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Old 10-24-2017, 02:02 PM   #1
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C7S Cat engine 2009 question

I am looking at bidding on a 2009 Bluebird with a Cat C7S in it with a 2500 allison. Why do I see such negative reviews about the engine? The unit I am bidding on has around 100K. 8 window special needs bus (about 32 ft long). are the parts expensive? with proper respect and maintenance it should be fine right? Thanks.

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Old 10-24-2017, 02:07 PM   #2
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I am looking at bidding on a 2009 Bluebird with a Cat C7S in it with a 2500 allison. Why do I see such negative reviews about the engine? The unit I am bidding on has around 100K. 8 window special needs bus (about 32 ft long). are the parts expensive? with proper respect and maintenance it should be fine right? Thanks.
Emissions: They didn't have the recipe quite right yet.

Cat: Proprietary Pricey Parts

...that's 2 strikes on that bus. Why do you think they are unloading such a new, low mile bus?
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Old 10-24-2017, 04:34 PM   #3
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so you think I'd be better off with a TC1000 flat nose 1996 with 260k? might seem like it. plus that bus is 1000 miles away compared to the TC1000 at around 150!
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Old 10-24-2017, 05:07 PM   #4
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so you think I'd be better off with a TC1000 flat nose 1996 with 260k? might seem like it. plus that bus is 1000 miles away compared to the TC1000 at around 150!
Plenty of other buses around the Country... Go drive the little guy- drive a few, it's fun ! Go talk to a dealer, then most prefer to buy from auctions and roll the dice.

Take a minute and write down your goal for the vehicle you envision. Number of occupants, towing a car, full-time/part time. How tall your posse is mattes, as well. What State you live in has bearing, as well as if you want to spend a lot of time going up and down mountains.

Some people on the Board here are making Party buses and others are making Tiny Homes, so advice will vary with circumstances.
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Old 10-24-2017, 06:54 PM   #5
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so you think I'd be better off with a TC1000 flat nose 1996 with 260k? might seem like it. plus that bus is 1000 miles away compared to the TC1000 at around 150!
I'd take a TC with a blown engine over that 09. SERIOUSLY!
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Old 10-24-2017, 07:12 PM   #6
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Thanks community! wow, there is a lot of hate for the Cat engines not just here, but various forums including professional truckers.... No wonder they stopped making hwy speed models and are sticking to the heavy equipment. from what I have gathered too, is that the older stuff doesn't have all the EPA restricting stuff and are non-computerized units. Plus the 5.9 Cummins has a wide availability of parts. I am in Oregon, so there are a lot of mountain passes to deal with. I guess I'll need to learn that driving slow over a pass is not a problem as I am use to hauling butt with my duramax diesel hauling anything fully loaded. my intentions are to use it as a family adventure rig as well as hunting. lots of forest service roads. that I why I am looking for something not so long. the TC 1000 is about 27 feet, only 7 feet longer than my truck. Thanks again!

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Old 10-24-2017, 07:18 PM   #7
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Thanks community! wow, there is a lot of hate for the Cat engines not just here, but various forums including professional truckers.... No wonder they stopped making hwy speed models and are sticking to the heavy equipment. from what I have gathered too, is that the older stuff doesn't have all the EPA restricting stuff and are non-computerized units. Plus the 5.9 Cummins has a wide availability of parts. I am in Oregon, so there are a lot of mountain passes to deal with. I guess I'll need to learn that driving slow over a pass is not a problem as I am use to hauling butt with my duramax diesel hauling anything fully loaded. my intentions are to use it as a family adventure rig as well as hunting. lots of forest service roads. that I why I am looking for something not so long. the TC 1000 is about 27 feet, only 7 feet longer than my truck. Thanks again!

It's not the engines that are disliked. The engines are very good. It's what happens when they break.

CAT will not release parts to the secondary market, so rebuilds, and all spares, are much more expensive than others. Plus, they don't make an engine with wet liners, so a rebuild involves the removal of the engine.

This insistence on keeping everything proprietary and "in-house" may be great for the dealers, not so much for the owners who vote with their wallets.

You will find exactly the same criticism of John Deere on the agri forums.
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Old 10-24-2017, 07:19 PM   #8
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Like most manufacturers, CAT built some good motors and some that did not fair so well.

I don't think that there is much "hate" here for CAT. Just a strong preference for motors that are less expensive to maintain and have easier parts availability.

My father worked in the trucking industry for 40+ years. He hated CAT....,.
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Old 10-24-2017, 07:41 PM   #9
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lots of forest service roads. that I why I am looking for something not so long. the TC 1000 is about 27 feet, only 7 feet longer than my truck. Thanks again!

That TC is a nice little bus, but check out the approach/departure angle- Might not be best choice for off-road.

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Old 10-24-2017, 07:44 PM   #10
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Low floor buses and little wheels/tires don't do well offroad. Ask Dredman.
I call these buses lowriders!
For rough roads a CE is hard to beat.
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:57 PM   #11
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The biggest problem with the 09 cat engines is the deisel particulate filter. They have had problems not regenerating correctly which means an expensive tow to the shop. This is probably the reason that bus is for sale. The dpf problems along with a couple law suits were what led cat to leave the truck engine market.
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:58 PM   #12
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Low floor buses and little wheels/tires don't do well offroad. Ask Dredman.
I call these buses lowriders!
For rough roads a CE is hard to beat.
a CE with 11R22.5's. my redbyrd with 225/70R19.5s feels like its gonna get stuck even when I navigate john's driveway..

-Christopher
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Old 10-25-2017, 04:52 AM   #13
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a CE with 11R22.5's. my redbyrd with 225/70R19.5s feels like its gonna get stuck even when I navigate john's driveway..

-Christopher
YOur bus and Dredman's bus have less ground clearance than my Subaru.
That front axle beam is what, three inches off the ground?
Same with Thomas Vistas.
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Old 10-25-2017, 06:21 AM   #14
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I know that axle beam is so low tyou cant even slide part of an oil drain pan under it.. and inm general so low that I cant use a standard 5 gallon bucket to change the oil.. I have to use a flatter 10 gallon tote to drain the oil..

on DEV with 11R's I just put a 5 gallon bucket under and go.
-Christopher
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Old 10-25-2017, 06:33 AM   #15
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I know that axle beam is so low tyou cant even slide part of an oil drain pan under it.. and inm general so low that I cant use a standard 5 gallon bucket to change the oil.. I have to use a flatter 10 gallon tote to drain the oil..

on DEV with 11R's I just put a 5 gallon bucket under and go.
-Christopher
I probably should get something to catch the oil when I change mine.

I usually pull into the Autozone, pull the drain plug and by the time I purchase my oil, she's empty. Just watch that puddle getting in.
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Old 10-25-2017, 07:57 AM   #16
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I probably should get something to catch the oil when I change mine.

I usually pull into the Autozone, pull the drain plug and by the time I purchase my oil, she's empty. Just watch that puddle getting in.
ha! i remember when the auto parts store parking lot was a community car-repair shop.. lol there was always people wrenching.. and sharing tools.. of course nowadays their lawyers tell them to run people off..

I suppose the parking lot storm-drain getting more oil and coolant than rain probably had something to do with it..
-Christopher
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