Community Forums

xydial · 08-03-2018, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountryB

Sorry to go off track a little - but the Alaska trip is at the top of my bucket list - however some people say not to go if you care about your coach. I read about broken windshields and to expect paint damage and toad damage, due to the bad roads (bad Canadian roads?).

What has been your experience - and will my coach get trashed if do this trip?

Made the trip to Alaska in 2015. Installed a protect-a-tow between the coach and the toad. Had to remove the back flap in Watson Lake YK. Kept throwing stone on top of the protect-a-toad every time we hit a construction zone.

No damage to the toad or the coach except a windshield chip on the four lane thru Ft. St. John (about 30 mile from the start of the ALCAN). Became a moot point when a rock cracked the windshield in St. Louis on the way home.

I would do it again if my wife didn't object. Best advise I can give you is take your time. Spent 2 hours covering 40 miles of construction in the Yukon.

Good Luck

YC1 · 08-03-2018, 02:55 PM

Pull the thermostat out and put it in boiling water. New ones can fail.

Outbound · 08-03-2018, 03:22 PM

I think there is a good chance your heating problems are due to your Performance package, I had one installed on my last coach and was told not to dial it up to 75% due to coaches running hotter than normal on many of their previous installs, I ran it at 50% and all seemed ok, I would disconnect or dial it off and try hill again. Good luck

EZDZIT · 08-03-2018, 03:44 PM

If your coach is equipped with a fan clutch, it may be failing. Ours failed completely on our side radiator ISL 400 a few weeks ago. That put us on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. After repair, the engine is now much slower to gain temperature. Since repair ($1200) it has not exceeded 200f.

Rfriebert · 08-03-2018, 03:46 PM

Albeit that I have a smaller engine (isb 5.9), I experienced the same issue. Turns out that the radiators, especially the one on the bottom were extremely clogged with grit, grime, dirt and what appeared to be oil. I also read on this site that the slobber tube tends to dump straight done in front of the radiators and appears to jump up into the fins (I have rear radiators). Two things:

a.) used Simple Green Extreme certified for Boeing aluminum aircraft. USE THIS, NOT REGULAR Simple Green. We used low pressure on hot water pressure washer (fairly wide spray pattern). Let the stuff sit for 5-10 mins and then rinse. Had to do it at least 7-8 times. Note that around the 5th time, I found a bunch of black plastic drop from the inside to the bottom tray. It was garbage bag material. Never saw it when I looked from the inside via the engine compartment. Took a while, but finally cleared out.

b.) added a cup to the slobber tube so as to prevent further from jumping up into the radiator fins. Simple design. Peanut butter cup, couple of fender washers, some hose clamps, drill a hole for the tube and a couple to vent the top and wallah.

Gregs4018 · 08-03-2018, 07:37 PM

Monday after I run an Endoscope camera around I'll post some pics. Then I'll test drive it with the Performance kit turned to stock, and see what happens. The Simple Green Extreme should be here by Wednesday. I'll post all of my findings and results.
I'll be looking for that slobber tube, I have heard they eliminated or moved them on some.

RVThere · 08-03-2018, 07:56 PM

I have the same ISL on my Winn Tour and had the same symptoms 2 years ago on a trip out west dealing with 110 degree temps in California.

Got back to NJ and had my mechanic look at the radiator and it was clogged like a blackboard. Also intercooler had a hole in it. Had both replaced and they changed out water pump and pulleys while the radiator was out. Runs at about 180-190 now regardless of ambient temperature.

Be careful with the Simple Green as its known to deteriorate the aluminum fins in your radiator.

Gregs4018 · 08-04-2018, 01:11 PM

Performed a Ribbon Test (actually a piece of paper about 10" long with a small washer taped to the bottom of it) today. Found poor to no airflow in the middle of the radiator. If I knew how to post a video I would. Once my Simple Greeen Extreme arrives I'll keep cleaning until I get good results with the Ribbon Test Then I will road test it. Curious to see what I may see with the endoscope camera when it arrives.

Mit12 · 08-07-2018, 12:11 AM

How are the results after cleaning?

xydial · 08-07-2018, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregs2007Dip

Performed a Ribbon Test (actually a piece of paper about 10" long with a small washer taped to the bottom of it) today. Found poor to no airflow in the middle of the radiator. If I knew how to post a video I would. Once my Simple Greeen Extreme arrives I'll keep cleaning until I get good results with the Ribbon Test Then I will road test it. Curious to see what I may see with the endoscope camera when it arrives.

You will get little or no airflow in the center of the radiator. The far has a rather large hub that does not blow air.

Mit12 · 08-08-2018, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xydial

You will get little or no airflow in the center of the radiator. The far has a rather large hub that does not blow air.

I have a friend that has. SeeYa Gold he has no air flow in the middle of his radiator also. He is installing an electric fan in the middle to help draw air through the dead spot.

Gregs4018 · 08-11-2018, 01:54 PM

Received my Simple Green Extreme and my endoscope camera. Went ahead with another cleaning with the SG Ext, saturated the radiator with a 1:3 SG Ext/Water solution form both sides. Turned on the engine and brought her up t 1500RPM as I found one recommended, then shut her down. BOY there was a pile of SUDs behind the coach 5 feet wide and 6 feet long 2 feet high LOL. Then saturated it again and a few minutes later did a thorough rinse. More grim came out but not much. The next day after everything was dry I removed the protective cage at the bottom so I could get the camera in. Boy is she clean now! had the wife run a flashlight from the outside while I was underneath shines right through. Then I noticed that on the work we just had done before heading to Alaska, where they had removed the exhaust manifold to fix the exhaust leak, either they didn't tighten all of the nuts on the Turbo to Exhaust manifold or something. The two lower nuts and one stud were missing and the old gasket hanging part way out. The Flange was very tight from the top two nuts however. So after contacting the repair shop on the to get them to send me replacement only to have the wrong gasket show up. The invoice part number is what they sent and it is the wrong one. Called my Cummins Coach parts in Fresno he is sending me a new gasket, however I need a ew other items to reassemble correctly. Had to pull the turbo out get a fouled stud off it, so needless to say had do dump out 5 gallons or so of coolant, need one new hose assembly.
Thinking of putting on new Surge Tank while I am at it Source has the aluminum one for $425 (ouch) and maybe going to the new OAT coolant. When they did the exhaust fix I had them do all new hoses and coolant flush is appears they used PURUS heavy duty Fuschia according to the invoice. It is Fuschia in color, so I can possibly believe that. So I'll need another week or so to round everything up and get it back together before I can do another road test.

MonacoMan84 · 08-11-2018, 02:11 PM

I have been experiencing this same issue in my 05 for a couple years now, it gets hot on grades and sometimes on flat ground when there are high headwinds.

I've wondered if they spec'd a large enough radiator in this coach.

YC1 · 08-11-2018, 02:55 PM

After dark is a great time to use a flashlight looking through a radiator or to be able to see things the sun wipes out.

I used to do inspections on my airplane partially after dark so I could easily see into the wings etc.