I am looking at a International 2300 series single axle log truck with a l-10 in it,are these engines durable and economical for this application.I will be netting 15,000 to 20,000 only.I know they are fairly weak on power but that is not a big concern.
I hauled freight with a tractor trailer here in NY in a truck with a 300hp L-10. When we first got these trucks it was when the L-10 had just come out and there were cooling issues which resulted in head gasket problems. Once they were figured out under warranty these truck were as reliable as those we had with the 855. Both the L-10s and 855s were rated at 300hp, the 855 could pull a hill a little faster but the L-10 got much better fuel mileage, about 1 1/2 mpg better which amounted to nearly 20%. We often times grossed at 80,000lbs and I'm in the Hudson Valley, by no means flat lands. I wouldn't hesitate in getting one. When I was laid off the trucks with the L-10s were approaching 300,000 miles
I have 2 2300 IHs with L10s, a 270 that I've owned over 10 yrs, and a 300 I bought this summer. They are both floater spreader trucks, which is the roughest service I know for a truck. I would buy another in a heartbeat, and I wouldn't call them weak, either. If you are going to only gross 20,000 it should last forever. My trucks gross 36,000 regularly and do it in mud and through ditches.
Mitch,I'll be grossing about 36,000 also,I said I would NET 20,000, that's about all I can stack on it unless I get some good big logs.This truck is a 2375 that was a tractor,the frame has been lengthened and had a log frame built on it.I need it to get in tighter places I have been hauling with my 2275 that has tandem rears and a single axle lowboy,I can't get any more on it than I can the single axle log truck so I figure it might make more since to buy it.I hear the L-10 gets good mileage.My BigCam 300 doesn't get very good.Do you know how hard it is to change the odometer cable and tachometer cable?
Here's my old one w/ the L10-270. I haven't taken any pics of the newer one w/ the L10-300. These were both tractors, this one is a 1985, the other is a 1987 that has a lengthened frame. Those cables are easy to get to, if you are lucky, the housing is ok, and you can get a universal speedometer cable from the parts store.
Those are tough looking trucks!Can you tell me where the data plate is on the L-10,it's not in the same place as my bigcam.
Seems like it's on the left side of the block, above the compressor, at least on the '87 I bought this year.
If I remember correctly it's on the driver's side of the timing case
Usually on the left side front gear case or side of the rocker box above fuel pump.