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Topic: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks (Read 4291 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #60 –
Gary, from my sperience, if your getting moisture/water in the wet tank when you have a air dryer, you waited too long before servicing it or it is very defective.  If that is the case, driving in freezing weather you most likely will have bad issues with brakes from the freezing.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #61 –
@Dave M,

Question.  (I'm asking for Mark's benefit, and also for anyone else who has ever found water in one or more air tanks)  Gary's old coach has sat unused for some time.  Could the water in his tanks be simply caused by long-term condensation?  If he installs a new or rebuild dryer, and gets his coach running, then the "new" air going into the tanks should be dry.  Can the existing water (moisture) in the tanks then be gradually removed by frequent tank draining?  I would think (hope), that as you continually push dry air into the tanks, and remove water from the low points in the plumbing (drains), that you would eventually dry out the system.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #62 –
All three air tanks have drains.  That is what they are there for, to drain water.  The wet tank is called the wet tank for a reason.  The tank drains should be exercised every time you run the coach to drain any accumulated moisture.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #63 –
Dave, My experience was that the dryer was removed and bypassed so I could get it home.  When I drained the tanks there was a tremendous amount of water just from a days drive.  It accumulates fast and as you say cold weather, water and air brakes do not mix.
Gary B

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #64 –
Quote from: cajk –
@Dave M,
 Could the water in his tanks be simply caused by long-term condensation? 

No, as new moisture laden air would have to be constantly introduced into the tank.

We didn't have air dryers and in a coastal city, we got a significant amount of water each morning when checking the tanks. Even a desert climate will have moisture in the air that will condense in the tanks.

Pierce

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #65 –
Mark,

Here is a link to everything you could ever want to know about your air dryer.

Air Dryers/Air Line - Haldex

Keith

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #66 –
OK, now here is something I do not have on our ORED, but am still interested.
I do not know what the air dryer or an AD-9 even looks like. What I do know is what a desiccant does--it removes moisture from the air.
When my company built and crated 50 drilling machines for the U.S. Government, part of the Level A crating specifications required using a desiccant before closing up the crate. When the "Guvmint" inspector saw the open barrel containing the desiccant packages he told me he would fail every on of our machines. I asked why. His reply was that the d-pkgs were sitting open and soaking up moisture. If we would bake them in an oven at 250 degrees for four hours to remove the moisture he would then certify the machines for payment.
Could it be possible to do the same baking for the air dryers used on your coaches? It does mandate having a spare.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #67 –
Hi, I have been lurking here for a while. Purchased our 1990 u300 about 6 months ago.
I found the two "dry" tanks up front and see what I guess is the "wet" tank near the rear end. I see a line coming off the bottom of that tank but don't see where it goes.
Does anybody know where this drain should be on my coach?

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #68 –
Air Dryer Bypass Demo



Thanks to cajk's link on the bypass demo, on page one of this thread, which led to further links.. Emergency Air Dryer Bypass

Thanks also to BeamAlarm !!

I was able to purchase today exactly the parts I needed
 for the bypass... had to go to a hydraulics
hose and fittings company to make the purchase. ...  so still putting things together today for the governor Remove and replace, and the dryer bypass..  I ve decided to also do a
a filter and motor oil change on site..
 I have the oil and the filter.. so why not.. I just feel the oil is still too darn thin...

Main objective of coarse is getting the coach to air up...planning on driving up now Tomorrow..

Still have some tools to dig up

Mark

PS.. I also purchased a "90 degree"  3/4" male flare to 3/4" male flare.. "one piece" .. I think this will work fine.
 I purchased the 3 pieces to make the U shaped bypass too, but the one piece 90 will most likely prove to be all that's needed, eliminating the problem to bend or reroute the hoses straight.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #69 –
Mark, if you feel that the oil is too thin, why not take a sample and send it to Blackstone labs or any other oil sampling company. You might have a fuel issue that is contaminating the oil. Sure wouldn't hurt.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #70 –
1990 U300 wet tank drain.
Not sure about yours, but my 1990 U280 wet tank drain is piped out to the passenger side just in front of the rear wheel.  There is a spring loaded valve there with a wire ring in the center post.  Push the center post upward or to the side to bleed the tank.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #71 –
Nitehawk.....my '89 ORED has an air dryer yours should too unless you have a hydraulic system.  Mine is at the drivers side rear

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #72 –
I don't think I have one. My brake pedal/cylinder under the floor, has an electric motor boost. Only thing in the driver's side access panel to the engine is a small radiator mounted horizontally and has an electric fan on it. I think it is for the transmission.

Our coach is the basic, no fancy frills, just a super reliable old Foretravel that is like an old Timex watch. It takes a licking but keeps on ticking.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #73 –
Nighthawks sounds like Hydraulic brakes with spring /leaf suspension I think. The motor on hyd brake cylinder is for emergency braking if hydr pressure drops and is not holding. I had that setup on the 93 225 ORED.
JohnH

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #74 –
Interesting John & Nitehawk....I figured all the ORED's were the same.  Mine has air brakes and on the 4 air bag suspension system. I 'm always learning something new on this forum. Love it!

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #75 –
Quote from: rbark –
Mark, if you feel that the oil is too thin, why not take a sample and send it to Blackstone labs or any other oil sampling company. You might have a fuel issue that is contaminating the oil. Sure wouldn't hurt.

Probably not a bad idea.!!!

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #76 –
Update...


The dryer bypass went well ...  I am taking back my remark on the usage of the 90 degree double male 3/4" flare fitting.  The 3 piece works fine..  and absolutely no fighting with the lines.... :))

The Governor didn't fare so well..  lines came off without a hitch.. left bolt backed off fine...... but the right bolt head rounded off..  (rolleyes)  before I got it too rounded I went and bought a set of special sockets to grab the head, it advertised, even for rounded heads, no problem.. yah right.. waste of money!
 

Soooooo.... out comes the sawzall..  90 degree nipple for wet tank line had to be sawed off first.. then on to the right rounded bolt head..  cut the head off, although the bolt heads weren't marked hardened that I could see..  It sure cut like it was..  I went thru 3 blades cutting that one stupid little half inch wrenched bolt head off...

But now theres a burr, and it wouldn't allow me to pry the governor over it..  I didn't bring a detail grinder with me..  so, I am now pretty much shot out of the saddle with the Governor till the next trip out.. 

So, on to the oil and filter change...  filled the filter full of new oil before installing it..
put in a total of 5.5 gallons of shell Rotella straight 40 weight.  check...

I saved a quart of the old oil sealed in a glass jar to have tested..

Spent a total of 8 hours working on it.....  two trips to northern tool and napa included...


I do have a question ..  Is the governor even necessary if I bring in a large compressor to pony into the onboard 120 volt compressor?  Does the air circulate from the AC voltage compressor unchecked ? 

or could I just cap off the return line from the governor to the wet tank and call it a day..

if I just say the hell with the governor for now.. just to get it aired up and get it home via tow truck.. or is this not how it works...  sorry for being so thick....  :(

Thanks

Mark




Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #77 –
If your are still going to use a tow truck you don't need to be doing any of this stuff. The tow truck will either air up the coach with His air, Or he is gong to cage the brakes and tow it or put it on a flatbed.You don't need to do anything but make the phone call. Running back and forth a hundred miles round trip as many times as you have It probably would have been cheaper to do that from the get go. ;) 

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #78 –
If you coach is a Unihome (Foretravel chassis), you must have the air suspension inflated to tow it.  The coach sits on the tires when the suspension is not inflated.  You might be able to winch it onto a trailer, but towing without airing it up is a no- no even with the brakes caged.

Re: 1989 Grandvilla air system and leaks

Reply #79 –
I forgot about the suspension but any good tow company can deal with that issue using their air.