wolfe10

Jim, What brand mirror and if you know-- what model? Brett

Sounds good-- let us know what you find out. BTW, it is the GOVERNOR, not the compressor that will be adjusted is it is the "brain" that turns the compressor on and off (actually loads and unloads the exhaust valves on the compressor). Brett

Desmo, The engine driven air compressor's pressure is controlled by a governor. And yes, most are adjustable. 110 PSI for a cut-out pressure (the pressure at which the governor "turns off" the compressor) does sound a little low. Though 150 sounds high. I would suggest you call Monaco and ask what PSI is correct for the cut-out PSI on your coach. Adjust the governor to that PSI. Verify with them how your tag axle lift works and if air pressure does lift the axle, what PSI is required to lift the tag. It doesn't make sense that the PSI required to lift the tag is in excess of standard air system pressure. And air system pressure varies between CUT-IN pressure (the pressure at which the governor "turns on" the compressor) to CUT-OUT pressure (the pressure at which the governor "turns off" the compressor). Brett

Strange that the "restriction" is only on those two locations. You might look at a copy of your potable water plumbing system or trace the lines and determine what those two locations have in common that the other locations (that do have full water pressure) don't share. Please let us know what you find. Brett

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Easy to check if you refill the water heater-- turn it on and see if the water gets hot. With the heater either full or drained, you can also disconnect the leads to the water heater element (with shore power and generator OFF) and water heater breaker off for safety. Use an ohm meter to check the two terminals of the water heater element. Either zero or infinity means a burned out/shorted element that will need to be replaced. And this should have no effect on the functioning of the propane part of the water heater. Brett

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Actually, I would start by locating the fuse for the dash fan and verify that it is OK. If you don't have a wiring diagram for your Monaco/know where the ignition controlled fuses are, give Monaco a call. Brett

Jim, Find out the company that made the dash HVAC unit and controls. Most have excellent troubleshooting manuals-- many on line. This could be a controls issue, leak of outside air issue, etc. And, when you say the dash A/C is not cold enough, what is temperature out the vent with the A/C on high fan and recirculate and what is the temperature at the air return duct? That will tell us if the A/C is performing up to spec. Let's face it, the dash A/C is not large enough (in terms of BTU's) to cool a coach, so A/C performance is not up to expectations if based on one's experience with cars/SUV's. Brett

Jim, Start by removing the aerator from the sink and see if that restores full water pressure. If so, clean the debris out. If heavy mineral deposits are the culprit, soak in vinegar. Also, remove the shower head and check for a screen or other restriction that may be clogged up. Brett

Here is your other post with response: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showtopic=2061 If you ever want to find one of your earlier posts (or any member's posts for that matter), click on your name/the poster's name in the upper left of any of your/their posts. Then scroll down and click on "Find Member's Posts". Brett

Jim, A current thread on the dash heater performance: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showtopic=2072 Brett

Jim, YES, that is the correct filter: http://www.holtrv.com/pdf/mi-range.pdf for your SINGLE FUEL FILTER chassis: Primary Fuel Filter w/Water Separator 198-6378 (single filter system) found on the right side of Page 2. But, often the parts guy doesn't ask if you have one or two filters, and the filters are very different for the single vs two filter set up (in terms of micron rating). Ask for it by part number and you are "good to go". How frequently should you replace the fuel filter-- a more difficult question. There is really no "average life" for a fuel filter. If all you "feed it" is clean diesel, it could go a million miles. Feed it one tank of contaminated fuel and it could clog several sets of filters. So, change it: When you open the drain and get more than a tablespoon of water or dirt out of it. Again, if you fit a clear bowl, you could SEE the contamination without having to open the drain. A symptom of a clogged filter is that you will start to loose power under high load conditions (when maximum fuel flow is demanded by the engine). Changing fuel filter(s) is an inexpensive first "go to" procedure if you experience loss of power under high demand conditions. This is particularly true of the single filter set ups, where one fine filter (2 microns) does all the work vs a two filter set up where the primary filter removes the water and larger particles and then the secondary filter (2 microns) only has to remove the small ones. Most just routinely change the fuel filters at every oil change (once a year). Brett

Give a call to your local Police/Highway Patrol. Talk with the truck weight enforcement division. They generally use the portable scales that do weigh each wheel position. See if you can arrange to meet them at the beginning or end of their shift and have them weight your coach. And, you can measure ride height. Park on a flat area. With coach running (air suspension up), measure ride height -- it sounds like you have the ride height specs. I would NOT recommend you adjusting it without jack/safety stands and knowledge of how the valves work. BE SAFE OUT THERE. Brett

Very good question. First, this applies to all diesel engine makers because Caterpillar, Cummins and Detroit Diesel all have the same coolant requirements. The chassis/coach maker determines what coolant originally went in your coach. There are two basic kinds: The less expensive, so more commonly used, is a "Low silicate coolant for diesel with added SCA's." Though Prestone does make a coolant fitting these requirements, it is NOT, repeat NOT, the Prestone you would normally find at Walmart, etc. This type of coolant has a normal life of three years IF PROPERLY CARED FOR. Proper care mostly involves maintaining the correct SCA concentration. SCA (Supplemental Cooling Additive) is a sacrificial component of the coolant. In other words, it is used up in the normal functioning of the coolant. Too little or too much SCA is harmful to the engine. Inexpensive coolant test strips (similar to testing swimming pool chemicals) are available where HD diesels are serviced/parts sold. A typical test strip test for pH, freeze point and SCA concentration -- takes about two minutes. Instructions on the test strips give recommended quantities of SCA to be added based on the test results. SCA can be added as a liquid, or if fit by your chassis maker by changing the coolant filter. Yes, the coolant filters function as both filters AND contain different quantities of SCA. The more expensive kind of coolant are the OAT-based (Organic Acid Technology) coolants such as Caterpillar ELC (Extended Life Coolant). With a single "booster" after three years, they are good for six years. And, they are basically no-maintenance, as there is no need to test or add SCA's. Because of the longer life and lower maintenance, many (including myself) have switched over to the ELC coolant. With any linered diesel engine such as your Caterpillar C12, just as with any Cummins engine larger than the B engine, coolant and coolant chemistry is CRITICAL. It is the coolant that keeps the cylinder liners from being eroded. When working on the cooling system be sure to check and service other components. Caterpillar recommends changing thermostats (called regulators) every three years. Checking belts, belt tension, etc is also a good idea. And on all, but particularly on rear radiator coaches, keep the CAC (Charge Air Cooler -- also known as an after-cooler and inter-cooler) and radiator clean. This requires an annual cleaning from the front (engine side) with a garden hose and perhaps some detergent as well. Brett

Bill, Agree, the rear axle readings are just (ever so slightly) short of unbelievable. BUT, it is the front axle that is right at the load capacity of the tires. That is the reason for my recommending considering upgrading the tires, not the "unusual" rear wheel position readings. Brett

Jim, First step is to VERIFY that the filter element you have is a 2 micron filter element-- CRITICAL to your injection system. Remember, if you had two filters, the primary filter can have a 10 or 30 micron element, as the secondary filter will have a 2 micron element. With only a single filter, it MUST have a 2 micron element. Since you don't have a primer pump, you will need to fill the new filter with fuel prior to installation. I would suggest you purchase a new bottom bowl, so the removal/installation goes quickly (and you have a spare if the bowl ever cracks). The small outer holes are the INLETS, the center large hole the OUTLET. So, slowly pour clean diesel into the outer holes so the fuel will be filtered before going to the engine. To minimize air entering the fuel system, make sure the fuel tank is full, and perhaps even park with the nose uphill. It is better to have a little fuel run out the filter housing when the old filter is removed than to have that 30' of fuel in the line from filter housing to tank drain back to the tank leaving you with 30' of air to purge! After installing the new filter, start the engine. If it doesn't fire right up, don't run the starter for more than 20 seconds at a time without letting it cool for 2 minutes. With the starter running, the fuel pump is running and purging any remaining air from the system. Long range, consider adding a secondary filter with primer pump. Brett

I am posting this PM I received from Jim so we can continue this important subject: Group: Members Posts: 2 Member No.: 15,810 Joined: 5-November 10 ____________________ Brett, This is a follow-up to our emails from 2 weeks ago. We went to Branson last week - and on the way back I noticed a "loss of power" - when going up gentle hills with pedal to the floor, it would only go about 40 mph - it would slowly get up to 60-70 mph on flat land. I did not get to call Freightliner before I left (wish I had now). I called this morning - and I have only 1 fuel filter on my CAT 3126. It is the "fuel filter/water sep". I do not have a primer on it. It does not have a clear bowl either - the bottom of the unit is solid black plastic with a drain ****. I have already purchased a new filter from CAT - but they said to reuse the black plastic bottom. Could you please tell me how to replace this "fuel filter/water sep"? I really appreciate your help - I'm new at having a diesel engine. Thanks a million, Jim

Alex, Absolutely, reconfirm rear ride height! Two caveats on tire inflation: 1. All tires on an axle carry the same PSI. The correct PSI is dictated by the heavier wheel position on that axle. 2. The Inflation Chart gives you the MINIMUM PSI for a given weight. Most suggest adding 5 PSI to the minimum as a safety cushion and so you don't have to "air up" after that stop at Walmart, AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT EXCEED MAX RECOMMENDED FOR THE TIRE OR WHEEL. The Michelin Tire Guide Inflation Chart: http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrv/...tion-tables.jsp Find the weight column that meets you actual weight-- if not an exact match, go "up" to the next column. 255/80R22.5 Michelin XRV front: heavier wheel position= 5200 pounds. 110 PSI is recommended for and can carry 5205. So that is your correct MINIMUM PSI. Since you are within 5 pounds of maxed out on what those tires can carry, higher PSI is not recommended. But, don't let them get below 110! Rear: heavier wheel position= 8540 pounds. 95 PSI is recommended for and can carry 8820. So that is the correct MINIMUM PSI. Add 5 PSI safety cushion= 100 PSI. Now, let's talk alternatives. I never like to see a tire (or any other safety related item) worked to its maximum design specs. Said another way, it is always great to have a safety cushion, particularly with something as important as tires. Our coach runs the same tires, but our front axle only weighs 8,580 pounds loaded vs yours at 10,390 pounds. That is a big difference in how much reserve capacity we have. SO, I would look carefully at the possibility of upgrading/upsizing/upload ranging the tires. First contact would be owners of the same coach and chassis to determine if any have done this. This will tell you quickly if there is clearance to the fenders/suspension for an upgrade. Another consideration is whether your wheel was designed for the wider/higher load range tire. Dual spacing is a related issue. Brett

Alex, Before we get into the correct tire pressure, with that left right imbalance in the rear, the very first thing I would recommend is having the RIDE HEIGHT checked. You have two ride height valves on the rear axle. If they are out of adjustment, they can shift a LOT of weight from side to side. So, before concluding that you have that much imbalance (and setting tire pressure based on the heavier side -- all tires on an axle inflated to the same PSI), verify ride height and then reweigh. Brett

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Go to: http://www.fmca.com/motorhome/towing Click on the year model and then scroll down to the make you are interested in. Brett

Bernie, "Lack of vacuum" would show up as air flow changing from coming out the selected vent to the defrost vents which are the default location. Brett

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. You might take a look at this current thread on the same subject: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showtopic=2087&hl= Brett

Great information, thanks Xplorer. Ya, as you get new information, you can just click on "Edit Post" and then "Full Edit" on your original post and update the post. That way readers have one complete document. Brett

Thanks for the update, Don. As I Private Messaged you, I forwarded your information to my engineering contact at Koni. Here is his reply: There's a design flaw in the rear suspension. He must get axle straps. Have him contact Tim at Specialty Logistics (541) 515-6651. Back to my comments: As I posted earlier, NO shock whether Koni or Road King is designed to act as an axle stop. And even if they don't break, acting as an axle stop would put significant stress on the shock mounts. And they are even harder to repair than broken shocks. Bottom line, axle straps are the way to go-- far better than pulling apart shocks or breaking shock mounts (both of which I have seen on poorly designed suspensions or coaches with out of spec ride heights). Brett

Fan-Tastic Vent 1-800-521-0298 for assistance between 8 am and 5 pm E.S.T. http://www.fantasticvent.com/faq/help.html Brett

I just received this reply to a copy of your post I sent to an Onan tech I rely on: "As this is relatively new, might give the folks at Flight Systems a chance at it. Talk to John Weaver there, they may take it on as a sort of trial/experimental case." Brett