Merc Actros 2551

Anyone got any tips on how to get the best from one?

I normally run a Scania R420 on ferry trailers but due to the need to take it off the road to get a few bits done I’ve short term hired one of these.

First week completed and I honestly hate it, not at all looking forward to the next few Weeks with it!

I find it terrible to drive fully freighted and rubbish on fuel. It’s noisy, the engine seems tight and almost restricted. At 44 tonne it seems a real effort to get rolling. My 420 with knocking on a million km would out pull it all day long.

What should I expect mpg? And what is the best way to get the most mpg from it?

Plus, can you turn the automatic exhaust brake off - truck senses it is going down hill, engine goes to idle thus saving fuel but just as it settles bloody exhaust brake cuts in which engages the engine and extremely high revs thus not achieving the benefit of any such momentum and uses fuel. With the lack of momentum at the bottom of a dip whereas you could have coasted up the other side, the engine has to work twice as hard to climb back up - I just don’t get it!

I have been running to Glasgow/ Edinburgh this last week and dragging heavy loads has been hard work and a real effort with this truck to say the least.

Any help?

Nsmith had one for the last 6 months i believe, he should be able to help. I dont think he was that impressed either.

Interesting though, a friend has recently swapped his 520 scania for a brand new 1851 merc and he absolutely loves it, and reckons its getting 23l/100km, whereas the scania was at about 30l/100km. Thats transporting cars in a enclosed trailer so nowhere near top weight.

Concretejim:
Nsmith had one for the last 6 months i believe, he should be able to help. I dont think he was that impressed either.

Interesting though, a friend has recently swapped his 520 scania for a brand new 1851 merc and he absolutely loves it, and reckons its getting 23l/100km, whereas the scania was at about 30l/100km. Thats transporting cars in a enclosed trailer so nowhere near top weight.

I can’t offer advice I’m afraid because once the thrill of driving my own wagon for the first time wore off I couldn’t find a way to be happy with it. Its got to be the gearing because with 2500 Nm torque it should fly up hills but its useless at anything above 35t. Was a little juicy too and not as well built as I expected.

The way to get the best out of it? Ditch it and get something else!

Put it in manual mode to counter the exhaust brake, (it’ll stop the kickdown) and turn cruise off downhill too.

Flappy paddle.
Change gear at 1500 at every stage.
Exhaust break comes on as you have the eco system set up prob to 3 mph under and 2 mph over ride or other way round.
Have a look at u tube or the hand book

Thanks for the responses guys.

I am wondering whether it’s a Friday built truck?

To NSMITH

I believe the truck I’ve got is your old one ! YE64AYA

It is.

Sorry for the corner ■■■■!

Sorry it was on fumes.

At least I got it washed.

4 weeks till first inspection.

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Having trouble with night heater - not blowing hot plus will not connect my iPhone.

Was it ok for you?

Megaspacedout1:
Having trouble with night heater - not blowing hot plus will not connect my iPhone.

Was it ok for you?

Phone connected fine but I’m an Experia user, I think Obi Wan has the answer here:

That being said, even once connected, you would have had a clearer line if you used two cups and a very long piece of string.

I only tried to use the night heater a couple of times and it took so long to heat up I gave up and added layers.

Megaspacedout1:
Anyone got any tips on how to get the best from one?

I normally run a Scania R420 on ferry trailers but due to the need to take it off the road to get a few bits done I’ve short term hired one of these.

First week completed and I honestly hate it, not at all looking forward to the next few Weeks with it!

I find it terrible to drive fully freighted and rubbish on fuel. It’s noisy, the engine seems tight and almost restricted. At 44 tonne it seems a real effort to get rolling. My 420 with knocking on a million km would out pull it all day long.

What should I expect mpg? And what is the best way to get the most mpg from it?

Plus, can you turn the automatic exhaust brake off - truck senses it is going down hill, engine goes to idle thus saving fuel but just as it settles bloody exhaust brake cuts in which engages the engine and extremely high revs thus not achieving the benefit of any such momentum and uses fuel. With the lack of momentum at the bottom of a dip whereas you could have coasted up the other side, the engine has to work twice as hard to climb back up - I just don’t get it!

I have been running to Glasgow/ Edinburgh this last week and dragging heavy loads has been hard work and a real effort with this truck to say the least.

Any help?

My experience of Mercs is they do seem more gutless than some other makes, but your one does sound really bad.

I often drive a 480, but although it can feel a bit gutless I quite like it now, which is not something I’d ever thought I’d say about a Merc. :open_mouth:
On long descents I hold it back around the 90km/h by using the retarder, it has a voith retarder not sure what the standard system is like and when I get near enough the bottom of hill I let it go so I have the momentum to start climbing the next hill.

My understanding of these truck and fuel injected car engines is they don’t use fuel on the overrun, so high revs while engine braking won’t be using extra fuel.

muckles:
[quote=“Megaspacedout1”
My understanding of these truck and fuel injected car engines is they don’t use fuel on the overrun, so high revs while engine braking won’t be using extra fuel.

Ive always understood it the same overrun = injector shut down, but the euro6 scanias and dafs I service all drop their boxes into neutral downhill which seems weird to me, Im sure some boffin has worked it out to be more efficient?

Megaspacedout1:
Having trouble with night heater - not blowing hot plus will not connect my iPhone.

Wow. What will they invent next? Didn’t know you could get a night heater to connect to a phone. Is that one of those Hive things? :laughing: :laughing:

Ken.

Oh. With the auto exhaust brake thing. Try turning off Predictive Powertrain Control. Go to the far right screen I the instrument cluster. Bottom option should be systems, untick PPC. Only time I turned it off was when I was elephant racing a foreigner uphill, but it does get annoying.

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^^^^ alternatively you could just put your foot on the loud pedal, that overrides the PPC.

Jesus wept, i’ve only driven one of our new shaped Actros’ the once on a trip, unfortunately the load had to be delivered so i didn’t have a spare day to read through the 14 volume handbook library, or the 345 page glossary of utterly pointless electronic anacronyms, a hateful piece of plastic junk which wouldn’t pull you out of bed and an exhaust brake thingy about as effective as a card stuck in your bike spokes to make clacking sounds (very 60’s), the only good thing about the day was taking me digicard out, removing the breeze block from the dashboard and pressing lock…whilst trying not to slip arse over head off the worlds cheapest most poorly designed steps ever fitted to a bloody lorry, that sodding steel step ring on a Scammell’s wheelnuts made for safer entry/exit :unamused:

Megaspacedout northside just called me looking to book an inspection for this week. They should now try you but if not give em a bell.

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