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| We have a 2000 Freightliner FLD 120 w N-14 engine that won't turn over. Truck had a new gear reduction starter & alt. put in it about this time last year, less than 7,500 miles on it since that time. Truck is used for hauling just our grain.
Last Monaday after blowing out a rear tire my son stopped at the local tire shop to have a new one mounted on the truck. When he went to start it back up it wouldn't turn over, acted as if the batteries were dead. The truck mechanic there hooked a charger / booster to the batteries but it still wouldn't turn over. MOved the charger to the starter & still the same. He then tried wiggling the gear shift & the truck started, thought maybe it was still in gear though the shifter would move side to side as if in neutral. He also said when the starter was engaged his tester would drop to 8v so suggested we replace the batteries.
Son had hauled several loads of corn previously that day, as I had the week before, & it always had started right up. He ran the rest of the day but didn't shut the engine off. That evening we put new batteries in it but it still would start, would start to turn over then quit. The next morning he got it started by hooking our charger directly to the starter. He stopped & had the mechanic look at it & it would draw the batteries down to 5-6v when trying to start but again, would not even make a complete revolution.
Mechanic suggested we take the starter off & have it checked out. We took the starter out that eveming & I took it to the local repair shop the next morning. I picked it up yesterday (Fri.) orning & they said the only thing wrong was some minor problems caused by low voltage & to check the cables.
I replaced the battery to starter cables & battery to frame ground cables with new 00 cable, original was 0. Batteries were originally hooked in pairs & the mechanic suggested hooking all 4 together which I did (pos. & neg). I also connected each battery to frame ground cable individually to the frame instead of to one common bolt as it was originally.
Figure that would take care of the problem only to have the truck do the same thing when I tried to start it :~(( The only cables I didn't replace were the frame to starter ground & the engine to starter ground. Would have replaced these but it acted like the stud was going to twist off so I didn't.
I wondering if the problem may be in these cables. Or is there a relay somewhere that may be the problem?
Backing up a little, about 2 weeks after this starter was installed new the truck did the same thing. That time I cleaned all cable ends & connections & where the battery ground attached to the frame. Still wouldn't turnover so I put our charger / booster (600 amp boost) on the batteries & charged each set for over an hour each but still the same thing. I was about to go call a mechanic when I reached back up in the truck & hit the starter button & it fired right up. It has started fine ever since until last Monday.
One other though would possibly be the starter button though electrical in the cab, which feeds from the starter up to the cab, is fine.
Anyone else ever run into this problem? I'm open to all suggestions other than trading the truck. Truck runs fine once started.
TIA,
boog | |
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Freightliner w N-14 won't start
