09 cascadia series 60 runs rough at idle/slow speeds

Discussion in 'Freightliner Forum' started by fooomanchu, Dec 9, 2012.

  1. fooomanchu

    fooomanchu Light Load Member

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    Oct 19, 2012
    Urbana IL
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    I have a 2009 Cascadia with a Detroit Series 60 14 liter. Seems to consistently run great at high speeds, but it often (not always) runs really crappy at low speeds, like when I'm starting and stopping all the time because of stoplights and when I'm driving really slow around dropyards, etc. I'm really frustrated because it's been doing this ever since I had the truck. (Ive had it for 3 years. Has 500,000 miles on it now.)


    I don't know a lot about engines but the low-speed aspect of my problem makes me think it has something to do with the egr. ?? It runs crappy a lot at low speeds with NO regen/engine lights come on, and then once in a while the regen light will come on for a second or two then disappear, leaving the engine to STILL run crappy at low speeds with no regen light! I have WANTED to do a parked regen myself just to see the effect it would have but apparently my truck will not let me do a regen until the light comes on and stays on....UGGH


    I've had the truck in the shop probably 8 or 9 times for other unrelated problems, and I always have them try and figure out this problem too, and they never can. I'm usually told one of the following: "Can't find anything wrong with it"...."EGR sucks so sell your truck and get a pre-egr truck"....."You're crazy, it runs fine...."


    Just FYI, I've had the truck checked out pretty throughly from top to bottom (I'm told) and the only egr-related problem they could find was the egr cooler, which i had replaced.


    I was thinking about getting the egr bypassed but I was told that these newer ones are basically mercedes and you can't bypass the egr.


    Any ideas about my truck, or are there already threads here related to this? (I didn't see any) thanks!
     
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  3. SmokeyCowboy009

    SmokeyCowboy009 Heavy Load Member

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    Mar 4, 2009
    Watertown, WI
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    start putting the Lucas Fuel additive in the tanks each fill up. Your plugs are probly not working right due to clogging, bad fuel, bad injectors...
     
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  4. MNdriver

    MNdriver Road Train Member

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    Feb 24, 2012
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    I had a DD15 in an 09 Cascadia doing a similar thing. I got so frustrated with it, I put in Lucas Upper Cylinder lube.

    It would idle with such a lope it was ridiculous.

    After my 3rd gallon, the truck was running better, pulling better and the mileage went from mid-5 to mid to lower 6's.


    I still run it on my own truck now that I have bought it. '07 Century with a S60 14L EGR engine.


    I'd lean to it being dirty injectors if it starts to run better. Your next step would be to look at running the rack and doing an adjust on the whole thing.
     
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  5. fooomanchu

    fooomanchu Light Load Member

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    Oct 19, 2012
    Urbana IL
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    SmokeyCowboy009 & MNdriver - thanks a lot for the help. I'll try both of these. Ya know, I've become so biased against all the egr stuff that it never even occurred to me that the problem might be something else!! so thanks!!
     
  6. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    AL/TN BORDER
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    I was next to a cascadia couple weeks ago. it was ideling. I thought the thing was going to die out any moment. sounded like it went from a 2 rpm idle to 6 rpm & back & forth. when the driver started to take off it sounded normal, but I never heard such a thing.
     
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  7. fooomanchu

    fooomanchu Light Load Member

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    Oct 19, 2012
    Urbana IL
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    Welcome to my nightmare
     
  8. SmokeyCowboy009

    SmokeyCowboy009 Heavy Load Member

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    Mar 4, 2009
    Watertown, WI
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    fooomanchu Thanks this.
  9. fooomanchu

    fooomanchu Light Load Member

    63
    8
    Oct 19, 2012
    Urbana IL
    0
    Sounds great...i go to walmart quite a bit. thanks again for the help!
     
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