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Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Yahoo Message Number: 115490
Hey guys,

Looking for input from anybody who has gained access to their C12 in a Affinity or Magna early 2000 era through the bedroom access door/hatch. I'm going to bypass the "school bus" MP heater circulating pump.
Looking at the access door in the bedroom (partly covered by foot of bed, on the step up from bedroom floor to raised area in front of wardrobe), looks like the carpet is already cut from original install (no need to pull back staples, cut carpet, I think).....but it also looks like I'm gonna have to take apart some of the bed.
I've sear searched the forums and only found threads on other CC models. Also, anybody know the ID of the heater hose running to and from the pump? I purchased 3/4" and 1" brass barbed connectors. On my hurricane heater , it is 3/4" flexfab green hose going to and from the hurricane heater (or hydro hot) that steps up via fitting to 1" ID going in and out of the MP pump (in the hurricane heater compartment next to chassis batteries). Just want to make sure I have the right fitting before getting in there. Any help would be appreciated,

Keith
02 Affinity 42' Tag #6123

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115491
On my 2006 Magna it is very simple, but that cover is heavy, so don't hurt your back. Remove closet doors. Remove the track (4 screws), and carefully pry up carpeted top cover. That exposes the cover with 8 big bolts you remove with socket. Then lift cover up. This is the heavy one, so get good position to carry it. I set mine by bathroom on tile.

It is all standard 3/4" heater hose. I just needed a 90 degree piece to bypass the pump. Pull fuse for pump power too.

It's good you are doing this. Otherwise you will be stranded on side of road, not if, but when. The pump is not needed for dash heat, mine heats just fine with pump bypassed.

Greg
06 Magna

2006 Magna Rembrandt C13
2016 Jeep GC toad

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115492

I have the layout with the drawers below the wardrobe (swing out hinged) doors above. Pics attached.
On the fuse, does anything else run off it. If so, was thinking I'd cut 12V wires to pump, use electrical screw on connector/cap, heat shrink, electrical tape, etc.
On another note, anybody replace the front pump? Just had CC in JC do it a couple of months back. They mounted the new one vertical with the hoses attaching at the top of the pump. I thought I read something about vertical mounting leading to premature failure. Can anybody confirm?

Keith
02 Affinity 42' tag #6123

On Saturday, July 7, 2018 7:54 PM, "Greg Labadie greglabadie1@... [Country-Coach-Owners]"  wrote:

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115495
I had to have my rear pump bypassed a few years ago and it was done with one pipe nipple and one short piece of hose and needed hose clamps. While the pump was bypassed the wires were disconnected and all else seemed to work.

On my coach the mirror heaters are also on that same circuit so if you pull the circuit breaker from the front run board you'll lose your mirror heat.

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

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115496
We have sibling coaches. Yours is 20 coaches newer than ours. Please let me know if you come up with a reasonable answer to this problem. I took ours to Peterson CAT in Eugene for the valve backlash adjustment. They had the shop supervisor and two techs trying to figure out how to get the bed frame clear of the hatch cover. No way.

In the end they got the skinniest of the techs to crawl into the engine compartment and do the adjustment in there.

In the attached image, the slide is fully extended.

FWIW,

Dave M. 2002 Affinity, #6103, 42' Bed and Breakfast, CAT C12
Dave & Cathy M, 2002 Affinity #6103, 2018 GMC Acadia, Linux Mint 19.2

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115499
" They mounted the new one vertical with the hoses attaching at the top of the pump. I thought I read something about vertical mounting leading to premature failure. Can anybody confirm?"

If the pump seals leak, the coolant will run down into the motor. This is what happens with the pump in the engine compartment.

Don
'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115501
Roger that, will change orientation to vertical..



Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115502
I figured out how to take the bedroom apart...taking pictures as I go..will post when complete.

Keith
02 Affinity 42' #6123



Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115517
Hey Dave,

Pics to follow this evening.... took all day and in to the evening yesterday but I managed to bypass pump via bedroom access panel.. thought i had it figured out until i got to the stage of having access panel exposed and then, no matter what i did, i couldn't get the panel to clear the the bed frame base (steel black rather than aluminum)...
After a lot of wasted time the answer was this:
Loosen the bolts that hold the frame legs down at the foot of the bed (back out about an inch...they are still threaded in the holes), then grab the frame and pull up...that gives just emough clearance to slide access panel out.

Pull panel edge up closest to bed frame, slide under bed frame, the tile panel edge closest to closet up...

Keith
02 Affinity #6123



Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115518
Also had to take the two drawers above panel out to clear



Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115519
Does not look easy. Mirrors, mirror track and underneath the bed frame.

Wally & Elta Mae
2007Allure 470 Sunset Bay #31535

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115522
some pics

On Monday, July 9, 2018 12:28 PM, "Walter Falch wfalch@... [Country-Coach-Owners]"  wrote:

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115523
more pics....took me all day and better part of the evening...
bullet points
- have to cut the carpet and re-staple on one end of the wood wrap around bed base that comes off the side closest to the closet
- have to loosen the black steel bed frame feet (leaving them partly threaded in), lift up feet and frame to get clearance for the access panel to slide under the frame, then lift l shaped side of panel closest to close up and work it free....requires removing two drawers above panel in my closet design.
- it seems like the MP circulating pumps only cam in 1" and 1 1/8" inlet outlet diameters. CC used the 1" on every pump I've replaced thus far.....and the main supply lines running to the pump were 3/4" ID. this means they all have a preformed 3/4" to 1" hose adapter at the pump or a 3/4" to 1" step up nipple before the pump. In this case they had the preformed 3/4" to 1" that was attached to motor and the other end to the 3/4" hose going up front to dash with 3/4" to 3" nipple already at the hose that continued to dash. So, it only required 13" of 3/4" ID Flexfab hose and the hose clamps.
- I cut the hot and ground at pump I removed, wire nutted, heat shrinked and electrical tape wrapped the wires coming from the coach, put them back in the loom and zip tied to other hose. Per others, the fuse runs mirror heaters and other pump and I'm keeping the circulating up behind front bumper (recently replaced and easy to get to for repairs).
- PITA , worst part was working upside down through the access hole face planted on the motor but now I have piece of mind......at least as far as the school bus pump goes

Keith
02 Affinity 42' tag #6123

On Monday, July 9, 2018 6:35 PM, "jerry kubena kubenajk@... [Country-Coach-Owners]"  wrote:

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115524
make that 3/4" to 3/4" straight connector nipple already in place and "L" shaped/lip edge of access panel...

On Monday, July 9, 2018 7:00 PM, "jerry kubena kubenajk@... [Country-Coach-Owners]"  wrote:

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115527
Good job Jerry! Is your floor plan the "Bed and Breakfast"? Looks like you have drawers on the curb side that we do not have.
Thanks for documenting this.

Dave M. 2002 Affinity #6103
Dave & Cathy M, 2002 Affinity #6103, 2018 GMC Acadia, Linux Mint 19.2

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115528
Hi Keith,

I know the pain to get into that cover! Had to fix a water hose leak that rubbed against a fitting.
I didn't pay enough attention to the start of the thread, I'm guessing there is an electric booster pump that leaks sooner or later.
I have an 08 Affinity with the Cat C-15, I guess I need to bypass this pump?

Quote
On Monday, July 9, 2018, 6:00:14 PM PDT, jerry kubena kubenajk@... [Country-Coach-Owners]  wrote:

[Attachment(s) from jerry kubena included below]

more pics....took me all day and better part of the evening...
bullet points
- have to cut the carpet and re-staple on one end of the wood wrap around bed base that comes off the side closest to the closet
- have to loosen the black steel bed frame feet (leaving them partly threaded in), lift up feet and frame to get clearance for the access panel to slide under the frame, then lift l shaped side of panel closest to close up and work it free....requires removing two drawers above panel in my closet design.
- it seems like the MP circulating pumps only cam in 1" and 1 1/8" inlet outlet diameters. CC used the 1" on every pump I've replaced thus far.....and the main supply lines running to the pump were 3/4" ID. this means they all have a preformed 3/4" to 1" hose adapter at the pump or a 3/4" to 1" step up nipple before the pump.

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115530
Hey Dave, yes "bed and breakfast" is listed on the build sheet in the medicine cabinet...as they were all built to order, there are variations in floor plans as far as I understand... here's a better pic of bedroom layout... the slide, engine access and basic procedure should be the same,

Keith
02 Affinity 42' tag #6123
[img width=100 ]http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/zvEj42zuctEKk6ds/or/BK0MA3bqe9cbP1_tQEo-/name/20180710_194406.jpg[/img]



Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115532
Wayne, yes, there are two MP 12v circulating pumps on my affinity to circulate coolant to the dash heaters up front. (there's at least one more for the hydronic heater, different circuit). One mounted behind the motor on the bulkhead if you are looking in from the back of the coach (that pushes fluid forward....impossible on my C12 to access from the rear or under really), and one easy to access on passengers side near entry steps behind bumper (pulling fluid forward). Consensus is the rear one is not needed, plenty of dash heat using only the front one.....I think Rich with a C12 Magna bypassed both and still has adequate dash heat.
Anyway, both the front and rear were mounted in vertical orientation so when the seals start to give coolant can leak in to motor and fry it (many change to horizontal orientation for this reason from what I've read from others).
The fatal found dead on the road incident is when the rear one, aka school bus pump, actually starts really leaking bad and dumps gallons of coolant leaving you stranded on the side of the road with a real PITA access issue....so many choose to bypass the rear pump before the fatal incident.
I posted all the pics as I could not find anything in the manual on actually taking the bedroom apart to gain access through access hatch and all the other forum threads were on different models.
In searching through the chassis manual that came with my coach, there is actually a picture of the chassis, from above view, showing the locations of theses circulating pumps. I suspect your chassis manual will also show the rear pump's location if you have one.

Keith
02 Affinity 42' tag #6123

On Tuesday, July 10, 2018 4:27 PM, "Wayne Lee waynelee@... [Country-Coach-Owners]"  wrote:

Re: Engine access through bedroom on Magna or Affinity with Cat C12

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115549
Cocomoho,

See the pics in this thread......I just did this job.....I don't think you want to cut the access door....it keeps engine fumes out...

Keith
02 Affinity 42' tag #6123

On Monday, July 9, 2018 7:00 PM, jerry kubena  wrote: