If these modified engine performance
characteristics persist for an extended
period and either the service engine soon
or powertrain malfunction, reduced power,
electronic throttle control light is
illuminated, have the system checked by
an authorized dealer.
Service engine soon
Powertrain malfunction, reduced
power, electronic throttle control
Diesel Lubrication System
It is important to change the engine oil at
the recommended service intervals or
when indicated by the information display
to maintain oil viscosity. Extending the oil
and filter change interval beyond the
recommended interval can negatively
affect engine performance, fuel economy
and engine life. See Engine Oil Check
(page 186).
Engine and secondary cooling system
The cooling system contains a primary
cooling loop to cool the engine and a
secondary cooling loop to cool the
transmission, charge air, and fuel. The
coolant serves three primary purposes: to
provide heat transfer, freeze point
protection, and corrosion protection using
additives.
Vehicles with diesel engines typically are
used to carry heavy loads and accumulate
mileage rapidly. These two factors may
cause the additives in the coolant to wear
out in a shorter time. You can find more
information about coolant additives and
coolant change intervals in the coolant
chapter. See
General Maintenance
Information (page 316). Operating the
engine with insufficient coolant or coolant
additive can cause severe engine damage. Selective catalytic reduction system
Your vehicle is equipped with a selective
catalytic reduction system designed to
reduce emission levels of nitrogen oxides
from the exhaust of your diesel engine. This
system relies on the use of Diesel Exhaust
Fluid (DEF) that you must replenish at
certain intervals. Failure to maintain proper
DEF levels or if the DEF becomes
contaminated will result in vehicle speed
limitations or result in your vehicle entering
an idle-only mode. See
Selective
Catalytic Reduction System (page 95).
Minor Troubleshooting Guide
If the engine won ’t crank WARNING
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds. Wash hands after
handling. Turn on the headlights. If the lights are dim,
do not go on at all or when the ignition is
turned to the start position, the lights
become dim or go out, the battery
connections may be loose or corroded, or
the battery may be discharged. If there is
a clicking or stuttering sound coming from
the engine compartment when you turn
the key to the start position, this may also
indicate a loose or corroded battery
connection.
Check the battery connections at the
battery posts, cable connection to the
engine grounding point and at the starter
connection.
If you suspect a discharged battery, have
it checked and corrected.
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Introduction
ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
See Load limits in the Load Carrying
chapter for load specification terms found
on the tire label and Safety Compliance
label and instructions on calculating your
vehicle's load.
Remember to account for the trailer
tongue weight as part of your vehicle load
when calculating the total vehicle weight.
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle. You
must distribute the load in your trailer so
that 10-15% of the total weight of the
trailer is on the tongue.
Safety Chains
Note: Do not attach safety chains to the
bumper.
Always connect the safety chains to the
frame or hook retainers of your vehicle
hitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow
enough slack for turning tight corners. Do
not allow the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to your
vehicle's brake system. Your vehicle
may not have enough braking power and
your chances of having a collision greatly
increase. Electric brakes and manual, automatic or
surge-type trailer brakes are safe if you
install them properly and adjust them to
the manufacturer's specifications. The
trailer brakes must meet local and federal
regulations. The rating for the tow vehicle's braking
system operation is at the gross vehicle
weight rating, not the gross combined
weight rating.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailer lamp wiring
to the vehicle's tail lamp wiring; this
may damage the electrical system
resulting in fire. Contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible for assistance
in proper trailer tow wiring installation.
Additional electrical equipment may be
required. Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up
to get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip.
When turning, make wider turns so the
trailer wheels clear curbs and other
obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•
Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled 50 miles (80
kilometers).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift in position
P or position N to
aid engine and transmission cooling
and to help air conditioning
performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off automatically
when you are towing on long, steep
grades.
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Towing
•
Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
• If your transmission is equipped with
the Tow/Haul feature, use this feature
when towing. This provides engine
braking and helps eliminate excessive
transmission shifting for optimum fuel
economy and transmission cooling.
• Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
FIFTH WHEEL OPERATION WARNINGS
Failure to follow the fifth wheel
manufacturer
’s instructions for
hooking and unhooking as well as
sliding the fifth wheel could result in an
accident, personal injury or death. When the tractor and trailer are
parked unattended, the trailer brake
hand control should never be used
to apply the brake, since air may leak from
the system, allowing vehicle movement,
resulting in possible property damage,
personal injury or death. Before hook-up, make sure:
•
The fifth wheel jaws are fully open.
• The fifth wheel is fully tilted back to
prevent body damage when the tractor
is backed under a trailer.
• You block the trailer wheels and adjust
and apply the trailer spring brakes.
Never chase a trailer.
• The brake hoses and light cords are
clear of the fifth wheel. Hook-up
1. Back the tractor squarely under the
trailer, engaging the fifth-wheel jaws
on the kingpin. Always back up slowly;
make sure the trailer is neither too high
nor too low. Avoid backing under the
trailer from an angle.
2. Connect the service and emergency brake hoses and trailer light connector.
3. Inspect the jaws of the fifth wheel to be sure they have fully closed on the
trailer kingpin and the trailer plate is
resting securely on the fifth wheel.
4. Make sure the coupler release lever is in the locked position.
5. Charge the trailer brake system. Set the trailer brakes, with either the hand
valve or tractor protection valve. Pull
against the trailer for an extra check of
proper hook-up. Do not pull hard
enough to damage or strain the
equipment.
6. Set the tractor parking brakes and fully
raise the trailer landing gear.
7. Check the operation of all trailer lights
and correct any lights that may be
faulty.
Un-hook
1. Try to keep the tractor and trailer in a straight line.
2. Apply the parking brakes.
3. Lower the trailer landing gear, making sure it is on solid, level ground. The
weight of the trailer is to be on the
landing gear.
4. Block the trailer wheels.
5. Disconnect the brake hoses and light cords. Be sure hoses and cords are
clear.
6. Pull coupler release lever to disengage
the fifth wheel jaws.
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Towing
Operation in Snow and Rain
Vehicle operation in heavy snowfall or
extreme rain conditions may feed
excessive amounts of snow or water into
the air intake system. This could plug the
air filter with snow and may cause the
engine to lose power and possibly shut
down.
We recommend the following actions after
operating your vehicle up to 199 mi
(320 km) in snowfall or extreme rain:
• Snow: At the earliest opportunity, open
the hood and clear all the snow and ice
from the air filter housing inlet (do not
remove the foam filter) and reset the
air filter restriction gauge.
Note: Removal of the foam filter degrades
your vehicle performance during snow and
hot weather conditions.
• Extreme rain: The air filter dries after
about 15– 30 minutes at highway
speeds. At the earliest opportunity,
open the hood and reset the air filter
restriction gauge.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING
Do not drive through flowing or deep
water as you may lose control of your
vehicle.
Note:
Driving through standing water can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water,
check the depth. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the wheel
hubs. When driving through standing water, drive
very slowly and do not stop your vehicle.
Your brake performance and traction may
be limited. After driving through water and
as soon as it is safe to do so:
•
Lightly press the brake pedal to dry the
brakes and to check that they work.
• Check that the horn works.
• Check that the exterior lights work.
• Turn the steering wheel to check that
the steering power assist works.
Operation in Standing Water
Ingestion of water into the diesel engine
can result in immediate and severe
damage to the engine. If driving through
water, slow down to avoid splashing water
into the intake. If the engine stalls, and you
suspect ingestion of water into the engine,
do not try to restart the engine. Consult
your dealer for service immediately.
Your fuel tank vents to the atmosphere by
valves on top of the tank and through the
fuel cap. If water reaches the top of the
tank, the valves may pull water into the
fuel tank. Water in the fuel can cause
performance issues and damage the fuel
injection system.
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Driving HintsE176913
Engine starting (with parking brake applied)
Check the gauge (diesel engine) or indicator light (gasoline
engine) to verify the alternator is charging.
Voltmeter
Inspect for excessive free play in the steering linkages. The
steering wheel should have less than 2 in (5 cm) of free play
at its rim.
Steering linkage free play
Verify the parking brake holds the vehicle by gently trying to
pull forward with the parking brake applied.
Parking brake
Verify operation using the following procedure. Chock the
wheels, if necessary. Push in the parking brake and, on
tractors, push in the tractor parking brake knob:
Air brakes
1. Verify the air compressor or governor cutout pressure is
approximately 120 psi (827 kPa).
2. Turn off the engine, and then turn the key back to the on
position (without starting the engine).
3. Without the brake pedal applied, note the air pressure drop
for one minute. It should be less than 2 psi (14 kPa) for single
vehicles and
3 psi (21 kPa) for combination vehicles.
4. Press and hold the brake pedal with
90 psi (621 kPa) or
more. Make sure there is no more than a 3 psi (21 kPa) per
minute leak for single vehicles and a 4 psi (28 kPa) minute
leak for combination vehicles.
5. Pump the brake pedal to deplete the system of air pressure.
The warning light and tone should turn on at 57 psi (393 kPa).
6. Pump the brake pedal and make sure the parking brake
and trailer parking brake knobs pop out at
20 psi (138 kPa)
or higher.
Verify that the fluid level is in the proper operating range. See
Automatic Transmission Fluid Check
(page 198).
Automatic transmission
fluid Front of vehicle
Verify all exterior lights illuminate and are clean.
Lights
Check headlights function on high and low beam.
Verify reflectors are clean, unbroken and of proper color (red
on rear, amber elsewhere).
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Vehicle Inspection Guide
Rear brakes
Inspect for cracked, worn or frayed hoses, and that all coup-
lings are secure.
Hoses
Verify that there are no cracks or dents, and that the cham-
bers are securely mounted.
Brake chambers
Inspect for broken, loose or missing parts.
Slack adjusters
Note: The angle between the push rod and adjuster arm
should be approximately 90 degrees when the brakes are
applied. When pulled by hand, the push rod should not move
more than approximately
1 in (2.5 cm).
Verify that there are no cracks, dents, holes, and no loose or
missing bolts and that the brake linings are not worn,
dangerously thin or contaminated by lubricant.
Drums Rear wheels
Check for even separation of dual wheels, and that the tires
are not touching each other.
Spacers
Inspect for damaged or bent rims. They should not have
welding repairs, and there should be no rust trails, which
indicate it is loose on the wheel.
Rims
Verify all lug nuts are present and not loose (look for rust
trails around the lug nuts). There should be no cracks radiating
from the lug bolt holes or distortion of the bolt holes.
Lug nuts
Trailer
If you are pulling a trailer, perform an
inspection of the trailer similar to that of
the tractor. The inspection should follow
trailer manufacturer recommendations
and should include at a minimum: general
condition, landing gear, doors, sides, lights,
reflectors, suspension, brakes, tires,
wheels, cargo placement, stability and
tie-downs. Transmission WARNING
If the unit starts in gear and/or the
neutral start switch is not functioning
correctly, the vehicle may
inadvertently move which could result in
property damage, personal injury or death. Regularly inspect the transmission's
neutral start switch. The engine should
only start in neutral (N) or park (P) (if
equipped with a park position).
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Vehicle Inspection Guide
2.
Rotate the filter fully counterclockwise
until the peg is at the far end of the slot.
3. Pull the filter straight up from the bracket and discard the filter.
Installation
1. Install the new filter into the filter bracket. Turn the filter clockwise to
lock it in place.
2. Reconnect the fuel lines.
3. Switch the ignition on for 30 seconds and then switch the ignition off. Repeat
this operation six times in a row to
purge any trapped air from the fuel
system.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INSPECTION
Periodically inspect electrical connectors
on the outside of the cab and on the engine
and frame for corrosion and tightness.
Exposed terminals, such as the fuel sender,
cranking motor, alternator and
feed-through studs, should be cleaned and re-coated with a lubricant sealing grease
such as Motorcraft Silicone Brake Caliper
Grease and Dielectric Compound XG-3, or
equivalent. This should include the ground
cable connector for batteries, engine and
cab as well as the jump-starting stud.
Accessory Feed Connections
Vehicle electrical systems are complex and
often include powertrain components,
such as engine and transmission controls,
instrument panels and ABS. While most
systems operate on battery voltage (12
volts), some systems can be as high as 90
volts or as low as five volts. See the
Electrical Circuit Diagram Manuals,
available from your vehicle
’s manufacturer,
to make sure that any extra body lights and
accessory connections to circuits are both
appropriate and not overloaded. Do not
make modifications to any vehicle control
system without first contacting an
authorized dealer.
AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM
INSPECTION WARNING
When performing maintenance to
any turbocharged engine with engine
air inlet piping disconnected, keep
loose clothing, jewelry and long hair away
from the engine air inlet piping. A
turbocharger compressor air inlet
protective shield should be installed over
the turbocharger air inlet to reduce the risk
of personal injury or death. Perform a complete inspection of the air
induction system annually.
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing MaintenanceE226214
2
3
Check every month
Air filter restriction gauge. *
Engine oil level.
Fuel and water separator. Drain if necessary, or if indicated by the information display. *
Function of all interior and exterior lights.
Holes and slots in the tail pipe to make sure they are functional and clear of debris. *
Tires (including spare) for wear and proper pressure. Windshield washer fluid level.
* Diesel engine only. Check every six months
Battery connections. Clean if necessary.
Body and door drain holes for obstructions. Clean if necessary.
Cooling system fluid level and coolant concentration (freeze-point protection). Door weatherstrips for wear. Lubricate if necessary.
Hinges, latches and outside locks for proper operation. Lubricate if necessary. Parking brake for proper operation.
Safety belts and seat latches for wear and function.
Safety warning lamps (brake, ABS, airbag and safety belt) for operation.
Washer spray and wiper operation. Clean or replace blades as necessary.
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F-650/750 (TBC) , enUSA, First Printing Scheduled Maintenance