05 cummins 04 build date advise

[Chamberpains]

My approach at this would be to join a Volvo truck forum so you can get a start on what you're dealing with in the Volvo truck side of this thing. They are very over engineered vehicles. So there is a learning curve and a need to have inside sources on what, how and maybe why they have some of the features they have and how to go about diagnosing and repairing them.

But while your here you can have a search of what we so gracefully call Lot Rot. It's what gonna be your biggest enemy with taking a commercial vehicle and turning it to a weekend play thing. Working equipment is designed to be worked. Because with that work comes constant up keep. Having things just sit allows for a lot of rust, dry rot, moisture build up and a pile if other issues that are kept at bay because the equipment is being used and parts are being lubricated during that use. A lot of moving parts on trucks are lubricated by a process of oil bath. Without movement the oil settles and exposes the bare metals to the elements. So your engine internally, rear ends, transmission, air compressor, air tanks and wheel ends all are very large half or more empty spaces that will get exposed to moisture if they aren't used.

I just left a truck of mine unused for a year and I made it a point to go out and run and move it once every 2 weeks. Even though I did this I still ended up replacing the batteries, had a tire dry crack on the side wall, had a wheel seal leak and now have a funky oder that got stuck in the soft interior parts. I'm sure there are other things that I didn't catch but it's up for sale and will be the next owners problems as they arise.

This is why it's way more practical to buy a smaller vehicle with less auxiliary necessities than one that has an entire air system for the air brakes, range selector, cab and main suspension, fan cycling, sometimes wiper system... these all have moving parts that need to be moved periodically to keep them from rusting fast or rotting apart.

Hopefully for your sake this thing will be used year round or your gonna find that lack of use is a much bigger problem than actually using it as it was designed.