Detroit Diesel 60 series differences

I have a 1997 Western Star with a 60 series detroit 12.7. I'm looking at a different crane that is a 2005, with a 2004 12.7 detroit 60 series. I'm wondering if anyone knows what the differences in emissions / reliability, will be between the two. I ran a crane that was the exact crane model as this with a c-13 cat, and it has had nothing but problems with regen, and emissions equipment. The owner that crane, wishes he never had it. I ran it on and off for a couple weeks for them, and swore I'd never have one like it either. It had - Constant not wanting to regen, or not being able to regen while operating, or if it did regen, it would sometimes kick out of regen because it would get too hot in the engine compartment. It seems sitting still on a jobsite isn't the same in under hood heat as driving down the road in regen. To get it to regen sometimes, you would have to kick the pumps out, and basically do nothing for 30-40 minutes while it regen cycled, and then you could kick the pumps back in and go back to work. Not very handy in a crane at 10:00 in the morning with 10 semi loads of precast staring at you, to tell them its going to be 40 minutes before you can work again. The owner of the crane I ran back then, has fought the crane for 7-8 years and its still problematic with a c-13. Of course the link belt dealer blames the problem on cat, the cat man says its a link belt problem, and the customer can't fix it himself. This crane that I'm looking at, must have been special ordered with a detroit, because all the other ones I've seen were cat. I like my other detroit ok, but am wondering - if this newer one is going to be as much trouble as the cat of that era. If it is, I'm not sure I want that crane, I'll keep looking. All that said, its not like a over the road truck, its off road equipment and I'm not in california, I'm not sure I couldn't pull the 2004 12.7 and install a 1997 12.7, although the electronics may be more than I bargained for. So basically looking for a little advice on the differences between 2004 and 1997 in detroit 60 series.