Temp Gauges low when Eng is running?

[Thebrightway]

Attached is a picture of our dash on our 03 HR Scepter PDBB. Note the lower temp guage on the left. The Cummins ISC 350 was running for 15 mins when I took this picture and it's approximately 160°. Normal is 180°-205°.
Is that guage faulty or is the sensor or thermostat malfunctioning?
Also we are not getting Cold or Hot air from the dash unit. We do get air from the blower and the dampers work for outside and recirculation.
Any input would be appreciated .
Toni

[Thebrightway]

Originally Posted by Thebrightway

Attachment 148922
Attached is a picture of our dash on our 03 HR Scepter PDBB. Note the lower temp guage on the left. The Cummins ISC 350 was running for 15 mins when I took this picture and it's approximately 160°. Normal is 180°-205°.
Is that guage faulty or is the sensor or thermostat malfunctioning?
Also we are not getting Cold or Hot air from the dash unit. We do get air from the blower and the dampers work for outside and recirculation.
Any input would be appreciated .
Toni

Correction: the guage reads below 150°

[RamiDav]

Diesel engines create very little heat when idling .
Take it out for a spin and see if that helps .

Try to look at the A/C compressor and see if the compressor clutch
engages and spins when the A/C is turned on by someone .
Low Freon can cause the clutch to not engage .
Also make sure the belt is on the compressor .

The engine not getting hot is most likely why the heater is not putting
out heat .

Ray

[Thebrightway]

Originally Posted by RamiDav

Diesel engines create very little heat when idling .
Take it out for a spin and see if that helps .

Try to look at the A/C compressor and see if the compressor clutch
engages and spins when the A/C is turned on by someone .
Low Freon can cause the clutch to not engage .
Also make sure the belt is on the compressor .

The engine not getting hot is most likely why the heater is not putting
out heat .

Ray

Thanks Ray,
I'll look at the AC compressor, but for the heat we ran 250 miles at highway speed and couldn't get any heat out of the dash. We bought the coach in September in Nevada and when we came back to the SF bay area having heat wasn't a concern.
We got the coach at a very good price with only 55k miles so it came as is. We had all the fluids changed and filters checked, plus we have all the maintenance records from its inception in 2003.
I have seen other posts for the old Monaco/HR/Safari coaches and this issue of the dash HVAC has come up a few times. I've read those and checked baffles and fuses and they are functional. I'll have to have a shop check the AC unit and at the same time look into the dash heat.
If I've missed any head slappers any comments here may save me a few $$$.
Toni

[RamiDav]

Toni

Have you felt of the hoses and pipes where they enter the heater ?
They will be located outside on the firewall on pass side .
There should be an " H " valve located in those hoses that controls the coolant flow
When heat is selected coolant is allowed to flow into the heater , the
hoses should be hot going in and coming out .
If both hoses aren't hot you may have a bad valve or at least not functioning
properly
Actually if that valve is stuck partly open it could account for poor heat and
also be defeating the A/C .

If you will scroll down this page to the box 2nd from the bottom you will
see similar threads , clicking on one will bring up more similar threads

Ray

BTW you still have 2002 Damon Intruder in your signature

[Skip426]

Many owners in the southern states install extra shut off valves in the heater hoses ; or shut off the factory installed ones by the trans; to get max cooling from the A/C instead of blended air when not using Recirc./ Max A/C.
So you'll have to examine the hoses by the trans and anywhere they're exposed for an added valve.
Low engine temp at highway speed , engine t'stats are most likely the problem.

[Unplanned Tourist]

Originally Posted by Skip426

Many owners in the southern states install extra shut off valves in the heater hoses ; or shut off the factory installed ones by the trans; to get max cooling from the A/C instead of blended air when not using Recirc./ Max A/C.
So you'll have to examine the hoses by the trans and anywhere they're exposed for an added valve.
Low engine temp at highway speed , engine t'stats are most likely the problem.

10-4!

[8.3Oilbuner]

Hello Brightway; As Ray mentioned, you need to check the H valve on the firewall. Should be passenger side up to your left when you open up your gen. slide. There are two hoses coming from the engine into the valve and two hoses going into the heater core. The motor assembly in these valves can stick if they do not get enough use. Where climates are warmer, not much call for dash heat. You can do two tests on the H valve to see if it is working. First get the engine up to operating temp. (By the way in your post you did not say what the temp gauge read after driving 250 miles at highway speeds). Touch the top of the valve where the hoses go in the heater core. Have the dash temp control turned to hot. Are the hoses coming out of the top of the H valve hot? If not, the valve might be stuck in the closed position. Just note ,have the engine running when conducting this test. Next, use this old test I discovered when I first started working on cars. With some one in the drivers seat, engine off, ignition on, get a long screwdriver with a wood handle. Put the end of the screwdriver on the front cover of the H valve. Next, if you can get your head in there, put the wood end of the screwdriver up to you ear with slight pressure on the handle with your ear. Have the operator inside turn the temp control from cold to hot. You should be able to hear through the screwdriver if the small motor in the H valve is running! The valve takes at least a 60 seconds or more to go from cold to hot. If you hear nothing, the valve motor is not running. Sometimes you can rap the H valve housing with the screwdriver to see if the motor is stuck and break it loose. You also can remove the H valve housing cover and see if the grease in the valve is old and may need to be lubed with fresh grease. This would be a start to see why you are not getting any cab hot air. A long post, but hope this gives you a place to start looking. Good luck. Just a side note, I have the Silver Leaf in my Windsor and I trust It more than the dash gauges. Some gauges don't even come close to what the Silver Leaf is showing.

[Thebrightway]

Thanks all. I have the RV parked 8n storage now so I'll make arrangements next week to take it out and do the tests suggested.
I'll get back to you all with our results.
BTW, the Intruder reference is to our other RV that we originally got and rent out now. I'm trying to fix my signature to show both coaches. 😆

[oldguy70]

If the engine is running cold, that is a problem and you might need a new thermostat.
My gauge in my 98 Dynasty reads a little cold as I get great heat out of my vents.
When I first got my coach I thought I wasn't getting enough heat out of my heater but the problem was cold air coming though the dash.

[select55]

Originally Posted by Thebrightway

Attachment 148922
Attached is a picture of our dash on our 03 HR Scepter PDBB. Note the lower temp guage on the left. The Cummins ISC 350 was running for 15 mins when I took this picture and it's approximately 160°. Normal is 180°-205°.
Is that guage faulty or is the sensor or thermostat malfunctioning?
Also we are not getting Cold or Hot air from the dash unit. We do get air from the blower and the dampers work for outside and recirculation.
Any input would be appreciated .
Toni

that's completely normal after as u said it only ran it at idle for 15 minutes
in fact iam surprized its that high.The proof you need is drive it under load and then see what it reads at idle after that

[YC1]

Have you blocked the intake with a box of something. We often place a box of fur baby toys and it will block the intake.

[RobRoy]

Gentleman, please educate me as I don't speak Diesel.

You're saying that in a cold climate with a properly functioning thermostat that once the engine was driven and is brought up to proper operating temperature that once it's brought back down to idle, that the thermostat will then not start to close restricting the coolant flow to maintain the engines temp to the thermostat manufacture spec?

[walt2137]

Toni it looks like your oil pressure is about 3/4 way to max which is a indication that engine is cold, to warm the engine or Transmission up put the trans in gear and increase the rpm on the engine to 1200 or 1400 RPM for a few minutes. Our Monaco gauges are know for not being accurate and having a ground problem, my solution 15 yrs ago was to buy a Silverleaf vmsPC and read everything from the engine and trans computers to a lap top.