Diesel New Guy - Tips Please

[Acemart]

Pick up my 2012 Thor Serrano with Maxxforce FRED next week. Have never owned or driven a diesel powered vehicle before. Looking for basic advice and tips from the experienced group here. Don't assume i know anything about diesels! Thanks.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acemart Pick up my 2012 Thor Serrano with Maxxforce FRED next week. Have never owned or driven a diesel powered vehicle before. Looking for basic advice and tips from the experienced group here. Don't assume i know anything about diesels! Thanks.

Acemart, You probably already know this but a FRED is a trade mark from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, Gaffney, SC.

The MaxxForce engine in the Thor Serrano is mounted on a Workhorse motorhome chassis and was manufactured in Union City, IN.

Congratulations on your purchase and please check into the Workhorse Owner's Forum.

[danf7]

I have a 2008 Tiffin Fred. ( Allegro Open Road ) If you're going to have an engine in the front, the fred diesel is a lot quieter than a gasser. Back in 2008 Tiffin made both and I test drove both the Fred and the gasser made by Workhorse. The Fred was quieter by far. I go about 60 mph and the tach is only hitting 1650 to 1700 depending on the grade. ( I have a Cummin 300 ) The gasser was screaming and doing double that. Yes it does cost more to maintain but your resale value is also higher. Best wishes on your new rig and many happy miles and smiles.

Dan

[Acemart]

DriVer, thanks for the clarifiaction. Initially thought FRED referred to any front engine diesel. Steep learnng curve..thanks.

[bucks2]

Now that you have FRED under your belt, let's talk about your question.....

Read the engine manual. Many of the old school items are no longer valid. Read the manual. Running the engine near max rpm is no longer the rule. Running near max torque is generally recommended. For example my Cat C9 engine should be run at about 1400 rpm for best efficiency. Read the manual, that's what it says over and over. Read the manual for your engine and follow it's advice. The old rule was never lug a diesel keep it in it's running range, for example the old Cummins 210 I used to drive wanted to be between 1700 and 2100 rpm. Way different than what is recommended for the newer engines. Did I mention to read the manual yet? It's your best source of information.

Spend time just looking at the engine compartment. Take pictures with your digital camera. Shine a light on those dark corners. Look where the hoses run, where the wiring is positioned. Look for places that hoses are too close to hot things. Same with wiring. I know the factory inspector checked it, the dealership mechanic looked at it. Do your own looking. You're the one who might be stuck with a repair bill down the road, or at least the inconvenience of a breakdown.

You don't have to have any particular skill to examine all the systems. Just look at them and see how they work now. Then when something isn't working right you may see an obvious problem. Remember those pictures I said to take? Think about routing the "fan" belt back in the correct spots if it broke on the road somewhere. A picture can save an hours worth of mechanic time trying to figure out how to route it.

Look at the normal operating numbers. If you have a digital display of temps, rpms, etc write down or take a picture of what normal is now when cruising down the flat highway and when climbing the big hill. These normal numbers will help you determine what changed when something isn't right. Over the years you will forget what the normal temp was when new.

On the forums you will hear dozens of experts talk about what normal is, isn't, and what to do about it. Filter that advice with what you know to be fact on YOUR rig. For example, some say that your water temp should never be higher than 200 degrees. And for them it's a big deal if their rig ever gets hotter. Some rigs run hotter than that on that rig's gauges. Your gauge may read 204 and that is perfectly normal for your rig and perfectly OK.

Do the maintenance. Whether you do it yourself or pay to have it done follow the books advice, or a trusted advisor. Your diesel will run a long time and give many miles of trouble free service, but they like clean oil and fresh anti-freeze every so often. They use lots of air to produce the power that we all enjoy so change the air filter when it needs it. Keep the engine area clean. A clean engine runs cooler and takes less time to repair when it's needed. Fix the small leak before it becomes a large one.
I know your rig is new and you're a ways away from leaks and anti-freeze changes, but keep them in mind as time goes by.

There are a bunch of other things that can be added to this list, but it's a start for you.

Ken

[PatricksPC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acemart Looking for basic advice and tips

I bought my 2011 Serrano 33A new and they didn't give me all the manuals. I've compliled what I could find here http://www.hill-family.us/serrano/ along with drafts of check lists.

[Acemart]

Appreciate all the great advice. I'm actually a manual reader so I will have lots to read. Take delivery this Wednesday and am really ready to figure things out.