Need ideas

[Waterloo]

Jackson, you opened Pandora's box when you bought this thing... This is going to get ugly... Jackson, you are in the right place, and you are not going to like any of this... I haven't had a beer in months, I just opened one, in honor of you. I saw this post hours ago, and wanted nothing to do with it, but I had laundry to do and beer... Mother will be happy that I emptied out that bottom veggie drawer of the fridge... And I did... Here we go!

First, what are your plans? Farm work, OTR, flat bed, heavy haul, or a weekend gig to get out of the wife's hair? What are your plans? What are the gears in your rear ends, very important.

This is going to be one long list, if that is the true mileage this thing has to have "LOT ROT", and that ain't cheap. Trust me, I know... You bought a million mile+ truck... I hope you stole her.

First, if you are keeping the emissions, or not, go too eBay and purchase a Cummins Inline 6 reader, get the Chinese one, the kit, they are roughly $250 give or take. You will need a laptop running windows 7 or 10. I can help with the files to rid yourself of the issue, do not ask me how to load Insite, I do not know how. I will PM you the files. With some effort, you can take care of this in your driveway. And I would due to age and lack of use of the truck.

Immediately, like now, go to Cummins Quickserve and open an account, you will need your Engine Identification Number. it is found on the data plate on your valve cover. Quickserve will give you access to the Cummins shop manuals, trouble shooting and how to properly diagnose and repair your motor, all of this is free to you, just register. I rebuilt my motor using Quickserve and Rawze's videos in a driveway. It is that complete, so go sign up. https://quickserve.cummins.com/info/index.html

Start with the drive shaft U-Joints, more than likely they are shot, but you will not know until you tear it apart. Replace the carrier bearing too. Then go around the truck and check every zerk fitting you can find and make sure it takes grease. Replace the non functioning ones with new ones. Been through that. Do not forget the ones on the transmission! If there is an inspection plate on the transmission, remove that and get a flashlight in there and see how everything looks. You are looking for age related and sitting related issues. Finger's crossed.

I am going to stress the above, those u-joints and carrier bearing. Go get those replaced before putting this truck into service! You lose any of those, you are looking at thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in damages, and you could very possible kill someone. I am being VERY SERIOUS about this. Just replace them. Everyone here will agree, due to the age and lack of time in service with this truck. Do NOT be that guy. If you do anything, do this.

Replace the shocks.

I would replace all of the brake chambers, including the suspension and cab air bags and all of the rubber hose brake lines, all of them. DO NOT trust those brake chambers OR air lines! They are old and rarely used, replace them. ALL OF THEM! it happened to me, and cost me four drive tires and a blown out knee. Rawze was there.

I would pull the wheels and inspect the brake pads, personally I would probably replace them all depending on what I found. Thinking age and lack of use.

Torque the wheel bearings on the drive axles.

Then the slack adjusters, make sure they take grease and are functioning properly. Again, age and lot rot. You may have to replace. If I found one bad, replace them all. Trust me on that. Check the S cams too, make sure they are in good health.

Change out all of the belts, inspect the pulleys, anything fishy with those pulleys, replace them. And I would replace the upper idler pulley, top passenger side, it runs the thin accessory belt. They tend to fail every few years like clockwork, I would replace when you do the belts. You can get one at FleetPride, Gates makes a replacement one, identical to the Cummins OEM and half the price. https://truckserviceparts.com/gates-idle..._pEALw_wcB

When you are up front, the crankshaft damper, the big disc on the crankshaft, at the front bottom of motor. Feel around the back for any bulging. Personally, I would replace that too, as the viscous fluid inside of it is more than likely hardened from age. Only use the OEM damper, and paint it before you install, make sure you mark the timing marks, makes it easier to find them. If it is bad, and I would suspect it is, it will start blowing your belts, and could possibly separate, and then you are in a world of hurt and calling the hook. Replace it soon, if not now.

I would change out all of the fluids, including the coolant, and give that system a good flush. Cummins makes a quality flush/cleaner, I would use that. Check the water pump for leaks. Change the coolant filter out too, it is down there near the lower radiator hose on the passenger side. Run the red coolant after flushing, I get mine at FleetPride, their house brand, it is inexpensive and it works.

The water pump, inspect, if it is leaking, they make an O-Ring kit to repair, you may have to do just that, again, age and sitting.

I would also replace all of the hose clamps with new, I like the Breeze clamps, these, https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/p...AXEALw_wcB FleetPride sells them. Notice the extra bracing on the inside of the clamp? This is all I will use. Also, on the turbo side, the spring torque clamps, I would replace those too. They lose their mojo in time, now is the time. FleetPride sells them.

I would also pressurize the coolant system, 20 psi, you are looking for any leaks. Tighten up the clamps and let sit overnight. If the system is tight, you should only see a few pounds of pressure loss. If more than that, you have other issues.

Check the CAC for leaks. If it leaks, only replace with an OEM unit, the ISX does not like aftermarket parts. FleetPride sell an inexpensive kit to test. Cheaper than taking it to a shop, or you can make your own, all you need is a regular air compressor, nothing fancy.

The turbo boots will more than likely need to be changed out, this is a dealer item, rarely the aftermarket boots will fit an ISX. The intake boot on the driver side, I would inspect and if need be replace. Again, age. Or at least plan on replacing it soon. Replace the clamps with new, but I already said that.

Run the overhead, valve adjustment, inspect the cam and the rollers... Let's keep our fingers crossed on that one.

I would open up the crankcase breather filter box and see if a one time maintenance free filter is in there, just a piece of sandwiched plastic, no white filter element. If the filter element, throw it out and go get the maintenance free one. Dorman now makes one, it is less expensive than the Cummins brand. Buy that and install.

That damn fuel pump... Me, I would throw on a complete new unit. If you cannot, I would remove and inspect it and rebuild. I have no experience with these pumps, but something that has sat that much... Cheap insurance. Others will chime in, not in my wheelhouse, but again, I would replace with a new unit, but that is me.

Motor sensors... The oil pressure sensor and the cam and crankshaft timing sensors, they have rubber o-rings on them, I would inspect for any leaks and general condition. If they look questionable, brittle from age, even if working, I would replace. If those o-rings fail, you can lose some oil going down the road, to the point you will smell it in the cab. Again, age and lack of use.

The Jake brake harness, you will see it under the valve cover when you do the overhead, it inserts through the side of the head, odds are it will need an o-ring where it enters the head, inspect and replace if need be. I use a bit of RTV to really seal it up, do not use a lot, just a bit on the o-ring as you install. You do not want that getting into the head, as it could clog up an oil galley and destroy the motor. Check the harness for any issues, they do get brittle over time along with the plastic tabs that hold them in place. Anything questionable, best to replace.

I would run a forced regen and other emission tests and see if the system is operating properly, odds are it is not. Age and sitting. Then I would do a complete EGR Tuneup.

Replace all of the emission sensors, I would also throughly inspect the SCR system, change out the SCR filter, you may have to remove the unit to clean out the tank. The DEF Fluid crystalizes over time, it is a mess, you really need to inspect that system thoroughly, don't just look at it, best to tear into it and really inspect. It would also be a good idea to replace the SCR doser and DPF Doser, as they are more than likely gummed up and not functioning properly. And do not forget the NOX sensors. Me, I would get rid of the mandate.

Air dryer, change the cartridge, if gunky, I would replace the air dryer. Do not buy a cartridge until you get the old one off and inspect the dryer. Again, age and lack of use.

The air tank(s), inspect those, drain them too, if not aluminum, they could be rotted out. You really need to inspect those thoroughly, use a brass hammer if you see anything suspicious, light taps, and make sure they are drained of air!

The trailer air lines and pigtail, replace those, I like the rubber hoses, Freightliner or FleetPride sell them, replace those. It is your braking system, fix it. A 15ft set should work just fine.

Second beer... Editing, 6th beer...

Check all of the suspension bushings, rear pin bushings and torque rod bushings, the bars behind the frame rails near the fifth wheel. More then likely they are dried or worn out from age, those need to be replaced if they look questionable. Buy the entire torque rod, as it is just easier and in some cases cheaper to replace those vs pounding out the bushings... Front suspension too, check the bushings, if they are dried out, replace.

If you neglect those pin and torque rod bushings, you will scallop those new tires in short order. Fix them, tires are not cheap.

Rear end pinion and wheel seals, more than likely all of those will need to be replaced, the age issue and sitting. The pinion seals are found where the driveshafts enter the rear ends, there are two, one for each pig, or axle housing. Been through that. Keep an eye on them, if you do not have a quality flashlight, a real bright one, buy one. You are going to need it, and you will have to inspect those DAILY. Both sides of the tractor at the axle housings and the brake area. If you lose a seal and do not know it and drive a few days on it, you could be looking at thousands of dollars in repairs if you damage the rear end itself, or one the spindles. Honestly, I would replace all of them, because they are going to fail on you in short order, especially when you get this truck into service... Trust me, those seals are old, dry and brittle.

When you are under the truck inspecting, where the transmission meets the motor, check for any oil leaks. If you see any in that seam, where the transmission meets the housing, you are going to have to remove the transmission and replace that gasket. If it is leaking, it will eventually wash out your clutch if it is in the right spot. There is an oil galley that runs through that housing... It is a spaghetti string rubber gasket keeping the oil at bay. Again, thinking age and lack of use. You will need to keep an eye on that for awhile after putting the truck into service.

I would also inspect the cab bushings, they are up front, what your cab rides on, thinking age.

Third beer... It's Miller Lite, so we are all good here... ;-)

The electrical... Let us start at the battery box... Batteries, how old are they, are they bulging, have they been tested? Hopefully they are new. If they are not new, check the dates, if over two years old, I would replace all of them.

Next, start with the cables, you are looking for any loose connections, this will entail getting under the truck, mainly the starter, that needs to be inspected. You are looking for any tears or cuts in the cable, missing jacket, etc. If you find any issues with that cable, odds are it is green and shot, I would replace. Check up at the alternator too, exposed copper, that is your worst enemy. You may have to replace quite a bit of it, if not all. My personal experience, been there.

If you have bad cables under the truck, the electrical issues will drive you nuts. Best to fix now, unless all are good, but only a thorough inspection will tell.

Check the grounds too, there is a crucial ground running off the driver side of the motor/block, there is a stud welded to the block, there is a cable running to the frame rail, make sure everything there is intact at both ends.

On the fifth wheel, there should be a grounding strap from the fifth wheel itself to the frame, it is usually a braided stainless steel strap, make sure it is in good condition and attached properly, if not, replace.

You are lucky I am doing laundry... And have beer. ;-)

In the cab, the Cascadia I believe is notorious for cab leaks at the window gasket. Get in there and find the cab controller, pull off the kick panels and all of that plastic crap under the dash. You are looking for water intrusion, especially near the cab controller, which is the brains of the truck. If you find signs of water, you know you will need to find where it is entering, if you don't, you are in for a world of hurt. If memory serves me right, the front windshield gasket is normally the issue. The glass will need to be removed and the gasket weep holes aligned to those of the cab. I believe that is on the Cascadia, if I'm wrong, someone correct me.

If your truck has the cab battery shut off switch, I would replace, because odds are it is soon to fail. Common Freightliner issue. They make aftermarket ones that are beefy, like the ones Freightliner used to use, get one of those. Plenty of YouTube videos on that switch, and it will cause some serious issues with your electrical system, best to replace with a sturdy aftermarket unit.

The fuse panel, pull them all and replace with new, they tarnish with age and will cause all sorts of issues with the cab electronics.

Fourth beer... And I pissed the cat off, he wanted to jump in here on this post...

Inspect the ECM power line, it is a 14 or 16 GA wire from the ECM to the battery box, change out the inline fuse, and check the wire for any issues, like pinching and chaffing. I would also test the ECM, start the truck, get a rubber mallet and strike it on the top edge, if the truck shuts down, you will need a new ECM. Again, age and sitting.

Go around the truck, look everywhere, if you have to stand there for an hour, do it. You are looking for anything that is loose, chaffing, rubbing, etc... You will find stuff that jut baffles you. Do it every time you go out to look at that beauty you just bought, Crawl under and over it, have zip ties and split loom, the plastic stuff, replace all of the brittled and aged stuff you find. And that liquid electrical tape works extremely well, use it.

Now, driving the truck... Quote, "It runs 70 at 1450"... All the above, and you are driving like this? LOL! I see an in frame in your future... Granted, you do not know this stuff, and I am not trying to be a dick, as I am not, I went through this learning curve myself, so no offense meant towards you. I think everyone of us here has been there on this forum, I know I have, LOL! And Jackson, I am still learning, and please, again, take no offense, because none is intended.

First things first, the ISX is a high compression motor with one very problematic weakness, the piston liners. An ISX needs to be run, under a load, over 1500 rpm, you can safely run these at 1800 rpm all day long, and that is where you need to be, say 1600 to 1800 rpm. When you get below 1500 rpm, the dirty little secret is that the internal forces put on the piston liners will cause them to fret, or break loose. When they break loose, they take out the head gasket and then the head itself. You are looking at a minimum $28,000 to repair.

Bottom line, how you drive the truck, will and can affect the longevity of the motor. Do your best to not lug the motor when under a load, especially when in the hills or mountains if you go there. And trust me, it does not take much, especially with your 2250. The torque is your issue, that is what tends to blow everything apart along with poor driving habits.

All right, that is enough, and off the top of my head... And I am running out of beer and need to throw my clothes in the dryer...

Brother, I hope you stole this truck, I would get rid of the mandate, because I see trouble coming at you down the line due to the lack of use and sitting. Trucks are like aircraft, you don't use them, they fall apart all by themselves. Especially these new EPA trucks, they are built to go 500,000 miles and then off to the scrap yard. You have a million plus mile truck on your hands, and you do not even realize it.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but that is the unfortunate truth. Been there and done that... I have stacks of receipts and plenty of witnesses here that can back me up. Hopefully this truck of yours was wrapped in wax paper and cosmoline before you purchased, or a desert climate truck not near any salt water or moisture. You asked, and I am telling you the truth, I have no need to lie to you. Hopefully everything goes good with this truck, but that is now up to you and your skills as a mechanic. I rarely turned a wrench on a truck, until I bought my EPA money pit.

I know this is not what you expected, or wanted to hear, we are here to help.