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10-03-2016, 12:25 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 157
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Anti-freeze level and radiator cap.
I was prepping for our annual fall trip and encountered a couple of things for those that might search in the future:
It's been mentioned before but do not trust the site glass on the coolant tank. Mine has been half-full of anti-freeze ever since I have owned the unit. I decided to use a section of hose like a dipstick and found it to be very low. Low enough it took 4 gallons to fill it.
The rubber gasket on the radiator cap was in bad shape, so I decided to replace it. It's a 10 PSI cap, and no local parts store had one. I installed a 9 PSI for now but have ordered a 10 PSI and will swap it out as soon as it arrives. The Stant number is 10237.
Thanks Tim
__________________
Tim and Delilah
2004 Alpine Coach, 400 Cummins ISL, 40'
Weatherford Texas
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10-03-2016, 03:31 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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Wow--4 gals low????? Couple of things: 1--you can check with Cummins but thought radiator cap was like 15 lbs; 2--the sight glass can leak internally and trap coolant in the glass--gives appearance that tank is full when its not; 3-- you can only check coolant level when engine is at normal operating temps. This tank is for expansion--coolant will expand as the engine warms. If you fill it to the sight glass when cold, the coolant will expand and run out the overflow hose once the engine reach ops temps......
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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10-03-2016, 04:24 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Newcastle, CA
Posts: 307
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I was losing coolant and found I had a 8 lb. Cap from the factory. Coolant was steaming out through cap. Replaced it with a 16 lb. No more coolant loss.
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Dan and Patty
"04" Alpine 34' FDDS 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Newcastle, CA
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10-03-2016, 06:34 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 442
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Wish I had a better photo but I added another expansion tank that is easy to read and fill.Also changed the cap to a 16lb cap.
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Jim & Elissa Edmonds
2003 34FDDS Alpine Banks 430hp #74869
Viola, Idaho 3rd Armored Cav & 3rd Infantry Division
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10-03-2016, 06:51 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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Being a fellow 2003 owner, I can appreciate the benefit of adding a "second" expansion tank to allow for better filler access when adding coolant. However, if you overfill the second expansion tank the way many owners are overfilling their primary tank, you will need a third tank to catch the overflow from your second tank--and so on and so forth. One tank, don't overfill it, no problem.
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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10-03-2016, 07:24 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 157
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I'm sticking with the 10 psi cap. I don't have heat problems and have never seen it spit anything out. I hate to increase pressure and pop a hose or something. I think it got that low due to not getting checked because the site glass makes it look like level is fine.
I noticed there is a coolant filter on the side of the engine - wonder when that was changed last........
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Tim and Delilah
2004 Alpine Coach, 400 Cummins ISL, 40'
Weatherford Texas
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10-03-2016, 08:58 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 3,281
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeeper64060
I'm sticking with the 10 psi cap. I don't have heat problems and have never seen it spit anything out. I hate to increase pressure and pop a hose or something. I think it got that low due to not getting checked because the site glass makes it look like level is fine.
I noticed there is a coolant filter on the side of the engine - wonder when that was changed last........
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I also put a new cap...mine was 16 lb, so that's what I replaced it with... if you don't mind me asking...where did the four quarts go???
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10-03-2016, 11:57 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Newcastle, CA
Posts: 307
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Call Cummins and ask what cap to use.
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Dan and Patty
"04" Alpine 34' FDDS 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Newcastle, CA
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10-04-2016, 04:48 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 157
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4 gallons - not quarts. I've owned the coach 3 years and this is the first time I pulled the cap and checked. No telling when it was actually checked last.
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Tim and Delilah
2004 Alpine Coach, 400 Cummins ISL, 40'
Weatherford Texas
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10-04-2016, 06:21 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: KY
Posts: 250
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I think if you want a ten pound cap put it back as a ten pound cap. But with the temp the stat is set at and the cap works with that. That's where your four gallons of fluid went. Your not letting the range it was designed for work. These guys are telling you right, call Cummins and see what they tell you. If the hose is bad it will blow at 10 as well as 16. I took a trip this summer and the road heat was super hot and had to add a little fluid and I use a 16 lb cap. I would really think about this. I worked in Boilers and it does make a Hugh difference.
Larry and Tammy
2003 38FDDS Alpine 350 ISC
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Boston Ky
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10-04-2016, 06:57 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 7,870
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My answer was to just fit an overflow jug to the overflow hose.
As with any overflow system, when hot fluid goes into it, as coolant cools, it is sucked back into the cooling system.
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Brett Wolfe
Ex: 2003 Alpine 38FDDS. Ex: 1997 Safari Sahara. Ex: 1993 Foretravel U240
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10-04-2016, 07:38 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 3,281
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeeper64060
4 gallons - not quarts. I've owned the coach 3 years and this is the first time I pulled the cap and checked. No telling when it was actually checked last.
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you should flush and replace the anti freeze
running it that low for that long will eat away at the sleaves...
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10-04-2016, 02:05 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Alpine Owners Club
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 157
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I put 4 gallons in - isn't that almost a replace? ;-)
__________________
Tim and Delilah
2004 Alpine Coach, 400 Cummins ISL, 40'
Weatherford Texas
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10-04-2016, 02:21 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 7,870
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Tim,
How old was the original coolant?
What coolant was it?
What coolant did you add?
If a "low silicate for diesel with added SCA" coolant (the basic green stuff) have you tested it for SCA concentration, pH and freeze point?
With that information we can better advise you.
__________________
Brett Wolfe
Ex: 2003 Alpine 38FDDS. Ex: 1997 Safari Sahara. Ex: 1993 Foretravel U240
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