Community Forums

John Pacello · 07-31-2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jauguston

Scott,

The MP-8 DOES work as advertised. You will not see any fuel mileage improvement if you are like me and having the extra power use it.(-:

There are thousands of them going up and down the Interstate highways hauling freight. I quizzed several Cat engine shops before I bought mine and they all said they see them all the time and have heard good reports from the truckers and no reports of any engine damage caused by them. Based upon that I bought mine. It is a two plug connection to install and the hardest part of the install is running the extension control cord from the engine to the dash. Mine stays turned all the way up.

Jim

Hi Jim, I guess you know where Everson is...

I have 3 questions, 1) where did you get your MP-8, 2) if you keep it turned up all the way why bother with the extension cord and 3) I understand the cords are 40" did you have to extend the cord for your coach, mine is 41Ft.

Thanks

John

jauguston · 08-01-2013, 01:44 PM

John,

The reason for having the control at hand-- options. Not all ECM's react the same so having the controller at hand is a good idea. I didn't know when I installed it how it would work. Got it from a web dealer in Montana. I don't remember the name. The 40' cord will be plenty long.

Ya-I know where Everson is. My son lives on the Goshen Road near the Sand. I am next door to Lakeway Realty On Lakeway Dr.

If it is a option I would buy from TS Performance. They make it. Randy is the head guy and takes most of the tech support calls. Nice guy.

Jim

gatorcq · 08-01-2013, 05:36 PM

Both the 3126E and C7 can be upgraded to 350 HP with a software upgrade. The cost will vary based on where you go to have this down. You should call different CAT service centers to get prices.

Cat · 08-01-2013, 07:52 PM

Again I would suggest you call Freightliner before getting the software change to 350. My engine is also flash able to 350 and I was going to do it. I understand being "skeptical" but the answer is a free phone call away to Freightliner all you need is your Vin.Why spend the money for the flash to 350 and find out its going to cause a problem and maybe have to pay the money to reflash to 330. Takes about 15 minutes to find out.

chuck49 · 08-02-2013, 07:38 PM

Has anyone installed an mp8 on a C-9, 400 Cat? Was wondering what kind of results did you get. Basically I OK with the performance I've been getting but I would always like more power/torque. As far as water temp is concerned, she will heat up to 210 or even higher on a long pull during hot weather. I just watch the water temp and back out of it till she cools back down. I don't like to run it over about 205 to 210 for very long. During normal load she runs at about 190. During normal conditions I run at about 70 to 75. Don't usually pay much attention to the MPG but last week from just North of Roswell to Bloomfield up 550 headed toward Durango climbing up over the Great Divide at around 7000 ft. got 7.5 MPG. Anyway, if there was a way to get more power I would be very interested in hearing about it.

Mr_D · 08-02-2013, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorcq

Both the 3126E and C7 can be upgraded to 350 HP with a software upgrade. The cost will vary based on where you go to have this down. You should call different CAT service centers to get prices.

When we had a 3126 I called CAT, they said if I had a rear radiator it would not work due to cooling issues. Side radiator was not a problem.

John Pacello · 08-30-2013, 11:14 AM

OK Thank you, driving down to Centralia WA. next week to have it installed.

Will keep you posted on the results...

John

wb7auk · 08-31-2013, 10:16 AM

A point often over looked is the limits of the air filter.
Most air filters factory installed just meet the requirements of the stock engine hp
Most air filter companies dance around what their filters will filter and at what cfm.
A lot of motor home have the air intake low to the ground and behind the rear
wheels also a location that in some cases is in the middle of a dust storm.
When changing to a higher flow rate air filter make sure it will do the job with
the intake being in a poor location.
A filter that works good in a clean air install may not in a poor install.

John Pacello · 09-01-2013, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wb7auk

A point often over looked is the limits of the air filter.
Most air filters factory installed just meet the requirements of the stock engine hp
Most air filter companies dance around what their filters will filter and at what cfm.
A lot of motor home have the air intake low to the ground and behind the rear
wheels also a location that in some cases is in the middle of a dust storm.
When changing to a higher flow rate air filter make sure it will do the job with
the intake being in a poor location.
A filter that works good in a clean air install may not in a poor install.

My intake is at the rear roofline, I will put a new stock (purchased earlier this year) air intake filter on before I get the MP-8, hopefully next Monday, 9th in Centralia WA.

My next filter will be a K&N.

Washed the Rad with Aircraft Simple Green, which is not green but clear, it seems to work well.

John

wb7auk · 09-01-2013, 11:41 AM

What is your vacuum reading with a new stock filter?
What is you average intake air temp taken at the engine intake manifold?
As to K&N from what I have been able to find out I will pass on their filter
for diesel.
The best filter I have found is one made of nanofiber and not the one's that
use a thin layer with something else.

jauguston · 09-01-2013, 06:47 PM

The last thing I would put on my engine is a K-N air filter. You cannot get a better filter than the stock one. The particle size that will pass through a K-N filter is bigger than what will pass thrugh the stock filter. There is no power gain from a K-N filter. Just heavy marketing.

Jim

VanDiemen23 · 09-01-2013, 09:44 PM

CAT will upgrade a rear radiator coach to 330 from 300 for about $650 bucks. I live in the area south of Bishop noted in FIRE UPs post. Basically, there's no way out of here that doesn't involve a monster climb in hot weather.

I put a 25 gal Ag sprayer up under the front cap and ran a water line and nozzle to the radiator shroud. An old bright light switch on the floor turns it on. From 212 deg at WOT on the bishop grade it takes about 1-2 gal of water to cool the engine back to 185, and takes about 10 minutes to climb back up.

I've used this setup now on the Baker grade in both directions, the bishop grade, Tehachapi pass, Cajon Pass, and I-10 to the AZ line. works like a charm. I can pull a hill one gear higher than before and lose little time.

jauguston · 09-02-2013, 09:56 AM

There is a lot more than 30 HP available for the same money with a TS Performance MP-8 programmer. There are thousands of them on the road every day on over the road trucks.

Jim

OLYLEN · 09-03-2013, 10:11 PM

As I posted earlier in this thread dyno 330 to 394HP and 850 to 1050 torque. At Centrailia. They have full (at least water and power) at their shop. I did put on an after market air cleaner that does flow more air and at very little cost more than stock. They have them in stock too. The first cleaning Brazels said from my trip over the top of the world hiway they had never seen so much dust in the can. And it didn't dust the motor so I guess it also worked as advertised. Before the install I had a Charge radiator go TU so had the cooling radiator rebuilt cleaned as well as the new charge radiator before the MP8.

LEN