casuall454

Welcome to Cummins support network = FAIL !! Now we all know why Caterpillar got out of over the road diesel market in 2010. Do you have access to "State Attorney General’s Office for consumer affairs’” if so file your complaint now for duplicate service preformed? Do you have a “Lemon Law” again for same service issues? Written complaint with BBB? It is one matter to call cooperate support network to offer feedback, it is another to inform them you have filed formal written complaints with the following……….. I have received written response from National VP’s coupled with refund(s) and vouchers after I filed written complaints. There is a time to allow companies ample opportunity to resolve service issues. There also comes a time where written formal communication is required to garner attention to their failings on customer support. Hoping that your DEF issue is resolved quickly......

Please ask your service representative to reduce that comment to writting and take note of their reaction. Enjoy your new found "smooth" ride.

When you get down to it everything is built using component parts, have you toured the Freightliner or Spartan chassis plants? All they are doing is assembling parts into a chassis they call their own. As such all motor coach manufacturers build their units using component parts such as appliances (i.e. LG, Whirlpool, Samsung, etc.) even the assembly process is very close to each other (watch any or all manufacturer U-Tube channel) use of glues, fasteners, seals and the such. As the base materials (floors, walls, ceilings) again follow usual and customary industry standard except for a couple of manufactures who use “heavy duty sub flooring or 100% metal studs / NO wood or fasteners every 8” not 12” (review any promotional materials those manufactures will stand out to you) in the name of improved “quality”. I concede there are enough differences between manufacturers to provide for patent protection or intellectual property rights, yet they are all governed on size and weight limitations as well the limited component parts they assemble into a motor coach. In today’s information based society poorly built units will receive so much bad press, coupled with factory support / service that isn’t to customer satisfaction won’t survive. The days of poorly built or serviced products are rapidly becoming extinct. The most important aspect for me is service and maintenance, purchasing your coach is easy. Keeping it functioning and on the road will require ongoing attention on your part. Use of standard parts such as plumbing (Moen / Valley / Eljer) they all look close to each other yet you find repair parts easier for some than others. Go to your local hardware store and check on what is in stock as well the cost you will see substantial difference in price. Access to routine service areas; If you choose to preform basic service yourself are the service areas able to accept standard tools or require “special” configured tools from Snap-On, MAC or others to get into that “small tight” area. Remember if you use your local mechanic he had to buy the tool you didn’t, believe me as my tool chest collection is over $18,000 and continuing to grow with every new model year. Warranty who offers what? What meets your needs? There is no standard answer to your question, enjoy your travels......

Since I was 19 I have been with USAA. They sent me thru an underwriter in Michigan, yet they offered me the best over all package. Although I am from Ohio and not required to hold CDL or "motor-coach endorsement" they accepted by equipment operator training from 1985-1989 USAF Crash Rescue. If you have documented training / history driving larger apparatus I suggest you speak with you agent about "credit" for your training.

Since I was 19 I have been with USAA. They sent me thru under writer in Michigan, yet they offered me the best over all package. Although I am from Ohio and not required to hold CDL or "motor-coach endorsement" they accepted by equipment operator training from 1985-1989 USAF Crash Rescue. If you have documented training / history driving larger apparatus I suggest you speak with you agent about "credit" for your training.

This will make it difficult to incorporate a “southern” trip thru Gaffney, SC for factory supported chassis service. If they can’t support the FMCA as their chassis are the foundation my 2003 Winnebago there is always Spartan for my future chassis purchase……….. Consider the ramifications of this decision FCOC.

I love pictures, well done !!

Any electrical flow wrapped around iron ( ferrous metal ) can magnetize it. Remember the old nail, wrapped with copper wire and using a 9 volt battery = magnetic nail ? Of course this application is with DC not AC voltage. The bigger issue is the building of heat, 50amp should be 6guage copper braided of course. Several folks use cord reels for electrical lines, portable welders, firefighting apparatus and the list goes on. You don’t see any of those applications with 100’ of cord lying on the ground; just pull off what they need and the rest stays on the reel. There is a calculation for voltage / amperage drop relative to gauge of wire, amperage draw (load) and temperature. A person with electrical background will offer better assistance on that matter. I agree with your assessment, use the reel, make sure the wire is of proper size for your amperage load and use what you require and leave the rest spooled up. Good luck with your project and looking forward to seeing what another with a electrical background has to further say on this topic

Mineral Oil ( baby oil ) is used in each of the cells to reduce the off gassing that occurs during the break down of sulfuric acid /water vapor in your batteries. As the oil is a emulsion that floats on top of the water in your battery cell, this decreases sulfuric vapors being produced ( “big flowers” that you spoke of and yellow I’ll bet? ) yet while your driving down the road and your batteries are shaking the sulfuric gas is vented to the atmosphere and dissipated immediately. As most batteries carry a three (3) to five (5) year warranty, you will have to decide if you want to add a nominal amount of mineral oil to your batteries or address the corrosion issue to your battery boxes and associated mounting hardware. Best wishes on your choice.

I would offer this, Silicon spray will pick up dust, that’s why we don't use it on agricultural equipment. In areas where we don’t care about cleanness we use powered graphite ( seed boxes, door hinges ) In areas where you want a clean appearance (weather seals on doors ) or don’t want graphite on clothing we use corn starch (yes the food corn starch) All you have to do is place some in a bowel, use a paint brush to apply it and its non-toxic for all those who have pets as well. Yes moisture can remove the corn starch; however it doesn’t stain your interior upholstery, clothing and non-toxic to pets. You will have to decide which product best serves your requirements. Good luck with your project.

In the shop we use "Simple Green" to degrease and clean engines, transmissions and the such. There are numerous other cleaning degreasing agents on the market, just be sure to properly rinse away all cleaning products as some are corrosive in nature. If your concerned about the greasy run off from cleaning your radiator and engine block( watch run off to storm drains that may discharge to waterways ) you can look at the possibility of using a car wash as they have proper oil traps to separate hydrocarbons from water, also watch the use of high pressure water as you can damage your radiator cooling coils and any of the other external hoses, wires and the such. Lastly; Consider buying a disposable painting tyvex suit and eye protection for use. That way your greasy clothes won't go into your washer.

Cummins 400 ISL isn't a motor that I have worked on much, however here is a couple of thoughts. This unit is 100% electronic as such the computer will hold fault codes. If you have a mechanic that you use regularly they should be willing to flash your computer and pull any fault codes as a courtesy. The usual fee is $90 to $150 elsewhere. I saw several others posting suggestions, I would like to offer the following; Flash computer to pull fault codes. ( If no fault codes ) check the following. Serpentine belt for slippage. ( Although a slipping belt is noisy and your charging system would show voltage drop ) While checking for slippage pay attention to the tensioner (yes that spring can be checked using a torque wrench ) Coolant system; double check proper level of coolant as well your radiator cap. If the seal on your cap won’t hold pressure that will increase temperature, while cooler weather allows for proper operation. Lastly you can pull the radiator and have a flow test preformed to check for decreased flow, there by decreasing the cooling properties, due to numerous reasons. Proper Install as motor coaches are built on chassis provided by suppliers and then retro fitted by manufacture. They may have changed ( under sized hose or hoses or installed on tight binds resulting in decreased flow ) Under sized Radiator. If you had a larger alternator installed ( Neihoff or Leece Neville ) it’s possible that pulleys could have been changed this would effect the RPM of the water pump, resulting in decreased GPM flow. It is possible that the transmission cooler could also be air flow restricting your radiator, have your mechanic check that as well. Hope this assists you in cooling your unit.

Here is my two cents on this topic and every person has an opinion. Having attended Diesel College and worked on Perkins, Waukesha and Cummins "B" series (that’s the old 5.9 - 12 & 24 valve series) found in Dodge pickups and White agricultural equipment. Remember Diesel engines work on the principle of heat of compression (adiabatic combustion) not external ignition (spark plug) that’s why in warmer air diesel engines get higher fuel efficiency. However to increase gasoline engine power you cool the air (cool can) to make the air more dense so more air (oxygen) can be compressed into a cylinder. The way you can increase air (oxygen) in any cylinder you can either use a super charger or turbo. Turbo chargers are more efficient at higher engine RPM’s and much smaller-- that’s why they are used extensively. The major drawback to turbo use is “turbo lag” the turbo charger has to spool up or increase the engine RPM, which then results in increased “boost” or air pressure being forced into the cylinders. Turbo chargers through the use of waste gates and increased manifold air pressure results in increased fuel economy and acceleration. This also results in turbo charged engines not suffering from the effects of “thin air” (decreased TORR / atmospheric pressure) at higher elevations. All combustion engines need air in (oxygen) and air out (exhaust). There are several ways to increase the efficiency of any engine resulting in increased MPG. Below are items for any owner operator to consider for increased efficiency and reliability of their unit. Replace your paper air filter with a cotton / oil filter there are several suppliers including ( K&N, Pro-Guard, Summit and many more ) These filters allow more air to flow through with less restriction. The use of cotton-oil filters can void your warranty, you will have to ask your mechanic or check your state laws. Increase the size of exhaust, larger diameter exhaust decreases engine back pressure resulting in the motor not working as hard to expel the exhaust, this also lowers the engine operating temperature. However the exhaust can’t be so large so as to decrease back pressure or the efficiency of the turbo is effected. Computer Chip, there are several who have well documented increases in MPG (Banks Power, Bullydog, Hyperchip and several others) however they usually require some time to install. Some of these chips will increase HP as well, yet this will result in decreased MPG. (Research, Research and Research your needs and ask others before you buy any of these units) Transmission, shift points, clutch band adjustments, fluid and fluid filter. Maintenance of your transmission will result in a quieter, smoother and higher MPG. Don’t skip the maintenance on your transmission. The current standard from Allison is six (6) speed transmissions; expect to see eight (8) speed units in less then 10 years. If your power unit was produced with a catalytic converter installed, don’t remove it (you won’t get a two (2) MPG increase) you do risk a EPA violation citation. Use of motor treatments there are several on the market however they break down into two (2) major groups. Oil Anti-Friction Treatment TFE commonly called Teflon, Graphite and lastly Moly. The major issue with all of these products are they are suspended in a oil. (Remember basic chemistry suspensions are solid matter contained in a liquid) When these products are used they “build-up” or coat the motor there by potentially taking your motor out of operational tolerances. Metal Conditioners ( IXL, ER= Energy Release) These products are typically 3-5 microns in size and “condition” the metal on the surface level, that is supposed to result in decreased friction, increasing MPG. If you decide to use a motor treatment consult with your mechanic or do your own research as both groups have pros and cons. I am hopeful that at least one person takes something away from this post. Happy Motor Coaching everyone.