Hey hef I got another one doing some work for a salvage yard and everything has been poked and kicked by the locals. Owner wants me to work on western star with c15 I don't have s/n yet. Looking for opinions on *** I should do with it. It had some injectors swamped around and turbo was apart. I put a cartridge in turbo and attempted to start. Motor spins over about 20 rpm for five secs then starts clickin I test batteries 3 all between 600 and 800 not the best and it's 30 degrees out so I boost for 10 second crank. Still stupid slow. So I get 24 inch ratchet and it turns hard... so I'm thinking pull injectors and try to turn by hand. I did remove belt to isolate accessores no difference. I hate these kind of jobs but things are slow. Fluids at good levels. There might be ice, bolts, drugs who knows what's the story but I know there is lots of wisdom here and I like to see how other people approach a job. Thanks
If it is clicking I am going to be testing how much voltage is left on the starter hot post when the clicking starts. Then how much is on the batteries. Maybe bring in a booster cart if it warrants. First things first.
Yeah, and after cranking give the cables and solenoids a digital inspection, get your digits in there and see if something is warmer than it should be.
If somebody was in doing injectors are all the valves set right? Or at all? Have you pulled a valve cover to make sure they're set and opening? If they're not set right you may have several pistons coming up on a compression stroke due to closed valves. Also, if you can stick something between the seat and clutch pedal to release it so you're not spinning the cold oil in the trans that might help too. I'd like to think it's as simple as a bad cable or something else but these wild goose chases can be fun! Junkyard
Starter getting tired? My M11 would crank slow but would always start. I thought it was the batteries so I replaced all 4. It would still crank at the same speed. I ended up replacing the starter. It was night and day. It cranked a lot faster. Helped a lot with cold weather starts.
Starters probably toast now but the engine turns over to hard by hand. Like junk yard says maybe valves are not opening possibly ice or maybe fuel in cylinders. Guess I'll start by pulling injectors turning it over to see if it up stairs. I love working on other people's nightmares.
Maybe, but it should not click. Even if the engine was locked up tight the starter should be able to hold in until something fries if you have good batteries and cables.
Good point birken I check voltage drop from batteries to starter.
If you have any way to check current/Amps, that would really help too. The rough measurement is if all the battery cables and connections get uniformly warm, the starter has shorted out and is drawing way too many amps. Isn't it fun when they've let so many things go that you have half a dozen problems to figure out which one matters. At least you're not the one paying for the turbo, batteries, starter, and labor, only to then find out that the engine is shot.
No amp meter yet would like to get one what is a good brand? As far as starter goes if it was any other customer new starter with all new injectors orings full over head no screwing around a starter is cheap when you start talking road calls and lost work but this is not the normal. If the motor is not in start able condition there's a chance he'll try and screw me. But I don't have many choices right now... we have never been this slow.
might have a small warm up coming, that could help, does this have a block heater?
I don't know if it does Monday will shed some light I want to get injectors out and see how easy the engine turns with no compression if it has a heater I'm plugging it in just to take the chill out working on over head lol it so cool to get a couple different points of view on a job thanks guys. Happy new year to all.
A c15 with overhead cam is a very hard turning engine on a good day. A lot of the 12 volt starters will almost stop turning on compression stroke if there is any loss in the battery cables. A 24 inch bar will take a lot of force to turn one. Saw a guy lose a tooth pulling so hard he broke the wrench and it smacked him in the face.
Oh great now you got me wondering lol I have spun them in other trucks and 8ts but only with turning tool . Come to think of it had issues in a sterling burning battery cable off new one from dealer was 4/0 with huge copper ends... any one have spec on minimum cranking rpm. It's in a triaxle dump with blow rears so pull starting is a no go.
Watch this video. This is how they start on 12 volt on a warm day. Then allow for 30 f and its worse. https://youtu.be/XM5xCQR36wY
Sweet Mobiltech I think she's good I'm going to prime her right up tight new batteries and I I'll wire 2 more direct to starter and see what see does. It's only got to half *** run and move so I get paid. I don't like working this way but it is what is. I'll hit it with torpedo heater and hopefully it got a block heater. Thanks guys updates tomorrow night
Thanks mobile tech glad you commented and sent that video they turn hard from crank. So after a cracked filter housing sucking air and fuel being nonflammable got it started ran for few minutes started chugging and white smoke. Fuel is getting airated in cylinder head and fuel leaving head is picking up oil. Walk to other side of truck exhaust was full of oil coolant mix. Pulled turbos front half of manifold has the oil and coolant so one of first three cylinders has some issues I'm thinking cracked head? Maybe at a cup This sure is a pos.
Are you doing this as an employee, are you doing custom work? The blown rear ends and coolant and oil in the exhaust manifold... I would have been outta there a long time ago. These are the guys that never pay... Ever. JMO. These guys think you have a magic wand and just laying your hands on it should fix it. Doesn't matter how much crap they have stacked up on it... you should fix it for nothing, without any new parts. And they have no issue telling you that.
Rz you are so right. I'm an independent. Only thing I got going is I get a check every day if not he'll never see me again. Just treat them like criminals. He's got 2 full timers that take the crap work. reasons I'm there is because I have electronic technician and he can't find anyone that will deal with him. Ill Be grateful when the snow melts a phone starts ringing.
Ok, I hear that. I've had guys that I told to give me X number of dollars and I would work 'til those were gone. Usually on a daily basis. Like you, I was the only one that had the diagnostic ability to do it for them. And most of the time I got it done for them in a timely manner... If their guys were honest about the history of the machine.
Oh man, this is one of those threads that makes you glad you're warm and dry at the end of the day! I get the impression that the nobody knows the whole story on this engine. As far as clamp on amp meters, I buy stuff like that used so I stick with one that was good new and hope for the best. I can't justify the cost of something like that as a hobby for me. A good quality used one is better than something from HF any day.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that's been in this position lol. Yeah I think the nonflammable fluid was old gas after smelling some from a welder that's been sitting. Witch could have to do with damage but who knows. On to different one tomorrow this one has bad power devider but someone took the batteries and engine ecm as the story goes. Yeah good quality tools are the way just won a 1/2 diaphragm pump on ebay Ingersoll rand in good working order for 1/3 of new and there totally rebuildable. Now to find a filter housing to in stall on discharge i want to have fuel and hydraulic filters screw on to same housing.