Cant get Volvo started! D12 Engine Is there a way to prime?

[matcat]

Volvo with a D12 engine, ran out of fuel, just put some in but it doesn't want to start, any special priming needed?

[Fredog]

Volvo with a D12 engine, ran out of fuel, just put some in but it doesn't want to start, any special priming needed?

there should be a pump by the fuel filter, or take the filters off and fill them up. OR use ether which isnt too good on the engine

[matcat]

there should be a pump by the fuel filter, or take the filters off and fill them up. OR use ether which isnt too good on the engine

Yeah I called a volvo service center, he told me the same thing, there is a pump by the filter, but I cant find the stupid thing.

[matcat]

Haha I feel like a moron! I looked in the manual for the fuel filter changing procedure, thinking it would tell me how to prime it, well it does... There is a frickin electric priming switch right in the dash! I always wondered what that switch was for... now I know...

[Fredog]

boy! that sure would come in handy, on my cat you have to pump until your arm gives out ( not that I ever ran out of fuel, I just heard that)

[matcat]

Apparently however I have to prime it more then once It is a 4 min prime, and it got it sputtering, but not enough to start, and each button push is 4 minutes of priming, so I guess I will give it 3 good primes before I try again.

[matcat]

3 primes is what it took! She started right up, was rough for a few seconds but smoothed out.

[matcat]

Now I am upset I got all dirty messing with the fuel filter and I didnt have too! Didn't even have to get out of the cab.

[heavyhaulerss]

Now I am upset I got all dirty messing with the fuel filter and I didnt have too! Didn't even have to get out of the cab.

experience is the best teacher. now you will never ever forget where the primer button is will you?

[matcat]

experience is the best teacher. now you will never ever forget where the primer button is will you?

For the entire 2 more days I will be in this truck, then going in a freightshaker which lacks such a button

But you are right, I will forever now know how to prime a Volvo D12 and probably every other Volvo engine

[allan5oh]

Older d12's like mine definitely don't have a button for priming. That means you have a lift pump somewhere(an electronic pump before the main pump). Mine I have to do it manually. There is a pump by the secondary filter, and two bleeder valves. One at the same pump, and the other on the head above the starter.

As long as I fill up the fuel filters and change them quickly I never have a problem.

[matcat]

Older d12's like mine definitely don't have a button for priming. That means you have a lift pump somewhere(an electronic pump before the main pump). Mine I have to do it manually. There is a pump by the secondary filter, and two bleeder valves. One at the same pump, and the other on the head above the starter.

As long as I fill up the fuel filters and change them quickly I never have a problem.

Actually by pressing the switch, it tells the ECM to turn on the actual fuel pump, and also opens up an air bleeder valve, according to the maintenance manual anyway.

After pressing the button, and going outside and listening to the filter that is located on the left hand side of the engine near the stear tire (I am assuming this is the primary, but I could be wrong), you can here this click click click click click sound, as well as a buzzing sound, and it runs for 4 minutes.

[Larry227]

I like the Cummins ISX and ISM's. Don't even have to fill the filters when you change them. Just turn the key on and let the electric pump fill them. I usually cycle it three times though to be sure.

[SickRick]

Prolly wanna pay attention to the FUEL LEVEL GAUGE once in awhile too...

That's probably NOT in the maintenance manual...

(sorry Matt - couldn't RESIST...)

Rick

[allan5oh]

Actually by pressing the switch, it tells the ECM to turn on the actual fuel pump, and also opens up an air bleeder valve, according to the maintenance manual anyway.

So this occurs while the engine is being cranked? If not, it's an electronic pump. I have yet to see an engine that only has an electronic pump. Some, like the ISX, have an electronic "lifter" pump as well as the main mechanical pump that is driven off the front gear train.

[matcat]

So this occurs while the engine is being cranked? If not, it's an electronic pump. I have yet to see an engine that only has an electronic pump. Some, like the ISX, have an electronic "lifter" pump as well as the main mechanical pump that is driven off the front gear train.

No it is done with the ignition on, but not cranking. That line I said was STRAIGHT from the maintenance manual.

And SickRick, you should know from my Really Bummed Out thread that it isn't my fault, I have been sitting here in this town now for 8 days! Sorry but in this NC heat I am not just gonna sit here and not idle. When I got here there was probably only 20 or so gallons in the tank, and of course with the truck just sitting and waiting on paperwork to give it the new companies tags, insurance, etc, no one is going to pay for fuel, I had to shell out the few bucks to give it some fuel so I could move it out of a store parking lot. Not to mention the guy that is taking over this truck is rather shady, he has a buddy of his coming sometime today with their truck to siphon some fuel out of it to put in this one so I can move it about 40 miles down the road.

All I know is I cannot wait until Tuesday so I can hop in a truck and start pulling some freight again . It sucks to leave this truck though, I really love it, I would rather have this truck then any Classic Pete or KW! She might not be as powerful or beautiful, but you cannot beat the comfort and ammenadites (SP?) this truck offers. It is pretty much the closest to being a super sleeper as you can get without being one .

My goal is just to run my arse off so I can save up for a down payment on my own truck, I know quite a few places I could lease onto and do descent, and maybe down the road get my own authority once the economy gets better.

[heavyhaulerss]

[QUOTE=matcat;449577]For the entire 2 more days I will be in this truck, then going in a freightshaker which lacks such a button


are you sure? I was in a 95 freightshaker a couple years ago & it had a primer button in dash.

[heavyhaulerss]

it was a 99'

[SickRick]

No it is done with the ignition on, but not cranking. That line I said was STRAIGHT from the maintenance manual.

And SickRick, you should know from my Really Bummed Out thread that it isn't my fault, I have been sitting here in this town now for 8 days! Sorry but in this NC heat I am not just gonna sit here and not idle. When I got here there was probably only 20 or so gallons in the tank, and of course with the truck just sitting and waiting on paperwork to give it the new companies tags, insurance, etc, no one is going to pay for fuel, I had to shell out the few bucks to give it some fuel so I could move it out of a store parking lot. Not to mention the guy that is taking over this truck is rather shady, he has a buddy of his coming sometime today with their truck to siphon some fuel out of it to put in this one so I can move it about 40 miles down the road.

All I know is I cannot wait until Tuesday so I can hop in a truck and start pulling some freight again . It sucks to leave this truck though, I really love it, I would rather have this truck then any Classic Pete or KW! She might not be as powerful or beautiful, but you cannot beat the comfort and ammenadites (SP?) this truck offers. It is pretty much the closest to being a super sleeper as you can get without being one .

My goal is just to run my arse off so I can save up for a down payment on my own truck, I know quite a few places I could lease onto and do descent, and maybe down the road get my own authority once the economy gets better.

Figured you got stuck idling somewhere, waiting for something. That was the cool thing about my bus - the generator (that ran the roof A/C's) ran off the main diesel tank, but the "tap" from the tank was mounted on the side - so you couldn't run the tank dry. I would hope that APU installs in rigs are done similarly.

I hear ya about the heat. I was sitting, shooting the breeze with an O/O in his OLD KW. He's been waiting 3 days on a load - and he AIN'T IDLING. Suffice to say it was hot as monkeys nuts in his cab - and I only hung and sweated for about 10 minutes before I bailed outta there.

Giving up that VN780 eh? Don't care what folks say, the 780/880 interiors on the 77/80" condos on the Volvo's ARE the next best thing to an ICT or ARI BIG custom sleeper. The way they're laid out for storage space, etc. (and the workstation/dinette) makes me DROOL every time I see one (I'm already trying "finagle with a driver/trainer for US Express to get me on after I finish school - all their OTR fleet is 780's with condo's).

Took a tour of a Fedex O/O's 132" ICT last week. Lemme tell ya - if you got the $$'s and can deal with a 320" wheelbase - there's no reason to EVER GO HOME...

Rick

[matcat]

Figured you got stuck idling somewhere, waiting for something. That was the cool thing about my bus - the generator (that ran the roof A/C's) ran off the main diesel tank, but the "tap" from the tank was mounted on the side - so you couldn't run the tank dry. I would hope that APU installs in rigs are done similarly.

I hear ya about the heat. I was sitting, shooting the breeze with an O/O in his OLD KW. He's been waiting 3 days on a load - and he AIN'T IDLING. Suffice to say it was hot as monkeys nuts in his cab - and I only hung and sweated for about 10 minutes before I bailed outta there.

Giving up that VN780 eh? Don't care what folks say, the 780/880 interiors on the 77/80" condos on the Volvo's ARE the next best thing to an ICT or ARI BIG custom sleeper. The way they're laid out for storage space, etc. (and the workstation/dinette) makes me DROOL every time I see one (I'm already trying "finagle with a driver/trainer for US Express to get me on after I finish school - all their OTR fleet is 780's with condo's).

Took a tour of a Fedex O/O's 132" ICT last week. Lemme tell ya - if you got the $$'s and can deal with a 320" wheelbase - there's no reason to EVER GO HOME...

Rick

As much as I would love to have one of those 132"+ sleepers, it is useless unless you run a trailer 48' or less in length. I had some doozies with this 780 pulling a 53', let alone doing it with something that has a 320" wheelbase! But I also did specialty freight too which required me to go to some F'd up places.

The main things the most I will miss about this truck is one, the factory installed inverter, and consequently the microwave , two, the built in fridge (which is very large and has a good sized freezer), the amazing sound system in this truck which includes a factory installed amp and sub, as well as the workstation, even though I don't use the workstation all that much, it is nice espially when you have company visiting in your truck (And no I don't mean commercial company, the workstation would be in the way then!)! Plus you can't beat the all air ride suspension, amazing turning radius, modern interior design, bah I will miss this truck.

Once I get into this freightshaker I will have to put some dough into putting a good sized inverter in it, adding my own sound system, getting a microwave, and a fridge, and then having to find a way to cram it all into the much smaller truck with very crappily laid out storage .

Amp and sub could fit snuggly under the bunk, depending on the configuration of the Columbia which is what it is, some have the lift bunks, others have the hollow opening like the volvos. Microwave can go in the TV spot, though that is where I keep my printer and scanner now, so I would have to find somewhere for it... then depending on the storage config of the columbia, probably get a colemann and stick it in the fridge bay if it has one, if not (a closet) then I will turn it into a fridge bay .


Man I wish I hadn't sold all of my crap when I left swift, I had $5,000 worth of stuff in that truck! Couple grand tied up into sound system alone. Hell in retrospect I could of just saved that money and bought a frickin truck the prices they are now.

Ok I got too much time on my hands, I could just sit here and write a book right about now...