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
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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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.
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.
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WARNING:When parking your vehicle, do not leave the
transmission in gear; if the key is in the on position and the
vehicle rolls, the engine could start. Failure to follow these instructions
could result in an unattended vehicle moving, possibly causing personal
injury or property damage.
Driving through water
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially if the depth is not known. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the hubs. Traction or brake capability
may be limited and your vehicle may stall. Water may also enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine, drive axles or the
transmission (through the breather ports).
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal. Wet brakes do
not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
ENGINE IDLE SHUTDOWN (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an Engine Idle Shutdown system.
This system will automatically shut down your engine when it has been
idling in P (Park) or N (Neutral) for five minutes (parking brake set) or
15 minutes (parking brake not set). During the engine idle shutdown
process:
•TheService Engine Soonlight will flash, once per second, for the
final 30 seconds just prior to shutdown.
•Within the final 30 seconds, the timer can be reset by:
1. changing the position of the accelerator pedal, or
2. engaging or disengaging the brake pedal, clutch pedal or parking
brake.
•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).
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neutral (central), and release (in). The switch is spring-loaded to return
to the neutral (central) position after being pushed or pulled.
There is no visual indication at the knob that the park brake is applied or
released. Always observe the gauge cluster Park Brake indicator to
determine if the park brake is applied or released.
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
parking brake indicator goes out, then release.
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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
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
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Note:Engine speed has a major influence of retarding performance.
When engine speed is maintained at the maximum allowable level, the
exhaust brake will operate at peak performance.
WARNING:The exhaust brake is not recommended for use on
slippery or low traction road surfaces. Under these conditions a
loss of vehicle control could occur.
Exhaust brake operating characteristics
When you remove your feet from both the accelerator and clutch pedals
and the exhaust brake switch is in the on position, the exhaust brake is
activated. The following conditions should exist if the brake is operating
properly:
•A slight change in the sound of the engine when the exhaust brake is
activated.
•Engine temperature remains in the normal operating range.
•Road speed usually decreases when the exhaust brake is applied
during a descent, except when the vehicle is carrying a heavy load or
the grade is extremely steep. In these instances, you may need to
apply the service brakes occasionally.
•During a descent, the tachometer usually shows a drop in RPM
depending on the grade and the vehicle load.
•Do not expect a retarding effect similar to sudden hard application of
the service brakes. The exhaust brake retards the vehicle with a
smooth braking effect.
•Depending on the grade and vehicle load, you may or may not feel the
retarding force acting against your body when the brake is applied.
The brake’s retarding force is actually preventing the vehicle from
going much faster.
•Engine speed has a major effect on retarding performance, with higher
engine speeds permitting greater retarding ability.
•Engine brake performance is closely related to the type of
transmission your vehicle is equipped with. Downshifting the manual
transmission to the lowest gear possible, without exceeding the
maximum engine RPM limit, will maximize retarding performance.
Exhaust brakes will operate effectively with automatic transmissions,
but performance will vary with engine speed and the gear selected by
the transmission.
Make sure the exhaust brake is turned off before shutting off the engine.
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