Air compressor on a 8.3 ISC

palehorse89 · 10-11-2010, 05:46 PM

HAS ANYONE EVER HAD THE CRANK SHAFT IN THE AIR COMPRESSOR BREAK IN HALF WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD? NO LIGHTS CAME ON, I FIRST LOST MY POWER STEERING. I HAD TO GO 1/2 MILE BEFORE BEING ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE COACH THERE WAS BLACK OIL ON EVERYTHING! INCLUDING THE PARKING LOT. ALL OVER THE CAR AND BIKES AND 12- 1/2' UP THE BACK OF THE COACH. WHAT A LARGE MESS! THE CRANK SHAFT HAD BROKEN IN TWO AND KNOCKED THE PLUG OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE COMPRESSOR AND THE OIL STARTED TO FLY. NOW COMPLEATLY OUT OF SERVICE I FOUND A MECHANIC NEAR BY TO REPAIR IT AFTER I DROVE 100 MILES TO A CUMMINS DEALER FOR A NEW ONE. $1234.01 AT CUMMINS OF PITTSBURGH AND $495.00 FOR TWO MECHANICS FOR THEIR TIME AND THEY DONE A GREAT JOB OF GETTING ME BACK ON THE ROAD QUICK WITH A WASH JOB AFTER RUNNING AGAIN 6 MILES BACK UP THE ROAD AT THEIR SHOP. HATS OFF TO THEM! 39,500 MILES ON THE ENGINE WHEN THIS HAPPENED? I MENTIONED THAT THE TWO REPAIRED IT IN THE PARKING LOT DUE TO THE FACT WHEN HE SHOWED UP WITH A BIG BRITE YELLOW TRI AXLE TOWING RIG (REALLY SHARP) AND LOOKED UNDER THE COACH HE DID NOT WANT TO HOOK ONTO IT. FRONT AXLE TO FAR BACK UNDER THE FRONT AND TO LOW. HAS ANYONE HAD TO HAVE A BIG COACH TOWED AND IF SO HOW DID THEY DO IT? FROM THE REAR? THANKS FOR LOOKIN.....

Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43' · 10-12-2010, 09:50 AM

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Yes, I had my 2006 43' Dutchstar towed about a month ago. Large (really large) tow truck with adjustable slide boom. Truck driver used several spacers under axles to give additional height and clear fiberglass front cap. Took almost an hour to do the hook up and remove the drive shaft. My axle is about 8 1/2 ft back from the front of the coach. I gave Coach Net that information so that they dispatched a tow truck that could do the job.

palehorse89 · 10-12-2010, 04:23 PM

I guess if a person runs the roads enough something is bound to happen sooner or later. I just wanted to hear from others about their troubles in these areas, towing one of these is not an easy job. I was lucky to find those guys to repair me along the road in that parking lot. Thanks for your story.

PaulO · 10-12-2010, 07:43 PM

I'm confused. I too have the 8.3 cummins and I thought the air compressor supplied compressed air for the air brakes and air suspension. There is a hydraulic pump and reservior that supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid to power the power steering and the fan for side mounted radiator. Am I wrong or are you talking about a shaft for the hydraulic pump?
Paul

palehorse89 · 10-13-2010, 02:57 AM

Your power steering pump is bolted right to the rear of the air compressor which is driven off the cam gear so when the crank shaft broke in two the power steering pump quit. It was very hard to steer off the road and in the parking lot we had to winch it with the wecker across the lot to get it out of the way for the night and i had to raise the front end up with the jacks to turn the tires. I tryed without doing this and could not turn them. I did not want to damage somrthing in the steering wheel. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I DON'T HAVE THIS RIGHT. IT MIGHT JUST BE THE HYD. PUMP FOR THE FAN ALSO BUT I KNOW I LOST MY STEERING.

PaulO · 10-13-2010, 02:59 PM

David,
Thanks for the reply. I did not know the air compressor and the hydraulic pump were mounted back to back as you describe. I am not sure I am thrilled about that. Seems there is an uneccessary single point of failure for two unrelated but similarly critical systems.
Paul