Community Forums

cruizerEd · 05-29-2020, 10:40 AM

Any experience that would indicate the mobile tech fixing a DEF/DPF system failure.

I'm in a park with DPF codes that indicate that I may have a DEF pump, filter, hose, or maybe a sensor issue. It could also be a regen issue. I have a derate code and have experienced a partial derate while driving which dropped me to 20 MPH but after a few minutes let me get up to nearly 50. I only have the amber check engine light. Nn DPF lights. I made it to a park but it is 50 miles to the Cummins shop. I have inspected visually and see no leaks, or crimps, or loose connectors or bad wires etc.

I do not have regen codes or indicator and I cannot get it into parked regen.

My Warranty company will send a mobile tech but they were skeptical about the chances of that working. My roadside assistance company wants me to call a mobile tech. Clearly each company is trying to control costs.

I really really really don't want to get it towed in. I don't want to go into the shop at all since it is in Gainesville a documented COVID19 hotspot right now.

It looks like light, easy to access stuff and if he has the right gear to diagnose the problem and I have the time to wait for parts it seem feasible to me.

cruizerEd · 05-29-2020, 12:13 PM

It looks like the answer is no. DEF/DPF systems are to sensitive to contamination to be serviced remotely. I'll delete the post if I can figure out how.

NevadaNick · 05-29-2020, 03:20 PM

I have had several vehicles and 2 motorhomes that used def, never had an issue with contaminated def. the couple problems with them were sensor issues and one tank heater. A tech should be able to read codes and know the problem.

YC1 · 05-29-2020, 04:57 PM

A dpf filter should be able to be removed and cleaned. They would probably have to take the filter to their shop to clean but I can't imagine they would not be able to diagnose the thing.. Watch what you say to your "warranty company" about any emissions systems. The fine print got me having to pick up the 5K repair for our filter.

WorldCat25 · 05-29-2020, 05:14 PM

It will depend on the type of mobile tech. If a Cummins tech, probably yes, if they have the parts.

If an RV tech, I doubt it.

Good luck.

cruizerEd · 05-30-2020, 05:10 AM

I couldn't get a Cummins tech out and the mobile tech said he wouldn't fix anything. Coachnet connected me to the mobile tech so I have no idea who he was. Current plan is to drive 66 miles to the Cummins shop next week when they can get me in and hope it doesn't derate to 5 MPH. I will probably look for a good diesel mobile tech in the meantime.

cruizerEd · 05-30-2020, 05:15 AM

Yea, we are trying hard to do CYA on the warranty. So far they have been reasonable. They don't just acquiesce and they have only paid 80% or so on some occasions but they have paid and the warranty has paid for itself. I can totally see them claiming we should have done something different but we have plenty of evidence we sought and followed expert advice.

YC1 · 05-30-2020, 07:24 AM

I would NOT try to get to the service shop since it is already derating. You may find yourself in a dangerous spot when it shuts you down completely.

We were lucky enough to limp to a parking lot at about 5 mph trying to get off a freeway going up hill. White knuckles to say the least.

Pick your spot for the tow. Those large wreckers know what they are doing and you can watch their every move. It took an hour for the man to hook ours up. He even used a tool to measure the height of everything once lifted.

You might luck out with a DPF cleaning, mine resulted in a cracked filter and had to be replaced.

Before you bug out of the RV park, fill your water tank. The repair facility may have electrical hookups for you but not water or sewer of course.

The Cummins place in New York was terrific and we were there for three days. Great service. I must admit, our stomachs were in knots for those days.

Stay safe and keep us posted.

cruizerEd · 05-31-2020, 05:16 AM

We have decide to drive it because the tech at cummins thinks we can make it and says they'll come out if we get half way and try to get it to make it in. The derating did clear so at least we wont start off derated.

Because of covide19 we are renting a cabin up here and moving into it in hopes of avoiding exposure. Seem better than going in and out of the service center for the bathroom and then getting into the coach at night when the service people have been in there. But who really knows. The Cabin won't be perfect either because it will not have been vacant that long, probably less than 24 hours. Not to mention the cost since we have an RV site rented for three months too.

Thank you for the advise. Towing maybe the most conservative thing to do but we felt like it would be another COVID19 exposure risk to deal with. But again that is really just a WAG.

YC1 · 05-31-2020, 07:46 AM

If the derating has stopped and you don't have any lights run it hard as you can to get it to go into regeneration as you go to Cummins. Unless they advise otherwise of course.

Just curious. Had you recently filled the fuel tank at a less than busy type station?

I'm not so sure that didn't cause my problem. However, when talking to a commercial customer sitting next to me in the waiting room he said he had at least three of the filters bad and he was still under warranty. High Idle times are a killer and the Cummins dealer said I had high idle time. I'm not the person that runs the thing to impress all the neighbors. I run as needed. But when you add times at rest stops, waiting in line for fuel, stop and go traffic, it can add up.

Hope you make the trip. And hopefully they can do a cleaning. Lots cheaper.

Funny how the dealer can come out if you don't make it all the way to the shop and broke down along the road but can't come to your camp site.

1fishnfool · 05-31-2020, 06:40 PM

Also a factor with the system is the life span of the filter is shortened by out of vehicle cleaning, these would be sold as "rebuilt or renewed" or some such marking. We found overall lifespan was sequentially decreased with each cleaning till throw away required at around 4 cleanings.

cruizerEd · 06-01-2020, 05:03 AM

The fuel stop before this problem was a small Marathon with only diesel pump. We filled about 50 gal (1/2 tank).

On the way back I topped off at an exon with truck lanes before I parked having burnt another 50 gal since the Marathon fill up.

So if there is a fuel problem from the Marathon I'm down to probably 25% of the bad fuel.

I try to keep my idle times down. I time my cool down idles with a stop watch everytime I'm off the highway. I do idle while setting up but try to keep that to only possissioning and getting the jacks and slides down/up in/out.

We did get stuck in traffic in the ATL on the way up here but that was the first time in a long time. Besides that is what regen is supposed to address. I have never had a regen light, I have no regen codes, and it will not do a parked regen.

Much of my research indicates that for the pickup truck diesel DPF filter problems are symptoms and not causes. If you replace a filter without fixing the problem you can expect to have to continually replace the filter. Of course excessive idling is one of the problems.

I'm going to make sure Cummins looks for the problem not just replace/clean the filter.

As for the shop they only indicated they would do what they could to get it to the shop for repair, ie clear codes, not fix it on the road to avoid a tow. Not sure I'll do that because that means risking a cracked filter etc.

YC1 · 06-01-2020, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1fishnfool

Also a factor with the system is the life span of the filter is shortened by out of vehicle cleaning, these would be sold as "rebuilt or renewed" or some such marking. We found overall lifespan was sequentially decreased with each cleaning till throw away required at around 4 cleanings.

Curious, what kind of costs are you talking about? For the cleaning and then of course for the replacement.

You must have a fleet of vehicles to have to do so many cleanings. Or you put a lot of miles on your rv and run crappy fuel.

1fishnfool · 06-02-2020, 06:28 PM

Retired Heavy Coach Tech, large fleet, all Cummins. Apo 50k miles per day. Cleanings were required when DEF metering devices failed and created large rocks of dried DEF fluid in burn chamber. Good size device is required to clean these, at fleet price was several hundred dollars. Earlier units prior to use of DEF were worse, the diminishing life cycle was found in the earlier units. New components may fair better. Part of the issue I believe was use of Biodiesel.