New here!

[timjame0719]

Hello everybody! I'm obviously new here and like many, have come with two purposes. 1. I'm looking for a very good forum (this seems like a great one) to learn about and enjoy stories about RVing! 2. I have a question about my RV that I can't figure out.
To give a quick background, I purchased a 96 American Eagle 40VF coach on a Spartan Chassis and an 8.3L Cummins. The American Eagle was a Repo unit and we practically stole it, however, something happened to this and it has a great story, I just don't know what it is. Basically this whole unit had been stripped of several cabinets, appliances, and furnishings to be replaced with IKEA cabinets, apartment appliances, and they pulled up all carpet and original marble to install cheap laminet flooring that was screwed to the floor, then re-wired it to regular home wires (full sized outlets and light switches). I thought about fire, flood, etc but nothing supported that as it was solid. I was only left with vandalism on the inside forcing somebody to redo it on a tight budget. Either way, I have gutted this thing and am building it right this time. It's been a fun project and the inside is going well, I'm just too new to diesel pushers and have been running into questions that has left me scratching my head on that mechanical side.

I'm a very mechanical person but my experience has been with gasoline engines from muscle cars to my current vehicles. I can do most of that stuff down to removing and rebuilding engines so I'm not worried about this ISC engine, just looking to help to trouble shoot quicker as we need to use this RV by July if possible. My problem comes down to the power steering. We drove this unit over 800 miles last August in 90 deg weather and it was fine. It sat for most of the winter but two months ago in 40 deg weather I fired it up. I needed to get propane for it and I immediately noticed that I had no power steering. If I gave it gas and raised the RPMs it would improve a little. I drove it for approximately 30 min before I noticed it was running hot. I turned around and nursed it back home while pulling over a few times to let it cool off. I replaced the thermostats hoping for a quick fix but haven't run it to see if it heets up since that due to the power steering being totally out. I read up a bit and see that my cooling fan is driven by hydrolics tied into the power steering (maybe making it over heat?). I see where the reservoir for it is and notice the level is a tad low but shouldn't be too low for it not to work. I'm sure topping it off isn't the issue and I also read up to see that it has a strainer and possible filter somewhere that should be changed? I guess after all my writing here I'm questioning if changing the filter/strainer could really be the problem or am I more than likely looking at a whole power steering pump replacement? If so, is this pump behind the pulley that has three bolts and looks like it goes into the block lower left side (looking straight at it)?Do I have to get this from Spartan or Cummins? Any info will help at this point! Thanks so much and I look forward to being a part of this community!
Tim

["007"]

Welcome Tim to irv2.
I think you will have your questions answered in the Spartan Chassis forum allot easier and will move your post to that forum.
Within that forum there is maintenance information that you may need also.
This post will stay here for a couple of days but than just link this thread or move down to the Spartan Chassis forum.

Spartan Maintenance

[RobRV]

You have a Cummins C 8.3 Mechanical Engine Not an ISC those weren't around until the 1999/2000 Models.
Yes the Fan and Power Steering run off the Same Pump!
The First thing that I would do is Top up the missing Fluid with "ATF" and Not Power Steering Fluid. Raise the Front with Your Jacks just enough to take the weight off the Front Wheels then while Up and the Engine running Turn the Steering Wheel back and forth Lock to Lock several times. Check the PS Fluid (ATF) again it should be low . Keep repeating this until the correct level is reached.
Your Power Steering should be restored to normal. Now check the entire system for leaks.
Watch Your Temperature Gauge it should stay in the safe range .
If You spot a Leak get it repaired , it could be a hose or fitting. It can also be a major component like that Pump !

Cummins Parts are available from Cummins !

[timjame0719]

Thanks to you both! I will get on that right away just incase the pump is tough to get a hold of. I will jack the front up manually as the jacks don't go down (the control switch up front doesn't have any power to it...maybe a fuse I'm guessing). I figured that I should at least replace the filter too although my unit seems to only have a strainer I think. I didn't see a filter anywhere in line with the reservoir. I will let you know what I figured out...

[timjame0719]

Well, I went to lift the front of the coach up a bit to take off some pressure from the front tires to turn it and fill the power steering but I had no power to my power gear touch pad. Bad winter I guess. I messed with some of the wires in the control box located inside a compartment. I just basically checked a few of them and replugged them in. The pad came on and jacks went down. I turned the wheels and topped off the fluid-no luck. So my next step was to pull the one and only filter I have in the reservoir (looks like a strainer/filter combo). I have one on order and I'll see if that has anything to do with it. In the mean time my power gear touch pad stopped working (no power to it again). No idea what that problem is. I messed with the wires again and nothing....my luck.

[RobRV]

Check for a 40 Amp Fuse near the Jack Pump!

[timjame0719]

I will check that too thanks....I looked up the touch pad and control unit. Almost $1000 for both of them together!! I certainly hope it's a fuse or loose wire. It's just odd to me that it is on and off at the touch pad depending on if it decides on a union break...

[John H...]

Tim, Welcome to the forum...

[timjame0719]

Thanks John!

[timjame0719]

Well I sucked out all the fluid in the reservoir and replaced the filter/screen inside. I fired it back up and no luck with the power steering. I guess my next step is the pump. Spartan quoted $475 for this Vickers pump. Anybody by chance find it cheaper? It just seems odd to me that after 850 mile trip it worked just fine, then sits for two months, and immediately upon start up the pump is shot? Does it just go out like that?

[timjame0719]

I did some research and found a knock off Fluidyne pump that is coming in two days. I looked around and found remained Vickers pumps (OEM) for $229 but was recommended that I go with the Fluidyne instead for $159. Great deal...let's hope it's as good as the Vickers.

[Ann n Gene]

lets hope it is better than the vickers, since it is causing you trouble. SORRY. just could not resist. Seriousle, hope this fixes your problem for a LONG time to come. Let us know what you think of the less expensive pump as you run it.

[timjame0719]

Well, I installed the new pump. The old pump sounded bad when you turned the gear in it. So, I was pretty hopeful that the problem was in the pump. I hooked it all back up and filled the reservoir up. I fired it up, no power steering. I turned the wheel back and forth lock to lock (had the front jack down to ease it but now it's stuck down as my jacks are still all screwed up...I now have red lights lit that indicate jacks are down on the touch pad but the on/off or jacks up and down buttons don't light up or work). I checked the fluid and it didn't take any nor did it look like there were bubbles like it was purging the air. The only thing I can think is the valve or pump at the cooling fan? It looks like a box pump (probably just a transfer box to allow the fluid to pass through and turn the fan). What are the chances it seized up and won't allow the fluid to pass? Has anybody had it go bad?

[timjame0719]

Well, my conversation with Spartan pointed me to a manifold located on the frame rail (driver's side) beside the transmission. Inside this manifold are two valves. Top is the priority flow valve and bottom is the relief valve I believe. Either way, I pulled the bottom one out (again lost all my new ATF) and pulled the top off. The recommended cleaning them good with brake parts cleaner and checking that the internal springs inside move freely without debris in it or hanging up on something, then replacing the o-rings and seeing if that works. If it doesn't, $85.43 for the priority valve and $65.14 for the other. Found them a bit cheaper at Go2Hydraulics.com ($58 and $34) but they had to drill out the larger valve for a flow of 3.5 gpm as they only had a 2.0 gpm or a 4.0 that may be too fast of a flow. Would take 6 weeks to get here. The smaller valve would also have to be adjusted once here and I don't have that kind of equipment. I'll let you know what I come up with....