"Stop Engine" / "Check Engine"

[jtharley]

First, I own a 2006 Winnebago Vectra, XC chassis, 350 Cat Engine. Still under factory warranty with 22K miles on the coach. Several times while going up hill and the turbo boost goes over 25PSI I will get an alarm warning (audio) for about 3-5 seconds and on the dash it reads "stop engine" "check engine". Once the PSI drops below 25 it always stops.

This same thing happened on my 2005 Journey with the same chassis and engine and after 4 trips to freightliner to diagnose, it ended up needing a new turbo. I've taken my Vectra to the freightliner service center in saginaw and once hooked to the computer it said it was a "com error". They said there was a frayed wire which was fixed causing the alarm.

On the very next trip, again going up a steep grade, the same thing happens. Coach runs fine, no loss of power, turbo boost seems to work fine. I have another appointment at the same service center on the 22nd to check it out again. My warranty runs out in 5 months and I am very concerned that this is the same issue as my last coach and if my warranty runs out it will be several thousands to replace the turbo......Any suggestions? Have others had this issue?
__________________

[Avalondanes]

Jim,
The Cat engine should have a 5 year or 200,000 mi warranty. Depends on date of mfg of engine and when it was put in service. Mine is a 2005 engine, but put in service on 6/2006. I have Cat engine warranty until 6/2011. The turbo is supplied with the engine so it falls under the Cat warranty. Take your coach to a Cat truck service center. You can go to the Cat web site and look under RV engines and find service centers.

Richard

[jtharley]

Da, you are absolutely right.......I forgot the cat engine had a different warranty then the chassis. The freightliner service center I am taking it to is an authorized Cat service center too.

Hopefully they will get it right this time.

Thanks, makes me feel a little bit better.

[Avalondanes]

I would take it to a Cat service center. The "frayed wire" is B.S. The system runs on a can-bus communication that gets signal from the sensors to the ECU to the warning lamps/buzzer. Cat will hook up and run a report with all info for your engine, including codes/events, for free, and give you a printed copy.Let Freightliner work on the chassis, go to Cat for the engine. You will be glad you did.

Richard

[jtharley]

Again, thanks....

When I went to the cat website and did a service locator search they gave me the closest being "diesel sales" in saginaw michigan. I will ask them for the report this time to identify the error codes. That will be interesting to see anyway.

Jim

[jtharley]

Closing Note....As I suspected it was the turbo. Cat is over-nighting the part, the service center has been great and the coach will be ready by Friday. Thanks CAT and Diesel Truck Sales, Saginaw.

Interesting that this same thing happened on my last coach which had the same engine. (Cat C-7, 350). The tech said that is not an uncommon problem with the 2005/2006 releases. Wonder just how common?

[jtharley]

Another update.....I got another call from diesel sales in Saginaw. After a bit more "research" they found that the turbo itself is fine but the communication relay switch is bad.....hmmmmm

Anyway, I am picking it up monday and will know very quickly if the alarms go off again. I am getting the print out report on my engine for my files.

[jtharley]

Took the motorhome on another trip and went up and down hills that would have set off the stop engine/check engine alarms. No such alarms. I also noted that the turbo psi rarely goes over 25PSI anymore when going up hills.

I got the print out on the engine and it did show over 40 occurances with the same code.....that's about right.

Anyway the coach drove like a charm, had plenty of power and no more beeps and alarms.

[JayLodge]

Although infrequently, I've experienced the same problem w/ C7 in my 2006 Tour. Mostly accelerating going onto expressway, or quickly taking foot off gas prior to off ramp.

[BBBEEBOP]

Same indication on my 2005 Vectra, Warranty ended 01/2010. Well the coach is in the repair shop and the verdict is in. The error codes indicate High Exhaust Temps. The cause is the Charge Air Cooler is leaking in fact it is rotted out, no hope of repair a new one is on order.

[BBBEEBOP]

Also found bad modulator valve and wastegate hanging up causing high and low boost pressures

[jtharley]

Well the issue reared its ugly head again. Just got the coach back from a maintenance at the freightliner shop. Once again, the stop engine/check engine light and alarms where going off going up hill. They said it was a software problem and reprogrammed. On the way home, going over a hill, the alarms go off. Over the weekend while on a trip to TC the alarms went off several times only going up hill and the turbo PSI was over 30, something that never happened before.

Called the dealer and this time INSISTED they replace/check the wastegate and turbo. I'm taking her back on Thursday while this is still under warranty. Mind you this has been going on for 3 years now!!! The tech at the saginaw shop said that CAT is very reluctant to replace the turbo ($$$ I'm sure) but they obviously have a problem with this in the '05-'06 models since my '05 needed a new turbo and now my '06. Looking thru threads on this and other sites I noted that alot of owners of the C7 engines have the same issue.

[BBBEEBOP]

Have the CAT dealer check the modulator valve and whether the wastegate is hanging up. My CAT dealer put on a new modulator valve and freed the wastegate. All has been well since. The turbo is fine.