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Topic: check for coolant leak (Read 947 times) previous topic - next topic

check for coolant leak

I spent this summer camped in Acadia national park on an unpaved campsite. Now I'm in the campground at JAARS in Waxhaw NC on a concrete pad campsite. One of the first things I noticed was a growing puddle of liquid under my engine. At first I thought it was condensation from the cold weather we had, but it's still there now that the weather is warm. I then thought it might be a tiny leak I've been watching very carefully on a transmission fitting. I rolled around under the engine on a creeper and discovered it's actually antifreeze leaking from a plastic tee, or "Y" to be more accurate, on the heater hose above the transmission. The tee is where the coolant filter splices into the system. The clamps are facing the wrong way of course, because they were installed from above before the floor was installed in the coach. I got a ratchet strap and pulled all the other wires and hoses away from the one that's leaking, which was quite an ordeal, then tightened the hose clamp as much as I dared with a 1/4" socket. I noticed the other hoses are rubbing on the transmission mount and will eventually wear all the way through, so it's probably a good thing to roll around under there on a creeper every so often to check stuff like that before it leaks and leaves you stranded somewhere. Look at those tees on the heater hoses above your transmission. There are a bunch of them and they've all got hose clamps that can leak. Mine has been leaking a long time because I've been adding antifreeze and wondering where it was going. I couldn't find the leak until I was camped on a concrete pad so the puddle would show up. Check the coolant level and oil level as part of your pre-flight inspection each day before you start your engine. Check your belts and hoses and of course check to see if there's a kitty laying on top of your engine before you start it. You don't wanna learn about that one the hard way. Check your tire air pressure too... It's good to already know you have a small leak even before you're able to find the puddle, just saying.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #1 –
PITA!! I changed all my hoses front to back the other week, those are a bugger to get too!!I also found chafing on the trans mount and added chafing gear and pulled everything up with heavy duty zip ties.
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #2 –
Yeah, I think I'm gonna pull those hoses away from the transmission mount with a heavy duty zip tie. They'll wear through and leak eventually if I don't. I always look for stuff like that whenever I'm underneath my coach.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #3 –
In many cases, gusseting them is a better answer.

Select a hose (used hose is fine) with an ID the same size as the OD of the hose you want to protect.  Cut a length sufficient to protect the area in question plus a couple of inches.  Slit the hose lengthwise.  Slip it over the hose to be protected.  Use nylon zip ties to secure it.
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: check for coolant leak

Reply #4 –
I've done that several times only to find the sleeve slipped down the hose or turned itself and fell off or some other annoying thing that puts the hose right back on the sharp object again. I found that moving the hose away from the sharp object is the only way to satisfy my paranoia.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #5 –
Those plastic y adapters are where my heater hose replacement stopped.  The rest from front to rear look like they maybe have been replaced already.  So I drive with my fingers crossed and a right sized coupler and hose clamps so that I can affect a roadside repair and then fill wiht water from the tank to get me to a store with Fleetguard OAT

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #6 –
Now that I found and fixed the coolant leak I went to the local Detroit Diesel dealer and bought their bright pink radiator chemical additive. Unfortunately I can't get the pink stuff into the radiator without making a mess, and adding it to the plastic overflow can isn't getting the pink stuff into the radiator either. When the weather warms up enough that I can turn off my block heater the pink stuff will probably get pulled in from the plastic overflow can... hopefully
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #7 –
Scott,
My metal coolant tank is hard to add any fluid to. What I do now is to pour coolant from the gallon container into an old plastic water bottle, they are pretty thin so the can bend a little, and then pour it in from that.
good luck,
Rick

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Rick –
Scott,
My metal coolant tank is hard to add any fluid to. What I do now is to pour coolant from the gallon container into an old plastic water bottle, they are pretty thin so the can bend a little, and then pour it in from that.
good luck,

bought a long piece of radiator hose.  5 feet
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #9 –
Or just get a beer bong. Pro Tip: Don't use it as a beer bong after pouring antifreeze through it.

see ya
ken
The selected media item is not currently available.ken & dori hathaway & Big Agnes
🍺1992 U300 GrandVilla WTBI #4150 FOT FBP 2011
✨6V-92TA DDEC Parlor Coach 350HP Series 92
🏁2011 Nissan XTerra Pro-4X

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #10 –
My radiator and overflow tank are completely full and I can't pour any more pink stuff in without making a mess. I need to wait for the weather to warm up so I can shut off the block heater, then there'll be enough room to pour the pink stuff in... or maybe I shouldn't have fixed the leak so well?
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #11 –
Scott why don't you crawl under and drain some coolant out of the petcock on the radiator then add the pink stuff into the radiator cap up top?
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #12 –
What is "Pink Stuff", and what does it do?
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #13 –
Our coach design has an open corner space above the radiator overflow.  We use an inexpensive plastic fitting with a shutoff screwed onto the top of the antifreeze gallon jug.  With the shutoff closed we turn gallon upside down up into the open space, and with fitting in the overflow container, open shutoff to fill overflow.
All coaches don't have this open space.

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #14 –
I found that the flexible extension that screws to the bottom of an "automotive" funnel will fit the top of a coolant container. Screw the extension to the top of a plastic coolant container and you can "squeeze" the coolant into the overflow container. It's difficult to get all of the coolant from a single container into the overflow bottle. However, you can add the remains of the previous container to the top of a new container on the next fill. I've found this to be a simple, effective way to top off the coolant overflow bottle.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: check for coolant leak

Reply #15 –
The "pink stuff" is the coolant chemical additive for Detroit Diesel. I didn't want to drain the coolant unless I have to.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)