Getting started with a 2005 Volvo with the ISX.

[superbug]

Hi folks,

I have spent a week reading and watching the videos here at Rawze's home for wayward truckers. I'm starting a thread here so others can follow along as I learn with a new to me Volvo and go thru the process as time permits.
Some background, I'm 56 and started driving trucks when I was 18 in a B model Mack with a 22 speed twin stick quadraplex. All through the years I have driven just about every type of truck out there. Have always loved them.
Currently I'm not in trucking but my job will allow me to dabble back in it so I'm going to get a used truck and get my own authority so I can pick and chose loads when I have the time to do it.
I have always worked on everything I've owned and this web site has shown me that the ISX is a great engine that can still be worked on by the owner just like every truck from years past.
I'm flying into Aberdeen SD on the 11th and picking up a truck I have found and driving it back to Pompano Beach FL where I live. In about 6 months it and me will end up in Wyoming where I'm moving with my wife to build the last house I'll ever live in.

SO, the truck is a 2005 Volvo with a 400hp ISX15 and a 10 speed with 3.42 rears. Its a VNL64T630 with full fairings except the top one and has 721,000 on the clock. It is spec'd exactly the way I want it. Once I get it home I'm going to do every check and cleaning plus overhead that Rawze has so graciously given to this community. Well see just what kinda life this old horse has had and go from there. And if your asking the question why a Volvo and specifically why this model, it's because I have driven every truck out there at one time or another. When I worked at Fedex pulling doubles the owner I drove for had a full dress 800 series KW that in my younger years was the truck every cowboy dreamed of right down to the studio sleeper. That truck would never get over 5.5 mpg with all the crap it had hanging in the wind no matter how you drove it but it was sure pretty.
I drove Volvo's for a tanker operation and they are like driving a car, got great mileage and for me I just always liked them.
So with this truck I want to explore doing everything I can to promote the best mpg I can get. What better way than to take a cheap truck as a foundation and rebuild it into what you want. Do a google search for the Volvo super truck project and that is where I want to go.

So right out the gate I'm ordering a Inline 6 from OBII365 and some of the tools Rawze has used in his videos to do the inspections on the truck once I get it here.

The only thing as of this moment in time after I get it checked out is to turn the motor up but I want to defer to Mr Hagg's suggestion on what that number should be for the best mpg. I know Rawze has his at 450 but back in the day when the big cam Cummins 500 was the big dog on the block you would turn that engine back to a 435hp and it was the sweetest motor out there for all around mpg vs hp.
I'm wondering if the sweet spot is 425, 435 or 450 hp for the 870's. And now after reading all of the great info on this board I know that I need a seasoned pro like Mr Hagg to do this tweak as it is more involved than I thought and I want the correct solid baseline to start with then tweak it from there.

Mr Rawze if this is the wrong place for this thread please move it to the proper place. Thank you for all do.

I'll check back in once I have the truck.