Need help, before I break somethin'!!

ok... Yea Im unsure how "modern" its set up.. I ll take it to Peterbilt and they said theyll tell me what its turn up to. The owner is ill and he said " just take it over as if she was your own", so I want to do that for him and not screw it up. Shifting in the mtns is just stressn me out cuz Im not familiar with it, especially going from high to low and dropping it into low range without dropping the tranny- wink wink.. whats that noise..???!!!!

 

Hey girlygurl, welcome to the forum! I know you are getting lots of different advice so I'll just throw you a few words. My wife went to a trucking school to learn the basics. When she got out she was really nervous too. Especially in traffic and the mountains. This is what I did for her and maybe it might be something that will work for you too. I bought a dry erase marker and on the windshield right in front of her slightly to the right I drew a diagram of the gear pattern. It was easier for her to visualize it like that and could literally match her hand movement to the picture in front of her. I then took the same marker and marked right on the tack about where she should shift. I thought that would help her however she constantly stared at the tack. So instead I taught her how I was shown how to shift by using your ear. You can hear and feel when to shift much easier then trying to watch that tack. I know you know what it sounds like when you really wind out the engine. You also know what it sounds and feels like when you start to bog down. So now depending on the grade and the situation find yourself a happy medium between those two points. Run those rpms so that you are gaining momentum yet not over revving the motor. If you are on a really steep incline let her ride a little higher. Keep in mind the higher your rpms go the more difficult it is going to be on you shifting. Simply because you need to allot for your speeds to match before it will slip into gear. The easier you run those rpms the smoother time you are going to have grabbing the next one. The truck will thank you for it. I hope maybe this helps you or at that very least doesn't confuse you. Good luck, I know you can do it!

 

hey thanks... I do know what it sounds like... and Ive been climbing to 6000 elevation, heavy. Between the sharp 40 mph turns then back up, to downhills, I guess Im frustrated. Just when its going good, Im climbing again. Im afraid of the damage I could do too. He has enough on his plate for me to give him more. I will try all the advice given and will take plenty more. I do understand folks all drive a lil different too and have tricks for the mtns. I guess- In my mind, I dont know how the splitter works into 6,7,8 etc and on somethings, if I understand mechanically how it operates, I can get it easier. Thanks for your info!!

 

Before we get into this rpm debate, how old is the Cat 3406? The old ones did operate between 1700 to 2100. So Working Class Patriot is right about the newer engines being able to pull at a lower RPM but these engines went through A LOT of changes over the years. We may be talking about an older 3406.

If it wont pull at all under 1500, it sounds to me like it is an oldie. Does the Pyrometer start climbing fast at 1200 under a hard pull?

Regardless, treat it like an 8 speed but consider the top four gears as having a "half gear" splitter. When you go to downshift it from od to direct. Move the splitter to direct, let off the gas and get right back on it and it will fall into the lower gear as the rpm rises. But if you are just slowing down for a stop, there is no need to split every gear, just treat it like an 8 speed.

 

Oh, I know that is what is supposed to be in it. Just like the '63 Nova with a 396 CID.

1996, that is well over 13 years old. There is no telling how this thing was set up. If it is set up like the the old 4 and 1/4 Cat, every sleeve in it will get scorched trying to operate it a that low of an RPM.

I'd suggest getting in touch with the owners mechanic. Being a mechanic myself I know you have options. Why anyone would want a 4 MPG truck these days I will never know, but I don't own it. If this Pete just WILL NOT PULL under 1500 RPMs, someone needs to get some info on it.

 

i had a 96 3406e --455 hp 13 speed .. 1100 to 1700 rpm max anything different and you're wasting your engine....

 

1996 3406E 13 spd....I went to Peterbilt today they hooked it up and said it has 455 horses. Not very many considering the other guys have 550 and scream by me... I guess thats ok but I know I piss off the people behind me.. Oh well. My biggest issue is the splitter AND that I do not break something...I asked for the printout of the motor and it says 1600-2120 top engine speed range. 1650 lb-ft@1200 rpm.

 

Did they seem to think that was right? 455 just isn't much these days but the torque should be there down low.

I'm scratching my head. Is there a chance you are just used to a lot more power? If you are used to 600+ HP and torque down low, it may just be a patience issue.