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Topic: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK) (Read 3024 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #25 –
Quote from: hotonthetrail –
Would it be feasible and logical to install an additional appropriate filter after the dryer? THANKS JC

Actually, just servicing the dryer every 3 year or so will prevent 90% of the issues.  Failure of a dryer that has been serviced is very rare.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #26 –
In my opinion, replacing the tanks should be far cheaper than paying a tech $100+/hour to clean them.  On my coach, the three tanks are all identical.  While I could not find a price for our JWP tanks on the Internet (I'm sure Mike Grimes could give you a price), similar tanks sell for $100 or so.

Since I had nothing better to do, I cleaned my own tanks.  It was a messy job, but didn't cost me any real $.

Cleaning the tanks required removing all the fittings.  To replace the tank, all you would need to do extra would be remove 4 bolts, pull out the old tank, put in the new tank, and replace the 4 bolts.  Pretty simple.  The tanks are not very heavy.

Jim
Jim McNeece
2003 U320 40'
2017 Chevy Colorado Tow

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #27 –
Rebuilding the air dryer isn't difficult at all, and it's not expensive if you order the parts online. I can research what I paid for all my rebuild parts if anyone cares, but it was way less than replacing the air dryer as I recall. The difficult part, at least on my coach, is getting the air dryer out of the coach and back in again. If you can do that you can rebuild the air dryer in no time. On my coach it's located up high in the passenger side rear corner of the coach. I have long arms but it was still a stretch for me to get to it. It's a little bit heavy too, especially if you're holding it up there a long time trying to get it back into the clamp rings. Look at the dryer and realistically estimate if you'll be physically able to get it out and back in again before you even start the job. If you can do that you'll have no trouble rebuilding it. If you can get some young whippersnapper with long arms to take it out and put it back in after you rebuild it you'll be even better off. :))  My air dryer is probably the original, which is to say well over 20 years old, and I doubt it had ever been rebuilt. My coach has low mileage on it though and the air dryer is only in use when the engine is running. I don't know how that affects the service interval, if at all? The only problems I found with my air dryer were the rubber exhaust hose was so deteriorated that it had fallen apart and oil was blowing everywhere when the purge valve released air, and the little check valve inside the air dryer had disintegrated and obviously wasn't working anymore. I don't know how the failure of the check valve affected the performance of the air dryer but I presume the manufacturer installed it for a reason, so I replaced it with a new one, along with a new purge valve, desiccant canister, o rings, and everything else except the electric heater and thermostat, mainly because I didn't have a soldering iron with me at the time, but I still have those parts if I do need to replace them. I didn't see any signs of white powder escaping in  my system. My main point here is that it's a lot cheaper and only slightly more difficult to rebuild your air dryer instead of replacing it. You're still gonna have to get the old air dryer out and back in again, and that's by far the most difficult part on my coach. Hopefully other models have the air dryer located in a more easily accessible location. The actual rebuild part is really easy so have no fear of that.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #28 –
Quote from: RRadio –
My main point here is that it's a lot cheaper and only slightly more difficult to rebuild your air dryer instead of replacing it.

For those with the Haldex air dryers, it's actually just a little bit more expensive and a whole lot easier to just buy a reman'd air dryer from NAPA

Desiccant powder in air system - anybody else with this experience?
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #29 –
I second what Michelle said. 

It was duck soup to simply replace the entire Haldex unit on my 2003 with a reman unit from Napa.

My post describing replacing the Haldex:

Desiccant powder in air system - anybody else with this experience?
Jim McNeece
2003 U320 40'
2017 Chevy Colorado Tow

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #30 –
Instead of rebuilding my air dryer I purchased a new on on the web. My reasoning was, if I had to take the old one out to rebuild it, I may as well buy a newer model and just install it. RRadio says it is a "bit" heavy, you better believe it. After lifting the thing I decided to have the folks at Mecca install it. I watched while TWO technicians installed the new dryer, and said to myself , "good decision, Roland".

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #31 –
Quote from: Roland Begin –
RRadio says it is a "bit" heavy, you better believe it. After lifting the thing I decided to have the folks at Mecca install it. I watched while TWO technicians installed the new dryer, and said to myself , "good decision, Roland".

Could be the one that's on the older coaches.  On ours, I held the Haldex dryer in place (wearing my pink leopard print Mechanix gloves) while Steve made the connections.  He can tell you I'm not exactly "strong like bull" ;)

I also was the one to take the old one back to NAPA for the core charge refund...
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #32 –
Could be the one that's on the older coaches.  On ours, I held the Haldex dryer in place (wearing my pink leopard print Mechanic's gloves)

I sure would have liked to have been the to see you in your gloves !!!
1993 U300, 6v92
build 4366
USAF retired, Flight Engineer, C124, C130
 ATP, A & E.  & ex AI

Re: Air Dryer desiccant contamination creates symptoms of air leak (split from Re: AIR LEAK)

Reply #33 –
My air dryer is the Bendix AD4 and I probably saved at least $100 by rebuilding it instead of replacing it. I didn't think it was particularly heavy except when I had to hold it way up there a long time to get the clamp rings around it when I put the air dryer back in. That's why I said to look at it first and realistically estimate if you'll be physically able to do the job before you even start... I'm sure you can rebuild the air dryer if you can get it out and back in. I have have confidence in you! ^.^d
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)