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Topic: Fluid Leaks (Read 821 times) previous topic - next topic

Fluid Leaks

When we purchased the coach four years ago I expected that there were probably a lot of gaskets that were dried up and that there would be some fluids leaking. First thing we did was have Tennessee RV go through with a service a take care of any leaks and a bunch of other stuff. That was four years ago. Since then we have had, fuel pump, hydraulic hoses, oil pump, head gasket, engine coolant, hydrostatic pump and more leaks repaired then I can think of. AND I STILL HAVE OIL SPITTING OUT ON OUR TOWED. And believe it or not except for the burst hydraulic hose leak we have no signs of leaking on the ground no matter how long we are parked. Shoot even our radiator cap leak was not showing up on the ground before I replaced the cap. Our last leak repair episode was in Odessa at the Cummins dealer there. (Was not very happy with my last visit there). Asked them to check for leaks and repair them, the indicated that the oil was coming from the oil pump. They replaced a couple O rings and whatever and told me, after I asked, that the oil pan gasket was not leaking. Well guess what, they are correct, as long as the engine is not running that is, forgot to tell them we drive the thing occasionally. We now have an appointment in Scarborough Maine at the Cummins dealer there. I will ask them to check and repair ALL leaks once again. As we will be in the area for a while perhaps we will finally get the fluids to stay internal to the engine and stop spitting on the Jeep. Hmmm never thought of it, maybe the coach is just trying to tell me it doesn't like the Jeep.

Roland
Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #1 –
Have you checked the slobber tube?  Could you be dealing with ring blow-by rather than leaks?  How much oil are you consuming?  How many miles on the engine?
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #2 –
Look at the cooling fan motors that was the cause of oil on my toad.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #3 –
I had a fuel injector line that was leaking at the injector pump. I thought the leaking fluid was oil. It trashed the towed vehicle. I think it was Dave Katsuki who immediately identified the oily stuff as diesel fuel. He noticed the smell of fuel. The repair was easy after the leaking material was identified. That was a leak that never left drip marks on the ground, but made a mess on the car.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #4 –
The first symptom I saw when I had an "excessive wear event" from a failed air filter was oil spots on the towed Jeep.  This oil blow by comes out the slobber tube (pretty good name for it). I put on a can to catch the blow by oil and when I had a cup in there I new something was up.  Keep looking.

This oil will be black.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #5 –
I have a leak at the air compressor mounting gasket that seals between the compressor and the timing cover. It's on the to do list but the oil collect on the hoses below the access hatch and spits out some vent cutouts in the back bumper. Have a good look there and the engine side of the timing cover.
Toby a 94 u280
Cummins 8.3
6 speed Allison
Exhaust brake


Adopted by Derek and Annabelle

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #6 –
Brett,I don't use a lot of oil. Don't usually add any between changes. Have no clue how many miles on the this coach. I was told it had 100,000 miles on it when we bought it but the speedometer was not working. The engine hour metre was disconnected at a bit over 5400 hours. So unless the coach aversge MPH was around 20 mph coach has many more than 100,000 kmiles.I believe my fluid leak problems result from initial heavy use then very little use allowing the gaskets to dry out. I will check the slobber tube. I remember some threads on this subject and will do some looking back. But I can see the oil leaking out of the oil pan so we gonna start there.
Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #7 –
Roland, I am at 110k miles and my hour meter shows 2000 hrs (close to) so using that formula the factor is 55. Given your hours and multiply it by 55 you get  297k miles. What do you think??
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #8 –
Roland, if you have the C8.3 Cummins, check the back of the air compressor, there is a cover plate with a gasket that was leaking on my 8.3 not a lot of oil just a mess.
The selected media item is not currently available.Bill&Doris 97 U270 36'
University of Parris Island Class of 66
Semper Fi  Build# 5174 MC#17094

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #9 –
Roland,the gaskets are going to dry/wear from time not running the engine.If indeed your oil pan is leaking when running then it
sounds like you have excessive crankcase pressure,see if you can get them or do it yourself and take your crankcase pressure,
will be less than 2 oz.I agree with the above poster about looking for black oil,but first make sure your oil is black to begin with.
Whatever you have leaking it is,hyd oil,fuel,eng. oil,or hyd oil,one of those.
Things you can do to find leaks,wash engine area,try looking at engine when going down the road.The easiest way to find a leak
is when the engine is clean.
I do all my mechanical work myself ,I would advise not to go to a dealer and tell them to find and fix leaks unless you want to go broke.They may know these engines and where the leaks usually come from but all there going to do is look at it and try and find
oil,just as good as you can look for oil.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #10 –
Quote from: John Haygarth –
Roland, I am at 110k miles and my hour meter shows 2000 hrs (close to) so using that formula the factor is 55. Given your hours and multiply it by 55 you get  297k miles. What do you think??
JohnH
I think the engine had somewhere between 200K to 300K miles on it when we came into custody. We have put 43K miles on it. So were looking at maybe 250K to 340K miles. Still not a lot for an 8.3, and at 10K miles a year we are not going to wear it out. We getting decent mileage (8  8.5) {and we are heavy}and have plenty of power.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #11 –
John44

I don't mess with the drive train, if I have to buy them really big wrenches I leave it to the folks with really big tool boxes. I try to pretty much do everything else. I can see the oil seeping out of the oil pan on the driver's side, passenger side of engine is dry. Folks in Odessa steamed cleaned the engine and used dye to detect leaks. Why they did not see that leak is beyond me. Upsets methat they also did an oil change and I don't want the "new-old" oil put back into the engine when they take the oil pan off. As far as the oil pump leak I had verified that leak before Odessa did any repairs. I will ask Cummins in Scarborough Maine to check and see if there is excessive oil pan pressure.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Bill Willett –
Roland, if you have the C8.3 Cummins, check the back of the air compressor, there is a cover plate with a gasket that was leaking on my 8.3 not a lot of oil just a mess.
Fluid seems to coming from a low point, but will check that cover plate.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #13 –
My leak was the 15/40 oil seeping from the hydraulic pump shaft seal, then thrown up and out via the pulley. Only leaked while driving. Not'nee more. 800 bucks on that one.
1994 U280, Build 4490
Deming, NM.

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #14 –
Make sure you do not have too much oil and make sure your "slobber tube" is not plugged up.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #15 –
Corrected my mileage entry, that was for one fill up only. The coach is at the Cummins dealer in Scarborough Me. They told me that the leak I have is from the oil pan gasket. They said that they checked the crank case pressure and it feel within normal range. Wish they would have replaced the gasket in Odessa it would have saved me a bit of oil as I don't want them putting the old oil back in even though it only has a fifteen hundred or so miles on it. Anyway I guess time will tell if I finally have all the leaks taken care of.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers
 

Re: Fluid Leaks

Reply #16 –
Although I don't have many miles on the coach since my repair in Scarborough, I can say that it appears that they have successfully stopped the fluid bleed. Have about a hundred miles and everything is dry, no spitting fluids anywhere. Have developed another concern but that will be a topic for another thread if I cannot resolve it.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers