Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Rick & Julie on June 03, 2021, 08:27:04 am

Title: Air leak
Post by: Rick & Julie on June 03, 2021, 08:27:04 am
When parked in travel mode the right side will leak down and lower. The right rear leaks down in three days and the right front in a week. Is there a common point where this leak is occurring?
Title: Re: Air leak
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on June 03, 2021, 08:38:23 am
You are not in "Travel Mode" when you are parked.  When parked, you are either in "Auto Level" mode, or the leveling system is turned completely off. 

If you are in "Auto Level" mode, the leveling system should compensate for the right side dropping by letting air out of the left side to maintain level.  When the system can no longer compensate by releasing air from the left side (IE one of the front corners has less than 10 psi in the bags) then the system will attempt to maintain level by using the HWH aux air pump to add pressure to the appropriate side or corner.

The only thing in common between the "right rear" and the "right front" air bags is the fact that they connect to the HWH 6-pack manifolds...one in the rear and one in the front.

You can either live with the leaks (which IMO are not excessive) or you can chase them.  Use kids bubble solution to check the air line connections at the bags and at the 6-pack.  Check the 6-packs for external leaks around the solenoid valves.  If no leaks evident, next logical step is to rebuild the 6-packs using the kits available from Tom McCloud.  Email or PM Tom if you wish to purchase kits.  You need one kit for each manifold.

Replica HWH Plungers Redux (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28733.msg415468#msg415468)

https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=profile;u=4660




Title: Re: Air leak
Post by: Chris m lang on June 03, 2021, 11:40:11 am
Rick, I finally bit the bullet and overhauled both front and back 6 packs with parts from Tom (see link in chucks post)
coach has been raised in my shop for over 2 weeks and hasn't lowered any.  I put safety blocks in frame and coach hasn't set down on blocks yet.
Chris
Title: Re: Air leak
Post by: Peter on June 03, 2021, 07:54:28 pm
Chris
How difficult was it to do the six packs?
Title: Re: Air leak
Post by: Rick & Julie on June 04, 2021, 09:47:36 am
You are not in "Travel Mode" when you are parked.  When parked, you are either in "Auto Level" mode, or the leveling system is turned completely off. 

If you are in "Auto Level" mode, the leveling system should compensate for the right side dropping by letting air out of the left side to maintain level.  When the system can no longer compensate by releasing air from the left side (IE one of the front corners has less than 10 psi in the bags) then the system will attempt to maintain level by using the HWH aux air pump to add pressure to the appropriate side or corner.

The only thing in common between the "right rear" and the "right front" air bags is the fact that they connect to the HWH 6-pack manifolds...one in the rear and one in the front.

You can either live with the leaks (which IMO are not excessive) or you can chase them.  Use kids bubble solution to check the air line connections at the bags and at the 6-pack.  Check the 6-packs for external leaks around the solenoid valves.  If no leaks evident, next logical step is to rebuild the 6-packs using the kits available from Tom McCloud.  Email or PM Tom if you wish to purchase kits.  You need one kit for each manifold.

Replica HWH Plungers Redux (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28733.msg415468#msg415468)

https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=profile;u=4660





You are not in "Travel Mode" when you are parked.  When parked, you are either in "Auto Level" mode, or the leveling system is turned completely off. 

If you are in "Auto Level" mode, the leveling system should compensate for the right side dropping by letting air out of the left side to maintain level.  When the system can no longer compensate by releasing air from the left side (IE one of the front corners has less than 10 psi in the bags) then the system will attempt to maintain level by using the HWH aux air pump to add pressure to the appropriate side or corner.

The only thing in common between the "right rear" and the "right front" air bags is the fact that they connect to the HWH 6-pack manifolds...one in the rear and one in the front.

You can either live with the leaks (which IMO are not excessive) or you can chase them.  Use kids bubble solution to check the air line connections at the bags and at the 6-pack.  Check the 6-packs for external leaks around the solenoid valves.  If no leaks evident, next logical step is to rebuild the 6-packs using the kits available from Tom McCloud.  Email or PM Tom if you wish to purchase kits.  You need one kit for each manifold.

Replica HWH Plungers Redux (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28733.msg415468#msg415468)

https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=profile;u=4660


Thanks for the education. I have given the rear system a bubble bath. Only leak I detected was a very, very slight leak at right rear dump valve on the six pack.
A new oring cured that issue. I have yet to check the front. Also thanks for the contact for the six pack rebuild kits.


Title: Re: Air leak
Post by: folivier on June 04, 2021, 10:35:07 am
Just remember that checking for leaks at the 6 pack will only show leaks at the connections and solenoid.  It won't show leaks that occur through the solenoid.  That is where the rebuild kits help by replacing the worn guts which can allow leak throughs.
When I had a Newell with WAY more air systems and complexity one of the guys there built a test rig that we copied.  It's two 1/4" tees with a pressure gauge on each, a ball valve in the middle connecting the 2 tees, then a fitting with a short piece of 1/4" tubing on each end.  The idea is to disconnect the tubing at the 6 pack and add the test fitting.  Then you can isolate the air bags from the 6 pack solenoid to determine which side is leaking.  It may be overkill but can help to determine where your leak is.  It can also be used on any other air system.
Title: Re: Air leak
Post by: bpal on June 04, 2021, 11:42:24 am
In addition to doing the six pack rebuilds with Tom's kits, I also had to replace 2 of the pressure switches that are mounted on the six packs. My pressure switches were leaking from between the brass lower portion and the plastic/synthetic upper half. I purchased the Nason switches from a distributor that I have posted about in the past.