Coolant disappears when running Hurricanes

[MarylandRich]

When I run my Hurricane heater, my coolant level drops. No leaks that I can find, and I know where all the pumps are. I have it set to 50 degrees as the nights here can dip down below freezing, and using the RV as a guest house over thanksgiving at about 68 degrees . In the last week or two I lost-about 30 oz give or take. I have lost as much as a gallon but not sure over what time frame. I try to keep it so the sight glass is just full and totally red. It was just below the sight glass tonight. Is it just boiling off to the auto vent, or should I be looking for something else? This summer I ran 5000 miles out west and back, ( no heater of course) and did not need to add any coolant, and some of that trip was very hot out.

[CountryFit]

What color is your coolant hose, green?

[MarylandRich]

Hoses are green.

[TR4]

Is your burping valve leaking. My valve was leaking coolant out of the relief hose.

Go here for a picture of the valve;
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f112/hurr...it-370901.html

Bill

[MarylandRich]

Originally Posted by TR4

Is your burping valve leaking. My valve was leaking coolant out of the relief hose.

Go here for a picture of the valve;
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f112/hurr...it-370901.html

Bill

That is what I referred to as an auto vent, I will now call it a burping valve if I can remember that. It went bad 2 years ago, replaced it temporarily with a ball valve to get home, then ordered a new one off Amazon and install it. I have noticed no coolant or any wetness on it since. However the engine compartment does have a whiff of coolant to it when running the Hurricane. Hence my thought about boiling coolant off.

[MarylandRich]

And my burping valve does not have a relief hose, just a nipple on top and it appears dry.

[MarylandRich]

Originally Posted by MarylandRich

And my burping valve does not have a relief hose, just a nipple on top and it appears dry.

[CountryFit]

Rich - while engine running, check all of the connections especially these places -

(1) The hose connector behind the coolant filler reservoir (the metal one, not the plastic overflow container.)
(2) Two 18" long hoses connected to the pump right behind the engine.
(3) The edge all around the radiator.
(4) Connections to the "on the road heater exchanger" under the dash.

After you have exhausted all the effort and still no clue, come back and let's talk about the 3/4" ID green hoses made by Flexfab in that era.

[MarylandRich]

Originally Posted by CountryFit

Rich - while engine running, check all of the connections especially these places -

(1) The hose connector behind the coolant filler reservoir (the metal one, not the plastic overflow container.)
(2) Two 18" long hoses connected to the pump right behind the engine.
(3) The edge all around the radiator.
(4) Connections to the "on the road heater exchanger" under the dash.

After you have exhausted all the effort and still no clue, come back and let's talk about the 3/4" ID green hoses made by Flexfab in that era.

Thanks, sounds like a project for this weekend. I will let you know what I find.

[dons2346]

Early on I had a lot of coolant loss when running the Hurricane. It took almost 2 years before the loss stopped. Don't know how to explain it but.......


I also have the green hoses. They stunk when using the heater but that also stopped

[birdhunter]

I used to get the green hose coolant smell when I had standard heavy-duty green coolant. Since I switched to Rotella ELC red coolant, no more smell.

Rich 2002 Magna

[MarylandRich]

When I bought it, the RV had the green stuff in it, my (“We only do this the right way Richard, or we don’t do it ”) mechanic switched it out to CAT Red right away, along with a new radiator and cooler, and that is all I have/will be using from then on. He makes me crazy sometimes, and nothing is cheap, but I can get in and drive with full confidence it is mechanically as good as it gets.

[phays]

Thanks to all of you that have posted on this subject. I too have a small coolant leak that appears after I run the Hurricane furnace in my 2000 Magna. There is no evidence anywhere of the leak.

After reading these posts, I pulled my Hurricane plumbing schematic and saw that there is indeed an air vent in the system. After some searching I found it by raising the engine cover under the bed. Sure enough, on the forward engine wall top center is the air vent. Lots of crud on it and the hoses beneath it. I've ordered a new vent.

This is an amazing site.

[birdhunter]

Just FYI: Earlier this year one of the guys at ITR in Vancouver told me that the burping valve or air vent is not really necessary. Mine is not leaking so I have not done anything about it.

Rich 2002 Magna

Rich 2002 Magna