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William Willard · 06-07-2018, 06:37 AM

CountryB -- I`m the OP -- Why in the h--- would I exaggerate the size of the leak -- I`m trying to get help, not sympathy -- The things you`re posting, you have no clue as the the cause of this problem --

Twinboat -- No way would I pour the good stuff down the line -- Thanks for that idea -- The air dryer is easy to get to, unlike the one on our Camelot with a tag -- It`s buried above the muffler -- Bill Willard

CountryB · 06-07-2018, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Willard

CountryB -- I`m the OP -- Why in the h--- would I exaggerate the size of the leak -- I`m trying to get help, not sympathy -- The things you`re posting, you have no clue as the the cause of this problem

I was not meaning to offend you - I just meant that your description of the leak sounds like a very large/fast leak to me. I can only base that on how you described the event.

Quote:

This is on a 04, 40 ft Beaver Santian -- Roadmaster Chassis -- Could not get air pressure over 70 lbs unless engine rpm`s was around 1700 -- As soon a rpm`s dropped, air pressure on rear tank would drop below 50lbs --

A leak that fast should not be too hard to find. I used the word "exaggerate" but i didn't mean to suggest that you are providing false information on purpose - just that what I read as a "major" leak to me, may actually be a small leak to someone else (or small to me if I was there).

Your right that I don't know what the cause of yoru leak is.

I was a diesel/truck mechanic for 20 years (retired now for 20) and I have worked on air leak problems before. A blown air hose (say 1/2" or bigger) would be a big air leak and would not be hard to find.

I'm just trying to explain to others posting here that large leaks are much easier to find -- and I think I offered some reasonable suggestions where you could look and things to try.

I'll leave this thread now. Good luck

WinnieView · 06-07-2018, 08:53 AM

Bill, it has to be the internals of a relay valve as barmcd mentioned.
We had a slow hose leak on our '03 Scepter and could feel the air escaping even though it only lost half a tank overnight.

twinboat · 06-07-2018, 09:00 AM

Big leaks near the engine, that are leaking faster then the compressor is pumping in, are difficult to hear.

The air isn't building up fast enough to hiss. When you rev up the engine to get the compressor turning faster, the engine noise drown out the leak.

On trucks, the relay valves and most big leaks are behind the engine. In a pusher, its all right there.

You would need a high CFM shop compressor to supply a lot of air, to find the leak.

tizzyfit · 06-07-2018, 09:12 AM

A few years ago, the braided line from the pump to the air dryer blew. Not a pinhole size hole but more like a 3/8's inch hole. There was an additional airline hole in the line from the front tank. That's when I found out how worthless my 2 dash air gages actually are. The pump puts out 125 - 128 PSI and the gauges peg at 130 PSI so, with the airline leak(s) the pump could be putting out 150 psi or more, which would indicate a problem, and you'd never know it by looking at the dash gauges.

DanKathyC · 06-07-2018, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

Relay valves are big square devices. Mine are attached very high right below the basement floor.

check for the air leak at the bottom at this valve. the disfuser on the valve will disperse the air in all directions, making a large leak a smaller breeze- wont be like a broken hose

William Willard · 06-07-2018, 02:36 PM

The leak has been found -- My brother-in-law & his husky son took a large capacity compressor to the coach -- His son being much more agile than we are, was able to crawl up much closer to the lines -- They shot large volums of air with the big compressor & with air lasting longer, was able to find the leak -- It was a hose behind the engine that had got to hot & melted -- Got next to the exhaust someway -- Thanks again for all the help -- Will try to remember the tips in case I encounter that issue -- Seems like I recall that in the 60`s when I was a OTR driver, that some drivers using alcohol in the air tanks to keep from freezing --My air tanks froze one time & when I got stopped , used a fuzee to thaw them -- I kept the tanks drained after that -- Bill Willard

barmcd · 06-07-2018, 03:04 PM

Glad you found it. The only hose close to the engine on my coach is the line from the compressor to the dryer and it's braided steel. I wonder if someone replaced that hose in the past and didn't use a steel line.

William Willard · 06-07-2018, 04:18 PM

My brother-in -law has had this coach since 05 -- I know he didn`t change any lines -- This coach is the same as the Monaco Endeavor -- Rear radiator & a pain in the -- to work on -- I changed the fan belts & what an adventure that was -- I changed the coolant before he started this trip, changed the 1/4 inch coolant hose from the block to surge tank & from radiator to surge tank -- You would think that would be a snap -- Not on that coach -- I guess I`m just spoiled since we have a side radiator, it`s so much simpler -- He`s back home now -- Bill Willard

twinboat · 06-07-2018, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

Glad you found it. The only hose close to the engine on my coach is the line from the compressor to the dryer and it's braided steel. I wonder if someone replaced that hose in the past and didn't use a steel line.

The symptoms of one tank holding air pressure, as the other tank pressure dropped when shut down, doesn't point to the compressor discharge hose.

The compressor line is before the check valve at the wet tank. The wet tank feeds the next 2 tanks thru a double check valve.

10Boomer · 06-08-2018, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Willard

My brother-in -law has had this coach since 05 -- I know he didn`t change any lines -- This coach is the same as the Monaco Endeavor -- Rear radiator & a pain in the -- to work on -- I changed the fan belts & what an adventure that was -- I changed the coolant before he started this trip, changed the 1/4 inch coolant hose from the block to surge tank & from radiator to surge tank -- You would think that would be a snap -- Not on that coach -- I guess I`m just spoiled since we have a side radiator, it`s so much simpler -- He`s back home now -- Bill Willard

Glad to hear Bill, it’s a hobby!

PlanBee · 06-08-2018, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

Glad you found it. The only hose close to the engine on my coach is the line from the compressor to the dryer and it's braided steel. I wonder if someone replaced that hose in the past and didn't use a steel line.

It's usually only braided steel on the outside, still rubber on the inside. My braided steel line had rubbed through, but the outer braid looked good, it was only the inner rubber that was damaged. It had a 3/8" hole through it.

RustyTools · 06-08-2018, 08:32 AM

Been watching this saga - glad to hear you got it fixed.

Now switch to Johnny Walker!

William Willard · 06-08-2018, 10:21 AM

10Boomer --In the past it was a hobby, but now, not so much --

It was not a braided line -- He went to NAPA, & they had the fittings & line needed for the repair-- He took it directly to a shop when he got back to replace the repaired line & find out why after 14 years a line got that close to the exhaust -- He`ll be over this afternoon for our Friday "Safety Meeting" -- Maybe he`ll have an update on the exact location of the problem line -- Bill Willard