Rough Startup

[SKIDROCK]

I have a 2003 Sterling Acterra daycab box truck with a 3126 230 Cat engine. Here lately, whenever I start the truck after it sits for a day or more it idles really rough for about 5-15 minutes. After that it runs ok. It seems to miss a little here and there, but it seems that the heavier the load I have on the better it runs and it misses less. Back in the winter time it could sit for a week in 0 degree weather and start up like a brand new truck. I've changed the fuel filter a couple of times and checked the air filter. I don't notice a drop in power, so I don't think its an injector. My mpg decreased just slightly, not much though. I usually fill up on fuel in Ohio and New Jersey.

Any Suggestions on what I could check for would be greatly appreciated.

 

[piper1]

Check for a leak in the fuel lines supplying the engine. It may be that fuel is draining back to the talks after sitting a while, when you start it up that air gets purged out causing the chuggles.

Easy place to start looking anyways......

 

[Andrew0580]

yeah piper is right I have an international that was doing that and it was the fuel rail gasket, 6 dollar gasket and a couple of hours to put it on.

 

[Deville]

I have a 2003 Sterling Acterra daycab box truck with a 3126 230 Cat engine. Here lately, whenever I start the truck after it sits for a day or more it idles really rough for about 5-15 minutes. After that it runs ok. It seems to miss a little here and there, but it seems that the heavier the load I have on the better it runs and it misses less. Back in the winter time it could sit for a week in 0 degree weather and start up like a brand new truck. I've changed the fuel filter a couple of times and checked the air filter. I don't notice a drop in power, so I don't think its an injector. My mpg decreased just slightly, not much though. I usually fill up on fuel in Ohio and New Jersey.

Any Suggestions on what I could check for would be greatly appreciated.

aside from the miss, mine pretty much runs the same way, when the temp guage gets to about the 1/4 mark it smooths out, I know most of the guys I know that have CATS say they have the same issue.

I get all my fuel in NJ too, latley the NJ Turnpike diesel hasn't been great, also when was the last time u had an over head? Mine is just about due.

I'll give the fuel rail a check up.

I do notice that the truck likes to have the occasional 10 to 15 thousand pound load on it, it seems to get up for it, as lone as the hills around over a 6% grade!