2004 FH12 new owner questions.

Hi all,

This may sound really stupid, but first time Volvo owner and driver and things seem a bit off compared to what im used to with other trucks... See what this compares to your trucks..

Right, so like i said, just bought a new to me, FH12. 460 12 speed. VEB, no retarder.

I feel the truck is sometimes lacking power and is lethargic, lazy..

I say this because it wont rev out past the green band in the rev counter half of the time, and when it does, its pretty reluctant to do so...
Not saying i want to thrash it all the time but on an approach to a big hill, i usually wind it up a bit more before the bottom...
This truck, Change down just before a hill, rev counter goes above the green and you SLOW DOWN....
Boost drops off seriously at the end of the green, as does the fuel usage bar...

Took it to one volvo shop who cleaned the boost sensor, that seemed to make a difference for a while.... Took it to another dealer on the other side of NZ who put it on a computer and we drove around for ages, he said noting wrong with anything at all, its torque limiting which you cant change.... so no matter what, this engine will only rev to 1800??? yet i set the rev limiter to 2300???

What is normal? seriously do they just not rev??

The other problem is the VEB, When the truck is lacking power, the veb is pathetic, opening the doors would be more effective.. it sounds like half the veb is working, chug chug chug....
Sometimes it works great! One shop says we need to change the VEB valve block, the other shop says its completely normal....

What are your thoughts those that have these trucks or have driven them??

Thanks HEAPS

Merry Christmas!

Duncan

The VEB control has A, 1, 2, 3. 1 and 2 has no difference between effectiveness or any change in noise, switch to 3 and its more effective and the noise changes....

 

Thanks Pablo.
No fault codes, have jakes but i think only on one stage if that is possible? i can hear the EPG come in when warming up so i think thats all ok.

I cant hear any boost leaks??

If i put throttle to floor it is slow to rev, sitting in neutral - parked, rev counter is also very delayed compared to engine rev. Rev engine.... then rev counter go up and down...

 

Wish i bought scania..

Will drop it to the stealer and let them sort it

 

Smoke is good! so is power!

I wish they had an O/O code so power could be extracted easily...

I think straight pipe may help? Bye bye muffler....

 

So an after market ECM or remap is the only real solution

 

UPDATE..!!

Well i made it to the workshop yesterday, hauled down at 44500kg so it was a bit of a slow trip being down in power and poor jakes..

The workshop had no available mechanics......

Lucky that im not too bad with a spanner...

So... I got the boost sensor and changed that.. then whipped the rocker cover off and checked the Jake solenoid.

The solenoid was loose at junction between spindle and base, a place that it should not be able to be loose at... so i changed it too!

Quick look at the rockers, didn't see anything really obvious..

Slapped it back together and gave it a run up. got the service manager to stick icos on it and check the exhaust brake operation, all good.

Ran home at 36000kg and it was much better than running previously at 25000kg!.. the jakes are not as good as i had thought they would be still... better than they had been!

It due for a service in a few thousand so it will get a top tune and anything else it may need then..

See how that goes, then look at remapping..

Was telling a mate that has a daf cf480 about remapping, "waste of money" he says...
The manufacturer made it as good as anyone will ever get it, how could a remap make it better than Volvo ever could.

Hmmm would love to prove him wrong....

 

View attachment 60338

the rig...