Power Steering Fluid over flow and leaking

[FredPond]

I found some pink oily substance under the rear of the coach. The Power Steering Fluid reservoir had the same fluid on the cap and tank….see pic
I took to FL dealer and they thought it was air or antifreeze in the fluid. It was a frothy pick color.
FCCC recommended having it analyzed. Dealer thought that someone had added antifreeze to the system by mistake.
Analysis showed only water no antifreeze.
Originally FL found loose hose fittings and a cut O ring in the cap.
They performed 2 flushes. I took it home. It was still pink when I picked it up and when I got home I collected another sample for analysis. Second Analysis only water no antifreeze…again.
I took the same sample to Engineered Lubricants for an elements Analysis….again only water in PSF.
We live in the coach or it is parked 150 ft. from my front door.

I have only had it serviced at Freighter dealers, Newmar Factory and North Trails RV in Fort Myer FL. Last place before this appeared was the Newmar Factory.

Some one either screwed up or vandalized my coach.

It comes with no locking mechanism on the engine compartment.
A lock only cost $18.02. Southco 93 Series Plastic Push To Close Latch, Pull Tab in Line with Latching Pawl, Key Locking, 0.00"-0.41" Panel Thickness, 0.88"-0.91" Grip Range, Black Sold by: Amazon.com LLC. At least some measure of security.
Last place I was before this happened was Newmar Factory for Slide out motor replacement.
No one can tell me how this happened. They all say it is a closed system. Water must have been added to system.
I cannot prove anything....$3300.00 +++ later

[jd956jd956]

Sorry to hear this. Know you would like to know what caused it. Not clear - is it still diluted? Would assume they checked the reservoir caps... is there any water drain immediately above the reservoir? (Surely not) And assume no leaks detected anywhere. (Where water could infiltrate when system not under pressure) Did you have any Oasis work done where someone may have thought they were adding water to its reservoir?

[Dtwallace]

At this point, all you can do is continue to flush your system to get it clear of air and other contaminants.

You didn't mention an over flow that normally happens when water contamination or air is introduced into the power steering hydraulic system, this is good as an over flow episode could burn out your hydraulic pump if not discovered in time.

Lets try this if you are handy and can do some of your own maintenance.

To speed up the clean and flush process, set your coach up on its leveling jacks taking as much weight off the front as possible, lifting the front wheels if you are comfortable with this on a level surface.

Using a drain pan positioned under your power steering reservoir, drain all the fluid from the reservoir by disconnecting the fluid return line from the reservoir.

With your engine (NOT) running, and you maintaining control of the disconnected hose, have an assistant turn the steering wheel full left to full right to force fluid from your hydraulic lines as it drains into the catch pan.

Reconnect the return hose to the reservoir, refill the reservoir with the proper fluid, and have an assistant start the coach and run for one second or less while you watch for the reservoir fluid level to fall.

Top off the reservoir and with the coach engine (NOT RUNNING), have assistant turn the steering wheel left to right again full turns.

If the fluid level falls during the turning, top it off.

Have assistant crank and run for one second or less again as you watch for the fluid level to fall, repeating this process until the fluid level no longer falls.

(note) Letting the fluid level fall too low with engine running could introduce air into the hydraulic system, and cause the foaming you've described if you are using a red hydraulic fluid, looking like a strawberry cream drink.

Try this procedure on your own and it will save you the high labor time bill you will incur having a shop do the work. It is a time consuming tedious job to do this correctly.

My thoughts for you problem, you may have let your fluid level get too low in the reservoir, this could have allowed air to mix with the fluid.

Water introduced by a vandal, why?

Also, do you routinely check your engine compartment for leaks or loose hoses?

A loose supply hose or fitting below the reservoir could allow air into the system, but I would expect the discovery of a leak way before it becomes a bigger problem like this.

Sometimes a hose can have a hole where air and other contaminates could be sucked in.

Are you sure you are using the correct fluid, some heavy vehicles can't use the regular red automotive power steering fluid due to the additional heat build up from the heavier loads imposed on the system.

If your reservoir has a filter in it, the filter can sometimes come loose and allow the returning fluid to stir so violently in the reservoir, it will mix any air at the top of the reservoir with the hot fluid, indicated by foaming.


Good luck, and please provide feed back.

DTW

[FredPond]

Thanks for both replies.
Yes 1st noticed this because of a fluid overflow....see pic attached.
You description for a cure is a perfect description of what FCCC told the local Freighter dealer, Truck Center, to do last month. The fluid lines have been blown out and then flushed exactly as you described.
When I picked it up from dealer the fluid was still pink...not near as bad but still pink instead of read. It still tested positive for water and no other contaminate.
Yes there where loose fittings and the houses where replaced. There was a cut O Ring in the PSF cap that they replaced at the same time.
My coach is currently at Truck Center getting flushed again.
The Oasis was serviced about 14 months ago by North Trails RV in Fort Myers FL. The dealer I purchased it from. I believe the largest Newmar dealer in the country.
If it was Oasis fluid would it not have shown up on the testing??
It has only been serviced by Newmar Factory, North Trails, and Truck Centers in StL. It only has 16,000 miles on it.
Last place I was before this overflow was Nappanee IN at the Newmar Factory. I have has to take it to Newmar factory 2 times for warrantee work.
Yes vandalism makes no sense....however Newmar could have put a locking latch on it for a few dollars!!!!$ You would think for $430,000 Newmar would put a $19.00 lock on it!!!!!!!!!
If addition when we are not living in it.....it is parked at my home 100 ft from my front door in the middle of 54 acres.
I am stuck with a bill for several thousands and no answers.
This just adds to the frustration of paying hundreds of thousands for a unit that came with defective fake leather furniture, two defective AC units, defective ice maker, a slide out motor that died at 14 months in West Glacier…no one could repair until got to Factory, bad toilet flush mechanism, all that with 14 months.
I sincerely regret this purchase. I thought I was purchasing the finest quality. Not so!
Plus there are almost no locations that can properly service the coach….the factory, North Trails, and a dealer in Tucson….or so I have been told.
Most Freightliner dealers have maybe on person who is trained to work on motor coaches.
I am longing for my 37 ft. 5th wheel and F450!
Thanks for all you help.

[Dtwallace]

There is no reason that fluid should have been still foamy or pink when you picked up your coach from that shop if the flush was done correctly and with proper care.

Its so hard to find competent technicians in the industry today that really take pride in their work.

It just makes my blood boil when I hear of the (BS) we have to put up with as customers. That's why I prefer to fix my own equipment.

Yours is under warranty, and you deserve top notch service, not what you got.
Sorry for the rambling, I know it's not helping you. Sorry for your troubles.

DTW

[JC2]

Originally Posted by Dtwallace

There is no reason that fluid should have been still foamy or pink when you picked up your coach from that shop if the flush was done correctly and with proper care.

Its so hard to find competent technicians in the industry today that really take pride in their work.

It just makes my blood boil when I hear of the (BS) we have to put up with as customers. That's why I prefer to fix my own equipment.

Yours is under warranty, and you deserve top notch service, not what you got.
Sorry for the rambling, I know it's not helping you. Sorry for your troubles.

DTW

Exactly. Well said. On the few occasions this has happened to me, I contacted a member higher up the ladder and explained what didn't happen as I had wanted. I'm leaving the unit here and will be back when it's done if it can't be done correctly now. No patience with repair places who charge outlandish prices and expect you to be happy with work done haphazardly. Ain't gonna happen.

[FredPond]

My biggest regret is trading in my 37ft 5th wheel for a motor home.
Why: A nationwide lack of competent repair people.
When the slide motor went out on my longest slide I found out that there were only around 3 places in the country that could properly repair it. Newmar Factory, dealer in Tucson AZ and North Trails in Fr Myers FL. My base is St Louis MO. I went to the factory. When I got home the PSF was all over the ground the next time I warmed it up.
Freightliner Custom Chassis makes up the majority of the chassis across the entire industry. However there are very few mechanics/technicians available....there main work is semis. As an example the Truck Center group of 3 in the greater StL area there is only one trained mechanic.
In addition all dealers are independent franchises so they do not have to answer to FCCC.
I finally have red fluid instead of pink after 3 flushes, 2 trips to Tuck Center where it sat for almost 3 weeks and $2400.00 later.
In summary once you buy you are on your own traveling around the country.
And if you like the National Parks....in no urban areas you are really screwed.
The worst purchase of my life!!!
I want my F450 and 5th wheel back....I can get the F450 services almost any place in the USA with competent mechanics and a company that stands behind their product....rather than blaming the other guy.
And for $430,000.00 you would think they would put a $20 lock on the engine access.
In any case it is back home and for now the fluid is red.
What a screw job.