I want to invest some money into my truck. The truck is really doing well, it just has a few things that need to be addressed. I have a 2009 Freightliner Columbia with the 14L Series 60. It has 1.4 million miles. The engine was rebuilt about 80,000 miles ago. I bought it back in April. Supposedly, it has 505 HP and 3.55 rear ratio. The reason I say supposedly is because the guy who sold it to me thought it was a 13-speed, and it’s actually an 18-speed! So if he didn’t know this after driving it for a year or more, why would he know the correct HP and RR?
How can I check how many HP it actually puts out and the correct rear ratio?
Here is what I have listed to do:
1- A/C.
It is not working. The worst of the heat is almost behind us, so I figure that if I have suffered this long, I can wait and put this at the end of the list. It can’t stay this hot forever.
2- Various electrical issues.
It hesitates when I crank it up. Also, if I have the lights on, when I crank it, the lights and instrumentation will flicker. The light on the A/C switch is always on. Various boondoggles don’t work. Probably fuses. Maybe it’s time for new batteries. Fog lights aren’t working. Maybe a fuse or the panel switch?
3- Rebuild front end?
I hear some things snap, crackle and pop (and I don’t eat Rice Krispies!) when I turn the wheel or when I hit rough road. It also is very bouncy. Should I redo the front end?
4- The truck is slower than a 3-legged mule going up hills. Even little hills. No power whatsoever. It turn out the truck is an 18-speed, although the serial number on the tranny indicated it’s a 13-speed. The DPF was “fixed”. Could this be the cause?
5- Rebuild the rear end?
Since I’m doing the front, I might as well do the ### too, right? The differential has a very small leak somewhere.
6- New tires all the way around. They are in pretty good shape, fairly new actually. But I DO need to change the drives before winter. The ones I have on look more like steers to me.
7- Clutch adjustment.
8- Get it painted or wrapped.
9- The jake sounds like 1000 howling hounds of Hades when I switch it on. It is LOUD. And not very strong compared to other trucks I have driven.
So what should I prioritize first? The truck really does have a lot of good qualities though. I did the first oil change 9000 miles ago. The oil level has not dropped one bit. So no leaks. Also, it NEVER heats up. I have yet to add any coolant whatsoever since I bought it. Before yesterday, the temp gauge never reached 185. And I run the Mojave and PNW. Yesterday, the needle hit 190 degrees for the first time. Once when I was going up Tehachapi Pass and the other was when I hit those two big hills on I-15 in Cali before reaching Vegas. And it was noon and about 110 degrees out. Probably hotter actually. And I’m getting about 7.75 mpg.
So I am beginning to really fall for this truck. It’s making me money, but it just needs a little TLC.
I’m looking forward to everyone’s advice.
