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Big truck guys: Thoughts on a 2004 F750 with Cat C7 acert

2Driver

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I’ve read up on some of the emissions concerns with the acert, but if it was immaculately cared for, 47k miles only carrying a minimal weight RV box what would you say? Coupled to Allison 2500 and air bagged.
 

Lunatic Fringe

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What is going to be your application for the truck?
I've had a few Cat motors in some of my Peterbilt trucks and the only bad one was the Acert C13.
A C7 is not a real powerful motor if you're towing heavy and hilly.
 

2Driver

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What is going to be your application for the truck?
I've had a few Cat motors in some of my Peterbilt trucks and the only bad one was the Acert C13.
A C7 is not a real powerful motor if you're towing heavy and hilly.

Its an off road adventure truck set up. pretty light composite box maybe 10k all in. It was a former fire truck, Cat dealer went through it head to toe before the rv build started to the tune of $20k. Not towing anything. I think its 300hp

Who in town would service it?
 
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BIGRED9158

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Its an off road adventure truck set up. pretty light composite box maybe 10k all in. It was a former fire truck, Cat dealer went through it head to toe before the rv build to the tune of 20k Not towing anything. I think its 300hp

Who in town would service it?


Where are you located at
 

ToMorrow44

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My dads got an 07 F650 with a Cat C7. We’ve taught ourselves a lot about it. They’re good motors if they’re maintained properly. Every “issue” with the C7s can be linked to dirty oil. Change the oil often, use cat filters and you’ll be good to go.
Not familiar with the 2500 series Allison, we have the 3000 which is a beast. We changed the trans fluid and filters at like 60k miles and it looked brand new.
They're not speed demons by any means. If you find it needs more power, PDI in Utah has some upgrades that boost power quite a bit, but they’re pricey.
 

RCDave

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Had a cat c7 in my 2006 phaeton DP Never a problem. I changed the oil every 5000 miles and put optilube xpd in the fuel. It was bulletproof and had good power
 
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LargeOrangeFont

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Are you trying to tow a jet ski or Harbor Freight utility trailer? If so this will be barely adequate.
 
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The only emissions control device a 04 diesel engine would have will be an EGR. DPFs came out January 1st 2007.
 

2Driver

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The only emissions control device a 04 diesel engine would have will be an EGR. DPFs came out January 1st 2007.

Actually there were, as I read it, in order to meet new emission standards by 03. They dicked with some air/fuel pumps which became problematic and other components to try to get emissions down from 04-08 which resulted in some filter and turbo clogging issues, lower power, lower mileage and some over heating.

To the extent it can be overcome, not a big deal or it would be a deal breaker for me I don’t have a feel for it.
 

ToMorrow44

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Actually there were, as I read it, in order to meet new emission standards by 03. They dicked with some air/fuel pumps which became problematic and other components to try to get emissions down from 04-08 which resulted in some filter and turbo clogging issues, lower power, lower mileage and some over heating.

To the extent it can be overcome, not a big deal or it would be a deal breaker for me I don’t have a feel for it.
Check out this guys videos, he’s got several about the C7.
 

QC22

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Actually there were, as I read it, in order to meet new emission standards by 03.
It would be pretty easy to double check. My guess is it will not have a DPF unless retrofitted. If it's not a CA truck, then not sure why it would have been. Also, fire trucks were probably exempt.
 

2Driver

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It would be pretty easy to double check. My guess is it will not have a DPF unless retrofitted. If it's not a CA truck, then not sure why it would have been. Also, fire trucks were probably exempt.

No def, just the heui pump crap for emissions. C7 ACERT
 

QC22

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HEUI was not necessarily for emissions. It was an advanced fuel injection technical solution that has been mostly passed over for Common Rail. Yes, emissions could be improved at the time with the control benefits of HEUI, but I certainly wouldn't call it "crap for emissions". Pretty cool stuff actually: Hydraulic Electronic Unit Injection. Allows multiple fuel shots independent of engine timing. Anyway... I mentioned DPF not Def. I am guessing this thing has no emissions after treatment at all, i.e. shit in the exhaust stream. And EGR is not necessarily bad either, it can even improve efficiency, so I wouldn't blast it for that. ACERT was a bad bet technically, but the label itself doesn't mean the engines are bad. If it runs right and doesn't leak, it will probably be fairly trouble free for you. The C9 is the same thing, just punched out, and people rave about them.
 

Danger Dave

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HEUI was not necessarily for emissions. It was an advanced fuel injection technical solution that has been mostly passed over for Common Rail. Yes, emissions could be improved at the time with the control benefits of HEUI, but I certainly wouldn't call it "crap for emissions". Pretty cool stuff actually: Hydraulic Electronic Unit Injection. Allows multiple fuel shots independent of engine timing. Anyway... I mentioned DPF not Def. I am guessing this thing has no emissions after treatment at all, i.e. shit in the exhaust stream. And EGR is not necessarily bad either, it can even improve efficiency, so I wouldn't blast it for that. ACERT was a bad bet technically, but the label itself doesn't mean the engines are bad. If it runs right and doesn't leak, it will probably be fairly trouble free for you. The C9 is the same thing, just punched out, and people rave about them.

I read this three times, then once more. I have no idea what you said, but I'm glad we still live in a country where you can say it.
 

QC22

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It's such a long story, very hard to say in a paragraph. ACERT was CAT's bet to beat SCR (DEF). It didn't work out to eliminate Def, but that was effectively 6 years later. The HEUI system is not ACERT. That's really internally drilled EGR passages that allow EGR without an external cooler etc. A lot of marketing BS, too. I was way too close to this stuff to give simple answers. Worked at a CAT Dealer for 25 years. Ran the truck shop when they first introduced HEUI and ACERT. Went on to be involved with low emissions solution partners etc. Watched Navistar try to commit suicide with their version of ACERT when CAT and other partners all told them it wouldn't work. ACERT and HEUI both were way before all this went down and shouldn't be branded as emissions crap. In fact, they are among the last engines made without any after treatment.
 

2Driver

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It's such a long story, very hard to say in a paragraph. ACERT was CAT's bet to beat SCR (DEF). It didn't work out to eliminate Def, but that was effectively 6 years later. The HEUI system is not ACERT. That's really internally drilled EGR passages that allow EGR without an external cooler etc. A lot of marketing BS, too. I was way too close to this stuff to give simple answers. Worked at a CAT Dealer for 25 years. Ran the truck shop when they first introduced HEUI and ACERT. Went on to be involved with low emissions solution partners etc. Watched Navistar try to commit suicide with their version of ACERT when CAT and other partners all told them it wouldn't work. ACERT and HEUI both were way before all this went down and shouldn't be branded as emissions crap. In fact, they are among the last engines made without any after treatment.
Wow thanks for that detail. I know the guy that builds the RV portion and he only builds off assured chassis. Some of his builds reach 1M. An 04 with no DEF hits the sweet spot for International markets and those that want to take it out of the country.

Fabick CAT went through the entire chassis, diffs engine and trans to the tune of $20,000 prior to the rv build starting. I will get the refresh sheet Monday. Other than a fire truck, most likely brush truck, with 47k miles on it I don’t know history, doubt anyone does - hence the thorough inspection at CAT. I assume a government would maintain things better than a biz or private entity but Who knows. The thing is pricey and I don’t want to buy a recreation vehicle and be consumed with doing things to it verses using it.
 
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ToMorrow44

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Wow thanks for that detail. I know the guy that builds the RV portion and he only builds off assured chassis. Some of his builds reach 1M. An 04 with no DEF hits the sweet spot for International markets and those that want to take it out of the country.

Fabick CAT went through the entire chassis, diffs engine and trans to the tune of $20,000 prior to the rv build starting. I will get the refresh sheet Monday. Other than a fire truck, most likely brush truck, with 47k miles on it I don’t know history, doubt anyone does - hence the thorough inspection at CAT. I assume a government would maintain things better than a biz or private entity but Who knows. The thing is pricey and I don’t want to buy a recreation vehicle and be consumed with doing things to it verses using it.
This thread is worthless without pics. Just saying. I wanna see this RV!
 

2Driver

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So Im down to emissions shit now.

Anyone know if a 2004 f750 with a cat7 would have come with a catalytic convertor?
 

QC22

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So Im down to emissions shit now.

Anyone know if a 2004 f750 with a cat7 would have come with a catalytic convertor?
No after-treatment: no catalytic converter, no DPF, no DEF unless an oxidation catalyst and DPF were added in CA as part of a retrofit to extend its life. If it was a fire vehicle and then a motorhome I think that's extremely unlikely.
 
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