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 in the proper
operating range. Refer toPower steering
fluidin theMaintenance and Specifications
chapter.
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 fluid ports.
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 (2.5 cm).
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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.
WARNING: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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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. Press 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) or P
(Park) if equipped with a Park position.
Turn the key to the on position. 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).
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•Press the clutch pedal (if
equipped).
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
Driver Controls
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Note:Idling in cold weather will not heat the engine to its normal
operating temperature. Long periods of idling in cold weather can cause
a build-up of heavy deposits of carbon and rust on valve stems causing
them to stick which, in turn, can cause valvetrain damage.
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
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.
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GENERAL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
•Avoid extended (more than 10 minutes) 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, press 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.
WARNING: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.
Backing up
WARNING:To reduce the risk of the possibility of personal
injury while backing the vehicle, always be sure your vehicle’s
path is clear.
Before backing your vehicle, be sure you can do so safely. If anything
behind the cab limits your view, do not rely on mirrors alone to ensure
that your intended path is clear. If other people are in the vicinity, have
someone standing well behind your vehicle and outside of your intended
path (visible through an exterior mirror) guide you as you back up.
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•Within the final 30 seconds, the timer can be reset by:
1. changing the position of the accelerator pedal, or
2. changing the brake pedal, clutch pedal, or park brake from engaged
to disengaged or from disengaged to engaged.
•When the timer reaches zero, the engine will shut down.
•In this event, the key remains in the on position, and power
continues to be supplied to the accessories.
Battery power may be drained if the key is left in the on position
without the engine running.
Note:The engine idle shutdown timer will not start if:
•The engine is operating in power take-off (PTO) mode.
•The engine coolant temperature is below 60°F (16°C).
•The exhaust emission control system is regenerating the diesel
particulate filter (DPF).
ENGINE AUTOMATIC SHUTDOWN WARNING LIGHT OR CHIME
(IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an automatic shutdown feature that
stops the engine in the event of high coolant temperature, low engine oil
pressure, high diesel particulate filter soot loading or low engine coolant
level. A warning light in the instrument cluster and a warning chime will
indicate high engine coolant temperature, low engine oil pressure or the
need to have the diesel particulate filter cleaned or serviced. If the
engine coolant temperature becomes too high, engine oil pressure too
low or the diesel particulate filter too restricted, the engine will
automatically shut down.
If the engine shuts down, it can be restarted and operated for
30 seconds at a time or until the problem is corrected. Do not attempt to
use this restarting feature to drive the vehicle very far as serious engine
damage could result.
WARNING:In the event of engine shutdown, make sure the
vehicle is safely off the road and the problem is remedied prior
to returning to the road. Failure to remove the vehicle from the road
could result in an accident, causing serious injury or death.
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Applying the parking brake
To apply the parking brake, pull the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake
knob. A red light on the dash panel should illuminate indicating that the
parking brake has been successfully set.
Note:If the park brake indicator light blinks and a warning chime
sounds when the control knob is pulled, the parking brake is not
functioning properly; seek immediate service from your dealer. Refer to
Parking Brake Warning Systemin this section.
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, press and hold the service brake pedal.
2. Select the appropriate drive gear.
3. Push and hold the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob until the
Park Brake indicator goes out, then release.
For vehicles with manual transmissions -
(TTC 7–speed, Eaton/Fuller 5–speed and 6–speed):
1. With the engine running, press and hold the service brake pedal.
2. Press and hold the clutch pedal.
3. Select the appropriate drive gear.
4. Push and hold the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob until the
Park Brake indicator goes out, then release.
WARNING: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.
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