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I'm curious, out of the A,B,C,and E which one do you like the best?
The "A" series was the first non overhead cam that Cat had, it was pretty dependable but a little down on power, mine was a 380HP ,other than a water pump every 75K it was pretty decent running engine, even had glow plugs to start it with.
I liked the "B" series because it was relatively easy to fix, no electronics, it went 1.3 million before it needed an inframe, it still is running today in NC pulling a hopper bottom, the "B" got lousy fuel mileage, typical Cat though. The "C" was a half mechanical half electrical nightmare, didn't keep it long enough to find out any more, and didn't really want to know either
I like the "E" series I have now mostly because of the power, although other than the electronics I can still do a lot of the work on it myself, water pump, turbo exhuast studs etc, and actually gets a little better fuel mileage the "B" despite the higher horsepower. I'd have to say I like the "E" the best, and I've had it the longest, going on 13 years (YIKES) I still remember picking it up at the KW plant in Renton Wa, Dec 1998 and bobtailing it back to NY in front of a snowstorm.....
As far as durability, I've only had Cats, so I don't know how they measure up to the others, I know the older Cummins and Detroits never made 500,000 without an overhaul, but that has all changed with the electronics.
As far as cost to operate, they all are pretty much the same, in frames usually run within $1000/$1500 of one another.
As far as fuel mileage, the Cat always comes out on the bottom end of the scope, I mean there are some Cats that get excellent mileage, but it is the exception usually, and not the rule.