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Farkey · 03-21-2023, 09:28 AM

About 3/4 years ago we were travelling on highway 20 in Quebec and the serpentine belt disappeared. When I pulled over on the side of the highway a Quebec highway assistance officer pulled up behind us and after explaining the problem to him, he insisted we move the MH off the highway.

With his english not beiing very good and my french even worse, I came to understand that if I didn't get it off the highway, he would issue me a fine of anywhere between $1,000 & $5,000.

I kept trying to make him understand that because of the belt not being there I could not drive it until it cooled down and then only for a short distance until it heatd up again and we'd need to stop and let it cool.
And we would need to repeat this time and time again until we reached and off ramp.

So after he issued me 4 $2,500 fines we reached an off ramp and I got the MH onto the off ramp and sat there....I was off the highway and I could let the engiine cool down conpletely. And since it was about midnight on a Sunday there was very little traffic.

Once it was cooled down we made our way to a truck service centre that was only about 5 miles down the road, so I limped in and sat in there parking lot waiting for them to open.

Because of the language barrier, I couldn't communicate the issue about the engine overheating and subsequently for got all about it. That is until the other day when it came up in conversation and my friend said I might have created a head gasket or even a head problem and could have a compression issue with losing some head compression.

Is this possible and if so how does one go about checking the compression with no sparkplug to remove?

And what could the signs be of loss of compression? White smoke from the exhaust? Loss of radiater fluid, which I've had since I first bought it from a small leak in the radiator? Engine temperature readings off? Loss of power?

I haven't noticed anything, but then again I haven't been looking for and signs.

But now that it's back in my mind I will look for something before I take into a service centre.

Ray,IN · 03-21-2023, 06:29 PM

Calm down if possible. Yes, compression gauges are made for diesel engines, the go in where the injectors are removed. It not that simple but that is the basic idea.

jacwjames · 03-21-2023, 07:49 PM

How much have your driven the RV since?
What temps do you see?
Any signs of coolant loss?
What oil pressure do you run?

If the engine seems to running fine and you don't have any signs of problems you may have dodged a bullet.

But I'd suggest getting an engine oil and coolant analysis.

If they come back good you should be OK.

FWIW, I use a Silverleaf VMSpc to monitor my engine parameters.

Toribk · 03-22-2023, 03:50 AM

I'm still back at the initial breakdown and trying to figure out why the Canadian officer issued you a ticket???

Any reasonable and prudent officer would have or should have been more compassionate about your dilemma and offered to help or summon the assistance of someone who could....NOT issue you a citation.

I would think a Canadian Magistrate would agree under the circumstances.......eh?

Sent from my SM-G955U using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

Lowflyer1 · 03-22-2023, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toribk

I'm still back at the initial breakdown and trying to figure out why the Canadian officer issued you a ticket???

Any reasonable and prudent officer would have or should have been more compassionate about your dilemma and offered to help or summon the assistance of someone who could....NOT issue you a citation.

I would think a Canadian Magistrate would agree under the circumstances.......eh?

Same here, that's insane. Had to be an extremely jealous cop who thinks all the RV owners are filthy rich and need to be punished.

I'd go to court on that one. And never anywhere near Quebec.

jacwjames · 03-22-2023, 05:14 AM

I had the opportunity to work in northern Quebec for ~4 months in 2018. The Province of Quebec is like it's own country, if you reside there you are required to know how to speak French, I don't, and the people I worked with did not like it one bit. I could sense the resentment and at one point there was union push back as I was working as a consultant brought in by the president of the company.

So my guess is the policeman was using his authority to show his distaste for a none french speaking tourist.

Farkey · 03-25-2023, 08:44 AM

I don't see any signs such as oil pressure change, or water in oil or white exhaust smoke, so maybe I did dodge a bullet.

As to the fines, I sent them back with a note saying I do not speak, read or write any french and that I choose to dispute the fines in court.

I sent that in September 2021 with a follow up in January 2022 and have not heard a peep from anyone...courts, police etc.

So in speaking with my B-I-L, who is ex-OPP and a para legal, he told me that if I have not heard back after 2 attempts, to forget about it as long as I have proof of the communication, which I have.

And don't go to Quebec unless it is absolutely necessary.

He also said that he is not 100% sure, but they don't look like actual traffic tickets. The ticket numbers were not the same as or similar to Ontario tickets, the numbers were 1002-1005. Once I looked at that I thought they looked fake to me.

B-I-L thought they might be just some form of warning .

Anyway, I have not heard so I'm not worried. My wife has said on a couple of occasions that I should show them to one of our french speaking friends, but I forget when I see them.

bubby124 · 03-25-2023, 09:22 AM

Good reminder when you change your belt keep the old one as a spare

Reprobate · 03-25-2023, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubby124

Good reminder when you change your belt keep the old one as a spare

Or better yet, when you buy a replacement belt, buy 2. I always have.

mackwrench · 03-25-2023, 01:33 PM

3 or 4 years ago and your not having any overheating or coolant loss?
Nothing to see here.

What engine is it?

.....but to answer your question, I've not done a compression test on a med/heavy diesel engine ever.

I have a tool I made that I use to put air pressure in a cylinder.
You remove the rocker arms and injector for the cylinder you want to test. My tool takes the place of injector. It has an air hose fitting on it, I plug a shop air hose up (120psi) and listen for leaks.....air intake, exhaust pipe, dipstick and check coolant reservoir for bubbles.

MakTruk · 03-25-2023, 01:42 PM

If a diesel engine has serious compression loss in a cylinder, that cylinder would not fire and you would absolutely know it.

Also, OBDII? No CEL? Forget about it quit worrying.

mackwrench · 03-25-2023, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakTruk

If a diesel engine has serious compression loss in a cylinder, that cylinder would not fire and you would absolutely know it.

Also, OBDII? No CEL? Forget about it quit worrying.

Yep + 1

rssnape · 03-25-2023, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubby124

Good reminder when you change your belt keep the old one as a spare

Keep a new belt as a spare, they just don’t cost that much! If you have to do the work once it should have a new belt so you don’t have to do it again, especially if you are paying to have it done.