Community Forums

Cinequip · 02-06-2020, 10:18 AM

‘09 ISL 425hp. DPF. No problems at all in 40k miles. It regenerates about every 5000 miles. Only small downside to DPF is you should keep driving at highway speeds for 20-30 minutes once the regen. cycle begins, to enable a complete clean. Funny thing is it always seems choose to regen right before we decide to stop for the day!

PackerPower · 02-06-2020, 04:07 PM

Although I have never had a problem with the DPF system, I am one of those unlucky campers who had DEF problems. On our 2011 Winnebago Journey Express (340 hp Cummins on Freightliner XC chassis), we had a CEL diagnosed as DEF related. Managed to get to a Freightliner service center before it derated, and they replaced the DEF dosing pump at a cost of $1500. On leaving the parking lot, the CEL came back on. After several days of diagnostics and consultation with Cummings, they ended up replacing the entire DEF harness (among other software and firmware updates), for an additional $2500. So, I had a $4000 DEF problem at around 45000 miles in May of 2018. I have since put on another 15k miles with no further issues.

On talking to service managers, they indicated Cummings had "some problems" with early versions of the DEF systems. While the requirement for DEF applied to engines manufactured after 2010, I have heard of some 2011 coach models without DEF because the coaches were manufactured with 2010 engines and chassis'. So, in my case, looks like I had the first generation of the DEF system, and improvements were apparently made in the years since.

Although it really sucked to have to cough up $4k, and I didn't really have any choice, I still think having engines with DPF and DEF is a big positive. It is really nice to not have to smell all the pollutants in conventional diesel exhausts (and the immediate headache it produces), and it is better for our environment and those around us. My personal opinion is that chasing older coaches down just to avoid emission control systems has diminishing returns - there are a lot more things to go wrong - and possibly much larger expenses than DEF - for coaches 10 to 15 years old.

JMHO of course, good luck whichever way you end up going.

G Schulz · 02-07-2020, 06:25 AM

Well I lucked out on my 2009 Safari Cheetah. I thought I had a DPF on my Cat C7. Turns out the engine is a 2006 model so all I have is the EGR. I was so happy when I found that out, I thought I won the lottery.

RichnSue · 02-07-2020, 08:34 AM

New to us 2008 425 ISL, we've got 22,000 miles behind us total mileage is 74850.

No issues whatsoever with the emissions.

We've never had a regen that I can tell.

I do not let it idle other than the initial 5-8 minute air up and that is at high idle using the cruise buttons soon as I see the coolant temp begin to rise on the LBCU

Whenever we stop for whatever length of time, I shut it off, allowing for at least a 5 minute "cool down" for the turbo if we've been on the interstate

Pretty much treat the ISL as I would a gas engine

apgob · 10-19-2020, 04:47 PM

We have had several issues with exhaust system on 2009 Newmar ventanna with a cummins ISB 350.

Towed in 3 times

1st tow sept 2015 --- Lost all power -- code resulted in new DPF Filter and install a new Differntial Pressue sensor (stuck on zero and not reading) 45963 miles

2nd Tow ---- 10/5/2020- Engine cranked and ran for couple minutes then displayed stop engine and shut down on it's own.
----- diagnosed codes showed EGR Valve bad, EGR differntial presure
sensor bad (this was 2nd pressue sensor, first one places was 1 of 2
sensors.
----- after replacing sensors and doing a parked regen, diagnostics then
indicated Outlet temp sesnor reading was out of range, They
replaced DPF outlet temp sensor and completed anothe regen.
70115 miles

all was supposedly fine, we drove it back (30 miles to our storage no issues)

3rd tow- Went to prep for trip and same issue occurred Display stop engine
shut down. Clark Power tech ran diagnostics and got the codes of
3241-0 and 3245-0. Not sure of his message but he said it had to
"Dock Inlet/tail giving erradic reading. He indicated this was
probably a wiring harness issue.
70115 miles

Question: Has anyone else had this number of issues with exhaust sytem and how can i tell if it's doing auto regens?

Any ideas greatly appreciated. Sorry for long message and thanks for Good Sams tow insurance.

Jzack · 10-20-2020, 05:02 AM

I own a 2008 ISB. We had the EGR pressure sensor code at 38K miles. I removed the sensor and cleaned all the ports and veins leading to the sensor. They were totally plugged with carbon. Put the old sensor back on and the code went away. All has been well since (fingers crossed). Hopefully your mechanic knew to do this instead of just throwing parts at it?

Oh, and look in the owners manual, you should have a dash light indicating a regen. I have never seen our rig do a regen however.

PanJH · 10-20-2020, 05:36 AM

We have a 2013 Dutch Star with 450 Cummins. 60,000 miles with no issues.

hattitude · 10-20-2020, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild Card

Negative, DEF was not required nor used until 2010 when SCR was added to DPF and DOC aftertreatment systems. Cummins used it on engines that it required to meet emmisions standards of that tier

and please do post some evidence of these other diesel engine maker using it before 2010.

I mean hell 3 years prior was 2007, when DPF and EGR was required, prior to that no aftertreatment but EGR since 2004.

I don't know the dates, but Ram used def in their commercial chassis cab models before introducing DEF into the pick up truck models..

I have to admit, I don't know the reasoning or the motivations... just that it was first in the commercial chassis trucks...

I had a 2008 Ram Cummins with just the DPF and a 2014 RAM Cummins with DEF/SCR/DPF... The 2014 Cummins ran better and got better MPG...

OP...

If you buy a diesel with DPF only, they will need more maintenance and they had more issues. The reason was they used mostly EGR to reduce the NOX levels in the exhaust prior to using DEF...

The EGR basically introduces exhaust soot into the intake of the engine. It can/will plug after coolers, intakes and can cause other problems as mileage grows..

When they started using DEF, it cut way back on the amount of EGR used, which cleaned things up a bunch..

There are always going to be emissions systems' repairs, maintenance, and problems... but the problems and certain maintenance items were severely reduced when they started using DEF, and less EGR in the systems...

Obviously, any pre-emissions diesel can run better, longer, and with less maintenance, albeit dirtier, than those with emissions systems...

153stars · 10-21-2020, 08:40 AM

Like he said
Some engines were carried over into couple later years

Quote:

Originally Posted by G Schulz

Well I lucked out on my 2009 Safari Cheetah. I thought I had a DPF on my Cat C7. Turns out the engine is a 2006 model so all I have is the EGR. I was so happy when I found that out, I thought I won the lottery.