Operating Numbers

[Richard and Rhonda]

This post is intended to provide some idea of relative operating numbers for coaches like mine. I know that when I first bought the coach, and even when I was looking at coaches, I had no idea what was normal and what was abnormal.

The caveat is that your numbers may be different.

The coach has a Series 60, 42.5 long, and weighs about 44000 loaded out.

The ambient temperature was between 92 and 102 degrees F.

I was towing a Subaru Outback.

I drove between 62 and 68 miles per hour usually.

The following numbers came from the VMS not the dash gauges.

Engine temp 194 to 204 Detroit says the thermostat should operate around 196.
Engine oil pressue 56 psi at speed, about 35 psi at idle
Emgine oil temp ran around 198.
Trans temp 205 to 218, I have always thought this was high, but Allison says it's fine.

Generator temp (with three basement airs going) runs about 190 to 200, but I do not know how accurate the guage is. The gennie temp will go down to 180 once parked.

I run tire pressures 120 front, 110 drive, and 80 tag. The front tires ran 135 to 140 degrees, checked with an infrared gun 2 inches in from the tire surface on the sidewall. The drives and tags also ran about 135. Interestingly enough the tires on the toad ran about 130.

The vms says I averaged 8.1 mpg for 1200 miles. I did not verify that with tank fillups.


Again, your numbers may be very different. I hope this helps someone in the future in checking their operating conditions.