Community Forums

ualdriver · 02-02-2018, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

Add some air brake anti freeze to your air system, and all these problems will be solved.

Jim

How do you do that? I have a Freightliner XCS chassis. I assume you can buy air brake antifreeze on Amazon or similar?

docj · 02-02-2018, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

We used to park our bulk farm trucks from Oct till April or May without starting them. Never found it to be a problem. Don't know why a motorhome would be any different. It's still just a diesel engine, transmission, air bags, and tires sitting on a steel frame.

That's exactly what both Cummins and CAT say about their engines used in RVs. Trouble is that lots of RVers don't want to believe what they read.

BRex45 · 02-02-2018, 03:15 PM

Why start a thread on this site when you won't take any advice as you seem to have all the answers?

This site is great for people seeking advice or relating experiences to other members.

Tony Lee · 02-02-2018, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRex45

Why start a thread on this site when you won't take any advice as you seem to have all the answers?

This site is great for people seeking advice or relating experiences to other members.

Given that half the advice given on any given topic is plain wrong, which particular posts should one take notice of.

docj · 02-02-2018, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Lee

Given that half the advice given on any given topic is plain wrong, which particular posts should one take notice of.

Here's the official Caterpillar document regarding cold weather use of its engines. The key words are on page 5:

https://www.clevelandbrothers.com/wo...l-Machines.pdf

If the engine is started, run the engine until the engine
reaches operating temperature. Achieving operating
temperature will help prevent the intake valves and
exhaust valves from sticking.

If you're going to start the engine, its important to get it heated up to full operating temperature (usually defined by CAT as >180F).

Since this is a CAT document presumably it will be accepted as fact. I will assert without proof that Cummins would make the same statement relative to cold weather starting of its engines.

Papa_Jim · 02-02-2018, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ualdriver

How do you do that? I have a Freightliner XCS chassis. I assume you can buy air brake antifreeze on Amazon or similar?

Off hand, two ways that I can think of off hand.

First, there is an air brake antifreeze injector kit that you can purchase to permanently mount in the air line system. Most Canadian trucks have this installed in the air system.

Second, and this is what I did. My Monaco coach had a fitting in the front of the coach that tow companies could use to pressure air into the air system for towing the coach. I stored my coach indoors in an unheated building. I had a large shop air compressor in the building. I took a short length of air line hose, plugged it into the coach fitting. Then I poured a liberal amount of air line anti-freeze down the hose. Then I connected the air compressor hose to this hose and built up the air pressure in the coach. This effectively distributed the air line anti-freeze throughout the coach air system. Worked like a charm for me for many years.

Air line antifreeze is a common commodity in Canadian truck stops and truck parts stores. I'm sure it could be bought from Amazon. If you use a vehicle with air brakes in the winter in Canada, you have to use air line anti-freeze.

Jim

Kjlunda · 02-02-2018, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonfu

Lets put you in a cold room for 3 months and see how fast you are moving when you get up....

Newmar's are not really set up for cold weather. Inside storage or not, the more I work on repairing my barn find the more I realize this. 7 years sitting in storage has not been kind to this one....

Ok, so I also have the block heater. Exactly what is this? Is the heating element in the fuel tank to turn the diesel back to liguid when it gels or is it in the oil pan or is it actually in the block as the little sticker says? Looks like it runs off 110v so you must be plugged in to shore power for it to work? I can't seem to find any info on this.

this is a little off subject, I have leaking threaded air fittings at the bags, clearly the teflon tape is failing. Clearly the white teflon tape was not designed to handle the pressure and heat for this location. Any suggestions?

Not knowing what unit you have, I'll reference my old Mountain Aire DP. IT was equipped with a block heater. This is a heater that is placed in the water jacket of the engine block in place a "soft" plug. You need to have electricity for it to function. Either plugged in to a receptacle or a genset. My book said at least 3 hrs prior to starting. It also recommended it be utilized if the unit has been parked for long periods of time.
Good luck

ualdriver · 02-02-2018, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

Off hand, two ways that I can think of off hand.

First, there is an air brake antifreeze injector kit that you can purchase to permanently mount in the air line system. Most Canadian trucks have this installed in the air system.

Second, and this is what I did. My Monaco coach had a fitting in the front of the coach that tow companies could use to pressure air into the air system for towing the coach. I stored my coach indoors in an unheated building. I had a large shop air compressor in the building. I took a short length of air line hose, plugged it into the coach fitting. Then I poured a liberal amount of air line anti-freeze down the hose. Then I connected the air compressor hose to this hose and built up the air pressure in the coach. This effectively distributed the air line anti-freeze throughout the coach air system. Worked like a charm for me for many years.

Air line antifreeze is a common commodity in Canadian truck stops and truck parts stores. I'm sure it could be bought from Amazon. If you use a vehicle with air brakes in the winter in Canada, you have to use air line anti-freeze.

Jim

Thanks!

BRex45 · 02-02-2018, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Lee

Given that half the advice given on any given topic is plain wrong, which particular posts should one take notice of.

Good point

Man I can't argue with your opinion. 50% correct advice might be a little high.

Cooperhawk · 02-03-2018, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

I took a short length of air line hose, plugged it into the coach fitting. Then I poured a liberal amount of air line anti-freeze down the hose. Then I connected the air compressor hose to this hose and built up the air pressure in the coach. This effectively distributed the air line anti-freeze throughout the coach air system. Worked like a charm for me for many years.Jim

Now there is some wisdom I can use. I did connect my compressor to the coach air system and attempted to release the brakes and inflate the air bags, but there was ice blocking that as well. My thought was to run the genset and pressurize the system long enough to get it into the warm shop. Nope, nope, nope.

I will try the anti freeze in the lines. Thanks. In my old trucking days we used to pour heat into the trailer connector lines to deice them. Just hadn't figured out a way to do it to the MH.

As to the poster who thinks I should take all the free advice on face value, nope, nope, nope. I posted to report a problem I had and what my solution is going to be, not for everyone else's plan. However it did result in some good ideas.

Cooperhawk · 02-03-2018, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRex45

Why start a thread on this site when you won't take any advice as you seem to have all the answers?

This site is great for people seeking advice or relating experiences to other members.

I do have all the right answers for me. I learned long ago that I was going to make mistakes in life and after taking advice from so many folks that turned out to be wrong, I decided all on my own, that I would analyze each situation, listen to solutions, and then make my own darn mistakes.

Sorry bout that.

Cooperhawk · 02-14-2018, 07:15 AM

To be fair and honest, when we got under the coach we found the Air Dryer at the Compressor was damaged. The electrical wires had rubbed against the frame and shorted out. That could explain all the moisture in the system.

We did replace it along with all the dump valves on each air tank with cables.

Almost $400.00 for the dryer alone.

Chargerman · 02-14-2018, 09:13 AM

Well there you go. You should be in good shape now after running for awhile to dry everything out

Congrats and good luck

CountryB · 02-14-2018, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

Off hand, two ways that I can think of off hand.

First, there is an air brake antifreeze injector kit that you can purchase to permanently mount in the air line system. Most Canadian trucks have this installed in the air system.

When I worked as a diesel mechanic up north, there where lots of times when I had to use air brake alcohol to unfreeze brakes. I'm not aware of the alcohol ever causing a problem. That was 20 years ago. But most of the trucks, as I recall, did not have air dryers back then.

Now, if you go to Bendix website and read what they have to say on this subject, they say - "do not put alcohol in the brake system" because the alcohol will wash the lubricants off the internals and cause premature valve wear/failure.

I don't know if the internals "rubber, lube, etc.) of the valves have changed in the last 20 years, or if this was always Bendix's position.