Community Forums

StansCustoms · 05-20-2011, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wil Rathke

I had this happen recently after a short trip into Fredericksburg and back home. I had just parked and was about ready to shut it down and the stop engine light turned on. I shut it down and found the coolant level was just below the sensor. Easy fix.

I was hoping that would be it ...but didn't get lucky. As per post 13 it was dead on the money (according to the sight glass)..I poured a tea cup of coolant in maybe.

JLMunsil · 05-20-2011, 10:30 AM

Don't depend on the sight glass. It sometimes looks like it's full when it isn't.
Find another way to check. I think there is a 1/2" pipe plug in the back of the surge tank that is below the sight glass that can be taken out to check coolant level. On my 02 Alpine, I put in 2 gallons one time even though I had coolant in the sight glass.

JohnLori · 05-20-2011, 10:55 AM

It's pretty easy to install a coolant overflow tank--there's a thread here somewhere about it. Then you don't have to rely on the always-full sight glass.

StansCustoms · 05-20-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLMunsil

Don't depend on the sight glass. It sometimes looks like it's full when it isn't.
Find another way to check. I think there is a 1/2" pipe plug in the back of the surge tank that is below the sight glass that can be taken out to check coolant level. On my 02 Alpine, I put in 2 gallons one time even though I had coolant in the sight glass.

How can that happen..?

My sight glass initially didn't show coolant ...but when I poured a bout a tea cup in, it sloshed enough to see that it really was up to the center of the glass.. The antifreeze was clearly visible...

StansCustoms · 05-20-2011, 02:12 PM

Ok ...I decided that maybe something could be something screwy with the site glass...so I used a probe to check it from the filler neck.

With the engine off and cold, the coolant level is on the site glass exactly.....Mine is registering correctly thankfully, so I can quit worrying about that part.

It's raining today, and we have a busy weekend, so I guess it'll be Monday before I install the fuel /water separator/filter...

I was going to carry it to Cummins to read the codes.. but they are in a crappy location and I had to get there at 7:30 to get it in today. With the HEAVY traffic in their area, and rain and possible hail forecast, I decided to hold off on that till next week.

Who knows ..maybe the filter will fix it and I won't have to shell out the $149.95 to Cummins....

EngineerMike · 05-20-2011, 04:27 PM

Stan- if fuel starvation can cause the SEL, there is one other problem you could be having. Sometimes a fuel filter will be set tight enough to seal for the +6psi or so it sees from the lift pump, but not enough to seal against the -5psi (that's totally a guess on my part, but illustrative of the process) when you are stomping on it and injection pump is trying to deliver all the fuel requested. The injection pump can usually, tho it isn't good for it, run the engine w/a busted lift pump. the LP on front right of engine pulls fuel from tank to push it to IP on mid-height right rear of engine and driven by a gear off the crank. The IP boost fuel pressure to 3000psi or so, and in so doing creates suction on its intake side. If that suction finds an air leak, you are delivering air in the fuel line, possibly starving the engine of fuel. Don't know how engine knows this, but it would have to for the previous post to be true. If you have 2 fuel filters then there are two o-rings where this can happen.

IIWMI'd check how tight the fuel filters are, and then do the oil pressure lead check discussed in previous post.

KIX · 05-20-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StansCustoms

Thanks Guys...

KIX
I think we have the same engine too.
Do you know what your differential gear is on your Advantage?

Can anyone tell me what the 2001 Alpine rear gear ratio is?

Stan,, my chassis is a Spartan Mountain Master......I think the diff gears ratio is 4.33

If you, by chance, have a Spartan then they can tell you the ratio when you tell them the VIN

Rich and Cork · 05-20-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIX

Stan,, my chassis is a Spartan Mountain Master......I think the diff gears ratio is 4.33

If you, by chance, have a Spartan then they can tell you the ratio when you tell them the VIN

Alpine made their own proprietary chassis. The called it a Peak Chassis.

StansCustoms · 05-20-2011, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngineerMike

Stan- if fuel starvation can cause the SEL, there is one other problem you could be having. Sometimes a fuel filter will be set tight enough to seal for the +6psi or so it sees from the lift pump, but not enough to seal against the -5psi (that's totally a guess on my part, but illustrative of the process) when you are stomping on it and injection pump is trying to deliver all the fuel requested. The injection pump can usually, tho it isn't good for it, run the engine w/a busted lift pump. the LP on front right of engine pulls fuel from tank to push it to IP on mid-height right rear of engine and driven by a gear off the crank. The IP boost fuel pressure to 3000psi or so, and in so doing creates suction on its intake side. If that suction finds an air leak, you are delivering air in the fuel line, possibly starving the engine of fuel. Don't know how engine knows this, but it would have to for the previous post to be true. If you have 2 fuel filters then there are two o-rings where this can happen.

IIWMI'd check how tight the fuel filters are, and then do the oil pressure lead check discussed in previous post.

10-4 Mike..and Thanks

I'll do all that and go ahead and change the fuel/water separator filter while I'm at it.

Hmmm..I may do one thing at a time to know exactly what the issue was...rather than several things at once. Takes longer, but it might be good to know exactly what can cause these symptoms...

StansCustoms · 05-20-2011, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich and Cork

Alpine made their own proprietary chassis. The called it a Peak Chassis.

True...I wonder where I could get Alpine's Peak chassis rear gear ratio?

...for comparisons to KIX shift pattern.

motofamily · 05-20-2011, 06:06 PM

Crazy question did you buy fuel anywhere different lately? I just heard about a guy who got diesel with 10% ethanol in it and it caused the rv to run funny kind of hickup skip almost like a vapor lock and cel would blink

JLMunsil · 05-20-2011, 06:33 PM

In the 04 and 05 brochures it shows the Alpine rear axle ratio is 4.63 to 1. I believe in 02 it was 4.63:1 as well. So I think your 01 is also 4.63:1.

KIX · 05-20-2011, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StansCustoms

True...I wonder where I could get Alpine's Peak chassis rear gear ratio?

...for comparisons to KIX shift pattern.

Stan, Assuming I remember my diff ratio correctly at 4.33 there is very little difference between 4.33 and 4.63. That difference would make an extremely small difference in RPM.

You may find a metal tag under a bolt on the diff that will have the ratio on it.

ulric · 05-20-2011, 07:15 PM

There are sometimes 2 message lights. One says "check engine" or something similar (for less critical glitches) and the other says "stop engine." (for really critical glitches)

If you have a unit which only uses "stop engine," that may include parameters like inadequate fuel supply along with serious ones like no oil pressure or overheat. Since your oil pressure and other visible parameters are fine, check your fuel/water separator aka primary fuel filter first.

Remove it and replace it with a new one. If that ends the problem, you have a pragmatic solution. If you really want to know more, open the old filter and inspect.

Other things can cause an inadequate fuel supply also, like a clogged fuel inlet in the tank, bad fuel pump, shedding inner neoprene coating on a fuel line, air suction, etc.

My vote is for the fuel filter/water separator and it's also the easiest to test.