To be sure your vehicle is ready to operate, conduct a pre-trip inspection
at the beginning of each work period. Follow the steps listed in this
section to ensure a proper vehicle inspection procedure. The pages in
this section may be produced locally and used on a regular basis.
VEHICLE INSPECTION INFORMATION
Note:Always make sure the parking brake is applied before starting the
engine.
Engine compartment (with engine stopped)
Engine oil level:Use the engine oil dipstick to verify that the
engine oil level is between the ADD and
OPERATING RANGE marks.
Engine coolant
level:Look through the plastic reservoir or the clear
sight glass on the reservoir, depending upon
vehicle equipment, and make sure the fluid is
within the minimum and maximum fluid level
range as marked on the reservoir.Do not
remove pressure cap until the coolant has
cooled.
Power steering fluid:Verify that the fluid level is between the
proper operating range Refer toPower
steering fluidin theMaintenance and
specificationschapter.
Brake fluid (master
cylinder):Remove the master cylinder caps and inspect
the fluid level. The full mark is at the bottom
of the opening of the port ring.
Hydraulic clutch
fluid:Check for adequate amount of hydraulic clutch
fluid. Fluid level should be at the step of the
reservoir; refer toClutch fluid/linkage
adjustmentsin theMaintenance and
Specificationschapter.
Belts (Fan,
alternator, water
pump and A/C
compressor):Check for glazing, fraying or cracking. There
should be no more than five - seven cracks per
rib per inch.
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Engine compartment (with engine stopped)
Any leaks:Check for signs of fluid puddles, dripping fluid
on the ground under the engine or the
underside of the engine.
HVAC air inlet:Check for debris, leaves, etc. that may have
collected on the HVAC air inlet grille or inside
the exterior module as this may cause reduced
system performance.
HVAC fresh air filter
(if equipped):Periodically check the HVAC fresh air filter for
cleanliness.
Exercise great caution when working on vehicle equipped with
an automatic fan clutch. The fan starts in motion only after the
engine coolant reaches a predetermined temperature or the refrigerant
pressure (if equipped with air conditioning) reaches a predetermined
setting. The fan will start at this point with no advance warning. Never
reach near, or permit objects to protrude into, the fan blade radius
while the engine is running as this could result in vehicle damage,
personal injury or death.
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Vehicle Inspection Guide
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Engine starting (parking brake applied)
Safety/Emergency
equipment:Prior to entering the cab, verify that the
vehicle is equipped with spare electrical fuses
(if used), three red reflective triangles, a
properly charged and rated fire extinguisher
and wheel chocks. Walk around the vehicle
and check that all steps and grab handles,
inside and out as well as behind, are tight and
clean. Use extreme caution and a three-point
stance at all times. Check door latches for
positive closing, latching and locking.
Starting the engine:Verify the parking brake is set. Depress the
clutch (if equipped with a manual
transmission) and verify the transmission is in
neutral. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission should be in N (Neutral).
When the WAIT TO START indicator light in
the instrument cluster turns off, turn the key
to START.
Oil pressure builds:Make sure engine oil pressure is building to
normal operating range.
Air chime sounds (if
equipped with air
compressor):The low air pressure warning chime should
sound immediately after the engine starts but
before the compressor has built up pressure.
The low air pressure warning chime should
stop when the air pressure reaches 70 psi (483
kPa) (or more). Let the air pressure build to
governed cut-out pressure, which should occur
between 115–130 psi (793–896 kPa).
Accelerator:Depress the accelerator and verify that it
operates smoothly without any binding or
irregular feel. Remove your foot from the
pedal and make sure the engine returns to idle
speed immediately.
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Vehicle Inspection Guide
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To disengage speed control
•Depress the brake pedal or
•Depress the clutch pedal (if
equipped).
Disengaging the speed control will
not erase the previously
programmed set speed or engine
RPM.
Pressing OFF will erase the
previously programmed engine RPM.
To return to a previously set speed
Press RESUME -. For RESUME - to
operate, the vehicle speed must be
above 30 mph (48 km/h) or engine
speed must be above 1,000 RPM.
CRUISE
RPM
OFF
SET RESUME
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a buildup of heavy deposits of carbon and rust on valve stems causing
them to stick which, in turn, can cause valvetrain damage.
The following cold weather idling guidelines must be followed:
•Avoid idling the engine for more than 10 minutes at a time.
•Use a minimum of 45 Cetane Diesel fuel or use Cetane Index
improvers from a reputable manufacturer.
•Maintain a minimum idle of 1250 RPM by using the hand throttle.
Always make sure that the parking brake is applied and the
transmission is in neutral before applying the hand throttle.
•Maintain the engine cooling system properly.
•Do not shut the engine down after an extensive idling period (10
minutes or more). Drive the vehicle under load for several miles at
normal operating temperatures to burn off any accumulated carbon
and varnish.
•Consider using an engine block heater, approved winter fronts and/or
radiator shutters where conditions warrant.
Winter fronts
The use of winter fronts, or other air-restrictive devices mounted in front
of the radiator on vehicles with chassis-mounted charge air coolers, are
not recommended unless extremely cold weather conditions exist. Air
flow restriction can cause high exhaust temperatures, power loss,
excessive fan usage and a reduction in fuel economy. If you must use a
winter front, the device should have a permanent opening of at least 120
sq in. (774 sq. cm) directly in line with the fan hub.
Hot weather operation
•Keep the engine cooling system filled with a clean, permanent coolant
solution to protect against damage from overheating.
•Fill the fuel tank at the end of daily operation to prevent condensation
in the fuel system.
•Keep external surfaces of the engine, radiator, charge air cooler, A/C
condenser and accessories clean to avoid dirt build-up.
Above normal coolant temperatures could be experienced while driving
in a transmission gear ratio which lugs the engine. To correct this
problem, engine speed should be increased by downshifting in to the
next lower gear to increase engine RPM.
Starting a turbocharged engine with the vehicle on a steep grade
When starting a diesel engine when the loaded vehicle is on a grade, the
engine RPM will start to fall slightly when the clutch is engaged; do not
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disengage the clutch and try to increase engine RPM as this may damage
driveline components. The engine will recover as the vehicle begins
moving.
Engine shutdown
Allow the engine to idle for three to five minutes before shutting it
down. The larger the engine, the greater the need for this idling period.
However, do not let the engine idle for more than 10 minutes.
Restarting after running out of fuel
The fuel system may need to be purged of air, refer toRunning out of
fuelin theMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
General operating instructions
•Avoid extended and unnecessary idling.
•Start the vehicle in motion by using the highest gear speed in the
transmission that will let the engine easily start the load without
slipping the clutch.
•Accelerate smoothly and evenly; rapid acceleration increases fuel
consumption without increasing engine performance.
•When approaching a hill, depress the accelerator smoothly to start the
incline at full power, then shift down as needed to maintain vehicle
speed.
•When going down a hill, or long steep grades, prevent over-speeding
of the engine. The engine governor has no control over engine speed
when it is being pushed by a loaded vehicle.
•Always shift to a lower gear at high altitudes to prevent engine
smoking.
•Operate in a gear that will permit an engine speed not in excess of the
maximum governed speed or high-idle RPM (no load).
•Normally, choose the same gear to descend the hill that you would use
to ascend the hill.
All vehicles have blind spots. To reduce the risk of severe injury
or property damage, never move your vehicle to the side or rear
or change lanes without being sure your way is clear on both sides and
to your rear.
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Releasing the parking brake
Note:Read and understand the following steps and perform them
whenever you prepare to drive the vehicle.
Note:The parking brake will not disengage unless sufficient system air
pressure is available.
For vehicles with automatic transmissions - dash-mounted push
button (Allison 3000 Series) and steering column-mounted (Allison
2200 and 2500) gear selection:
1. With the engine running, depress and hold the service brake pedal.
2. Wait until system air pressure is above 100 psi (690 kPa).
3. Select the appropriate drive gear.
4. Push the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob.
For vehicles with manual transmissions - (TTC 7–speed,
Eaton/Fuller 5–speed, 6–speed and 10–speed):
1. With the engine running, depress and hold the service brake pedal.
2. Wait until system air pressure is above 100 psi (690 kPa).
3. Depress and hold the clutch pedal.
4. Select the appropriate drive gear.
5. Push the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob.
Hold the brake pedal down while moving the gearshift lever from
position to position. If the brake pedal is not held down, the
vehicle may move unexpectedly resulting in property damage, personal
injury or death.
Parking brake light illumination due to low air pressure
If at any time during vehicle operation air pressure is too low, the
parking brake may apply and the parking brake light will turn on.
If the parking brake is applied due to low air pressure, immediate service
is required to the parking brake system.
Parking brake warning system
If the park brake light blinks and a chime sounds when pulling the yellow
control knob out, this indicates the parking brake is not functioning
properly; seek service for the parking brake immediately.
The light will blink and the chime will sound until the yellow control
knob is pushed in or approximately eight minutes have passed. If the
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4. Turn the release stud one-quarter
turn to engage the stud tangs with
the slot in the pressure plate. Keep
the stud engaged and install the nut
on the release stud.
5. Tighten the nut until the spring is
fully caged and the brakes are
released. Do not loosen or remove
the release stud and nut unless the brake chamber is completely
assembled and is securely clamped.
6. When the air pressure is restored, unscrew and remove the release
stud and install in the carrying pocket. Install the access plug.
EXHAUST BRAKE (IF EQUIPPED)
Note:The exhaust brake is a
retarding device intended to help
control vehicle speed; it is not a
vehicle stopping device.
An exhaust brake is an optional
auxiliary braking system that assists,
but does not replace, the primary
service brake system. An on-off
switch on the instrument panel, in
combination with the accelerator
and clutch pedal switches, allows the operator to make maximum use of
the exhaust brake in the following conditions:
•off-highway driving
•mountain driving
•heavy traffic
•high speed highway driving
Note:The exhaust brake should be turned off when the engine is left
idling for an extended period of time (longer than three minutes).
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