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Topic: Heads up to all on potential coolant leaks (Read 1682 times) previous topic - next topic
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Heads up to all on potential coolant leaks

Yahoo Message Number: 103913
The other day, on an interstate, I noticed a lot of coolant dripping out towards the front of the engine off of the front of the tranny. To make a long story short, it was the rear "school bus" pump that was leaking out of the impeller area. CC installed these pumps in an absurd place, and normally, this requires coming down from the bedroom, a massive job in this coach requiring disassembly of much of the bedroom. A skinny tech at a nice Kenworth shop removed the big air pipe that goes over the engine and crawled on top of the engine, bypassing and removing the pump. In this coach at least, it these pumps, which frequently fail, are entirely unnecessary, since the C12 CAT water pump circulates ample coolant to the dash to bake your ass off. I will be bypassing the front school bus pump when I have time. It will start with slight amounts of mysterious coolant loss for months or even years, until it really blows.

Rich 2002 Magna

Re: Heads up to all on potential coolant leaks

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103923
I had a similar experience with the same pump.  Cost me 10 gallons of antifreeze before I limped into Altofer CAT in East Peoria, IL, and had the pump bypassed.  They added five more gallons after bypassing the pump. I later replaced the pump then had my dash heater cores fail and leak coolant.  Until I could get to Fountain RV to have them repaired I pulled the fuse to the pumps to minimize flow to the heater cores.  The leakage decreased so I know the pumps do indeed help move coolant to the dash heater coils.
 When I pulled the fuse to the pumps I did not get sufficient coolant to my coils to help defrost the windshield and had to resort to the good old fashion towel defroster.  Also, my mirror heaters are on the same circuit and my mirrors fogged over.  I am going to add a relay and switch to the coolant pump circuit so I can control when the pumps run.  As currently wired, they run anytime the engine is running.  As I don't use my burglar alarm I am going to re-purpose that relay for controlling the coolant pumps.

pete

2000 40' Magna CAT C-10, #5892
Pete
 2000 40'  Magna #5892  CAT C-10

Re: Heads up to all on potential coolant leaks

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103952
Pete, I pulled the fuse to the pumps 3 years ago since I assumed at that  time the motor on one burned out. I have been in below zero F weather and the  dash heat is quite hot without them. But I have a C12 so perhaps that makes a  difference. I also can run my Hurricane off of engine heat when driving and that  runs on separate pumps.

Rich 2002 Magna
 

Re: Heads up to all on potential coolant leaks

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 103962
Rich,

Are your mirror heaters on that same circuit as mine are?  Having fogged mirrors is almost more troublesome than having my windshield fog since I can wipe off the windshield.
 On my coach, wire #78 - Black for mirrors and wire #134 - Black for the two coolant pumps are attached to the same fuse block position on the front run board and a 20 amp circuit breaker controls that position.
 I might add that my rear pump has easy access from the bedroom by raising the bed.  I don't have a rear slide to complicate things.
 I'm not sure where my pump failure was.  I just assumed it was the seal at the motor shaft.  Guess I should have looked at it before Fountain RV pitched it.

pete

2000 40' Magna CAT C-10, #5892
Pete
 2000 40'  Magna #5892  CAT C-10