2006 Knight temp. question

Hedgehog · 08-14-2010, 09:58 PM

I just took delivery of a new to us 2006 Monaco Knight. The unit only has 21,000 miles on it. My question after driving it home from the dealership, I noticed the engine temp was slightly above half way on the gauge and the trans temp. remained on cold. According to the Alladin system, the engine was running at between 181 and 185 degrees and the trans temp was right around 160 degrees. Are these normal temperatures? Also at 160 degrees, shouldn't the trans temp gauge be up some or is it normal to remain on the bottom? Any input would be appreciated.

Diplomat Don · 08-14-2010, 10:12 PM

Hedgehog......Those numbers are right on the money. The Allison temps won't come up until you drive in hotter weather, pull a grade or get into some stop and go traffic. We just came back from a trip after installing the VMSpc computer program that allowed me to monitor my temps a little closer. My Allison ran just about 5-8 degrees under the engine temp in 90 degree weather.

JDT · 08-15-2010, 07:08 AM

Sounds like your guages are not working properly. I'm not sure what guage changes were made from my 05 to your 06 but they have the same mechanicals. My guages are pretty close except the engine temp guage does get into the red section on occasion.

If you have an Alladin not sure I would worry about it. I have a new VMSpc and this past Friday coming back from Branson in over 100 degree heat mine would go as high as 211. I think the transmission remained around 180 but I was more focused on the engine temp. I had a Horton 2 speed fan installed when I first got the coach. It lets the fan run at a lower speed until it hits 211 degrees then kicks into high speed. It very quickly brings it down to 188 then the cycle starts over again. The purpose of the Horton is to let your engine be more efficient and conserve horsepower needed to run the fan. In cooler weather the high speed side of the fan rarely kicks in. Also, it lets the engine run at higher temps. I am certainly no expert and have nothing to back it up but I have been told that these engines run most efficiently around 200 degrees. In normal weather mine runs between 190 and 200 most of the time on the low speed fan. I think the temps you are getting are normal with the stock fan.

ShapeShifter · 08-15-2010, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedgehog

My question after driving it home from the dealership, I noticed the engine temp was slightly above half way on the gauge and the trans temp. remained on cold.

That sounds very similar to my gauges: 2007 Endeavor, with 2006 (no DPF) Cummins ISL 400.

Both gauges have a C and H limit tick mark, then inside of that is a range marker (presumably to show the normal range.) The transmission temp gauge never moves higher than a hair above the C mark, while the water temp gauge spends almost all of its time just a needle width inside of the high end of the "normal" range mark. When pulling a steep grade, the needle will move to just touch the high end of the marked range, and quickly goes back down (ever so slightly) to its usual position.

When it was new, I had the dealer check it out, and they said it was "normal operation."

walt2137 · 08-15-2010, 02:24 PM

The Allison temp sending devise should be on the left bottom and to the front of the coach and the wire is probably off.
Do a search on cleaning the CAC and Radiator, this needs to be done on especially the rear engine coaches at least once a year.

ShapeShifter · 08-15-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walt2137

The Allison temp sending devise should be on the left bottom and to the front of the coach and the wire is probably off.

Good theory, but wouldn't the fact that the Aladdin system is reading the correct transmission temperature seem to indicate the sensor is working? Does the Aladdin system use its own sensor? Also, this wouldn't explain the water temperature gauge anomalies.

walt2137 · 08-15-2010, 04:20 PM

No it would not as the Aladdin reads from the trans computer and the gauge reads from the sensor. I would also suspect the trans temps on the Aladdin and would expect them to be close to if not above the engine temps if the trans is cooled in the right side of the Radiator if it has not been changed to a separate trans cooler that Monaco had to install on some of the rear radiator coaches.