Used APU

layoutshooter · Sep 23, 2011

Is anyone aware of a shop/shops that deal in used APU's?

Mine is headed down the toilet. It has never performed all the well to begin with and the idea of sinking a LOT of money into a system that I know does not work makes me sick.

New APU's cost a fortune. Just looking for ideas.

Doggie Daddy · Sep 23, 2011

layoutshooter said:
New APU's cost a fortune. Just looking for ideas.

No matter what price range you decide to go with, from the cheap throwaway types to the more expensive rv types, they will pay for themselves very quickly in fuel savings and wear and tear on your truck engine.

On our truck, the onan generator with the rooftop a/c and baseboard heating unit was a $14,000 addition to the price of the truck, but I estimated that it was paid for in little more than a year.

leezaback · Sep 23, 2011

Look into rv's. I talked to a driver once who picked one up out of a wrecked rv for $350.00 and it was an onan-just another avenue to try-he had to pull it out himself.rare find-but might get lucky like him

Slacktide · Sep 24, 2011

What is your current setup? Tripac/proheat or onan/insert brand name here? we have the onan and as DD said above it is well worth the investment. While it would be more cost effective to just update your current setup over the long run it may cost you more.updating now to an onan you can pay for it with your present truck and take it with you if and when you get your next truck and not have that expense.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

greg334 · Sep 24, 2011

Layout, they are all over the place - some are ridiculously expensive while others can be had for a reasonable price.

The real problem isn't getting one, it is making sure that it is a good one. Some of those that I looked at were poorly maintained while others were ripped off the truck (really I mean ripped) and damaged.

Many of these APUs are a joke, they are an engine with things attached to them and not many use off the shelf parts or are easily serviced by anyone - a design to prevent people from actually enjoying them.

If yours has A/C, Heat or Generator problems with a good engine, maybe having the system refitted will give you better service. If it is a control issue, there are a lot of solutions to move it to a manual system but if it is an engine problem, well ... I'll give you a couple hundred for it.

cheri1122 · Sep 24, 2011

Many states offer grants to help pay for anti-idling equipment, OOIDA did too, but I'm not sure if they are now or not. I like Leeza's suggestion, also - RV dealers might be a good resource.

layoutshooter · Sep 24, 2011

The engine on mine is leaking oil. The seals are going. I can only imagine the cost of new engine seals. It has NEVER cooled right from day one. I would hate to put a thousand or more into it just to have it not work right.

It is a ProHeat with over 8000 hours on the engine.

scottm4211 · Sep 24, 2011

Hey Cheri didn't DRS fix yours? I hear good things about that place.

layoutshooter · Sep 24, 2011

I have just started looking in the last month or so when the engine developed this oil leak.

I guess that there are "grants". I am leery of government grants. I doubt that I would take one. I pay my own way through life.

Jack_Berry · Sep 26, 2011

Grants are just YOUR tax money at work. Might as well use it. If you don't someone else will. In wisc the truck has to be used within the state. Check the reqs.

layoutshooter · Sep 26, 2011

Jack_Berry said:
Grants are just YOUR tax money at work. Might as well use it. If you don't someone else will. In wisc the truck has to be used within the state. Check the reqs.

Yeah Jack, I understand what you are saying. It just totally goes against my grain. I also believe that ANY government "gift" always comes with attached "strings" so to speak. It is just part of my blood system.

layoutshooter · Sep 26, 2011

Doggie Daddy said:
No matter what price range you decide to go with, from the cheap throwaway types to the more expensive rv types, they will pay for themselves very quickly in fuel savings and wear and tear on your truck engine.

On our truck, the onan generator with the rooftop a/c and baseboard heating unit was a $14,000 addition to the price of the truck, but I estimated that it was paid for in little more than a year.

Mine has NOT even come CLOSE to paying for itself. The constant repairs have MORE than offset any savings. I hope that IF I buy a new one that it can start do pay for it self.

moose · Sep 26, 2011

Robert at Truck Source of Romulus, M.I figure out a nice battery set up.
1,600 $ installed + your electric AC/heat of choice.
that is IF he can fit the 270amp alternator under your hood.
720pounds .
if you ever go to Joplin, there's the larges RV salvage yard at Exit 22 N.
if you planing of staying at the Ontario TA, you better get a CARB approved one.

layoutshooter · Sep 26, 2011

moose said:
Robert at Truck Source of Romulus, M.I figure out a nice battery set up.
1,600 $ installed + your electric AC/heat of choice.
that is IF he can fit the 270amp alternator under your hood.
720pounds .
if you ever go to Joplin, there's the larges RV salvage yard at Exit 22 N.
if you planing of staying at the Ontario TA, you better get a CARB approved one.

CARB approved eliminates the ONAN as far as I know. As well as the one I am looking at the ProMax. CARB has no reason to exist. They are FAR more trouble than they are worth.

greg334 · Sep 26, 2011

According to CARP, the gs generator is a solution for many who want to have one but not want to deal with the diesel issue.

Doggie Daddy · Sep 26, 2011

layoutshooter said:
Mine has NOT even come CLOSE to paying for itself. The constant repairs have MORE than offset any savings. I hope that IF I buy a new one that it can start do pay for it self.

Look at the bright side, you said your APU has 8000 hours on it....so those hours did not go on your truck engine.

cheri1122 · Sep 26, 2011

scottm4211 said:
Hey Cheri didn't DRS fix yours? I hear good things about that place.

You'll hear more good things about them from me - they don't 'suggest' you replace parts that don't need it.
I didn't use the APU for months after a tech said the alternator was going bad, because the truck had run up bills for the torque converter, bad speedometer, clogged fuel filter, and it just wasn't a good time to throw money into the APU [that also needed a new exhaust]. When I got a VoltMeter, I ran the APU just to see how the alternator was doing, and it put out more than the truck batteries - nothing wrong with it at all.
Diesel Repair has it running smooth and quiet again, and the rates are very reasonable.