My truck won't accelerate....any insight?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by JM Motors, Jul 5, 2010.

  1. JM Motors

    JM Motors Bobtail Member

    19
    3
    Jul 5, 2010
    Tampa, Florida
    0
    Well unfortunately this is my first post on this forum, I have been trolling the forum for a few weeks and never had a chance to sign up till now to introduce myself and become more active but hopefully will be from now on.

    I'm having a huge issue now with my truck.

    It is a 2007 Western Star 4900 series with the Detroit diesel 14L mated to a 10spd eaton fuller and just now am sitting at 12800 miles, yes 12 thousand not 128 thousand miles. It was converted new into a 3301DS Haulmark Motorcoach and pull a 36ft tag hitch stacker

    Well down to my problem

    I left Tampa Florida to come up to a race event at VIR( Virginia international raceway) which is about 700 miles each way. About 4 hours into the trip along the border of Florida and Georgia all of a sudden I lose power under acceleration in my 8th, 9th, and 10th gears. I can not get the truck to do over 60mph and any type of incline the truck really struggles

    I've already checked all the gauges and they are all reading normal, oil temp, oil pressure, boost seems to be low but I'm guessing that's only showing since I am not getting ful power, front rear and rear rear axle temps are normally( maybe about 20degrees higher then normal, but I was thinking that is due to my outside air temp showing triple digits on the road), air cleaner restriction is fine, etc and in my catalog computer shows that everything is fine but shows that although I am not feeling the power the computer says I am at 100% engine load and getting my full 1680 ft/lbs of torque

    I just had the oil changed before this trip, and i was present when they did it so I know it was done with new filters and oil and nothing else was touched.

    So I have no clue what it could possibly be

    I did notice a bit of white smoke coming from the exhaust when I was under heavy load trying to get up to speed but other then that everything else seems normal.

    Any help would be great, unfortunately if I am not able to DIY fix it by tomorrow I will be forced to drive the distance back to Tampa and take it in for repairs then

    Again thanks for any info, hopefully on the return trip it won't leave us stranded in the middle of no where

    - Jim
     
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  3. pullingtrucker

    pullingtrucker Road Train Member

    1,185
    598
    Dec 21, 2008
    Fostoria, Ohio
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    My first guesses right off would be a restriction in the fuel or air filters. Even new fuel filters can go bad at times or if you got a bad batch of fuel that clogged them.
     
    Rideandrepair and JM Motors Thank this.
  4. JM Motors

    JM Motors Bobtail Member

    19
    3
    Jul 5, 2010
    Tampa, Florida
    0
    Thanks, that was kind of what 2 other truckers at a rest stop said to me as well but I'm in the middle of freaking no where and won't be able to get my hands on new fuel filters till I get back home

    Also here is an image of the truck

    [​IMG]

    So if any of you see my on the road back to Florida from Virginia driving slow as balls don't get mad, it ain't my fault lol
     
    Rideandrepair and jtrnr1951 Thank this.
  5. jtrnr1951

    jtrnr1951 Road Train Member

    Must be room in there somewhere for a set of spare filters ?????

    In the near future perhaps !!!!!
     
  6. chompi

    chompi Road Train Member

    5,653
    3,485
    Jun 21, 2008
    Deland, FL
    0
    Are your rpms running up but not your speed? If that's the case it could be the clutch. If the rpms are not moving pullingtrucker may be right. Could have picked some sludge up from the bottom of tanks. If you change your fuel filter you might want to drain your tanks too.
     
    JM Motors Thanks this.
  7. bladehate

    bladehate Bobtail Member

    7
    3
    Jul 27, 2009
    Syracuse, NY
    0
    the epa04 series 60 has a huge problem with the vnt turbos that they use. The turbo itself is probably fine, but the vpod or the actuator on the turbo could be bad. at my shop we see both all the time.

    unless you have the epa07 series 60, which doesnt have nearly as many problems with the turbo.

    if you do have an 07 engine, it is important to make sure that both fuel filters are the correct ones.
     
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  8. ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

    3,706
    2,086
    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
    0
    I am not really familiar with that engine, but make sure you get all the filters. Most trucks have at least 2. Some have a 3rd one hiding.
     
    JM Motors Thanks this.
  9. JM Motors

    JM Motors Bobtail Member

    19
    3
    Jul 5, 2010
    Tampa, Florida
    0
    No the rpms keep dropping in those upper gears, like for instance i'll be on close to level ground and I'll floor the pedal and the rpms stay right around the 15 mark and won't go higher so I shift into the next gear, drops down to like 11 and continues to climb up to 15 and just stays there in 10th gear

    So I was thinking it's either the clutch is slipping bad or fuel filters
     
  10. JM Motors

    JM Motors Bobtail Member

    19
    3
    Jul 5, 2010
    Tampa, Florida
    0
    Any way I can find out with motor I have? Like something on the serial or something that would help identify it? Dealer I bought it at won't be open till Wednesday due to the holiday so I'll already be back in the sunshine state by then so that really doesn't help

    Thanks again
    - Jim
     
  11. ampm wayne

    ampm wayne Heavy Load Member

    945
    746
    Jan 13, 2009
    bloomington,in
    0
    Could be a bad injector. That truck over 3 years old. A truck that sits can have problems.

    You might run injector cleaner through it. Hopefully, changing the fuel filters will take care of it. Good Luck and let us know what the out come is.
     
    JM Motors Thanks this.
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