norb:
Juddian:
.Shocking Juddian just shocking …Mx11 is one of the quietest smoothest engines i have seen …If a model 17 then you can put the switches where you prefer them ,and the MY17 comes with Traxton …Daf dealers can’t change the programming of the gearbox .The software can be updated if there is an update ,but the programming is set in stone …We don’t get any complaints about the MX11 …Making sure the eco mode is switched off is a priority unless you prefer the fuel saving .which equals less oomph
With all due respect Norb, its one thing admiring an engine by itself as a mechanic, its another thing when you’ve been in the saddle for several hours and you come to a halt and finally turn the thing off and you realise just how much vibration has just vanished, it’s not noise so much as vibration or maybe the combination of noise and vibration, but you don’t realise just how mad or bad it is till you feel the relief of switching the bloody thing off.
Daf CF is in my humble one of the worst cabs for this, i don’t know why but engine vibration is transmitted throughout the whole vehicle, the whole (ridiculously large these days) catwalk will be shaking providing yet more racket.
You just don’t find this with other makes, the engines of whcih could well be noiser from outside but are better insulated and don’t transmit this vibration to the passenger cell, you could drive 4 hours and quite happily leave the engine ticking over all day if you have any specialist equipment that needs to run, but when i’ve had to use a CF any excuse to switch the engine off for some peace quiet and relief.
Don’t get me wrong, one of my favourite wagons was a 460 CF with the manual 16 speed box, because it was a good rapid reliable economical machine a driver could make progress with, not frustrating as the newer auto stuff is, the 440 from my point of view has all the drawbacks without the go factor, no i haven’t driven a 440 with Traxon box, but have used Traxons in other chassis and to be quite honest it’s not a great deal different to Arsetronic to me, in manual i found if anything Arsetronic to be the better because it doesn’t try to interfere annoyingly as Traxon does now and again at junctions.
Being issued with a Daf CF auto, particularly a 440 would see me out of the job as soon as i found something else.
Odd that the gearbox can’t be reprogrammed on Daf, it can be done on other makes, the problem with eco on Daf’s is that it defaults back to eco from manual or normal after a couple of mins at most, if you could stick it manual and it stayed there that would be half the battle.
The quietest lorry engine i’ve ever heard from outside was when i walked past a Hino grab loader on fast idle operating the grab, uncannily quiet smooth engine from a then 5 years old tipper.