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Leaking Pneumatic System

Yahoo Message Number: 6746
Hi Folks,

I have previously reported to this group that our 32' 2000 Allure 30593(July Factory Delivery)had one brass fitting failure about a year ago. This fitting was a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer in the right air reserve tank which cracked probably due to over torquing during factory assembly. The compressor couldn't keep up with the air loss, which leads too all kinds of leveling and brake difficulties.

There are 271 fittings which equates to 407 interfaces, 88 devices (valves, pressure switches, airbags, tanks and chambers), four hose sizes in 5 colors and 18 pre-made hose assemblies, all of which have the potential too leak. Ref. drawing # D15993.
According to CCI, the federal? leak rate spec is less than 5 psi per hour and CCI uses 3 psi per hour.

CCI tech support have told me that the brown-red thread locker pre applied by the fitting manufacturer didn't work. They now use loctite PST 565 thread sealant, a white paste that only hardens in the thread interface but not on any external surface. I purchased a 50 ml tube for $15.

Now for the bottom line:

Most of the 3/4 to 1/2 reducers in the brake air brake reserve tanks are leaking. I have replaced 6 to date. The brass reducers I removed have a 1 1/8 in. hex head, I had to buy steel replacements to get that same head size, they have thicker walls.
Home Depot, ACE hardware, etc reducers had a 1 1/16 in. hex head size and thinner walls - marginal at best for coach use. I purchased the steel reducers from NAPA for the same money.
In replacing the rear inboard reducer on the right tank, I found the adjustment nut and barrel on the pressure relief valve (D17) was loose and close to coming apart. So it was a good fortune to discover this situation while replacing the reducer.
Fred Kovol

Re: Leaking Pneumatic System

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6988
-

Fred:

I reciently re-read your comments that covered the multitude of air line connections. I was driven to the drawings, not to challange your count, but to verify the location of the offending parts. While checking,I was reminded of how I had requested an up-dated version of drawing D15993. The one that came with my coach was based on 2 ride height valves up front and one at the rear. Our coach was retrofitted per the current proceedure. Then I saw your coach number and wondered if when your coaches' books were assembled, if you were provided with the "Revision 6" drawing. There are significant differences between the presentations. One major difference is an attempt to show the locality of the components The change over coach number, according to the drawing for your coach is 30499.
I wonder if there is any dissadvantage to having used steel reducers? It would seem that if they were cheaper and acceptable, CC would have used them.

Jim Green Intrigue 11021

Re: Leaking Pneumatic System

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6991
Hi Jim,

According to the the NAPA store owner who makes air hose assemblies cut to length for large trucks, steel is the prefered fitting for the air reserve tank. These are bright metal steel (plated) reducers which do not rust, they are longer which makes the right to left tank clearance less but workable. When IFS was introduced, the tanks were not moved forward which makes them very hard to maintain without removing the tanks securing brackets to lower the tanks for access to the fittings.

Thanks for the foldout part number -- CCI has not seen fit to respond to my email on this subject (lines missing, tank holes not there, and 2 ride height valves in the front type of issues). CCIs future is another issue.
Fred Kovol

Quote from: rollingghetto
> -

Fred:

I reciently re-read your comments that covered the multitude of air > line connections. I was driven to the drawings, not to challange

your

Quote
count, but to verify the location of the offending parts. While > checking,I was reminded of how I had requested an up-dated version

of

Quote
drawing D15993. The one that came with my coach was based on 2 ride > height valves up front and one at the rear. Our coach was

retrofitted

Quote
per the current proceedure. Then I saw your coach number and

wondered

Quote
if when your coaches' books were assembled, if you were provided

with

Quote
the "Revision 6" drawing. There are significant differences between > the presentations. One major difference is an attempt to show the > locality of the components The change over coach number, according

to

Quote
the drawing for your coach is 30499.

I wonder if there is any dissadvantage to having used steel

reducers?

Quote
It would seem that if they were cheaper and acceptable, CC would

have

Quote
used them.

Jim Green Intrigue 11021

>

Re: Leaking Pneumatic System

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 7001
Hi Fred,

Just wanted to say thanks for the information on the 1" to 3/4" steel reducers from NAPA. I had several fittings leaking, and the heavy duty steel reducers along with NAPA's teflon sealant were the perfect fix. Country Coach, in their efforts to keep them from leaking, had torqued the original brass ones way beyond their limit and were therefore difficult to remove. One broke off even with the tank while attempting to remove it and I had to grind it out while appling positive air pressure to keep the grindings from entering the tank.
Not a pleasant job, but the results were well worth the effort.
Thanks.......

Denny F.

Re: Leaking Pneumatic System

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 7080
Jim,

I too had noticed the errors in the D15993 drawing on my coach and had contacted CC about an updated drawing when I was troubleshooting my air dryer purge problem (still a problem). The following are my emails and the CC responses:

Original query sent via CC website: Preferred Contact Method: email
Join E-mail Mailing List: Yes

Comments:

Subj: Air System Cut-out pressure & Purge
I need some opinions and experiences on a problem I noticed recently.
During my last long weekend trip, I noticed that the air pressure gauges would indicate 130psi and then stop. I no longer have the 'pop- off' purge of the system that I normally had and could hear when the pressure reached 125psi. I routinely open up the three tank valves in bay under drivers seat to purge out any moisture in the system after each trip. I normally get no or very little moisture in the system.
However, I did this last trip because of some heavy rain we drove through and the system was not "popping off". The air dryer cartridge was supposed to have been replaced by Lazy Days last year before I took delivery of the coach. In looking at the manuals and schematics, I see one of two possible culprits. The governor or the air dryer purge valve. I am concerned about doing damage to the compressor if I continue to operate it this way. Do you have any experience or opinions on such a problem and what I should do to troubleshoot further and correct it? Also when I looked at the books I noticed that the book describes a AD-IP air-dryer and the large fold-out schematic calls out an AD-9. Which do I have or supposed to have? The schematic (D15993) is also in error on some other things because I noticed it was not updated to include the proper location of one ride height control valves in front and two in rear. Can I get a corrected copy of the air system schematic(s) and any other updates applicable to my coach? Please be specific in your responses. Jim Hughes 2000 Allure #30511