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02-13-2020, 06:44 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 2
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Does the Fleetwood FLAIR belong in this forum?
Hi all!
My name is Teresa. My husband is Andy, and if I'm in the wrong forum, Please delete or let me know. And I will move on.
However, Andy & I are big time Newbies to the RV'ing world!!
I bought a used 1995 Fleetwood Flair. It always overheats. I don't have a lot of money and I'm afraid that I'm going to blow the head gasket and/or blow the motor.
It does blow steam outta the exhaust.
He says it's normal when taking off. I get this. But... I'm behind him and it's a lot of white steam?!?!???
Is this common is it normal?
Can anyone PLEASE point me in the direction I need to start?
Thermostat? Radiator?
Ahhhhhh I'm going insane with everything needing work in this RV!
Thank you in advance. I hope to hear back from someone that may be able to assist my lack of knowledge!
Teresa AKA: TLC
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02-13-2020, 07:26 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mcdonough, Ga.
Posts: 5,927
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The 1995 chevy 454 with throttle body injection was prone to running hot in summer weather. Is it running in the red overheat area of the needle or just close? Is it always running hot or just in stop and go traffic and when climbing mountains?. Is your fan clutch cutting in? Can you hear the fan getting louder when the needle moves up ?
__________________
1998 Pace Arrow 35 ft. F53 Ford V10 2014 Honda CRV toad
32 years mechanic at Delta Air Lines 15 year motorhome service manager. 3 popups....2 travel trailers....5 motorhomes....loved them all.
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02-13-2020, 07:59 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Vancouver Wash
Posts: 7,227
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With the engine cold, remove radiator cap.....top off coolant if needed....leave cap off and start engine.....let it warm up and look in radiator to see if bubbles are being made,,,,,head gasket or intake manifold gasket problem.....or, remove sparl plugs, get a radiator pressure tester, install on radiator, pump it up to 15 lbs, let sit a minute, then using key, act like you're going to start engine and watch spark plug holes for water blowing out.....head gasket or cracked head...
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02-13-2020, 08:02 PM
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#4
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Community Administrator
Pond Piggies Club LA Gulf Coast Campers Outdoors RV Owners Club Entegra Owners Club Skyline Owners Group
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 40,590
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Yes, you are in the right forum section. Ask away & welcome.
Lori-
__________________
Lori (& Dave, my spirit guide) - RV/MH Hall of Fame Lifetime Member | My iRV2 Photo Albums
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2350S, 2018 Phaeton 40IH,2006 Bounder 36Z, 2004 Cougar 285EFS, 2000 Aerolite 25FBR
There is great need for a sarcasm font.
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02-13-2020, 09:12 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Oklahoma Boomers Club Retired Fire Service RVer's
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 621
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Welcome TLC, your worse case with "lots" of white steam, is a head gasket. Steam and not smoke right? Steam dissipates while smoke lingers a bit longer. There are additives that could help you on a temporary basis but I hate to recommend any over a proper repair (check with your auto parts store) . Careful around hot water and steam, can burn worse and quicker than fire.
__________________
Jim & Connie, Edmond Oklahoma
2000 Monaco Signature Classic FD/SO 42' / 1969 VW Bug or 2500HD
"My chains are gone, I've been set free"
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02-14-2020, 12:13 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 232
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I agree with the others. And:
What you are describing would strike me as a blown head gasket or cracked head, but definitely do what the others said to diagnose.
The key for you here is proper diagnosis. Otherwise you'll just be beating your head on it.
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02-14-2020, 04:27 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 821
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All good points. If a radiator is blocked or corroded, the engine gets hot. If it gets too hot the head gasket will start to leak coolant outside the engine block and into the cylinders. Water into the cylinder creates steam and coolant smell.
You need to take your coach into a shop and have them find the problem. They need to pull the spark plugs, crank the engine and look for water coming out the cylinder. Then they need to do a cylinder compression test on all cylinders. All said you will most likely need to have the radiator serviced and new head gaskets installed....
Good luck
__________________
John & Debbie
2008 Fleetwood Discovery 40X
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02-14-2020, 11:54 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,484
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Question: Could a sticking thermostat cause the overheating?
__________________
Dave RVM#66 and Carol
1998 Pace Arrow Vision
Seeing the USA - 200 miles at a time
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02-15-2020, 05:30 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,348
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There is no quick fix for your condition.
If its steaming out the exhaust pipe, you need the engine torn down.
It probably had an overheating condition that was left unrepaired that caused the cylinder head cracks or less likely head gasket failure, so add that to the repair bill.
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02-15-2020, 06:58 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Ponca City, OK
Posts: 123
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TLCandALC
Hi all!
My name is Teresa. My husband is Andy, and if I'm in the wrong forum, Please delete or let me know. And I will move on.
However, Andy & I are big time Newbies to the RV'ing world!!
I bought a used 1995 Fleetwood Flair. It always overheats. I don't have a lot of money and I'm afraid that I'm going to blow the head gasket and/or blow the motor.
It does blow steam outta the exhaust.
He says it's normal when taking off. I get this. But... I'm behind him and it's a lot of white steam?!?!???
Is this common is it normal?
Can anyone PLEASE point me in the direction I need to start?
Thermostat? Radiator?
Ahhhhhh I'm going insane with everything needing work in this RV!
Thank you in advance. I hope to hear back from someone that may be able to assist my lack of knowledge!
Teresa AKA: TLC
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An overheating engine with steam from the exhaust are indications of a blown head gasket at a minimum. If you check your engine oil and find it looks like chocolate milk, your coolant is leaking into the oil pan as well and that spells more potential trouble for the engine. If the exhaust smells like antifreeze, that’s additional confirmation of the problem. You should really have a mechanic check it out.
__________________
Rick Norris
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02-17-2020, 01:33 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 821
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daveandcarol
Question: Could a sticking thermostat cause the overheating?
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Yes. If the thermostat does not open the radiator water can not enter the engine block and the water trapped in the engine just gets hotter. You can verifiy the operation of the Tstat by placing it in cold water and then heating the water to near boiling. The Tstat should open...Also if the fan is not turning (bad clutch on fan) the engine will over heat even though the thermostat is opened.
So you need to find the root cause or repair to the engine will fail again.
__________________
John & Debbie
2008 Fleetwood Discovery 40X
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02-17-2020, 11:16 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: TEJAS
Posts: 813
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I had a big block Chevy of this vintage. GM used steel head gaskets and even with clean antifreeze around the 12 year time zone my steel gasket had corroded and one was leaking antifreeze into one of the cylinders. It would miss when first started and smooth out when it warmed up. The leaky cylinder spark plug was super clean. If the oil looks ok, it may only need new head and intake gaskets. Is it using lots of coolant and how fast does it overheat? After I replaced the gaskets the AC hoses started seeping, they didn't like being flexed. Right now I would replace the thermostat and make sure the radiator fan is working properly. Start with the cheap stuff!
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02-20-2020, 03:45 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 2
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Hi everyone!
Thank you for all of your suggestions. I've sent them to Andy for him to look into.
Hopefully the tax return gets here soon.
Before we head up to Idaho and Washington (my mom was resently diagnosed with dementia) we need a reliable rig!
All I know is I have to get up to be with mom... Time is ticking away.
Thanks again and when we get it figured out... I'll let you all know what was wrong.
Happy Trails
Teresa / TLC
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02-20-2020, 05:24 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 821
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TLCandALC
Hi everyone!
Thank you for all of your suggestions. I've sent them to Andy for him to look into.
Hopefully the tax return gets here soon.
Before we head up to Idaho and Washington (my mom was resently diagnosed with dementia) we need a reliable rig!
All I know is I have to get up to be with mom... Time is ticking away.
Thanks again and when we get it figured out... I'll let you all know what was wrong.
Happy Trails
Teresa / TLC
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Sorry to hear the news on mom. Take a plane, bus or train. Leave that vehicle home and get it looked at. You don't need more grief.
73
John
__________________
John & Debbie
2008 Fleetwood Discovery 40X
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