Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Good idea for DEF equipped coaches (/showthread.php?tid=9041)

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Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - HoosierDaddy - 07-27-2026

https://youtu.be/fztb10nMvA8?si=Udp5LiDDJ0grujbv

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RE: Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - Jack Houpe - 07-27-2026

Wow good video Dean and good to know. On our 2012 airstream interstate it would go into limp mode if you didn't get the fluid tank filled PDQ.

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RE: Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - CaptainGizmo - 07-27-2026

The DEF HEAD "EMULATOR" is quite old, actually, and a fellow Newell friend has been making them for fellow Newell owners for years. In fact, Newell had a handful of them at one time as well. I think they were $500-$600 delivered.

There's some interesting background and experiences I've had.

The effort to commercially produce these came under HEAVY FIRE from EPA and..worse...CARB, who made the EPA look like they were playing Tiddly-Winks. It was enough to discourage my buddy any further desire to sell them to the general public. HOWEVER, it is now perfectly legal to have/sell them.

A while back, in the midst of me trying to help out another "community", I got the equivalent of a gang-beating when I mentioned that my friend was making them for us. It got ugly to the point where one guy "claimed" to be the creator of the code and that it was uploaded solely for the purpose of letting people make their own box for less than $150.

There's no IP claim out there, so who knows. But, once they trounced on how ludicrously stupid the rich Newell people are to pay $500-$600 for one...I tapped out and stopped "helping" any longer.

But, being a very accomplished electrical engineer, my friend did the analysis of what/why and kinda felt the older coaches weren't as vulnerable to a DEF head failure as are the newer ones; especially post-Covid. I kinda agree since I fell victim to a failure in our 2019 Dutch Star.

None the less, yes, you can make them for parts and programming for maybe $150 but you've gotta be sure it's the right connector interface for your rig; and, most likely it'll be the CUMMINS ISX/X15.

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RE: Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - hypoxia - 07-28-2026

I have seen them for 2016 and later. I have not seen any for the earlier analog systems, 2011-2015.

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RE: Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - encantotom - 07-28-2026

my 2014 superc has a cummins isx15 some 14s are the older one but mine is the ISX15 CM2350 X101

so it is the digital one and not the analog one.

there is a place that sells them for 150 https://shop.defsim.com/

i will likely get one. i also did an engine serial number search and my engine was not part of the cummins scr recall. (which they will not do anymore)

i carry a spare nox sensor and sensor socket with me. they are quite expensive.

what is interesting to me is the horsepower ratings on the isx15. mine is a 500hp. i get 8mpg. the over the road trucks use 350 to 525hp pulling 80llobs. but the motor the rv guys put in are the 600 to 650hp. at less weight than a fully loaded semi. i looked at a neighbors foretravel that had the 650hp isx15. he was getting 4.4mpg lifetime. my superc is 40klbs. it has the eaton 13speed tranny similar to the zf newell used. iit takes some getting used to but once you know how to drive it, it is quite smooth and smart.

i guess, the rv gang just wants the big hp, even if they dont need it.

my 2 cents worth

tom

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RE: Good idea for DEF equipped coaches - encantotom - 07-28-2026

Ends up though I have ther 2350ecu my def head is the analog one that is not prone to failures

BTW you can build the analog def simulator for about45 bucks

It is simple

Tom

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