Cat 3126 again... (Cold start problem)

[Rikk]

Happy, Happy and a Merry Merry to all!

I have a cat 3126B it has 525,000+ miles in it. It doesn't burn oil but will dump a 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of oil out the breather tube while warming it up. It also acts like it has lost it's prime when it if started after sitting for 6 or so hours.

It also seems to loose power when it gets above 210 deg. I was getting 9 miles to the gal but over the last 30 days I have dropped down into the 8's. I talked to Alumibunk and was told a common problem with the HUEI injector system is the o-rngs going bad. (I also read that dirty oil will cause this and other issues.)

I have gotten ICU-140 errors and diag 1 errors which I was told is an issue with cyl #1 (thats the diag 1 error).

Any thoughts experiances, or ideas anyone can pass on to me. I'm going to take it to Freightline in Knoxville this week. (Let me know if I need to know anything about them too )


Best wishes to all!!!


Rikk

A. Blair
81406

 

[davekc]

I would have someone CAT certified to look at it. Either Knoxville as you mentioned, or a CAT specific dealer. The latter usually charges by the job rather than by the hour.
I can think of 5 different issues based on your information that would be problems. Some bigger than others, but a computer diagnosis should isolate the problem.
Let us know how it goes.





Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[kempers_gramp]

Rikk,
Funny I had the exact same problem when I hit 525k on my 3126 cat.
What my mechanic found when he did diag. was a bad timing sensor.
and a bad o ring on the high pressure return tube for the oil.
Since he replaced the sensor for the timing my fuel economy went up almost 2 mpg. It took a while to get there. The first tank or two I noticed .5 to .6 mpg increase. After 5 or 6 tanks full it was up about 1 mpg. I was happy. Now its up almost 2 mpg. I am estatic. It seems to keep climbing. I get about 9 mpg now with idle. At one time it was almost 11 mpg. That was when I had 250k on the truck.
Another thing I do is add the Power Services fuel additive (white bottle for winter, silver bottle for warmer seasons) to every tank of fuel. About a half bottle per fueling. It pays for itself and more. I had to start doing that when the new Low-Sulfer diesel came out so my injectors wouldn't explode. It really helps to quiet(lubricate) them.

The "lost prime" could be from that timing sensor. Once again when mine was replaced the engine seemed to explode to life when I hit the key instead of turning over long enough to drain the batteries. I seem to have much more power now to. In the hills especially. I was getting into 6th and even 5th gear on a 9speed going through the blue ridge mountains nearly empty.

>I have gotten ICU-140 errors and diag 1 errors which I was
>told is an issue with cyl #1 (thats the diag 1 error).

I never got a "ICU" error with any bad injectors. As a matter of fact the check engine light didnt even come on. The mechanic just did diagnosis on the injectors and low and behold they were bad.

I live in north-western Illinois and have the name and phone number for my mechanic if you want it. He is fabulous as far as mechanics go. He charges $55.00 hr. and never ever over charges me. EVER.

Hope this helps.
Let me know.

Kemp.

 

[Rikk]

Thanks much to you and Dave, I am at Freightliner of Knoxville waitibg to get in. Will let you know what they find.


Happy, Happy, and a Merry, merry to all

 

[Rikk]

Well, truck is still at Freightliner of Knoxville.... They can't figure it out... 3 days now.

Any one have dealings with this company in the past?



Rikk

 

[RDEjr]

Rikk seen you are at knoxville frieghtliner,I would leave while you still have money in your pocket,They are the worse shop you can go to the T/A across the highway has better mechanics then frieghtliner could ever get.I sat there for 2 days they doubled my estimate,and still didnt fix the problem I went in for,any time a shop wont let you see truck while in the shop or wont keep you ubdated.They usally have something to hide.Be carefull.

 

[Rikk]

Yea, today I call them and they tell me that CAT sent the wrong part, they told me it would be an hor before the correct part arrived. Well, that was BS... Now the truck won't be ready untill Tuesday.. The day I have to be back on the board... I think this is day 4 or 5 now...

I think I am going to go and get it, I can live with the cold start issue, I was planning on putting a new engine in this summer so ethering it doesn't bother me...


Thanks for the feed back.

Best wishes to you and yours.

 

[davekc]

Might be better to go to a CAT only dealer. That likely will solve your problems.





Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[nightcreacher]

from experience,engine problems,engine shop,truck problems truck shop,
you wouldn't take your baby to a Pediatrist for a sore throat,and you wouldnt go to a Pediatrition for an in grown toe nail,I'm sure both these Drs might be able,but its not in their field
Truck shops are good with what they know,but they actually only know their trucks

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[Rikk]

Well..... first the update.... They call me and I drive 50 miles, wont start... They replaced the fuel actuator, fuel pump, blamed it on the pre-filter and changed it (Said when the loosened the pre-filter it gurgled... I would figure that would be the fuel going back into the tank 'cause you broke the connection)

So, $1500.00 later (it was to be $700.00 and wasn't supposed to go above $1000.00 without calling me) I have a bunch of new (and possible parts that did not need to be replaced) parts and the truck still looses it prime.... I'm with you guys, I'm going to give cat a call... I need to get my money back out of Freightliner of Knoxville though (Right, good luck to me)

I had a thought though, any feedback on this would be apriciated... If a fuel cap vent was bad would it allow fuel to seep backwards into the tank over time?? say 6 hours or so?? and the other interesting thing is the colder it is outside the harder it is to get it running.



Happy, Happy, Merry, Merry

 

[raceman]

Always go to a CAT dealer not Freightliner. I have no idea why folks do not catch on to this. I understand the first time but never get the folks that keep going back to a Freightliner garage.

I also can confirm the timing sensor mentioned above. Been there. Ohio CAT pulled me in checked the code and fixed it in no time. Think it was like two hours. Not sure but I have an appointment with them for 12/27 for top side tune up and have no doubt I will have the truck back in no time.

Find yourself a Cat dealer around your home and have them check you over every few months, more or less depending on your mileage

Raceman
Dedicated O/O
OOIDA 741748

 

[Rikk]

Thanks much,

This has been a learning experiance. $1500.00 still doesn't start when cold. I can ether it but I have got to get a few runs in now, the normal Christmas cash blues

Rikk Sullenberger
KG4AAO
D-Unit

 

[Rikk]

Ok, last update on this for a while....

I tried to start it yesterday and what do you know... SAME PROBLEM ARRRGHHHHH! I call them today and talk with Stacey and they want me to bring the truck back yet again... I guess they don't care if I make a living or not. I told the guy (He is I think the service manager) that it would not start and maybe he should send a road truck down. They do not have one.. I told him that I would like proofe the parts they added were really bad since it was still showing the same issues... "We no longer have the parts." Ok,,, I think maybe I should take it to cat and let them look at it.... He said he would be interested in what they found but would not refund any of the $1500.00 they had or pay for it.

I asked him about the possibilty of it being the o-rings on the injectors and was told "That is very rare, but you do have a high milage engine" <Duh!> Asked him if they pressure checked the tanks and checked the fuel caps. "That's rarely is an issue" I ask if it could happen and he said yes. <hmmmmmmmm>

You know, The US Army tought me how to trouble shoot. Most issues can be found using the same simple techniques. Start at one end and work your way to the other eliminating all possible causes no matter how simple or "rare"

Today or tomarrow I am going to pickup silicone plugs and check the tanks myself, would be funny if it were that. But I think this is going to have to go to cat...

Take it from me and the others in this feed. CAT motor issues take it to cat. The dealer (Atleast Freightliner of Knoxville) is just interested in your money.

One other thing, I was told the work had a years parts and labor at any Freightliner dealer, Hell I may stop at everyone I find and let them back bill Knoxville


Hope all of you have had a great holiday, we are sitting here waiting on a load... Got to get out of the inlaws sight





Rikk Sullenberger
KG4AAO
D-Unit

 

[greg334]

Rikk

3126 and unable to get parts?

Oh you can’t see what we replaced, we threw them out.

Well what a crock of BS.

If I was in your situation, I would not do anything else and head it over to a cat dealer to let them handle it. I would also get a lawyer for advice about recovering the money you spent on the ‘repairs’ of the truck and lost revenue with FL and contact the state licensing agency to find out how to file a complaint against the dealer. If it is in the shop for more than 8 hours and not fixed, there is no excuse and they need to pay.

When you go to the Cat dealer, have everything written down; the problems, codes and what was allegedly replaced. I would ask them to confirm in writing what was replaced by FL – they are the experts on their product, not FL. They can tell you if FL replaced the lift pump or what ever and if they say something wasn’t replaced, well that is what I think is fraud and should be handled accordingly. Oh and make it clear that you want all the parts either back or if they have to be exchanged, available for inspection so you can see for yourself that it was replaced. Dealers have a long time to recover core costs and there is absolutely no reason for them to send something back or throw it out before the customer pays, beside regardless what they say it is still your property and you can do what ever you want with it (with core items, you pay the core price).

Good luck.

 

[Rikk]

Greg, thanks much for that info! I will infact do as you specify. I was thinking down that line anyway but you clairified it for me.

Much thanx!!!

Rikk Sullenberger
KG4AAO
D-Unit