Community Forums

Avalondanes · 05-11-2009, 06:01 PM

My temps have been 202-205 engine and 201-207 trans. I am the second owner of this coach. It is a 2006 Revolution with a side radiator, 400 HP Cat C9. Are these temps ok or should I be looking for a problem?

Richard

AFChap · 05-11-2009, 10:18 PM

That sounds a bit warm to me, but I don't know Cat engines. Might be you would want to call Cat and get their opinion. Seems with my Cummins that I recall 225 or so being about as hot at the engine should be allowed to get. My Cummins ISC runs around 175 and tranny close to the same. I have seen the engine get a little over 200 in severe mountain climbs.

EngineerMike · 05-11-2009, 11:35 PM

Richard- Naturally aspirated diesel ignition at idle runs about 175-180. This is when there is no added temp due to boost or added fuel injected. That is your base line and where you should be if you start the engine & let it sit till no increase occurs. If you start & let engine reach steady temp & see 175-180 then your gauge is working right.

My 2006 rig would hit maybe 212 in the heat of summer when the radiator fan kicked on high and would knock it down to 190. That rig has the same kind of radiator yours does, i.e. multiple radiators (A.C. condenser I think, charge air cooler or intercooler, hydraulic oil cooler, engine radiator, maybe a tranny oil cooler) running vertically and stacked like a sandwich on its side so that fresh air crosses thru the first one and takes on heat, then the second for more heat, then the third...etc. So it sounds like you are in the zone and temps are normal. If you start seeing over about 215 for prolonged periods, check to see if the radiator needs cleaning (side radiators are better this way and don't need cleaning as often as rear radiators).

My current 2008 rig has a new style radiator stack. Each cooler is runs horizontally w/the face of each of the 4 radiators visible thru the radiator grille & directly receiving fresh air. The four coolers are stacked on top of each other. With this new design, my temps are maybe ten degrees cooler and within a narrower band. I now max out at about 195.

Avalondanes · 05-12-2009, 04:58 AM

EM, thanks for the reply. I have the "new" style radiator stack with only one small one overlay, will have to trace the line set to see if it is oil or trans cooler or A/C condenser. I have installed a Silverleaf VSM so I know the guages are correct, or at least read the same. Trips last fall into Dec. temps were up to 201 after 20 min on the road. Went on a trip last month to Ga. and outside temps were 85, eng and trans were 205- 206. I have cleaned the radiators, not much came out. I have a trip to the Tenn. mountains this weekend and will see what the temps run.
Side note: purchased the coach with 29000 mi and now have 36000 mi.

Richard

Ronnie Bledsoe 2006 Dutchstar 43' · 05-12-2009, 10:30 AM

I have a 400HP Cummins and the same xmission. My temps are very similar to yours. When I have the heater and fans on the temps are about 15-20 degrees cooler. I have the Aqua Hot system that provides hot water heated by the engine when traveling and I don't know if that has anything to do with the temps.

Joe-K · 05-14-2009, 12:00 PM

I also think your temperatures sound in the normal range. Both the engine and transmission in our rig reach the 200-205 mark after a long sustained run.

What I find interesting on ours is that when the chassis A/C is running, the engine and transmission temperature actually run cooler. The reason is that the hydraulic cooling fan is modulated to run at whatever speed is required to keep the engine at that ~200 degree temperature, but when the A/C is running the fan runs faster to provide enough airflow over the condensor for cooling which therefore also cools the engine further.

EngineerMike · 05-14-2009, 01:11 PM

My fan turns @ ~800 rpm at idle unless there is a call for fan due to AC or temp. There may be 2 stages for temp, but I haven't crawled under there to verify while under way. With AC- fan goes to max, so cooling goes to max

Norm4015 · 05-15-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avalondanes

My temps have been 202-205 engine and 201-207 trans. I am the second owner of this coach. It is a 2006 Revolution with a side radiator, 400 HP Cat C9. Are these temps ok or should I be looking for a problem?

My 2000 Cummins ISC on a Spartan ran about 170 degrees on both the engine and transmission. When I bought my 2005 Cummins ISL on a Spartan Mountain Master I had the same temperatures as you - just above 200 degrees. Both Cummins and Spartan told me that is normal for my engine so I have learned to live with it. I have a Silverleaf and the temperatures match the dash gauges.

So far I've driven 34,000 miles including several trips ove the Rocky Mountains and it has never overheated.

Tha_Rooster · 05-15-2009, 07:29 PM

cat. c-9 temps run between 189-208 you can get complete specs. on caterpillar.com they run hotter due to emissions

David K · 05-30-2009, 05:28 PM

I think that the emission "stuff" may make a newer engine run hotter. I have a '02 on a Mountain Master -- 350 HP ISC Cummins and 6 speed Allison tranny. I just finished a run from Myrtle Beach to Atlanta on Friday and my temps ran about 175 for the water and 180 for the tranny. We got caught in a backup for a wreck as we approached Atlanta and only made three miles in a little over an hour -- around 4:00 in the heat of the day and both temps went up but both stayed below 200. Would approx. temp as around 190 for each. Hopes this helps. I clean my side radiator "stack" once a year and each time I get some "crude" out.