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08-15-2012, 09:59 AM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 10
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DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Have the option of an Amtran with the DT444 now, or wait a few weeks to get a Thomas with the Cummins 8.3. Both are RE and have undercarriage storage and air brakes. I'm leaning towards the 8.3...
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08-15-2012, 10:16 AM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
8.3 hands down.
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08-15-2012, 01:33 PM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 801
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
8.3 hands down.
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Ditto.......
__________________
GreyEagle
Roll - On...
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08-15-2012, 02:53 PM
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#4
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 10
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Noted... Will wait on the 8.3 then. BTW, enjoyed crazycal's thread on his journey from TN to CA - I'm here in Nashville and have reignited my search for a bus. Lost an auction last year and it broke my heart in two.
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08-15-2012, 05:15 PM
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jugganaut
Noted... Will wait on the 8.3 then. BTW, enjoyed crazycal's thread on his journey from TN to CA - I'm here in Nashville and have reignited my search for a bus. Lost an auction last year and it broke my heart in two.
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Apparantly Tennessee must sell their buses at 15 years. I've seen a bunch of 1997 & 1998 buses for sale.
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08-15-2012, 07:29 PM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
Quote:
Originally Posted by jugganaut
Noted... Will wait on the 8.3 then. BTW, enjoyed crazycal's thread on his journey from TN to CA - I'm here in Nashville and have reignited my search for a bus. Lost an auction last year and it broke my heart in two.
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Apparantly Tennessee must sell their buses at 15 years. I've seen a bunch of 1997 & 1998 buses for sale.
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Yup mine was in service on tues,when I went to pickit up on Friday they were taking the video monitor and the heated mirrors off(bastigisss )
Mine had 2 days left had to be off the road and off books by that Thursday.
Mine was full term 14 years and 363 days of service
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
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08-15-2012, 08:09 PM
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#7
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
8.3? What year?
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08-16-2012, 07:27 AM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 10
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
not sure yet, but Im guessing 97-98
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08-17-2012, 04:42 PM
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#9
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: near flint michigan
Posts: 2,657
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
the 444 is a 7.3 powerstroke, and should have never been used in school buses!
just about any v8 diesel is a poor choice for a skoolie.
__________________
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes (who will watch the watchmen?)
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08-18-2012, 09:33 AM
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#10
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Oregon/Philippines
Posts: 1,660
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lapeer20m
the 444 is a 7.3 powerstroke, and should have never been used in school buses!
just about any v8 diesel is a poor choice for a skoolie.
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Hahaha...
I think the 444 engine is a bit lightweight for a bus unless the thing is driven carefully.
As far as all diesel v8 engines, the main reason i bought this skoolie instead of another coach, was for the turbo 3208 Cat v-8. And the fact that it is a THOMAS body, and not some
F.is
O.r
R.epair
D.aily
v10
Just having fun all ya v-10 lovers.
BTW . have 92 ford pu for sale or parts...
If ya want a junk engine.. the one in my 1 ton 4x4 chevy is a 6.5 chevy turbo diesel... they are real junk...
__________________
Jesus Christ... Conversion in progress.
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08-19-2012, 09:49 AM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New England
Posts: 1,009
Year: 1993
Coachwork: Ward Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/MT643
Rated Cap: 77
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by chev49
Quote:
Originally Posted by lapeer20m
the 444 is a 7.3 powerstroke, and should have never been used in school buses!
just about any v8 diesel is a poor choice for a skoolie.
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Hahaha...
I think the 444 engine is a bit lightweight for a bus unless the thing is driven carefully.
As far as all diesel v8 engines, the main reason i bought this skoolie instead of another coach, was for the turbo 3208 Cat v-8. And the fact that it is a THOMAS body, and not some
F.is
O.r
R.epair
D.aily
v10
Just having fun all ya v-10 lovers.
BTW . have 92 ford pu for sale or parts...
If ya want a junk engine.. the one in my 1 ton 4x4 chevy is a 6.5 chevy turbo diesel... they are real junk...
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Guess I shouldn't mention the fleet of beer haulers A-B used, then? 52,000lb GVWR (12K front/40K tandems), 170HP T444E, MT643 transmissions, steel springs all around. Ran them about 250-300,000 brutel miles in and around Boston...retired most of them after 10+ years, still have a couple as spares. Drivers hate them...steel springs, no A/C, and some have no radios...but out of 25, only two have had engines replaced.
__________________
Jarlaxle
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Optimism is a mental disorder.
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08-19-2012, 09:54 AM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarlaxle
Guess I shouldn't mention the fleet of beer haulers A-B used, then? 52,000lb GVWR (12K front/40K tandems), 170HP T444E, MT643 transmissions, steel springs all around. Ran them about 250-300,000 brutel miles in and around Boston...retired most of them after 10+ years, still have a couple as spares. Drivers hate them...steel springs, no A/C, and some have no radios...but out of 25, only two have had engines replaced.
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And I was there towing them and doing road service when they were DT's and 3208s, many moons ago. Not many engine problems. Then again, if you were just banging them around the city is one thing. You surely wouldnt want to get on the outskirts of 128 and drive them much. Driving those rigs from Boston to Syracuse everyday would be a total different story.
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08-19-2012, 03:12 PM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New England
Posts: 1,009
Year: 1993
Coachwork: Ward Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/MT643
Rated Cap: 77
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Quote:
Originally Posted by opus
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarlaxle
Guess I shouldn't mention the fleet of beer haulers A-B used, then? 52,000lb GVWR (12K front/40K tandems), 170HP T444E, MT643 transmissions, steel springs all around. Ran them about 250-300,000 brutal miles in and around Boston...retired most of them after 10+ years, still have a couple as spares. Drivers hate them...steel springs, no A/C, and some have no radios...but out of 25, only two have had engines replaced.
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And I was there towing them and doing road service when they were DT's and 3208s, many moons ago. Not many engine problems. Then again, if you were just banging them around the city is one thing. You surely wouldnt want to get on the outskirts of 128 and drive them much. Driving those rigs from Boston to Syracuse everyday would be a total different story.
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They saw plenty of highway time...A-B runs out of Medford as far out as Newburyport, Quincy, Framingham, and even Fitchburg! Many of their routes are 150+ mile days.
__________________
Jarlaxle
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Optimism is a mental disorder.
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10-07-2012, 10:49 AM
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#14
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 38
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
Having crunched truck and construction fleet data for a living for 15+ years, I must say I find it funny that people have this misconception about the powerstroke/navistar V8.
VERY few of them blew up in fleet service. (In the five fleets using this engine I have done data for, the oldest in the fleet were seeing 250,000 miles in 24 foot trucks.)
Actually, there were a lot more problems with the B series Cummins when they made those 53 blocks (I think it was the 53 block anyway).
Though I would prefer the 8.3 myself, if I were looking at a 190,000 mile 8.3 that was a bit beat...versus...a 120,000 mile navistar V8 that was clean, the V8 would not bother me.
Few of the buses I've seen, that end life as a camper, clock more than 25,000 miles on the road before being so old they become hunting cabins or scrap metal.
We viewed a group of DT466 flatnoses with stickshifts and split rears from the midwest recently. Those would have been my best drivetrain if every one of them had not already been run to the 300,000 mark.
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10-07-2012, 10:26 PM
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#15
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,208
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: 3800 International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
I have a t444e (199 runs great, no problems with it 200000kms on it real happy. One good thing is if you do need any parts or service you can get them just about anywhere, even a ford dealer if you dare. they are also somewhat easy to work on(I think),(I do my own work) there are lots of 444s \ 7.3 around there must be something good about them
just my 2 cents
gbstewart
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10-27-2014, 01:18 PM
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#16
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 7
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
what would be the rough mpg difference between the dt444 and the 8.3? especially in a mid to smaller size bus? or more likely the dt444 vs a 24v cummins 5.9 in a mid size bus (say 30 feet or less). that is what i am intently looking for right now.
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11-25-2014, 05:16 AM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Re: DT444 or Cummins 8.3?
I can't comment on the mpg of a 444 vs cummins 5.9, but if I didn't have my 466, I'd like the 8.3 Cummins.
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