Freightliner FLD120 3406e Cat issues

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by Kwalden4425, Dec 5, 2019.

  1. Kwalden4425

    Kwalden4425 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 5, 2019
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    We have a 99 freightliner fld120 with a 3406e cat. We are stumped and getting no answers! Need some advice please. A couple of months ago turbo went out so went through Cat and got a turbo. Us, plus a diesel mechanic friend of ours switched out turbos with no problems. Went to Cat to return core and they told us they gave us the wrong turbo, after we drove 700 miles with the turbo they gave us. Their mechanic changed it, outside. Believe turbo was too big. A week later we noticed she blew a little white smoke when started but went away. Wasn’t cold out. Found an oil leak so took her in to get it looked at as well as white smoke smelling like diesel, noticed a rough idle and poor fuel mileage, plus a couple of minor things. Mechanic right away said cracked head. One other guy looked at it and said just injector wide open. Took it to freightliner and they said injector #4 dead. They swapped #3 and #4 and said it was still the same. #4 dead and can hear some air leaking. Due to financial reasons, we told them to hold off and we would pick it up to decide what to do. Get there and there’s 8-10 gal of antifreeze underneath the truck and the truck cranks and cranks, but will not fire!!! Checked batteries and charged them, etc. freightliner claims nothing they did would cause it. We took it there running and now we can’t get it out of parking lot. Any thoughts?! Thank you!
     
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  3. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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    Really no way to tell over the internet. It could be cracked head,injector cups,sucking air. Coolant leak could be just a simple cold water leak.
     
    spsauerland and Oxbow Thank this.
  4. Kwalden4425

    Kwalden4425 Bobtail Member

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    Right, I understand. Just didn’t know if anything we are missing could be picked out by someone reading that maybe had some additional advice or something to look at for why it’s not starting at all.
     
  5. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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    Sounds like it’s sucking air with the smoke at start up. If you have a primer on the filter housing, then pump till your arm falls off or it starts.
     
  6. Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    Well if you have 10 gallons of antifreeze on the ground your truck is almost empty. Unless you want to just start it to hear it run and and shut it off, otherwise you should not be running it until you have antifreeze in it. If I had that much antifreeze on the ground I'd be very concerned as to what happened.

    Some of the freightliners the ECM is set to shut the truck down if you're low on coolant. Could possibly be why it won't start.
     
    Oxbow, magoo68, baha and 2 others Thank this.
  7. Kwalden4425

    Kwalden4425 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 5, 2019
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    Yes, we were definitely thinking about the antifreeze problem keeping it from starting. Just concerned right away when it wouldn’t start and that baby never has a problem starting. Going to try filling it with antifreeze and giving it a try! Thanks everyone
     
    Oxbow Thanks this.
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