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Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #25 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94534
If you want a good Cummins location in Florida, go to the one in Ocala Florida. We were very pleased with the work they did for us. They have water and electric hookups in the back where you can stay while they work on the coach. They will return the coach at night so you can sleep in it if the work takes more than one day. They finished our coach about 4pm and said we could stay another night and leave the next morning. Don't forget to join the Cummins Power Club for discounts. It costs $19.95 to join but well worth it in our opinion.
Lonny & Diane Livingston Tampa, FL '04 Allure #31065

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #26 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94549
I should have added this to my first link but space out:)!

Good info, CAT, Detroit or Cummins....

http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.com/forums/attachment.php?s=6254d0d8601d236e141c9aebb1628ee9&attachmentid=22309&d=1368989544
(Maybe a better link exists to it, but I had saved if while reading some info on Wanderlodges.)

Best,
Smitty

31017 04 Allure
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #27 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94563
Herb,

I ran the paper test. Sucked right up and stuck to my radiator. .. Another thing I noticed, while I was at a rv resort, which was gravel. While driving my new to me coach it gave a complete fog out. You could not see 2 feet behind me. I wonder why so much dust was blowing out from the bottom of my coach. That could be the fan stuck on high, Right??

Bob

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #28 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94566
Dust = high speed fan. What did we use to call it on this group - dust storm?

Glad you tried the "paper test" to check for high speed fan. A few things can cause it:
1) Dash Air Conditioner is on
2) Engine too hot - just pulled over after an engine load. Probably not the case if you check in to the RV park and are now driving to the site.
3) Forgot the third reason.

If you notice the water temp (silverleaf) on the highway is around 180-190 vs 190-202 (as I recall), the fan controller is stuck on. It will rob at least 1 mpg with the constant load of the hydraulic fan pump.

Sounds like it is always running at full speed and costing you 1 MPG.

Herb

CCO Group Moderator

Past owner of 2002 and 2007 Allure

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #29 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94574
The following comment applies strictly to my 2004 Allure triple slide with a Cummins 370 HP engine. Other coaches may differ. With my coach merely turning on the dash AC did not force the fan to high speed. The AC sensing was driven by the high head pressure cut-off relay if that is the right term. In other word the fan was only forced to high speed if the dash AC was on and experiencing high head pressure. A small point but important if your coach worked like mine and you were trying to force the fan to high speed by turning on the dash AC while troubleshooting.

Don Seager

Former CC Owner

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #30 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94580
It helps if you post year and model. Coaches built around the early 2000's were modified to have a plate under the radiator fan to cut down on the dust cloud . My Allure had the old wax valve and all I had to do was turn off the air and let my coach cool down and there was never a dust issue after I had the panel added. My 04 Intrigue has all the issues and right now she's in storage, but when she comes out soon the issue will be once again addressed.
TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #31 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94588
Well My country coach is a 2003 Allure 40 foot 3 slide tag axle with a 370 cummins ILS with an allison trans.
My new to me coach when I first bought it, Like at the end of December, and January, The engine would never warm up. It like stayed at 150 - 160, degrees and would not throw any heat. I had to drive with the hydro heat on. When I had the oil changed, was the first time I seen it creep up to 180. Didn't make sense to me then, why putting fresh oil would do that. Could be the fan control was always high and not giving engine time to heat up? Maybe I should have it check out...

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #32 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94590
Sounds like your thermostat is stuck open.
Ken Mikkelson

2005 Inspire 51494

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #33 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94591
Definitely, the fan could be running all the time, otherwise the engine temp will run low and diesel mileage will also be at least 1 mpg lower. Do the "Paper Test" I have mentioned in some other posts -- hold an 8.5x11 piece of paper up the radiator grill on the side of the coach. If it sucked to the grill, the fan is running fast. Make sure the Air Conditioner is off, as it can force high speed while parked.

Herb

CCO Group Moderator

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #34 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94594
I have been following this thread with a bit of interest. I was unhappy with my OTR AC, but it had been poor since I purchased the coach 3 years ago so I just assumed that was the way things were. Anyway this last service I asked the techs to check and recharge the AC. This is their report:-
Air Conditioning recharge-not completed-CRTS confirmed low level of R134a refridgerant in system, have traced leak to swaged connection on hose next to test point at rear-faulty hose replaced, system now recharged to correct pressures-Additional fault now identified as defective low/high pressure binary switch controlling A/C fan. New switch ordered.

Is the AC fan a different one from the main engine radiator one? It has been explained that the original switch is no longer available and that the replacement will allow the AC fan to run permanently if the AC is selected on the dash.
I would appreciate any feed back on this before the switch is replaced.

Michael

2008 Allure 31683
in the UK!

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #35 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94599
I concur with that opinion Ken. People get so wrapped up in the fan controller issue that they tend to blame all temperature problems on it. The thermostat is still the major controlling device for engine heat. With most of these diesel engines the thermostat/s starts to open at around 180 to 185 degrees. If it is operating properly the engine temp can not drop below that no matter how hard the fan is running. On the other hand if the thermostat fails stuck closed then the engine is going to overheat and since no coolant it circulating through the radiator the fan can not help.
I have posted it many times and I still advocate that the first thing to change when experiencing engine heating problems is the thermostat/s. I added the '/s' because some engines, particularly Cat, have two thermostats. If you are in there checking them out you might as well change them regardless of their condition. Most of the cost is labor unless you do it yourself. I messed around with a heating/cooling problem for a couple of years before I finally had the thermostat changed. In my case it was intermittent and to make matters worse sometimes it stuck open and others it stuck closed. Ask me if the result of that won't mess up your mind.

Don Seager

Former CC Owner

Sounds like your thermostat is stuck open.
Ken Mikkelson

2005 Inspire 51494

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #36 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94603
I find it hard to believe that the binary switch is no longer available I would check on that if I were you. Rich 2002 Magna

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water i

Reply #37 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94604
Wow. Just "Google" "binary switch" or "trinary switch" and see how many suppliers web sites come up. A "Binary switch" usually controls just the compressor for high or low gas pressure and has two wires. A "Trinary switch" adds fan control in addition to compressor control and has four wires. Running the fan all the time is not a good option for many reasons.
My coach, uses a "Trinary switch", with separate fan and compressor controls. There is no separate fan for the A/C on my coach.
Perhaps your tech is looking for the wrong type switch? Have you contacted Country Coach to verify what type switch you need?

Dave

2000 Allure
#30444

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #38 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94606
Don is correct, however in my case the fan only runs at medium speed for the dash air and/or radiator temperature that requires that speed. I'm not sure when it switches to high speed, but I believe I have a chart somewhere showing that. They use different parameters for Cat's.
Ed McManus....'02 Intrigue 400 ISL........#11361

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #39 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94611
Yes. The air conditioning condenser is cooled by the same hydraulic fan as is the radiator and CAC.

The receiver/drier was originally equipped with a trinary switch as an input to the fan controller. The trinary switch is no longer available from the component manufacturer which is Evans Tempcon. I really don't know what the impact to the system operation of a change to a binary switch from a trinary but have no reason to doubt what your technician reports. I suspect that the failed trinary is causing the fan to be uncontrolled by head pressure and that is a problem.

Good luck.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #40 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94620
Dave thanks for your suggestion. Spoke with Greg at CC and trinary switch is on its way. For those interested here is Gregs assesment of installing an incorrect binary switch:-
If the Binary switch was installed and allowed the fan to run all the time when AXC was selected, then your fuel mileage would suffer some and the fan would receive excess usage that could cause premature failure over a long period of time. The fan controller on the coach is designed to only operate the fan at high speed, approximately 3000 rpm, when engine temp is at 205 degrees plus or when the AC high pressure is 212 lbs or above.
This helps limit its usage, wear & tear, and help keep fuel mileage up, could loose as much as 1.5 MPG if fan is run at high speed all the time.
Additional info, your coach should use 9.75 oz of Pag oil and approximately
4.5 lbs of R-134 refrigerant (Min 4.0 lbs & Max 5.0 lbs).
For those who know about this stuff, on my 2008 Allure where would be the condenser fan, and Gregs explanation appears to suggest that the trinary switch controls the main rad fan??

Michael

2008 Allure 31683

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water i

Reply #41 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94622
In the 13yrs I have been with this group, I don't recall anyone mentioning having a factory installed, electric condenser fan. The former CC folks who read this would know better than I, if CC ever used anything but the hydraulic fan to cool the condenser. Perhaps one of them could enlighten us.

Kevin?, JD?, Anyone?
Dave

2000 Allure
#30444

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #42 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94624
I am dropping off my coach at the mechanic today. I told him, " I want the fan controller looked at, and check for leaking charge air." I told him about the paper test, he said, " the paper should suck up to radiator, and stick, if not that would mean your clogged." Not sure which way to go.. I am still taking it to him. He is honest, and fixed a problem I had on another diesel that nobody els could find.
I am hopeful he tells me something was wrong, and I know I was not driving in Economy. So I am looking forward to the next trip, to be a surprise, on better milage.
Thank you so much for all your help, I will keep you in the loop.
Please keep suggestions coming.
Bob 03 Allure 40 3 Slide Tag / #30814
 

Re: I need to get better fuel milage. Maybe the Heat and Hot Water

Reply #43 –
Yahoo Message Number: 94640
Michael, your condenser fan is the radiator cooling fan. You'll locate your air conditioning condenser in the outside, most visible position in front of the CAC and the radiator.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298