I was waiting for recall parts so I thought I would look into why my dash heater wasn't getting any hot antifreeze from the engine. The problem was easy to find thanks to the mid engine design of the Allstar. Just under the floor hatch I found a loop of hose with two kinks tied to the engine-lifting bracket.
When I flexed the kink out of the hose a rush of hot antifreeze found it's way to the dash heater. There was lots of heat thanks to the mid engine design which locates the engine heat closer to the dash heater. The Allstar's heater hoses must be at least 10 feet shorter than those in a diesel pusher. Unfortunately when I gained flow to the dash heater I sprung a leak in a hose union deep inside a bundle of hoses and wires tucked into the frame rail. Someone at Spartan or Newmar had not tightened the hose clamp.
Fortunately working through the hole in the kitchen floor on the kinked hose and the leaky hose union was a pleasant experience. I had my tools close at hand, it was warm, the coffee maker was nearby, TV radio, lots of light etc.
The loop of hose would not un-kink so I decided to shorten the hose and run straight over the engine to the union splice. When I drain the antifreeze at a later date I will eliminate the union splice and run a one-piece hose directly to the engine.
Following the hose is easy but the route it take puzzles me. The hot antifreeze travels directly to the dash heater from the engine water pump (this is good). When the cool antifreeze returns from the dash heater it makes a long trip (at least 20 feet of hose) to the far end of my Cummins ISL where it enters the block and exits the block for no apparent reason. When I showed the pictures to a Cummins mechanic he said it's got something to do with EGR (exhaust gas re-circulation). When I gave my engine serial # to the Cummins parts tech he said, "there is no EGR on your engine". So why do the heater hoses enter and exit the block? Can I plug the holes and shorten the return line? Anybody have any ideas?
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