Community Forums

brobox · 09-25-2022, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeezerViz

Thanks everyone for your input. This AM, without the sun shining in my eyes, I was able to see a small wet spot on the bottom right corner when looking through the fins. It's about the size of a quarter and has a leaf stuck to it, so made it hard to see. I filled my expansion tank yesterday morning, which took about a quart of fluid. Last night before bed, the sight glass was about half full. This AM it's empty. Not sure if that is any indication of how big the leak is. Of course all this happens on a weekend when everyone is closed!

Many auto parts use to loan or rent pressure testers. Might need a NAPA that will have one for truck size fill necks. It takes only a couple of minute to pump up the radiator to pressure to see where the leak is coming from. If not, any truck shop can do the test.

Gary.Jones · 09-25-2022, 07:25 AM

That bottom right corner, when looking through the side vents, was the CLASSIC exact place most of us found wetness and the first signs of our leaks on our coaches.

Sadly, the bad radiators were routinely installed in all Anthem, Insignia, and Aspire coaches from about 2013/2014 up through 2017/2018. Spartan kept putting them in until their stock was depleted. Even bad radiators under warranty were replaced with equally bad radiators as the new repair. Many of us had two bad radiators replaced.

Some people had them repaired..... most had them replaced.

Gary

Grower15 · 09-25-2022, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeezerViz

Thanks everyone for your input. This AM, without the sun shining in my eyes, I was able to see a small wet spot on the bottom right corner when looking through the fins. It's about the size of a quarter and has a leaf stuck to it, so made it hard to see. I filled my expansion tank yesterday morning, which took about a quart of fluid. Last night before bed, the sight glass was about half full. This AM it's empty. Not sure if that is any indication of how big the leak is. Of course all this happens on a weekend when everyone is closed!

Mike,
Did all of the coolant you put in last night leak out or just a little (small puddle)? If not, you should be fine driving to LV. If you want to be safe and have time, the Cummins shop should be able to test your system and at least give you a prognosis. Also, you might want to call NIRVC Las Vegas to confirm the can replace your radiator. Other wise Rush Truck Center in North Las Vegas is huge and works on various chassis’s (not sure about Spartan). Specialty Vehicles (south side of Las Vegas) is/was a Spartan certified facility. They replaced our surge tank on our previous 2016 Anthem.

Swerwin · 09-25-2022, 07:38 AM

Ours is currently in the shop at NIRVC Atlanta for the radiator replacement. I initially saw some wetness a couple months ago and tightened the lower hose clamps. Seemed better. We then left Georgia and made a trip to Maine. At the campgound in Maine I added a quart of antifreeze. Upon arriving home in Georgia, I could see a wet area abount 4 inches in diameter in the lower corner and added another quart of antifreeze.
I would add antifreeze as needed and go on to NIRVC.

GeezerViz · 09-25-2022, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grower15

Mike,
Did all of the coolant you put in last night leak out or just a little (small puddle)? If not, you should be fine driving to LV. If you want to be safe and have time, the Cummins shop should be able to test your system and at least give you a prognosis. Also, you might want to call NIRVC Las Vegas to confirm the can replace your radiator. Other wise Rush Truck Center in North Las Vegas is huge and works on various chassis’s (not sure about Spartan). Specialty Vehicles (south side of Las Vegas) is/was a Spartan certified facility. They replaced our surge tank on our previous 2016 Anthem.

Yes, everything put in yesterday AM is gone as of this AM. I didn't add anything last night, just noticed the sight glass was half full.

757driver · 09-25-2022, 08:51 AM

Mike,

Mine went in the fall of 2020 when heading to Vancouver Island from Ontario. I wrestled whit the same questions and in the end elected to continue on to our winter destination (another 1200 miles) from where the leak started AND then returning to a friends place in Saskatchewan in the spring of 2021 (another 1200 miles) to do the radiator change out myself.

In all I added about 4 gallons of antifreeze during the leak. One additional point to keep in mind if the leak gets worse you have a low level sensor on your surge tank that will alert you with a dash message if the fluid gets down by more than about 1 gallon.

Good luck.

MtCamper · 09-25-2022, 09:14 AM

If you know you need to replace the radiator anyway just put several tablespoons of pepper in it. That will stop the leak and get you home. Old Jeeper trick that usually works. Don't use it for a loose hose clamp. I'd replace the radiator as soon as I could but I do know guys who have run this repair for months.

Fotoryder · 09-25-2022, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtCamper

If you know you need to replace the radiator anyway just put several tablespoons of pepper in it. That will stop the leak and get you home. Old Jeeper trick that usually works. Don't use it for a loose hose clamp. I'd replace the radiator as soon as I could but I do know guys who have run this repair for months.

This is an old school repair trick. Use ground black pepper from the grocery store.

bevandtomH · 09-25-2022, 10:59 AM

They may look tight but…..Get under there and tighten those upper and lower hose clamps. Changing temps will loosen them.
Hose off clamps, hoses and radiator, let dry, then re-assess the condition.

Easy to get a hose split at the clamp.
Hoses are proprietary to Spartan. About $300.00 for the lower one.

If it is the radiator, make sure they replace all the hoses.

GeezerViz · 09-26-2022, 05:15 PM

Just to follow up.. I decided to take y'all advice and drive it. I put about a quart of fluid in before I left and watched my temp gauge like a hawk. It stayed mostly around 198 degrees and only jumped up to 205 when going up a long hill. Upon arrival I checked the expansion tank and the sight glass was full.
Arrived in Pahrump where I'll stay until my Monday appointment at NIRVC in Vegas. From there we'll see about how quickly I can get this one swapped out. Spartan says the cost of a new radiator is $2,572 but will show me some goodwill and sell for $1,303 plus tax/shipping. I didn't ask about new hoses but will. Thank you everyone for your input!
Mike

bevandtomH · 09-27-2022, 07:52 AM

Glad you made it
Always a relief to not be stuck on the side of the road in any vehicle

brobox · 09-28-2022, 12:29 AM

Nice that Spartan helped you out on the cost, you were very fortunate.

voltdoc · 09-29-2022, 05:50 AM

Great that Spartan padded the cost for you and you are getting closer to a resolution.

Just a note about the sight glass. Obviously the coolant will expand significantly at engine temperatures,
but also if your daytime vs night time ambient temp range is fairly wide, the antifreeze will noticably expand and contract even without a leak or running the engine. I did the calculation once, forgot the exact numbers, but given the large volume of coolant in the system, say for a 40 degree ambient temp swing (which wouldn't be unusual in the desert), it is a surprisingly large variation in volume.

While parked, I have often observed the AF level near the middle or bottom of my sight glass in the early AM and it will be totally covered in the afternoon just from the change in ambient temp.

Just saying your sight glass will only be an accurate indicator of fluid loss if you compare levels when the coolant is around the same temperature.

Grower15 · 09-29-2022, 08:45 AM

Mike,
One other thing to check is the inside neck of the expansion tank for rust. Spartan replaced it on our previous 2016 Anthem under warranty. The weld between the neck and tank was prone to rust which in the long run would cause a leak. Not sure if Spartan fixed this on the 2017s.