This Abandoned Freightliner + 300 Cummins Sitting for years... Will It Run?

@barnfindbillion

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2 videos2 creators

Why it worked

The video taps into the popular 'restoration' niche by showcasing a challenging project with a classic vehicle. The "will it run?" premise creates suspense, and the step-by-step process of diagnosing and attempting to fix the seized engine provides a narrative hook that encourages viewers to return for part two.

Summary

This video documents the initial attempts to start an abandoned Freightliner truck with a 300 Cummins engine that has been sitting for years. After performing basic maintenance like changing fuel filters and servicing the fuel system, they encountered issues with the starter not engaging and discovered the engine itself was seized.

Structure

1Introduction of the abandoned Freightliner and its condition
2Initial assessment of the truck's components (engine, fuel tanks, cab)
3

Original caption

Cabover freightliner sitting for years - will it run #diesel #restoration #freightliner #automotive #fyp

More from @barnfindbillion

Product placement

Freightliner (truck): acts - the vehicle being worked on and discussed. Removing it would change the video's topic. Cummins (engine): acts - the engine in the truck that is being worked on and discussed. Removing it would change the video's topic.

Call to action

Follow along and stay tuned

On-screen text

This Abandoned Freightliner + 300 Cummins Sitting for years... Will It Run? Part 1 THIS OLD FREIGHTLINER HAD BEEN SITTING FOR YEARS THEY WANTED TO SEE TRAILERS AROUND THE YARD AGAIN IT HAD A 300 CUMMINS 2 FUEL TANKS THAT WERE STILL HOLDING DIESEL AND A SURPRISINGLY CLEAN CAB BUT AFTER YEARS OF SITTING THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO BRING IT BACK WAS ABOUT TO REVEAL A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM THE TRUCK HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN OFFERED FOR $3,200 TO KEEP IT AROUND AS A YARD TRUCK THE 300 CUMMINS STILL HAD PLENTY OF OIL THE CAB WAS SURPRISINGLY CLEAN AND THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF MICE THE MAIN CONTROLS WERE ANOTHER STORY THE BRAKE PEDAL THROTTLE STEERING AND SHIFTER WERE ALL SEIZED FROM SITTING FRESH BATTERIES AND FUEL FILTERS WERE THE FIRST STEP THE OLD DIESEL DIDN'T LOOK TERRIBLE BUT THE FILTERS WERE CRUSTY ENOUGH THAT REPLACING THEM WAS CHEAP INSURANCE THE WATER SEPARATOR ALSO CAUGHT SOME WATER WHILE THE FUEL ITSELF STILL APPEARED USABLE THEY STARTED WORKING THE FROZEN THROTTLE AND SHIFTER LOOSE WITH THE BATTERIES CONNECTED IT WAS TIME TO CRANK IT THE SOLENOID CLICKED BUT THE STARTER WASN'T ENGAGING A FEW MORE ATTEMPTS CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WASN'T MOTOR TURNING UNDER LOAD SOMETHING WASN'T SENDING POWER THROUGH TO THE STARTER THEY BYPASSED THE SOLENOID TO SEND POWER DIRECTLY TO THE STARTER BUT THE ENGINE STILL THE STARTER WAS PULLING SERIOUS CURRENT EVEN HEATING THE CABLE SO AND TRIED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE ENGINE ITSELF WAS LOCKED? LEVERAGE ON IT THERE WAS NO DOUBT THE OLD CUMMINS WASN'T JUST SUFFERING FROM A STARTER PROBLEM THE ENGINE ITSELF WAS SEIZED BUT BEFORE GIVING UP ON THIS OLD FREIGHTLINER THERE'S STILL ONE THING THEY HAVEN'T TRIED PART 2 THEY'LL GET BETTER ACCESS TO THE ENGINE TRY TO BREAK IT FREE ACTUALLY CAUSED IT TO SEIZE AFTER SITTING FOR YEARS BUT IF IT WON'T BUDGE THIS OLD FREIGHTLINER COULD BE FINISHED BEFORE IT EVER RUNS AGAIN FOLLOW ALONG AND STAY TUNED

Transcript

This old freightliner had been sitting for years. They wanted to see trailers around the yard again. It had a 300 Cummins, two fuel tanks that were still holding diesel and a surprisingly clean cab. But after years of sitting, the first attempt to bring it back was about to reveal a much bigger problem. The truck had originally been offered for $3,200 to keep it around as a yard truck. The 300 Cummins still had plenty of oil. The cab was surprisingly clean and there were no obvious signs of mice. The main controls were another story. The brake pedal, throttle, steering and shifter were all seized from sitting. After getting the fuel system serviced, they started working the frozen throttle and shifter loose. With the batteries connected and the truck finally in neutral, it was time to crank it. The solenoid clicked, but the starter wasn't engaging. A few more attempts confirmed the problem wasn't motor turning under load. Something wasn't sending power through to the starter. They bypassed the solenoid to send power directly to the starter, but the engine still, the starter was pulling serious current, even heating the cable. So they stopped and tried to determine whether the engine itself was locked. When they put more leverage on it, there was no doubt. The old Cummins wasn't just suffering from a starter problem. The engine itself was seized. But before giving up on this old Freightliner, there's still one thing they haven't tried. In part two, they'll get better access to the engine, try to break it free and find out what actually caused it to seize after sitting for years. But if it won't budge, this old Freightliner could be finished before it ever runs again. Follow along and stay tuned.