RowdyRebel Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Truck had been throwing an 8-4 code for a few weeks and finally went into limp mode Wednesday. Since I was off yesterday, I picked up a new unit pump while I was in town, and waited 'til the rain had turned to sleet before getting to work (easier to stay warm & dry when the precipitation bounces off you instead of soaking through your jacket). Anyway, to get it fired back up again last night I had the block heater plugged in as well as a battery charger for a few hours. Fired up, ran great, shut it down before too long, leaving everything plugged in. Got up this morning and the truck fired right up. Lights & tires are all good. Building air just fine. Push in the red valve to supply the trailer and nothing happened. Disconnected the line from the front of the trailer and the problem is definitely in the tractor. Hooked the trailer up to the compressor in the garage and the brakes all release and the suspension aired up...the truck just has a valve froze up or ice in a line. Oh what I wouldn't give for a HEATED SHOP that I could pull into & thaw it out. Instead, I've got it high-idling with the hood closed, and the back and upwind side of the cab are wrapped in tarps to try to warm things up a bit. Meanwhile, the line is disconnected and the red valve is pushed in. I'm sitting here warming up inside (been out there messing with it for 3 hours now) waiting to hear the line blow clear. I hope it happens soon, because I was supposed to be loading an hour away 30 minutes ago... 1 Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACKS Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Ya should have picked up some alcohol while in town also and I don't mean scotch..lol good luck. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220156 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ws721 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Maybe get some Scotch too. Just in case. A little "antifreeze" for you wouldn't be a bad idea. Good luck Quote Remember if it's got a hood it's no good! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220157 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ws721 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Just a thought, but try taking the governor line off the compressor make sure air is flowing at that point. Then you can search farther. A little heat would be helpful. Quote Remember if it's got a hood it's no good! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220158 Share on other sites More sharing options...
slpwlker Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Had a buddy of mine freeze up a few weeks ago idling. long story short Ice.got it going then leveling valve froze. Got the ice out of the lines and trailer froze when he caught me. Damn supply line was a chunk of ice. I'd just pour alcohol back down the line it will eventually melt whatever is in there Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220165 Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyRebel Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 Well, right after I posted that, I made the executive decision that more heat than I had readily available would be needed to thaw it out...so I called dispatch to have today's load pushed off 'til tomorrow. Then I decided since I had to run into town anyway, I'd drive the fiance to work (Texas girl + 2wd pickup truck...not a good combination when we have snow on top of sleet on top of ice). She would've had to call in (like over 75% of her co-workers) because even though we just put new tires on her truck yesterday, she wouldn't have made it to the end of the driveway. Turns out for the better, since she's filling in & working an 18 hour shift @ time and a half...gonna make more today than I would have if I had worked. Anyway, after I dropped her off I went to check on the horses which had been stalled up last night because of the weather. Fed them, watered them, cleaned out the stalls...fun stuff. Had a matrix moment when one of her horses decided it wasn't quite ready to go back into the stall. It spun around and when I saw her head duck and the weight transfer to her front legs, I started leaning back to get my head out of the way of what was coming next. That'll get the blood flowing for sure...could hear the hoof cutting through the air as it came right at my face. Anyway, she missed so no harm no foul. Split a bale of hay amongst the 3 horses that are out there and went to the farm supply store just up the road. Picked up a portable forced air heater that will run on kerosene, diesel, fuel oil, or jet fuel...75,000 BTU's, so it SHOULD work to thaw things out a bit. Already had the north and west facing sides tarped off (passenger side & rear of cab) to block the wind and keep what little heat the engine was putting off contained...it just wasn't warm enough. Anyway, had dinner with her before coming home, packing down the driveway, and shoveling a path for her to get to her truck door. She ought to be OK by the time she has to go to work tomorrow...roads ought to be fairly clean by then too. Hell, that's the first time in 15 years I've shoveled snow. Guess that means she needs a bigger truck... Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220228 Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorse54 Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 I might be a little old fashioned,but I just hate air dryers.I have seen more problems with frozen purge valves pissing and not building air,people not draining their air tanks 'cause they have a dryer,then freezing up later.I put a quart of alcohol in the wet tank and don't drain the tanks 'til the end of the week in the winter .When I drain the tanks I leave the cocks open 'til I'm ready to go again.Did this 40 years ago and still do today and never have a problem.In the good weather I drain the tanks every day and leave the cocks open 'til it's time to go.I would never own a dryer or spend a dime on one. Just my thoughts. Steve 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220312 Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyRebel Posted December 8, 2013 Author Share Posted December 8, 2013 This was a blockage in the supply line to the trailer. Once I figured that out, it was just a matter of enclosing the space between the back of the cab & the front of the trailer with tarps & pieces of plywood and setting the heater up on the catwalk blowing hot air on the lines. Had the line disconnected from the valve on the fire wall and the glad hand hooked to the air compressor in the garage. Grabbed some breakfast while I listened for the compressor to kick on signifying a drop in pressure due to the blockage being blown out. First time my truck has ever been out of commission due to the weather...but it worked out for the better. She worked an 18 hour shift @ time and a half filling in for people who called in. She cleared more money than I would have if I would have worked...and if I hadn't been off to drive her to work, she would've been another call-in. I still got the load...just pushed it off 'til today, so I'm really not out anything either. 1 Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-220318 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Doctor Jr. Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I just get a pail of hot water and dump it on things till it melts the ice and usually spits the water out and away we go. My dad taught me that and I was taught to take all 90 degree fitting and put 45's on when possible. The 90's freeze up first. Helps with the fuel gell issues on that fitting swap trick! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-221943 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobcotkg Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 My Superliner was froze up the other day after sitting for a couple weeks. I drug it over to the shop and put the torpedo heater under it with a cardboard shed around it until it thawed to build air. Put it in the shop to thaw over night and alcohauled it. Be fine rest of the winter now probably. Never had one of my trucks with air dryers freeze up after the air dryer. Always before. The Superliner has a belly in the lines going to the dryer, That seems to be the problem spot.Good luck on that air stuff, not much worse than dealing with froze up air! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/33776-so-much-for-getting-an-early-start/#findComment-221950 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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