Help!!!

[C and R Trucking]

Hey guys I have a 2002 Volvo VN664 with a 60 series Detroit with a Eaton Fuller Autoshift transmission I bought it about a month ago and was planning to put it on the road Jan 1st


Well I got up this morning and it wouldn't start.....Nothing
All the interior light work..... the starter does not engage


The auto shift "Box" is not getting any power with the key on. I've checked the fuse box and everything seems fine



Would really apreaciate your help.....Chris

[tankyanker]

hey chris, sorry you're having problems. i've never been around a volvo, but here are some things i check if my freightliner doesn't start.

1) i check to see if the headlights will come on. if not, or if they're weak, it's usually a battery/voltage issue. when this is the problem, they truck will also make a "clicking" sound when i try to start it.

2) if the headlights come on, and the voltage is good, then i check the starter. sometimes the wires are loose, etc. make sure everything is tight and making a good connection. sometimes, if the starter is older and starting to wear out, you knock the crap out of it with a metal hammer or something and the gears will move a little and you can then start it.

3) on a lot of freightliners, there is a relay, or solenoid on the firewall that transfers the electrical signal to the starter from the cab. they often wear out, fail ... check it with a test light, that its firing "hot" when you try to start the truck.

4) there's also a fuse, in the wire that brings "fire" to the truck ecm, check to make sure that is good.

5) freightliners have push button ignition, the button wears out, they key switch wears out, check that when the key is turn, the button is firing hot.

thats all i can think of, hope it helps you.

[Jumbo]

try taking a hammer and tapping on the starter selonoid. When they start to go bad they stick.

[C and R Trucking]

Thanks for the help guys... The batterery is fully charged, the starter
does not even click when I turn the key. I'll try to tap the starter to see if that works.

The thing that bothers me is that the autoshift box is not lit up.
I was wondering if there was a fuse that controls the autoshift box


Thanx Chris

[no_worries]

The autoshift ecm has its own wires running to the batteries. If you've got a bad wire there or a bad harness at the tranny you'd have a power issue. If the tranny isn't sensing that the clutch is engaged, it won't let the truck start but you should still see the display power on when you turn the key. The fact that you're not getting power to the display should make it easy to find...somewhere between the battery and the tranny ecm I hate electrical problems.

[flood]

a quick way to check the tranny ecm is to stand next to the truck and turn the key on you should hear the tranny shifter clicking (it's making sure the tranny is in neutral) before it will let it start. and like no_worries said check the tranny wires at the batteries. (should be small white wires) you may need to unhook the batteries (10 min)to get the tranny ecm to reset.

it's a quirk with the auto-shift in 4 years and 7 trucks i've had to do it 2 times and had the white wire come loose once.

[C and R Trucking]

Thanx so much guys for the help..
Hopefully ill find it in the morning

I really don't know a lot about this but around your fuse box should be little boxes about 1" by 1". These are relay switches that engage things that require lots of power like your horn, lights and starter. I would try unplugging them and putting them back in. You could also locate the one that is used for the starter, pull it out and put the headlight one in there. Now see if the auto shifter is powered up. Don't try and start the truck though until you replace the starter relay with the proper sized one.

[Maniac]

he battery is fully charged

I bet it isn't

[C and R Trucking]

the battery is fully charged



"I bet it isn't"

I have a charger connected to the battery... And my computer in the dash says the batteries are charged to 12.4 volts :?

[allan5oh]

I bet he's right. Your batteries sound like they're toast.

What you need to do, is have someone with a good voltage tester put it across the battery posts.

Then put a load on the batteries. Could be anything, headlights, try to start it, etc..

You'll probably see the voltage drop to about 4 or something ridiculous.

If it does, your batteries are SHOT.

[Texas88]

I have a charger connected to the battery... And my computer in the dash says the batteries are charged to 12.4 volts :?

If you have a battery charger on it, and it's ONLY 12.4 v. something not right. If it's charging it should be 14 v plus, or at least 13.8 v, which is what a 12v system runs on.

[C and R Trucking]

Thanks for your replies...

It usally runs 13.8 voltes with the engine running, the carger i have on it is a 4 amp trickle charger. What is a good way to load the batteries besides the light or electric horn??

Maybe ill put my 1500 watt inverter on it, and test it that way :?

[no_worries]

If you've got any juice, i.e., the dash lights cycle when you turn the key on, you should get activity on the autoshift display. Even if there's not enough juice to start the truck that display should still power up.

[Maniac]

What is a good way to load the batteries besides the light or electric horn??

With a load tester



http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90636


A trickle charger will need to be on the truck for maybe 48 hours to do anything, maybe more time than that.

You need a starter/charger to start the truck, at least 150 amps or more, the one I have is 200 amps.


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93997

[allan5oh]

Yes I'd suggest taking every battery out and getting them tested invdividually.

[C and R Trucking]

8) Hey guys, 8)

Just wanted to say thanks for the help. I found the problem this morning, and figured I would update the thread. The problem was a electrical connection between the battery and the trans.

The fact that you're not getting power to the display should make it easy to find...somewhere between the battery and the tranny ecm I hate electrical problems.

You nailed it no worries I'm Impressed....However it wasn't easy for me to find

Chris[/quote]

[cumminsM11]

No_worries is right, if all your dash lights work etc. and only the display is not on, then you have a problem with power coming to the display. The batteries should be OK. If you turn the key and interior lights dim down to nothing then u have a battery problem. I haven't driven an auto yet but will drive one tommorrow. If you think it is your batteries, check the water in them. I almost bought new batteries for my truck and just by a hunch I decided to check the water. Did not see anything and started adding. I ended up adding 4 gallons to the 4 batteries. Now the truck starts even at -20 deg. celcius, after being parked for three days. Just thought I'd pass that on to u.

[no_worries]

Glad you found the problem and it wasn't to serious. Don't be impressed, I'm familiar because mine just got stuck in 6th during rush hour near L.A. Was able to get to the shoulder and it was covered under warranty...but warranty doesn't cover a $500 tow bill