc. But sadly they are in the minority from those I have spoken to, myself included.
:-(

Weave · Apr 19, 2002

HEUI refers to the "high energy unit injection" system found on CAT 3126 and older 3116's. It does not have a conventional fuel injection pump like most all diesels. Instead, it has special fuel injectors that are powered by the engine's oil system. When seals on these injectors blow, they suck engine oil into the fuel system through the return, and the oil ends up in the truck's fuel tanks. A common 3126 problem. The 3126 is built nothing like the decent bigger CAT engines (C10-12-15) and you were lucky to get that much mileage out of it. Low and behold I just talked to yet another fleet owner at our company this past week who's 3126 took a swim down the River Styx. There is no rebuilding it- replacement cost $15 grand. The truck itself (I believe a '96 FL70) isn't worth that much altogether new engine or not.
I guess what we are trying to say is the 3126 doesn't have a very good reputation for reliability in general and is too expensive to mess around with for expediting use. Better long term buys are found on trucks for about the same prices with Cummins or Detroit (or big CAT) engines.

davekc · Apr 21, 2002

one thing i failed to mention was to obtain that kind of milage, i was using mobile synthetic oil. In fact I still use it in the cummins I currently have. Also, there was very little idle time on it. We wanted the truck to get a year or two out of it because of the sleeper,genset, and the box. We would then pull them off and drop them on a new chassis. Much cheaper and yes we have reservations on the engine but at 50,000, we are hoping to get an additional 100 maybe two out of it. Of course we are still debating. Thanks for all of your input.