how to verify year model?

[Drop In]

looking at 07 Phaetons and had read that they may use 06 chassis (ie no fuel restrictions) - how can one verify the year of chassis and engine?

[JoeT]

Open the rear engine compartment. There should be a plate with the chassis VIN and date of manufacture.

[Route 66]

I believe '07 ULSD engines have it marked on the fuel gauge.

[Drop In]

ok makes sense..thx

[GaryKD]

Dirk is correct,
For the situation in the OP, it will be marked on the fuel gage to use only ULSD fuel.

[Gary RVRoamer]

There is also a data plate on the engine block itself, at least there is on all Cummins engines. Your engine owner manual will tell you how to locate it.

By the way, it is not the chassis manufacturing date that is important. It is the engine manufacture date. Thus you can have a 2007 chassis with a engine built in 2006 and it is still pre-ULSD.

[JVJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV Roamer [Gary] By the way, it is not the chassis manufacturing date that is important. It is the engine manufacture date. Thus you can have a 2007 chassis with a engine built in 2006 and it is still pre-ULSD.

So now if I have this correct...I may have an 08 Motorhome, built on an 07 Freightliner chassis, with an 06 CAT sitting under the bed?

[Gary RVRoamer]

That is conceivable, though perhaps unlikely. By the 2008 model year, most RV manufacturers had used up all their pre-purchased chassis with 2006 engines. It probably depends on when the RV builder decided to start his 2008 model year - often they start build 08's fairly early in 2007 calendar year.

[JVJ]

I agree with you as to being possible, but unlikely. However just for grins I went out to move the Pacifica a few minutes ago so I could plug her into the shore power outlet in the garage. Anyway, back to the original subject..the coach is an 08 Pacifica, the chassis is a Freighliner 2007, the build date was early 2007. And no where on my coach...either at the fuel fill doors, nor on the fuel gauge does it mention USLD fuel. I then pulled out my CAT Owners Manual and it says 2006 on the front, no mention of USLD and added emissions. It does tell me the CAT code plate is located towards the top of the rear of the motor, but I have not dug that deep into the dark abyss of the engine compartment.
WOW, it is starting to look like it took years to build this coach..It only took just under two years to build our house.

[JVJ]

Another item I noticed is that I have the oil slobber tube under the engine, it does have a rubber extension hose on it as noted online to help eleminate problems of oil from getting deposited in the radiator and aftercooler from the slobber tube (crankcase vent tube). It is my impression that the new updated 2007 emissions CAT motor does not have a slobber tube, but is more like a PCV valve.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Freightliner buys the engines in advance and eventually puts them into a chassis to meet a customer's order, e.g. National RV. Then the chassis sits at the RV manufacturers until needed to build a coach that some dealer ordered. A long time can go by in some cases.

Mine is a 2004 model year with a March 2004 build date for the coach body, The chassis build date was January, 2004, but the engine is a 2003 Cummins ISL built sometime in 2003.

[sam-tip]

Mine is a 2008 Winnebago Tour with a Freightliner 2007 chassis. Build date of RV was Jan 2007. The chassis is 2007 but they did not offer the maximum chassis till 2008 models. Then the equipment is also old. The Wineguard Satellite that was mounted on the roof was made in June 2004. It was so outdated that is didn’t work with the new Satellite positions. Wineguard replace the dish under warranty. Then the RV sat around so long that the house batteries were baked dry of water. Another warranty fix because of age.
Now I am trying to check the age of the Tires from the DOT codes on the sides. I think they are 2001 tires.
Good luck
Doug and Marcy

[tedward1555]

I was unaware of all this when I first started shopping for RV's and I passed on a great deal for an 07 Discovery with an 06 paint job. Now that was confusing... and in the end I just walked away. Happy with what i got anyway

[PUSHERTECH]

The 10th digit of the vin is the chassis year. Fccc did not/does not install any cat "fuel restricted" engines.