I hated to see the big wrecker hook up to our new pumper and haul it away. Shop says it's the exhaust filter. I am seeing this problem way too much around here. Is this problem widespread? What can we do?
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I hated to see the big wrecker hook up to our new pumper and haul it away. Shop says it's the exhaust filter. I am seeing this problem way too much around here. Is this problem widespread? What can we do?
Let me guess, it's got a Cummins right?
Vote Republican
I talked to IH emissions compliance engineer at FDIC now tasked to marketing about emission (bright guy). Said would be no problem for them to provide 2007 (or earlier) engines in commercial chassis or to custom builders (this question has come up before "change engines on assembly line for Fire use"). That they are already building none enviorwacko EPA engines for marine and export.
So all it would take to cut $10k or more out of the price of that new 1000mi/year fire truck is sticking one paragraph in an appropriate billl. IE throw out the DPF, Urea, etc.
EXCEPT that Federally, apparatus is NOT exempt and no one is going to build it with a non compliant powerplant. Don't get me wrong,I'd go back in a heartbeat. It JUST isn't gonna happen. T.C.
Either that, or take it OOS and do a regen on the apron for 30-40 minutes.
I know it doesn't look or sound good, but I'd rather see this happen compared to doing a 10 minute regen on the apron, get tones, have to stop the regen, and then make the run. Then return to the station and do it again. Then to have tones drop again, and repeat.
If you're going to do a regen on the apron, do it like you would with sex. Until it's done. :D
FM1
These emissions standards are killing us.
A diesel produces a lot more soot when the engine isn't at operating temperature, and when you get real deep into the throttle, and as the nature of our business goes, out trucks get driven in both those conditions frequently, producing a lot more soot than a garbage truck or school bus.
I know our handful of trucks with DPF's are drinking a lot more fuel than they would if they didn't have to regen every week.
Sure we'd all like to have our trucks exempt from EPA regulations. If that were the case we might still be using 6V and 8V 92's.
At a minimum, I wish the emissions requirements for firetrucks was running 5 years behind the regular OTR truck requirements. That way a lot more bugs could be worked out before it cause a truck to shut down at an emergency.
Treeguy,
What was done to fix your problem? Did you have to remove and clean the filter? We have a new engine coming with this Cummins system on it and I'd like to know what happened and how you mitigated it.
I agree with everyone above. Would have been nice to have fire equipment regulations 4-5 yrs. out from the release of new epa engine stuff so that the bugs can be worked out without the possiblity of leaving your crew in a building and your truck shut down.
They towed it away Tuesday.They're telling me it should be ready for pickup this afternoon.
1: Pay attention to the "idiot" lights on the dash if it's a 2010 emissions engine.
The light never came on.
They said the problem was in the exhaust filter's wiring harness. Probably due to sitting in the rain.(what!)
I replied, this truck is always stored indoors, and he said, it probably sat outside before the chassis was installed.
Are trucks not weather resistant anymore?
Is this mainly a Cummins problem? I have always been a big fan of the Cummins powerplant, we're writing specs for another truck now.Shoud we steer clear of Cummins?
I've lost count of how many rigs we've gotten in the last 2 years with the 2010 emissions, and 4 more coming.
I'd say you shouldn't worry about it. Could have been anybody's issue. As to whom to blame could be anybody. Chassis builder when installing the drivetrain to the body builder letting it sit outside waiting to get it inside. It is a Cummins product, but they didn't install it. :)
FM1
I believe most of the major manufacturers offer the Navistar option now. I think this will be changing to urea once their carbon credits run out.
What about alternative power sources? HME showed off the CNG last year? Rosy has Greenstar, Spartan has the power unit that was @ FDIC. These seem like they could help the exhaust filter question. Other than CNG you are still using the main engine, but less it sounds like.