06 volvo 780, 530hp isx problems

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by fuelofire, Sep 23, 2010.

  1. fuelofire

    fuelofire Bobtail Member

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    Sep 20, 2010
    Mc Minnville, TN
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    Sounds alot different than mine. the only thing that controls the fan is the computer and unfortunatly Cummins is a bunch of donkey's for not allowing me to change the temp at which the fan comes on at in the parameters... I'd probably have to install a manual switch to do it if it came to that. Also, the computer knows when to turn the fan on by 1, the coolant temp at the housing, and 2 the pressure of the refrigerant in the high pressure side of the air conditioning system.
     
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  3. V8Lenny

    V8Lenny Road Train Member

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    Has it ever puked the coolant out? 215 is not overheating, 230 is not overheating but close to limit. 200 is a normal operating temp, everything under that is too cold.
     
  4. fuelofire

    fuelofire Bobtail Member

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    Sep 20, 2010
    Mc Minnville, TN
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    I appreciate the information everyone is giving me, I had my truck in the shop again, no surprise there hugh? a problem I had got worse enough for me to identify it and it had a considerable impact on my trucks running hot issue. My truck is not totally fixed as it still runs hotter than it used to or before I hit 550,000 miles, but I might be able to milk it and get something else to break. I had some leaks that I found in the o-ring seals on my EGR tube around where it's attached to the EGR cooler and I thought this was a cause of some tea kettle like noise in higher altitudes. My truck started to run better on the flat ground because of this but, if i'm in consistent foothills it doesn't take much for it to heat up. The weird thing is, they supposedly fixed my leak, but I still hear the tea kettle wistling. If you've ever heard a old tea kettle on a stove, that's exactly what it sounds like... at least some of the time (when I pull a hill and it gets really hot, then I free roll down the other side and when I get to the bottom and start building boost, that's when I hear it. So, evidently I still have a leak somewhere. I don't know where this leak is, but, I'm starting to think it's either my EGR or my turbo (I've darn near replaced everything else) and I know I had my turbo rebuilt a year ago, I don't have much confidence in it, but considering I don't want to spend $4500 for a new turbo, I'll trust it untill it either breaks, I can prove its the turbo, or I can find a turbo for cheaper (I'm looking at some salvage yards).

    another symptom is that remain that may or may not be relevant, is I've noticed that my jake brake isn't working as good as it once did. I remember when I had other leaks in my charge are system that it was the same way...reduction in engine retardation... tells me that I still have leak somewhere in egr or charge air system, or my turbo is working... just not working good enough.

    another symptom: My engines ECU doesn't track fuel usage worth a crap. when I first bought my truck I noticed it used 5% more fuel than it said it did. Now, it shows some where between 15-20% off. Every time I've brought this up asking service tech's about it, they say that they're normally wrong like that because it's just a gauge. I'm just wondering after the post telling me to get a tune up, if there's something the cummins dealer can tune or calibrate in the ECU.
    Another driver suggested I invest in the software... that stuff is expensive... I'd be looking about $1000.00 plus dollars, and I don't think that would allow me to change any parameters such as that.

    So, How bought it? anymore thoughts on this calamity I call my truck?
     
  5. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    Oct 11, 2010
    Borispol, Ukraine
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    Yeah man, ISX with EGR is not problem free engine and all things you describe now are not new for me, but all it in one engine! You are not lucky, man, change your life (LOL)....

    Ok, about engene calibration... ALL CUMMINS ENGINES installed in Volvo are Password protected!!! So you need Insite with pass removal access.

    Yep, with password removed you can change ECM parameters w/o changing calibration.

    some tips about recalibration... if Flash memory is damaged engine may run till you try to reflash... if you disconnect power supply during engine recalibration Flash mamory may fail. Use "old" Incal CD, newer are all LoNox, for European engines (E2/E3 to Euro4 recalibrating are used) and, previous calibrations are not available. With LowNOx calibration engine responce is a bit delayed and low end torque is limited.

    Check your CPL before you do recalibration. Do not use calibration files for other CPL, becouse engine may be overfueled ore overboosted and will not run the right way, may loose MPG are smoke...
     
  6. fuelofire

    fuelofire Bobtail Member

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    Sep 20, 2010
    Mc Minnville, TN
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    Lenny, I need more info. I would like to know what you're driving or have driven in the past to know how to respond to your assertion.
    I can say that if I followed that information in a new tuck with a cummins ISX I'd void the warrenty. As a matter of fact, using this logic it is impossible to overheat in any newer truck with a computer controlled diesel engine because at around 230 degrees the engine's power is killed to prevent damage. So, because no newer truck can puke out coolant then no newer truck will overheat right??? That's just not correct, even in the older trucks that had drivers who pay attention to the gauges and backed the engines down when they got hot, like I do, would've never had an overheating engine by that logic. I've babied this engine trying to milk it until I can figure out what the problem(s) is(are).

    Overheating to me is having my temp gauge act like a tachometer because it get's so hot so fast.

    Overheating to me is having the fan kick on at an engine coolant temperature of 210 degrees on a 80 degree day and the coolant temp continuing to increase temperature until I back off the throttle or the engines power is killed by the computer.

    It's become apparent to me with my post that there 50% of all drivers don't know anything about there trucks. I've had about equal proportion of people telling me this is normal and half saying that they've had the same problem followed by their solution. Either there is a big misunderstanding of my issue or one half (you pick the side ) is wrong.

    I can tell you from experience if a truck engine that has to run it's fan to cool the engine (while its not going up a grade or in 120 degree desert heat) is broke somewhere. Same goes for a truck engine in which a fan engages and fails to cool the engine.

    I can also tell you that all of the other (3 other trucks, 1 cat c-15 in a 2004 kenworth, 2 detroit 60's one in a 2005 Freight shaker and the other in a 2007) emission controlled engines that I've operated all operated about the same temp; 180-190 degrees small hill or flat lands.

    I can tell you that all those engines, when the temp increased to due pulling long step grades the fan would come on, run about 15-30 seconds (depending on outside ambient air temp) and that would sufficiently cool the engine to the point on which the fan would turn off.

    I can tell you for a fact that the cummins ISX engine in my current truck operated the same way when I bought it until i hit about 550,000 miles in which I started having problems with the engine running hot.

    I can tell you, but you should know by reading all my postings, that I've got a biased view of what's the normal operating temp of newer engines because of my past experiences with them.

    I can tell you that the radiator in my truck cools the coolant about 25-30 degrees because it's aftermarket and that the engine specs provided by cummins says only 8-13 degrees is needed or recommended so I know that the problem is still there but more manageable with the larger radiator.

    I'm also sure that most people who say this is normal because of the emissions standards don't understand the difference in increased operating temperatures and increased combustion temperatures required for the modern diesel engines. It's not the heat of the engines coolant that provides for the sufficient combustion of diesel fuel but instead its the temp inside the combustion chamber at the moment of combustion that provides this. The increased heat generation for the most part has been controlled by changes in the designs of radiators, intercoolers, turbos, and the rest of the multiple components that make up a trucks powerplant. So albeit the engines generate more heat, the operating temp of the engines coolant hasn't changed that much to make it normal for an engine to need to have the fan run on flat ground at 65 70 or 75 mph!

    I've done my home work on these matters and have found out that most people use the excuse "it's normal" because they have no idea how certain components impact the operation of these newer engines. Who would have thought a small pin hole in an egr tube could cause Jake brakes to not function correctly (I've had it happen to me)?

    In all my knowledge that I've gained, I've found out that the tolerances with boost and exhaust back pressure, and the basics of diesel engine technology have gotten extremely tight. 10 years ago an engine could loose 10 or 15 cubic feet of air per minute (I forgot the actual numbers, just using as an example) and operate with in designed parameters where as an engine today would only operate correctly so long as it didn't lose 2 or 3. Back then, an engine could power through a small exhaust leak with out destroying much. now, any exaust leak kills an engines power, performance, and life much faster (I figure I should mention that exhaust leaks back then or now weren't/aren't safe for numerous reasons but I figured I mention it in case a few drivers want to try and pick apart my argument based on this fact).

    I've found out that an exhaust leak in a egr tube is 10X worse than at either end of the manifold (turbo or head side).

    The biggest thing I've learned is that the mechs/techs today have a more difficult time correctly diagnosing problems that don't throw a fault code because the components are more interdependent on each other than ever before and the smallest of defect can cause the biggest of problems. In addition the hubris exhibited by some mechanics/technicians prevent themselves from acknowledging the fact that they might not have a clue on what is causing the problem. I've found that having a loaded trailer and taking them for a ride up a mountain changes their view of "that's normal."

    I'm sorry for the rant but I'm irritated over the fact that certain people think this is normal, when clearly, looking at all of the evidence I've provided in the initial post and subsequent posts that this is NOT normal. I hope this post clears up the confusion due to people not reading the entire thread or driving a BROKE truck themselves in which they try to comfort themselves by telling themselves "it's normal".
     
  7. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    Oct 11, 2010
    Borispol, Ukraine
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    to fuelofire .....

    to much lyrics.....

    exuse me, can't resist
     
  8. ProduceHauler

    ProduceHauler Light Load Member

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    California
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    You have turbo actuation problem as well - jake brake operation on ISX depends on turbo restriction (needs to be "closed" by air application). Likely yours is not closing like it used to - first, easiest thing to check is exhaust pressure sensor. Just buy new one and replace it, it is very simple job. It would also cause higher EGT since you have boost deficiency
     
  9. hawkjr

    hawkjr Road Train Member

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    i think my problem with my truck is some what simliar... about three weeks ago i was running up 287 in jersey with the jakes on going over hills, then i look out my window i just see countless clouds of haze and grayish smoke.. it took #### near 50 miles for it to stop smoking, someone said it was a regen but ive never had a regen smoke like that before...

    then it happen again last Wednesday blowing that smoke after i had the jakes on going down hills on 81 in scranton and then climbing back up hills with the power it starts putting out that grayish smoke which is thin but pretty large and noticeable..

    then once more yesterday coming up I-64 in West Virginia on Sandstone Mountain... i dont lose any power and the fuel mileage is pretty good (7.1 mpg) but the only thing i've had to do lately is put in over a gallon and a half of oil over the past two weeks and had to have the coolant topped of two weeks ago... this cloud of haze is pretty noticeable as drivers always seem to think my brakes are locked up... another thing is once driver i passed while it was smoking like that claimed of smelling oil burning....

    my truck is a 2010 KW T660 with a 475 ISX Cummins and its a #### nice truck but that smoke is an issue, tired of being the center of attention
     
  10. Pappa Bear

    Pappa Bear Light Load Member

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    Dec 20, 2010
    Springfield, OH
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    This could be you EGR cooler leaking coolant into the air intake. I would get it in the shop before long.
     
  11. larry2903

    larry2903 Heavy Load Member

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    On the trails
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    fuelofire, have you replaced the egr valve? If the egr valve is stuck open I think this would cause every symptom you have, and I don't think it would necessarily throw a code. You also mentioned changing the thermo stat's, did you change them both at the same time?
     
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