Blairsville, Georgia (high 62, low 54)
The weather warmed up, but of course that means another cold front is approaching bringing rain, and possible thunderstorms on Sunday.
We had planned on leaving today, but we had a problem yesterday that we’re hoping is not going to turn into a big problem.
We started the engine so that we could use the onboard air compressor to inflate the tires. We had just aired them up a week or two ago, but the cold weather shrinks the air and our tire monitor was going off alerting us to low air pressure. If you check the air pressure when it’s 70 degrees out, you get a much higher reading then if it’s 20 degrees. We have been told if you’re in colder climates, you need more air, and then if you head south to warmer climates, you might need to bleed a little air out. It sure makes it difficult deciding how much to inflate the tires.
Anyway, after letting the engine run a few minutes while Al aired the tires, we noticed a coolant leak. That tell-tale green fluid. Uh oh. This is not good.
It wasn’t a lot of coolant, but of course any coolant leak is worrisome.
Al tightened a few clamps that were a little loose. He was thinking due to the cold weather, maybe the rubber hoses shrunk a little causing them to become loose. Or they just vibrated loose over time. We were hoping that would solve the problem, but later on we ran the engine again and still saw a few drops leaking out.
Al crawled underneath the coach and thinks it is coming from a hose near where the clamp is attached. We are unsure what to do from here. There is no reliable truck or diesel repair shop in town that we would trust. The nearest Cummins repair shop is a long way away. Do we try and patch it and hope for the best until we can get to a Cummins dealer? Do we have it towed? (that could get real expensive). We have Coach Net roadside assistance, but they will only tow you to the nearest place that can fix the problem, and we would prefer a Cummins dealer.
We went into town and got another clamp and some of that silicone tape that stands up to heat. Al thinks he will try to put the tape on, then put another clamp on along with the main clamp. He was thinking of trying to replace the hose, but the hose has a nearly 45 degree angle, so you would need a special hose. Plus, when I was reading in our manual, it mentioned the system must be filled properly to prevent air locks. So we don’t think Al needs to be tackling changing a hose.
There are no cracks or holes in the hoses that he could see, and the hoses look to be in good shape, at least as far as we could tell.
So….here we sit, trying to figure out what to do. Any suggestions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
By the time we got a new clamp and the tape yesterday, it was too late in the day to start working on it, plus it was raining. He will work on it today and see what happens.
Once Al puts the clamp and tape on, we will need to make a decision on what to do. If it quits leaking, we’ll probably head south on Monday. It might be a good idea not to travel during the week-end.
The good news is that the weather should be nice all next week. The other good news is that we noticed the leak before we pulled out. The bad news, is we’re so far away from a good diesel repair facility.
The joys of having a home on wheels.
Good luck with getting your leak repaired and hope you make it to the cummins deal safely.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Murphy found your hideout. :(
ReplyDeleteYeah Judy, he sure did.
DeleteAl seems to have the issue under control. Hopefully, you can get a permanent fix once you get to Florida.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough one. I hope Al's temporary repair does the trick for you, but I'd ensure I'd have some extra coolant on board before I left. Keep a sharp eye on the engine temp as overheating a diesel can be very costly.
ReplyDeleteI agree that waiting to travel on a weekday is a very smart idea.
Yes, we do have some extra coolant.
DeleteTwo goods and one bad is at least something. Wish I had some advice. You seem to have thought it through thoroughly. If you can make it to Tampa, is there a cummins dealer near there? Good luck with this.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a Cummins in Tampa, also 2 in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Ocala. We are hoping we can get to Ocala.
Deletesince the leak seems to be slow just get some extra coolant and check it as often as you can... add coolant if it is leaking and you should be able to limp to Cummins - good luck!
ReplyDeleteCraig will be going under to lubricate the levelers for the first time this weekend. We had to have one replaced, and now another one is making a noise. These things pop up when you are ready to roll!
ReplyDeleteTaping it up tight and carrying extra coolant seems like a good solution until you can get to a proper repair facility.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope taping it up and carrying extra coolant will get you where you need to be for the permanent fix. Is there a Cummins dealer in Atlanta? Good luck guys!!
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a Cummins in Atlanta, but we'd really prefer not have to go there. If we have no problems before Atlanta, we may try to go to Ocala, FL.
DeleteI sure hope taping it up and carrying extra coolant will get you where you need to be for the permanent fix. Is there a Cummins dealer in Atlanta? Good luck guys!!
ReplyDeleteUh Oh! Hope it works out. In the mean time, I was distracted from the worrisome story by the gorgeous trees around your lot and motorhome. Wow! beautiful header photo.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so beautiful now, as the leaves are all falling. Still pretty nice though.
DeleteMy dad says that often happens to the tractors after a cold spell. It most likely is a hose clamp somewhere. Just take plenty of extra coolant with you. You can see Atlanta so there will be a place there to get it fixed :).
ReplyDeleteThanks, that makes me feel a lot better. We do think the cold had something to do with it. After all, our MH is a southerner too!
DeleteHope you find a fix until you can get some place for a mechanic to take a look.
ReplyDeleteThe good thing is that you caught the problem before the morning of departure. We had coolant issues that turned out to be a leaking radiator cap. The challenge of overheating is how little time you have before the engine shuts down. That is the part that made us nervous, so keep an eye on those lights!
ReplyDeleteThat scares me! We have a temperature guage, plus a engine monitoring system, so you can be sure we will keep a close eye on engine temps.
DeleteAs I was reading about the leak, I was thinking of the same fix. Hope it gets your where you need to go.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing more stressful than having problems with a vehicle and when that said vehicle is your home, it is magnified X 100! Good luck reaching Atlanta or Ocala.
ReplyDelete