Coolant Level Low

[manholt]

Yesterday, coming from Ruidoso, NM to Roswell, NM my check engine light came on and so did the coolant level low message, with the beep, beep. Outside temp was 77.

I filled with fuel in Roswell and got 2 gallons of Rotella Ultra ELC to go. Checked my Silver Leaf and the engine computer both on my way down mountain and between Roswell and Grant, NM., coolant temp showed 198-203, outside temp from Roswell to Grant was 87-98. The warning lights and signal, never came back on! My Cruise control was set at 58 all day.

Question is, do I add coolant or distilled water before leaving for Cortez, CO, this morning? Or leave it alone?

Cummins did an annual service 4,618 miles and 9 months ago!

Carl

[dickandlois]

Carl,

What is the coolant level in the expansion tank?
You did not mention an over temp warning on the Silverleaf, you might have a coolant level sensor issue! Corroded connection or just a bad connection.

Some coaches have 2 sensors - one near the top and one on the bottom of the radiator.
Temp readings are within normal range.

Think you just need to keep an eye on things.

Regarding adding coolant - need to know the freeze point when adding water or coolant.

Rich.

[manholt]

Rich, thank you for the fast reply!

Wish I could answer your questions, but I have no book or info on my 09' 425 Cummins. Never messed with coolant since I leave it to Cummins Coach Care to take care off it. Every 12 months or 15,000 miles. That is engine, liquids, oil change, ck filters, etc. Also, Allison and Generator!

Had no warning on Silverleaf....oil temp was 202. Coolant 198-203.

Carl

[wolfe10]

Carl,

IMPORTANT-- do nothing until you call your chassis maker with your VIN. They will tell you what coolant is in there (unless you have changed it).

Many coolants are NOT compatible!

If you verify that the level is low, safest is to add distilled water. Later, if your freeze point is too high, you can drain some and add concentrate (of the correct product).

[manholt]

Thank you, Brett. I will call them later this morning. Read about your suggesting distilled water on another post. The compatibility issue was also on my mind yesterday....my eyes has a problem reading a 2 font!

Small print on legal documents, fine. On important information, like compatibility is insane!

Carl

[manholt]

Brett,

Why distilled water and not regular filtered?

Also, I did not run dash air!

Carl

[wolfe10]

Carl,

You do not want to add minerals to the coolant. Filtered water can still have high mineral content. Suspect your engine owners manual (coolant section) gives actual specs for how much (actually how little) minerals the water should contain.

[manholt]

OK. Just always wondered.

Coming to Dolores, CO., I had no problem at all. Coolant temp was 196-199, oil temp 202. Outside temp 85 - 95 and CC set at 58mph in 5th and 6th gear!

Failing thermostat? MPG suck anytime in mountains, I'm at 7218'.

Carl

[manholt]

Brett & Rich,

I have been looking for the Spartan chassis bible and the Cummins Owners Manual for 2 years! I found them today in the vacuum cleaner box...Duh!

It's dark outside, so in the morning I will check the clear bubble for coolant, if none visible then I will add distilled water....freezing point is -33F and a 226 F boiling point.

I do not have a refractometer, so I'll let Cummins in Albuq. NM check everything out, when I come off this Mountain.

Thanks

Carl

[manholt]

Left Cortez, CO. this morning. Engine light and Low Coolant came on/off all day. CC at 62, coolant temp 181 in morning, 198 afternoon, oil temp 196-199, trans. temp

200, all my parameters are good.

Any thoughts?

Carl

[wolfe10]

How was coolant level? Suspect either a coolant level issue or sensor issue.

Are you able to download engine codes (Silverleaf, ScangaugeD, etc)? If not, have a Cummins dealer do it.

[manholt]

Hi Brett.

Level is fine, I think, it's above the visual bubble. I have Silverleaf, but no codes. Also, got no code feedback on the dash (Cummins Center). When Coolant temp showed 198 - 201 nothing showed up, but at 181 - 196 the warning and check engine came on (I push a button) and the warning goes off for 5 - 10 minutes.

Carl

[dickandlois]

Carl,

Interesting you got a warning on the low side.

My first thought was a connection issue, but after further though, I'm leaning towards a sensor.

No Code because the indication of an issue is below the set code level in the ECM. There might be a soft code in the ECM that would show up if you have the system tested at Cummings.

Safe Travels
Rich.

Just a thought-Not knowing if the sensor is mounted internally or externally. There is an outside possibility that the sensor is not making good contact with the radiator and as things heat up it is making intermittent contact with the tank an that is causing an intermittent reading?

[manholt]

Heading out on the I-40 Hwy. Will post again this evening!

Carl

[hermanmullins]

Carl, one thing I can assure you is that it won't be in 50s when you wake up tomorrow.

Be safe.

Herman

[manholt]

OK. For the first 4 hours this morning it was a quiet ride at 63 mph. Coolant temp 199 - 203, then on east side off Santa Rosa, NM. temp was 198 and everything came on again!

I'm now in Amarillo, Texas and just got off the phone with Cummins. They think it's the sensor or the sending wire, yeh! Kicker is that they can't help me, it's a coach

manufacturer problem, %$#&%! So I have to go true this c...p all the way to Decatur, Indiana!

Herman, it was 56 in Grant this morning! Now tomorrow, probably not...

Thanks again for all the input!

Carl

[johnschiesser]

I had a similar problem on my 1996 Monaco a few months ago. The low coolant light would come on and go off as we were traveling but the coolant level in the overflow bottle was good. I fashioned a brush to go into the bottle through the filler cap hole. Cleaned the probe in the bottle with the brush and it was OK for a short while. Didn't want to change the probe and since I had 5year coolant that was 5 years I changed it. Have had no more low coolant light indications in about 3months and 3000 miles of driving.

[manholt]

John, welcome and thanks for your input.

Your idea, will probably help someone with a 90's Monaco! Mine, is a 2010 on a different chassis and manufacturer. I'll let American Coach take care of it next week, unless they will fit me in Friday or Sat.

Carl

[dickandlois]

Carl,

Make an appointment for the work you need to get done.

We took a chance on getting some work done on the coach on our way to Madison. When I signed in I got number 3 for the day.
That kind of placed me at #7 for the day. At the end of 3 days where where still #7

They take warranty work first.
Coach safety issues second.
People with reservations third.

An so it goes, Coaches come and go; but moving up the weighting line goes slow.
They do try to get you in the same week, but it tends to go longer.


Rich.

[ultraglide]

Just had the same problem on my 2014 Journey. Cummins 400 DP. When I called Cummins to ask what type of coolant and color they could not tell me. I was told to call Freightliner and ask. Freightliner told me purple and a 50/50 mix. I checked the over flow reservoir and it was low filled back up to max line. Knock on wood all is well.

[manholt]

Hi, all.

My Cummins owners manual, under coolant recommendations and specs, page V-21, tells me what to use and why. Fleetguard. My system is full, my sensor or sending wire is faulty.

Called and spoke with AMC 6 weeks ago on an unrelated issue, they are (per phone, this am) expecting me, on the under 3 hour program. Tiffin has the same system in Red Bay. 2, 3, days after arrival and I'm in. AMC techs was not at Madison.

After my sensor problem is taken care of, then I'll have my whole system flushed and thermostats along with cap changed! They'll steam clean me also. I'm the second owner and have no records off what was done from 10' to 13'!

Thank you all for your input.

Carl

[wolfe10]

Carl,

While the engine manufacturer can give both Mil-specs and brand recommendations for coolant, the chassis maker actually chooses what coolant to use (fine as long as it meets the engine manufacturer's specs- which they will).

So, until you change coolant, please consult your chassis maker and if you need to add, use what they used OR if your freeze point is OK, always safe to just add distilled water.

[wayne77590]

Hi, all.

My Cummins owners manual, under coolant recommendations and specs, page V-21, tells me what to use and why. Fleetguard. My system is full, my sensor or sending wire is faulty.

Called and spoke with AMC 6 weeks ago on an unrelated issue, they are (per phone, this am) expecting me, on the under 3 hour program. Tiffin has the same system in Red Bay. 2, 3, days after arrival and I'm in. AMC techs was not at Madison.

After my sensor problem is taken care of, then I'll have my whole system flushed and thermostats along with cap changed! They'll steam clean me also. I'm the second owner and have no records off what was done from 10' to 13'!

Thank you all for your input.

Carl

Carl,

I had a similar situation a couple years ago and the stop engine light came on. I stopped and got it towed 40 miles to a Cummins dealer. Came out that it was a broken wire at the engine harness. If it had to be ordered from Winnebago it would take 6 weeks for them to remanufacture it. Fortunately they were able to fix it instead of replace it.

I have been told that the coolant sensor level is attached to the "fill" tank. You may want to check around that area for a loose connection. Friend of mine ran into that situation once.

[expdek570]

I did my first mountain climb this weekend in my 2015 Expedition, Cummins ISB 360. I know for a fact when I left home the coolant level in the reservoir was more than half-full of pink coolant. I climbed about 3,500 feet into the mountains of North Carolina (air temperature about 90 degrees). On the grade, when the temperature needle reached the half-way point I heard the cooling fan come on and the needle promptly went back down. About 10 miles short of my destination the check engine light came on with "Low Coolant Level" in the display, although the engine seemed to be operating normally. I continued to my destination and checked the coolant reservoir and found that it was down almost to the bottom. After doing several web searches and finding others with what seemed like similar issues, I decided to add coolant and hope to make it home. I also compared my coolant with my neighbor's rig which had the same engine.

Owner's manuals in hand, I took off in my toad and went to the nearest town on Saturday morning but no auto parts store had the type of diesel coolant I needed, and I wasn't excited about adding another type/color. I called West Carolina Freightliner in Asheville, and they said they had what I needed and their parts counter would be open until noon. I managed to arrive there at 11:55 and bought 2 gallons of Detroit Diesel pink coolant. Whew! After about 4 hours of running around, I was back at my coach where I mixed the coolant with distilled water and filled the reservoir until it was well above the middle, actually near the top. It took almost a gallon of 50-50 mixture.

Long story short, the trip home (200 miles) was uneventful and the coolant level appeared to be unchanged from when I filled it. I'm trying to figure out whether this was a one-time thing or whether I should pursue it further with Freightliner/Cummins. I am planning a trip to Colorado in early October (not into the mountains), about 1650 miles each way, and I really would like not to get hung up with major problems along the way.

If anyone here has had similar issues, I appreciate any advice!

[wolfe10]

expdek570,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

Unless the coach only has a few miles on it, dash heater just used for the first time or something else that may have purged air from the system (which is normal) you need to find out where that much coolant went.

Be sure to set the level at proper temperature. Many reservoirs have a "cold" and a "hot" level. It does make a difference.