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AFChap · 08-12-2013, 05:56 PM

2002 MMGT chassis ...small leak appears to be on top or radiator but there is no visible access. How do I get there? If radiator removal is required, how does it come out? Appears to drop down ...what else must be removed?

We are on AK caravan headed back to US via Cassiar Highway ...no cell coverage to talk to Spartan and could find no email contact for customer service.

Yesterday blew a hydraulic hose that was bundled by wire ties with tougher hoses ...wore two holes in rubber hose and covered toad with oil which was then heavily dusted by dirt construction areas after I managed to splice the hose ...huge mess.

hillboy · 08-12-2013, 07:07 PM

Mine is a Newmar Spartan MM chassis. Not sure how many differences, but my radiator came out through the side louver area.

You may be able to get a view of leak by taking pictures with an I phone or small video camera held in the area. The condition of the radiator (which is inboard of the charge air cooler on the fan side) should be obvious if you get a picture. On mine the fins were all gone (almost)

How bad is the leak? How much coolant are you loosing ? On mine the fan was dispersing the lost coolant ( some signs of a green coloring on some pipes ect.) so you may have had a small leak for a while. If you aren't loosing much you may be able to go a ways.

Worst case scenario:
I recently removed and replaced my Charge air cooler and Radiator. So this may help:

My louver/ side air vent unhooked at the bottom and swung up on hinges.
First the two transmission coolers can be swung back out of the way and the tranny oil does not have to be drained.
The charge air cooler comes next.. sort of self explanatory to a person who has done some DIY mechanical work.
Then the radiator. Both come out through the louver opening or if on a lift, down and out I suppose.

Not an easy job while traveling, but a shop should have no problem.

I ordered a new rad from Spartan but they can often be repaired. If you have charge air cooler out it is worth having it tested (any diesel shop would have the simple air pressure tester) mine was full of leaks and had to be replaced. Also get new hoses, mine from Spartan.

Didn't notice engine brand before I started this so some or much may not apply. Mine is a Cummins ISC 350. Hope this helps. JG

tom chelbana · 08-12-2013, 07:39 PM

Because you are were you are I would use some stop leak additive. That should fix the leak till you can get back to your home base. Tom 04 Essex

AFChap · 08-14-2013, 12:05 PM

There is NO access to the top side of the radiator ...none whatsoever ...just a tiny hole that a small tube from the surge tank disappears into ...so no camera possibilities.

The two "transmission" coolers are hydraulic oil coolers on mine ...the line connecting the two coolers is the one that blew about halfway between as it runs behind the radiator underneath. If the lines had been enclosed in loom before being wire-tied together the hose would not have been worn down and blown out.
It dripped all night the day I discovered it, taking the level down about half way (below the sight glass) in the surge tank. Yesterday I started the engine ...no low coolant warning ...put about 3/4 gallon into the surge tank to get it above the sight glass ...tripped the pressure release lever on the surge tank pressure cap ...then drove it 200 miles. The route included some significant inclines, and the temp stayed within normal ranges, maybe as warm as 190. I never saw any evidence of leakage either while running or after stopping. I thought perhaps the coolant would expand into the overflow tank but it did not. I am wondering now if the leak may be on the suction side that returns coolant to the radiator, as that if when I first noticed it ...after running awhile and then shutting the engine down ...a damp spot down the rear side of the radiator, and drips off the bottom. I haven't checked the level yet today. We have a 200+ mile run tomorrow to Hazleton, and then on to Prince George, Cache Creek, and down to Lynden WA.

I am thinking now I will be able to at least drive it back to the US. We are apx 400 miles from Prince George BC which does have a couple of places that work on pushers, and a bit over 1,000 miles from Seattle. We have a short time to get from Seattle to NW Missouri, and will be back home in Texas in early October. With the temps not really hot this time of year, I am even thinking of maybe driving it all the way back to East Texas with the pressure lever open.

hillboy · 08-15-2013, 06:11 AM

I'm sure you have considered all the possibilities, but just from my experiences:

The rad pressure cap could be sticking and not allowing coolant to go to the overflow tank as it warms and pressure can get high. Normal spec for the cap is around 15 to 16lbs.

I think you are correct in that lower pressure would slow the leak.
My Rad was leaking in a number of places, when I replaced the sticking cap the leaking was greatly reduced.

Even when the surge tank was low the temps didn't climb on mine by much. There is a large volume of coolant in the system.

On mine when I faced the rad the hose on that side was near the top and you may have a loose or leaking connection. Sound like there is no way to do a visual on your rig. My good luck was that I could lift the bed deck and see the rad as well as look in from the rear access hood.

AFChap · 08-16-2013, 11:40 AM

Cap is working normally when system is full. Right now I am adding some coolant to the surge tank before each travel leg. I kept below sight glass last 200 and it ran normal temps. We have 3 travel legs left before entering US totaling apx 740m.

Does anyone know a good service facility near Belleview WA?

hillboy · 08-17-2013, 06:42 AM

""Does anyone know a good service facility near Belleview WA?"

Might be good to start a new thread with your question. get some fresh eyes.

Ray,IN · 08-17-2013, 09:02 PM

Spartan Authorized Service Centers in WA.

AFChap · 09-01-2013, 06:07 PM

UPDATE/RESOLUTION: I got it apx 1,200 miles back to the US by pouring 1.5 to 2 gallon of coolant into the surge tank each travel leg ...enough to silence the alarm and turn off the "Service Engine" light. I ran it with the pressure lever open on the pressure cap and it ran at normal temps even on steep climbs. At Cummins NW in Renton WA, they determined the radiator top cap was the main leak, and that I also had seeping leaks at the main coolant inlet, air compressor coolant line grommets, a hose, and the surge tank sight glass (which I had mostly cured by tightening it ...I believe a service place last Spring swapped my clear sight glass for a milky one with a badly cracked o-ring, hard to prove but it was clear before and milky and nicked after). They pulled the radiator and sent it out for rebuild, put on new lower radiator hoses, replaced the hydraulic hose I blew and spliced in BC, steamed cleaned the engine, etc, etc. It was a pricey repair, but good to go again. Cummins NW was great ...my only complaint was that they failed to put in the Optimax OAT coolant I requested, they put in the ES Compleat I had in it before. I picked it up apx 8pm on Friday Labor Day weekend so no time to request a re-do with the coolant I wanted that was clearly stated on the service ticket. My small town service place near my home in TX doesn't know about testing coolant for SCA balance and I haven't been able to get test strips, so figured I would simplify things by going with an OAT coolant. Oh well ...next coolant change I guess.

hillboy · 09-02-2013, 05:38 AM

Glad you resolved it without being left on the road.

The SCA test strips should be available at any Cummins service location. I think even some auto parts places have them.

The test is simple. You need a sample from the system, probably not the surge tank but petcock location is easy to get.

The strips are dipped into the sample and time is measured, color matched on a chart ( easier than it sounds, but need two people one to dip and one to time is best).

Additive is available if necessary.

AFChap · 09-02-2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillboy

The SCA test strips should be available at any Cummins service location.

None I have asked have them unless I wanted a box of hundreds or thousands or some such. Young guy in Fairbanks asked his super and came back with something you put coolant into and look through ...said the strips were obsolete. Somehow I don't think so.

Steve Ownby · 09-02-2013, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

None I have asked have them unless I wanted a box of hundreds or thousands or some such. Young guy in Fairbanks asked his super and came back with something you put coolant into and look through ...said the strips were obsolete. Somehow I don't think so.

I have never been in a Cummins distributor location where I couldn't get DCA test strips. They do come in bottles of 50 for heavy users but they are also in individual strip foil packaging. The refractometer that you look through is for freeze point only and tells you nothing about DCA level. The strips have a date printed on the package as they have a short shelf life.