m5040 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I have a single axle dump with a 300/5speed and realy want a 6sp. Not sure if I want to buy a 6speed and convert the truck or look for another single axle that already has a 6 speed. My question is, I see a lot of ads for trucks with the 237 engine and wonder how it compares to my 300, which I am sure goes without saying is extremely powerful in this application! How would I expect a 237 powered tuck to compare pulling hills etc? My tuck has a 4/1 rear axle ratio, and around town (keeping the econodyne to the 1500-1600 rpm range have) I have squeezed 10 mpg out of it, which dropes to 7.5 on the highway Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACKS Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 tHIS IS JUST MY OPION,THE 237 WILL OUT PREFORM THE 300 ECONODYNE THE 237 IS A HARD PULLING ENGINE RIGHT DOWN TO 12OO RPM,AS FAR AS THE TRANY GOES THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FIVE AND A SIX SPEED IS THE LOW HOLE WITCH IS ONLY USED FOR OFF ROAD.bY THE WAY I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU NOW HAVE A FIVE SPEED YOUR ENGINE WOULD BE OR SHOULD BE A MAXIDYNE AND NOT A ECONODYNE. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU NOW HAVE A FIVE SPEED YOUR ENGINE WOULD BE OR SHOULD BE A MAXIDYNE AND NOT A ECONODYNE.If the truck has it's original drivetrain, that would be accurate as built.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26847 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 a 237 maxidyne and a 300 maxidyne...you will feel a power diffrence. at least I do. nothing bad about the little 237 but the 300 with air to air will pull better. I would think 3rd gear around 1400 would be your speed for the bigger hills with a 237 . My 285 can pull 3rd gear and hold full rpm most of the time up a hill if I have a run at it. if you need a low hole gear just replace the 5 speed with a 6 speed or even better the 12 speed over drive!! just make sure the 6 speed is a direct model and not the 2060 model Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26866 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACKS Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 a 237 maxidyne and a 300 maxidyne...you will feel a power diffrence. at least I do. nothing bad about the little 237 but the 300 with air to air will pull better. I would think 3rd gear around 1400 would be your speed for the bigger hills with a 237 . My 285 can pull 3rd gear and hold full rpm most of the time up a hill if I have a run at it. if you need a low hole gear just replace the 5 speed with a 6 speed or even better the 12 speed over drive!! just make sure the 6 speed is a direct model and not the 2060 modeliI agree with everything you say,but in his post he goes on to say that the engine is a econodyne and not a maxidyne,eather way more than enough power for a single axle dump,I have a book around here if i can find it,I'll check the specs just for the heck of it. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26923 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 yea I saw he said econodyne. thats one thing that I never asked anyone before.. if a 237,285,300 are all maxidynes with 5 or 6 speeds where does the econodyne come into play? I have driven some 300 econodynes w 6 speeds and they feel like maxidynes to me? I must have missed something as I thought econodynes needed more than 6 gears?Still not knocking that little 237 here is what they can do when turned up a "little"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNigPBpwvQU...re=channel_page Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26926 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACKS Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Here are some torque specs for the maxidynes,300-1125@1260rpm, 285-1080@1200rpm,237-906@1200rpm,the torque specs for the econodyne are the same as the maxidynes,some engines are listed as EM6-350 Econodyne,I know that the M stands for Maxidyne,so I guess econodyne is an added feature to the engine,maybe it used less fuel or something.I'm gonna start another thread on this to see if we can get more info on this. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26938 Share on other sites More sharing options...
m5040 Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 Thanks for the info. The hood of the truck had "Econodyne" emblems under Mack. The governor housing has a sticker listing econdyne. And there is a steel line that runs from the gov housing back to the shift tower. Seems like at least when it was new, it might have reduced the engine RPM in 5th gear to save on fuel, as peak fuel economy is at 1450rpms. That might be disconnected, cuse I feel no difference in any gear, just goes like heck. The only reason I have to shift is to control the road speed. It is my 1st Mack and I am totally impressed and don't want to buy a 237 if there is a BIG power difference. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26943 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 well the mack maxidynes are a good little engine. It wont run up a hill with a 500 Cat but from an ease of maintance and low end power they are great. the 237 feels a little sluggish in 5th gear with a good load the 300s will pull better up top and hold 5th longet on a grade.The 285 is a good engine as well. Mine can keep up with the 300s all day long and I can put many behind meJust my observation with them. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26947 Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvgarr Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 my rs700l mack has the econodyne and it sucks no power Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26950 Share on other sites More sharing options...
m5040 Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 All things being relative, my GVW is 36 to 40,000 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26962 Share on other sites More sharing options...
other dog Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 well the mack maxidynes are a good little engine. It wont run up a hill with a 500 Cat but from an ease of maintance and low end power they are great. the 237 feels a little sluggish in 5th gear with a good load the 300s will pull better up top and hold 5th longet on a grade.The 285 is a good engine as well. Mine can keep up with the 300s all day long and I can put many behind meJust my observation with them.yessir, the 285 in the F-model I drove would "tote the mail" in it's day.I could go all the way up Christiansburg mountain in 4th gear with 25 tons of fertilizer on, in a van. Yes, the fuel was turned up a wee bit. I would climb most of the hills on rt. 8 coming from Butler Pa. back south to the turnpike in 3rd. gear with 48,000 lbs. of steel, and the one time I drove a 237 F-model up there to load I was in 2nd. gear on every hill it seemed like. Quote Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/7006-237-compared-to-em6-300-air-to-air/#findComment-26964 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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