Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

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Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

August 07, 2013, 07:16:52 pm

In for major servicing the shop says my rear hydraulic fan drive radiator motor with the fittings has enough of a leak to wet the mount. What's the consensus here? Monitor or replace immediately?

Anyone already gone through this on a sister coach and has a source for the correct motor or have a correct spare and not need it?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #1 – August 07, 2013, 07:34:04 pm

Bob if you catch it early enough, it may be able to be rebuilt. I waited And the bearings had destroyed the inside of the motor. New motor required and diffificult to find.

On Wednesday, August 7, 2013, Caflashbob wrote:

Quote

In for major servicing the shop says my rear hydraulic fan drive radiator motor with the fittings has enough of a leak to wet the mount. What's the consensus here? Monitor or replace immediately?

Anyone already gone through this on a sister coach and has a source for the correct motor or have a correct spare and not need it?

Thanks in advance.
Bob
Bob

1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132, wtbi ce27, 4th owner 4/06/2012

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #2 – August 07, 2013, 07:59:55 pm

I just left MOT for service and asked them about a small leak that I thought was coming from the fitting in top of the rear fan motor. They thought it was coming from the seal but tightened the fittings. Leak was not enough to reach the ground and have noticed it for several years. They called a distributor and price for a new fan was over $700, but did not reccomend replacing it for such a small leak. Sorry, but did not ask for a part number. I will just continue to watch it for now.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #3 – August 07, 2013, 08:53:33 pm

Why don't you smart phone photo the make/model/part number of the pump and comparison shop for another? Sister coach may or may not be the same motor.

Hard to say without seeing if seeping or a leak and knowing the shop's motive at the same time.

Pierce

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #4 – August 07, 2013, 09:00:15 pm

Quote from: Don Hay – August 07, 2013, 07:34:04 pm

Bob if you catch it early enough, it may be able to be rebuilt. I waited And the bearings had destroyed the inside of the motor. New motor required and diffificult to find.

On Wednesday, August 7, 2013, Caflashbob wrote:

They are a large well run non rebuild shop.

I like the tightening and cleaning it up and monitoring it. I assume its worn. Will see if I can get a picture and number off of it. They said they can get them made if not available. 1-2 weeks.

I rebuild things. Not sure about hydraulic motors.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #5 – August 07, 2013, 09:10:36 pm

I've been watching a seeping hydraulic fan motor for six years and 75,000 miles. I just clean up the area once a year.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #6 – August 07, 2013, 09:22:16 pm

Quote from: amos.harrison – August 07, 2013, 09:10:36 pm

I've been watching a seeping hydraulic fan motor for six years and 75,000 miles. I just clean up the area once a year.

Great info. What do you use for cleanup?

Hate to damage it more. Bob

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #7 – August 07, 2013, 09:24:16 pm

Brake cleaner, the strongest degreaser I know---after a lot of scraping with a putty knife.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #8 – August 07, 2013, 11:36:45 pm

Quote from: amos.harrison – August 07, 2013, 09:10:36 pm

I've been watching a seeping hydraulic fan motor for six years and 75,000 miles. I just clean up the area once a year.

Ours is doing the same...Ordered a spare to carry along just in case....BUT...at $3K a heck of a part to carry...Think me will return it (althought it was the last one they had in stock....

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #9 – August 07, 2013, 11:54:39 pm

Quote from: Jeff Savournin – August 07, 2013, 11:36:45 pm

Ours is doing the same...Ordered a spare to carry along just in case....BUT...at $3K a heck of a part to carry...Think me will return it (althought it was the last one they had in stock....

My guy may not know but he quoted me $1200 plus labor. Said could be made to order.

Like the spare just in case.....

Bob

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #10 – August 08, 2013, 12:22:50 pm

Would those interested in the hydraulic fan motors go to zorotools.com look under the hydraulic motor and pumps section and see if any of the motors might apply. The specs are also accessable. thanks jc

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #11 – August 08, 2013, 01:08:02 pm

Thanks for the info everyone. Told them to clean up the area and will monitor it for now.

Fingers crossed. Having them verify the two speed fan control works. The a/c fan was on all the time. Now fixed seperately.

Bob

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #12 – August 08, 2013, 02:03:33 pm

Had a wet seal on the rear fan motor 8 years ago when we bought the coach, rinse it off with the water hose and some simple green a couple of times a year. If you do a search on the forum someone had a hyd fan motor rebuilt and some other work done at a hyd shop in WVA, seems like to me it was very reasonable no where near $1000.00, might be worth shipping it to them.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #13 – August 08, 2013, 03:32:21 pm

Bob,

Had lots of hydraulic motors in our fleets over the years. If it's not dripping just wetting around the seal area then just clean it up and check it now and again. Pretty common.

Keith

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #14 – August 08, 2013, 03:52:05 pm

Hi Bob,
If you are on the east coast, a member here, Jon Twork, had hydraulic fan motors repaired. The shop he used seems very reasonable. The shop would use Fed Ex/UPS, making it a little easier for some.
He gave a breakdown, June 2012, and posted on this forum. The shop was still open a few months ago.

Mr. Wayne Beckett
J & S Hydraulics, Inc
785 Airport Road
Sutton, WV 26601

Office: 304-765-7008
Cell: 304-619-4776
FAX:304-765-0109I

Raymond

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #15 – August 08, 2013, 10:09:30 pm

Bunch of pros here. What an asset. I used to be good with Foretravel stuff but stopped after 93 or so.

Thanks guys. Had them clean it up.

Bob

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #16 – August 08, 2013, 11:17:16 pm

Quote from: Caflashbob – August 07, 2013, 09:00:15 pm

I rebuild things. Not sure about hydraulic motors.

I had mine rebuilt at ACS Hydraulics, Inc. 756 N Hariton St, Orange, CA 92868 (714) 997-4800
Foretravel Hydraulic Pump Rebuild

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #17 – August 08, 2013, 11:34:34 pm

What documentation! I feel like an expert pump tech just looking at your photos. Nice job Berry.

Pierce

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #18 – August 08, 2013, 11:45:40 pm

Barry did they do the removal?

I build four stroke dirt bike motors as a hobby biz. That's cool.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #19 – August 09, 2013, 12:30:29 am

Quote from: Caflashbob – August 08, 2013, 11:45:40 pm

Barry did they do the removal?

I build four stroke dirt bike motors as a hobby biz. That's cool.

No, They just repaired it when I brought it in. I had a mechanic remove it.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #20 – August 09, 2013, 10:41:50 am

I had a leak in this area also and it turned out to be that the solenoid switch that activates the hydraulic motor was working loose over time. I would tighten it and before too many miles it would vibrate itself loose again. Evan when it was tight, it would still weep a little. It took some research, but I finally found a drawing of the hyd. motor and was able to determine that I could remove the solenoid and replace the "O" ring without it going "sproing" and have pieces all over. "O" rings take a set after some time and just wont seal anymore. I got a new "O" ring from the local auto parts store and replaced the old one. I tightened it back up again and installed a keeper on the switch so it would not rotate loose again and it has been weep free since. Let me clarify, it is the core of the solenoid that screws into the hyd motor. A point of interest that I found out in this operation is that the power steering hyd system supplies the pressure to operate this hyd. motor and alot of leakage over time could adversely affect the power steering. Good luck on whatever your specific problem is and I hope I could shed some light on this. ---- Fritz

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #21 – August 20, 2013, 05:38:50 pm

I need some advice. While at Tennessee RV last week, the tech noted that our fan motors are leaking oil and suggested service. I got under the coach today to have a better look and I posted some pics here:

Misc pics

I'd really appreciate it if some of you would take a look and tell me what you think. They are leaking a bit, but it does not look all that serious to the untrained eye. Need to be fixed now (we are in NC)? Or can it wait till we get back to Tucson. Once there I can have them removed and rebuilt in either of the sites noted above.

Thanks in advance. My email is gmhatfield100@gmail.com if you want to use email.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #22 – August 20, 2013, 05:57:24 pm

Doesn't look serious to me. Serious bucks if you can't find a reasonable rebuilder.

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #23 – August 20, 2013, 06:19:58 pm

George,

Looks like a long time seep to me. Would think it might need immediate attention if it were running down the mount or dripping but it appears to have been this way for quite a while, perhaps thousands of miles. I would drive it home and then worry about it. But don't want to be the guy you curse if it goes south.

Pierce

Re: Hydraulic fan motor with small leak

Reply #24 – August 20, 2013, 06:37:52 pm

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/v/s280x280/1080831_10201583486047410_2086649275_n.jpg?oh=5ac3a6249fd4b4da66f543eca67fbc7f&oe=52156E99&__gda__=1377203830_7f979ed2dde66a6d054411ddc396e9d2

Thsi is the spare we carry in case ours goes south....Am sure it is different from George's. You don't want to know the cost...

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