Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Well if Cummins (and the other brands) would rely solely on SCR for NOx control and quit making the engines eat their own feces via EGR, then they might not have that ring carbon buildup.
But it is pretty sad that they build engines that need a one OCI a year dose of this stuff. $730 for the typical Cummins ISX. That is 7 oil changes (just the oil) on bulk Delvac, Rotella, or Delo at the local Mack dealership lube shop I use. For a typical ISX, it is usually 5 oil changes a year (25,000 mile intervals). So the yearly oil cost would go up substantially. 5 oil changes for $500, or 4 for $400 and one for $730 for a total of $1130, again, just for the oil. Over 200% annual increase in oil costs.
Yet one more reason I will more than likely never get a Cummins again. Not after getting burned on two ISX's. I had a great fondness for their N-14, but I have no brand loyalty. Not when it costs $30K for a engine.
I'm in your camp. And if I were not hauling into or out of an air quality restricted area, or using "not for hire", I'd just stay with an older engine and skip all this stuff...
But, in the modern world you really need to look at cost of ownership over the long haul if wanting to be in trucking...