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Old 12-02-2020, 06:02 PM   #1
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Multiple problems that seemed to resolve themself

Coach info in my Signature.
My coach has not been moved since the end of March (Damn Covid) but it was on shore power to keep the batts up and I did start the genny every other month and ran it for an hour loaded. When I parked it in March I lowered the jacks until they took a little of the weight off the tires and then I manually dumped the air suspension, knowing that eventually all the air was going to leak out anyway. So at that point the coach was sitting high because I manually dropped the jacks while aired up. It sat like that since March. a couple weeks ago I started the coach and the coach aired up and the dryer purged as expected. I ran it for a while but was only able to get the temps up to maybe 100.
I needed to take the coach for a ride. I still had the jacks down so I manually dumped the air again, so I could control the speed the coach lowered. Once the air was out I cleaned the jacks and stored them. Now was the time to take the coach out for a run to get everything moving and fluid temps up to normal. I started the coach and this time the coach would not air up Eventually I used my shop air compressor and pumped up the coach using the front air connection by the Genny. The rear aired up but the front was not. I went to where I ran the cables from the moisture ejectors and pulled on them to let air and moisture out of the two front tanks. I started airing the coach up manually again and this time the front came up. Now I could get under the coach to check stuff (so far I have not been under the coach with this problem). With it aired down, no way could I get anything 'cept my arm and shoulder under the coach. It sat aired up for about the past 12 days without any intervention. So the coach is aired up but the coach running didn't do the airing up.

A little side track here -
Last week I looked at my house bank and the batteries were swelling and the hydrometer was showing all cells in the red. So I pulled all batts to clean up all the rust in the tray and Ospho/paint it. The Chassis batteries measured good with a hydrometer and also measured 12.6V each. I replaced the House batteries with Trojan brand. I reinstalled/wired up both banks and charged them overnight via shore power.

Back to the main point (and after batts replaced)-
In the meantime I read a lot of threads about HWH air leveling here and Paul (azpete, from HWH) mentioned a few important things (at least to me they were) - 1) if the travel light is on, on the control pad, the relays at the main dump/fill valve are open and the ride height valves control the air. So I checked that out and the travel light was on. Hmmm, why wouldn't it air up?
2) Paul said that HWH does not control the air if the parking brake is released. I climbed into the drivers seat and noticed the front tank gauge showed it almost empty but the rear was still around 100. I pumped the brakes a couple times and saw the front gauge fluctuate. I released and re-activated the air brake. I saw on the HWH control pad that the "air brakes not engaged" light go on and off. So it seemed that HWH was not over-riding the main dump/fill valve and was displaying what I was hoping it would.
I then started the coach and sure enough the coach started airing up and the purge valve sounded off at regular intervals. YAY. Maybe disconnecting and re-connecting the batteries helped?

I took the coach for a ride to get the fluids up to temp and after about 5 mins a horn started beeping under the dash (I've never heard this horn before an it's not the turn signal horn) - I checked all the lights on the dash - nothing lit, I looked at all the gauges and everything looked normal. I kept driving and watched the engine temp going up but the tranny was around 100 and not moving much. I kept driving and after maybe 5 more mins the horn silenced and then the tranny temp started rising and eventually both engine and tranny got to about 170 degrees and hovered there. I have no clue what the horn was telling me. I didn't hear it again all the way home.

Anyone have a horn sound off from under the dash but not have any bad indications on the dash or lights?

Note to self, don't let the coach sit without taking it for a ride every month or two.
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'08 Jeep GC Overland.
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Old 12-02-2020, 09:53 PM   #2
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Allow me to explain from my experiences. Manually dumping air spring pressure disrupts the normal cycle and somehow prevents the air springs from filling. The remedy is to use the auto-level feature (push on twice) and allow the HWH system to complete the leveling process and turn off. Now turn key to acc, turn on HWH panel then store jacks..
Now the air pressure and air springs should act normally after a complete cycle of the jacks. This lesson cost me a $180 service call.
Engine temperature will never reach normal at low idle, MH must be driven about 20 miles. Allison temperature is the same, it will never reach normal operating temperature unless MH is driven. If you cannot drive the MH it is best not to start the engine.
re: horn sounding; did you notice if the jacks down light was on? Both air pressure gauges over 100? I suspect the horn blaring was due to you bypassing normal air spring inflation process.
Those are my thoughts; add $3 and it will buy you a cup of coffee.
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2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA." My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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Old 12-03-2020, 05:19 AM   #3
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Thanks for the reply. I tried the auto leveling after I manually dumped the air and it didn't fix the problem. That's when I really dug in and spent time researching. I agree on not starting it unless you can drive it - driving it was my intention until the air problem and battery replacement got in the way. I don't think I will let it sit so long anymore without a drive - maybe you can get away with it on a new coach (I can hear people saying they sit all winter in FL without starting and driving theirs) but not one of my vintage.
As for the the horn sounding, I made a point to look at the HWH control panel, thinking the same as you and didn't see anything lit. I even turned it on (one press on) - no lights, so I turned it back off. The air pressure was around 120-130 on both gauges - I thought it might be getting too high so I paid attention to it....seemed to fluctuate normally. So I have no clue why it was beeping. It didn't start until I was on the road at least 5 mins, maybe longer. It had idled a while while I buttoned up the house and locked the gate, etc before starting the drive.
Keep the ideas coming.
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1997 40' Newmar London Aire DP CTA 8.3 (Mechanical) 325 Spartan MM
Bringing her back to her glory.
'08 Jeep GC Overland.
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Old 12-03-2020, 08:36 PM   #4
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I have no clue about the horn sounding, sorry.
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2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA." My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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Old 01-06-2021, 01:08 PM   #5
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Well, well, well...I took the coach for a ride again today and the beeping started again. This time before I started driving it. Ended up being my TPMS control I guess this is what happens when you ignore the coach for all those months while isolating and forget how it works. What a dope.

Anyway, once I figured that out and turned it off (It needed a recharge) - I drove it about 40 miles and relearned everything I forgot
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1997 40' Newmar London Aire DP CTA 8.3 (Mechanical) 325 Spartan MM
Bringing her back to her glory.
'08 Jeep GC Overland.
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