Community Forums

buckeyefan4 · 01-23-2019, 04:27 AM

Hello all,
I have a 2018 Tiffin 37BH. I noticed a small amount of hydraulic fluid in the bottom of the bay where the pump is located for the HWH system. I believe the fluid is leaking from all 4 brass fittings on the lines at the front of the pump(pictures attached; they actually run vertical and not horizontally).
I spoke with Tiffin service and they said this is either an O Ring failure or the fittings need to be tightened. Since all 4 are leaking, I suspect that tightening may be the answer. But, before I do anything, I wanted to see if others have seen this problem and what was their solution? Also, would it be best to use a flared wrench on this particular fitting?
Thanks for any help!

luvlabs · 01-23-2019, 08:25 AM

You do not need a flared wrench. If you do this yourself, use minimal force to tighten these fittings. They do not need to be "gorilla tight".

If you are still under warranty, let Tiffin fix it for you. They will pay for a mobile tech if you don't feel like taking it to a dealer.

garykk · 01-23-2019, 11:40 AM

We have the same leaks on our Bus and did on our Phaeton as well. I finally put Teflon tape on the threads and that stopped it. Will do the same on the bus this week as well. I tried to snug those fittings up to no avail.

Oregonpharme · 01-23-2019, 09:21 PM

If you know the hydraulic pressure is below 3,000 PSI brass fittings are accecptable. But, if the system pressure is at 3,000 PSI or better brass hydraulic fittings are not up to the task. Brass also expands faster and more than steel, so hot oil from a working system will slowly work them loose. Eventually they will no longer have enough taper to the threads to tighten them enough to prevent leaks.

If it were my rig, I would visit a hydraulic shop and purchase the appropriate steel fittings and hydraulic rated teflon tape, and replace all the brass fittings.

whciv · 01-23-2019, 09:39 PM

Looking at your photos I don't see a leak. I looked at my 2019 Open Road bin and I too have what looks like an oily substance that "had" dripped. My fittings look perfectly clean (like yours) and the spot in my bay is dry and not fresh oil. I assumed that maybe some had leaked when they were filling the system. Maybe that is what yours is too. Just a thought.

azpete · 01-24-2019, 06:40 AM

i dont see a leak. clean the area up, and determine exactly where its leaking.
it would be very unusual if all four were leaking.
the seal inside the hose end is a flared double roll fitting, so teflon tape isnt going to help. proper tightening will.
do not over tighten. if you want to retighten. loosen the fitting, then tighten it finger tight. then tighten it no more than 1/3 turn.
as your coach is relatively new, it may be residual oil from original assembly.
be careful with the fittings other than the hose end. most are glued together, and will break if you try to move them.
paul maddox

CptCook · 01-24-2019, 08:36 AM

Paul,
I guess you would have to put our coach in the "very unusual" category then. (2018 40 IH) All 4 of those fittings are leaking. I guess leak may be a misnomer. Seeping may be better. I have cleaned and dried all the fittings 3 different times now. I re tightened them just as you described. And in each case, after utilizing the hydraulic pump, the bottoms of all of those fittings are wet with hydraulic fluid. With the clear hydraulic fluid used, it is hard to see in pictures, but one light touch yields fluid on my fingers. There is no visible drip rate, just wet fittings. I don't want to apply anymore torque to them myself. Heading to RB next week to let the pros solve it.

azpete · 01-24-2019, 09:52 AM

your problem is why i have learned to never say "never"
i once had an owner tell me he had air leveling in the front, and hydraulic in the back. i didnt have the sense to say let look at it. i said we never built a system like that. it turns out we build exactly five. since then, i say unusual.

if its seeping, maybe a little more torque will help.
paul

buckeyefan4 · 01-24-2019, 01:28 PM

All,
Thanks to everyone who has responded! There is definitely a “leak” from all 4 fittings. We have been in the coach for 15 months and that bay was dry until last month. There hasn’t been much fluid loss, I would agree “seepage” is a more accurate term.
After speaking again with the hydraulic leveling group in Red Bay, they say they have seen this before. They recommend use of a threaded seal and retightening.
I have linked Red Bay up with a Tiffin Service Center that is only 40 minutes from us, and they are getting us in to get us fixed up. I’ll keep you posted to see if that fix works.

buckeyefan4 · 02-15-2019, 09:04 AM

Just a follow-up to let you all know how things worked out: we took our coach to the authorized service center (DeMontrond RV in Texas City). They got us right in at our appointment time and assigned a tech. After working on the coach he said the fittings were loose and he snugged them down, then marked with paint where they should line up when tightened properly. He used the jacks and slides several times and no leaks. We’ve been sitting at our site now for 5 days, no leaks, so hopefully we’re set. All was covered by warranty.
DeMontrond was great to work with.

gmpartsvet · 03-12-2019, 04:59 PM

Any General Motors dealer parts department will stock part# 88861206. It is a 1oz bottle of fluorescent dye used to find leaks for engine oil, power steering fluid, ATF, and fuel. Pour it into your reservoir and after you have operated whatever system you're testing shine a UV light on it and you can trace exactly where it is leaking from.