HELP, STERLING Acterra Truck, making hunting rig, no start
 

I have a 2006 sterling acterra 4x4, has a flat bed, cat engine, trying to make a hunting rig, it wont start, cranks but wont fire, i checked and when it cranks, the taillights flash. It gets fuel, but wont fire either. Does anybody have any sterling knowledge?

I need it ready for hunting season, my wife, me and our 7 kids, need to fill the freezer and this rig looks promising to take me into the deepest parts of the muskeg.

Better have a great big winch on that sucker if you are going to the deepest parts of muskeg. Old Sterling dealer in Edmonton, now called Western Truck & Trailer. West end. I would call their service dept and see what they say.

7 Kids??? REALLY???
 

Welcome to the Board! But really, no truck like that is going anywhere OFF the road, into the Muskeg.

Muskegs EAT Cats, Track Hoes, etc. Let alone something like what you are describing.

Also, true Muskegs do not hold a lot of game!!! Go for a ride after a fresh snow from Wabasca to Nipisi, and see how many tracks you actually cut. VERY VERY few. Even the FN's hunt elsewhere.

But all the same, you are doing the right thing by getting your equipment ready well before hand. Nothing worse than getting out in the bush and having a break down. All you can do is get as prepared as possible. Mother Nature has a cruel sense of humour, and will punish the unprepared.

Drewski

Get pics before she submerges :sign0161: haha

Engine??
 

Is it a cat 3126 or a c7?

just a long shot possibility... 12 year old spark plug wires can break down and cause misfiring and non starts.

Long shot might be an understatement. ...lol

Most likely a Cat diesel, so won't be the plug wires. If it's a diesel, and it's getting adequate fuel and air, and won't start, it has to be the valves or lack of compression. The first thing I would check is that the positive air shutoff is open. 2nd thing I would check is that the ECM is actually opening the fuel valve and you are getting pressure to the injectors. Third would be that the fuel system is air locked.

If the brakes will release, try to pull start it. The extra RPM's might convince her to fire up.

Edit; I just googled a photo of a Sterling Acterra and this has to be a joke or trolling thread. They are a Medium Duty Truck that would get stuck if someone threw an ice cream cone in front of it. No way it's going through the 'skeg.

I'd be making sure your glow plugs are sparking properly, if that doesn't do it, try a full can of ether while cranking that sumna beach... otherwise just touch the battery cables together to clear out the computer :)

He did say he wanted to go the the deepest part of the muskeg.

I have appraised a few and I had to do a double take when I read that too, hence the big winch comment. That's a lot of truck on a bed of grass over water. I await the videos on you tube.

Does it have a low coolant sensor? On freightliners they will run a few seconds and shutdown if the coolant is low or if sensor has failed. Maybe on a sterling they won’t start if low on coolant or a failed sensor. My other thought is a bad lift pump.

Well dam if someone stool the plugs and wires I bet they stool the carb too. See that all the time. Those are rare parts to find for a Cat so they just seem to steel them.

I would not recommend using ether to try and start it. If it is a smaller Cat engine like a C7 it will have a grid heater in the intake manifold. If the grid heater turns on while you are spraying ether into it the results will not be pretty.

Depending on what model of engine this is there could be a problem with the high pressure fuel pump. If it is a HEUI system there could be a problem with the high pressure oil system, not allowing the fuel pump to build injection pressure. Need some more information on the engine.

DR

Check your fuses for the ECM they should be at the batteries. If you can get a hold of a scanner that would be your best bet.

First and only (oddball) post....has not replied to it in a day....take it from there

Where are you checking fuel ?

May need to replace your cam or crank sensor.(mag pickup)
Your fuel system is not letting fuel go threw your electric injectors as it is not sensing that your engine is even cranking even tho it is cranking.

Hopefully this helps.
Good luck

First off not knowing which engine the op has is the biggest problem. If the unit has a cruise control he may be able to pull codes to see where to start looking. If the unit has a HUEI system it could be a high oil pressure leak. Without a scanner he would have to see what kind of oil pressure the HUEI system has. Make sure to get a gauge the will read a say 5000 psi crank the unit over and see what it makes, if it is low say under 500 psi I believe then you should be looking for possibly the injector o-rings leaking or it may even be a bad high oil pressure pump. I’ve had high oil pressure pumps go before. Now if it’s not a HUEI system you have to check to make sure the injectors are getting a voltage reading. So without knowing which engine this fella has it’s near impossible to tell him anything about where to start looking hence that is why it would be great if he could get his hands on a scanner it would make life a whole lot easier, but hey what do I know!! :sign0111:

Do your check engine and stop engine lights cycle when you turn the key on? If they do not it would indicate that the ecm is not seeing keyed power or there is no battery power or grounds at the ecm.

A little backstory and more details would help. The flashing taillights makes me question your power supply/grounds. The tail lights are likely run by a module. It could be unrelated also. Check ALL your battery cable connections as well as the connection at the starter for tightness and excessive corrosion. Often you’ll find a rubbed/corroded harness where it makes the transition from the battery box to the frame rail.

Obvious reason for no further posts.

He and the Mrs. are working on # 8, 9, 10....

Who knows?

This couple is FERTILE!!

As for the truck story, it too is fertile, in a smelly, bovine kinda way.

Drewski

This is a grade A post right here, folks.

sorry was out of town
 

thanks for all the thoughtful insite on the fuel system, maybe a heui issue, I have floater tires on it, so it should cut through muskeg at about 40 miles an hour, should be able to point blank shoot a moose.

I haven't been able to get down to the library for wifi, none at my house.

I got it starting to fire suckin bill cosby in a can, but wont stay running unless my farm hand keeps drowning the throat hole. I might run an auxiliary 1/4 air line to an ether can to the intake just to get me down the road.

I talked to the service deparment at sterling and they had no answer, take it to nortrux. Wheres that at?

Across the street but any diesel shop should be able to look at it.

Mister. I have now discovered who you are.

You are Donald Trump's Canadian Cousin!

Your family needs to you stay alive. I do not want my tax dollars supporting your family when you finally kill yourself.

But, if you really are in the mood to drive 40 miles an hour into the muskeg to shoot a moose at point blank range, at least be kind enough to put a policy of life insurance on yourself before you go hunting this fall.

Drewski

Bill Cosby in a can? Throat hole? Are you related to Zip Ties n Bias Plies by any chance?

There's some goldarn GOLD in this thread :sHa_sarcasticlol:

And again, we need video of the muskeg monster in action :)

Zip ties and bias plies? sounds like what holds this rig together.|Just kidding scotch tape and self tapeners.

Make sure the ground on your ECM is good. I spent about $10 000 trying to solve a problem on a 3406E that $1 of wire and two connectors solved.