Community Forums

SDM1 · 04-12-2014, 01:49 PM

Started up the coach today and noticed strong ammonia smell! Looked around coach and it is blowing white smoke and fluid out the exhaust pipe! Checked the fluid coming out and it is the DEF fluid, verified by tank level also ( when started had full tank of DEF now at half tank) ran engine for maybe 15 minutes! Now we have went into limp mode! Freightliner help desk says system saturated and shutting me down! The big problem is the coach cannot be driven now, every 30 seconds it shuts off engine!
Has anyone had this problem before?
If so what was done to repair?
Just need some help here, we have called freightliner and cummins with no luck so far!

Tony

wnytaxman · 04-12-2014, 02:02 PM

If you have an Entegra, why would you call Freightliner? Your rig is on a Spartan chassis. Your issue sounds like a Cummins issue.

tnrzryd · 04-12-2014, 02:03 PM

Sorry to hear about your issues but don't you have a Spartan chassis? Call them and then Coach Net if you need a tow to them.

tnrzryd · 04-12-2014, 02:05 PM

Also call Entegras after hours number at 574-361-0034 to get them involved. They should be able to help expedite repairs.

DSL417 · 04-12-2014, 02:06 PM

Spartan has a help desk person on during the weekends. I don't have the number, but if you call Entegra after hours, they can pass your need to Spartan, or give you the Spartan number.

tnrzryd · 04-12-2014, 02:10 PM

Spartan customer support 800-543-4277.

SDM1 · 04-12-2014, 02:16 PM

I am calling Freightliner because my coach is a 2011 and IS a freightliner chassis! Joyce , Rhonda at Freightliner help center are trying to help but none of us can get a reply from Cummins!
I posted to see if anyone else has had this type problem and if so what was done to resolve issue! Currently my coach is not drivable and we are at least 50 miles from nearest shop!

Tony

tnrzryd · 04-12-2014, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDM1

I am calling Freightliner because my coach is a 2011 and IS a freightliner chassis! Joyce , Rhonda at Freightliner help center are trying to help but none of us can get a reply from Cummins!
I posted to see if anyone else has had this type problem and if so what was done to resolve issue! Currently my coach is not drivable and we are at least 50 miles from nearest shop!

Tony

Tony, see if your original message is editable and if so post your year and that it is a Freightliner chassis. That way all subsequent viewers do t jump to the conclusions most of here just did.

SDM1 · 04-12-2014, 03:07 PM

Folks read into it enough to know its an Entegra so either chassis should not matter if they actually pay attention! To me it matters not the chassis type, has anyone had the problem or heard of such!
So far every place we have contacted say never heard of such. Is that even possible? Well i am here to tell ya, YEP its possible!
So far NO cummins shop is willing to work on it, last one said call a wrecker and have it towed to a Freightliner shop and let them worry with it! Nice from a cummins service center! Not sure about everyone else but i am not comfortable having the coach towed behind a wrecker!

tnrzryd · 04-12-2014, 03:30 PM

No haven't heard. Request a lowboy tow.

brobox · 04-12-2014, 03:32 PM

Sorry to hear of your problems, but if you are in limp mode, good chance you will need to be towed. A Cummins computer problem can only be cleared by Cummins as they are the only ones that own the software. If I may make a couple of suggestions from experience to eliminate the problems I have had. I had the ealier vesion of an Entegra and have been towed a couple of time.

Make SURE the tow truck driver connects the air line in your forward basement compartment. An Entegra does sit low in the front end...with that said remove the cowl in front of the generator, it is only four 9/16 nuts to remove it. If not it will bounce on the wrecker boom and cause considerably damage. I learned that lesson the hard way. Second tow, I removed the cowl and no problems with that tow.

Also have the driver tape the grease cups in the U joints as soon as he pulls the drive shaft. If not, dirt can get in the grease cups knocking the U joints out in about 5,000 miles. Learned that the hard way too. Sorry I don't have a fix for the DEF problem, but I can share towing problems that will hopefully help.

MRUSA14 · 04-12-2014, 03:59 PM

Good points about towing. Thanks Chuck.

Maybe you can avoid a tow if you raise a stink with Cummins HQ on Monday. It seems like in an emergency like you have, they should come out and fix it on the spot.

SDM1 · 04-12-2014, 06:19 PM

Thanks for the advise Chuck! That the kind of information i need to help me out. Joyce with Entegra and Rhonda with Freightliner are a big help rite now, they have found a wrecker service that will pickup the coach and a shop they THINK will fix it! The only issue is the repair shop will be 12 hours away from home and we really need to get back to Tennessee!

EngineerMike · 04-12-2014, 06:39 PM

unfortunately w/this type of problem, you get to fix it where you have the problem, unless you have towing insurance that will tow you home. Sounds like a simple problem like the DEF injector stuck wide open. Never heard of it before, but if its mechanical then somebody somewhere will have had the issue.