Help! Anyone know why generator won't retract?

Is it ok to use Dexron VI instead of Dexron III? I read that all the Dexrons are forward compatible but not backward compatible. So I am thinking that it should be ok. But??? Thanks

Thank you. This is good information. The thing only sprayed oil at the end of lowering the jacks and then not when raising them. I can only assume it is doing it when I am trying to retract the generator because I run back and look and it is all foggy with oil in the bay. I am currently the only one home right now too so I have no way of looking when also opening/closing etc. I am praying that the RV mobile service guy can squeeze me in tomorrow and at least take a look. The reservoir seemed low today once I retracted the jacks and checks; but only a little low. I just am not sure what I would tighten so I think it best to let the RV tech look at it hopefully. No other shops in town can get me in. ::(

What Doug just said.....Dennis

pweekly wrote:
Ok. I did some more digging and the jacks went down ok, generator still won't budge, but I wiped up all the oil in the bay and then as the last jack finished going down, oil came spraying up from this hole by all the connections like a fountain. I have a video of where if anyone feels challenged or inspired to what to do. And if the hydraulic fluid (transmission fluid) is showing full and is pink, why is the oil everywhere in the bay, clear?

ORIGINAL HWH fluid is Dextron 3 without the red dye. So, some OEM's use the HWH fluid which is clear. When you top off the reservoir, you usually do not have access to HWH Fluid so you use the Regular Dextron 3 that will have the red dye. The reservoir has about 6 qts of fluid and you only use about 2 qts when extending the jacks and slides and such. So the leak is probably spewing the clear HWH fluid. Try to determine if the Leak is ONLY when activating the genset. If so, that is why it does not retract---The leak stops the force of the fluid from acting on the genset cylinder. DO NOT BEAR DOWN on the hose fittings(5/8 wrench). IF you overtighten it will break the fitting on the end of the hose and will really leak. The fittings are designed to just be slightly snug to seal. Doug

Try tighten the nut on the line that's leaking oil to hopefully stop the spraying oil. I would reverse the two wires on the solinoid values for the generator slide and then push the button to extend/open the slide. If all else fails you can loosen both hydraulic lines on the cylinder for the generator slide and manually push it in. Put a rag under the back line to catch the oil that's going to come out.

It sounds like you have a leak in the line. Our reservoir is in the same bay as the motor. I had to feel for the plug. It is the same as the vent for the reservoir. I just had to use my hand to remove the plug. I filled the reservoir to where my finger touched the fluid. You might go to the HWH site. My system operated 3 of my 4 slides, my jacks and the generator in and out. We have a 2008 Mandalay 40G.

Ok. I did some more digging and the jacks went down ok, generator still won't budge, but I wiped up all the oil in the bay and then as the last jack finished going down, oil came spraying up from this hole by all the connections like a fountain. I have a video of where if anyone feels challenged or inspired to what to do. And if the hydraulic fluid (transmission fluid) is showing full and is pink, why is the oil everywhere in the bay, clear?

MrWizard wrote:
Don't drive it over the cliff
Just drive out to Calif and leave it
I'll pay your plane ticket home

Yeah, I'll be driving down the road with a generator hanging out. LOL I seriously do not have the nerves for all of this ****. AND the irish wolfhound just threw up. I am having a day....

dougrainer wrote:
You add DEXTRON 3 to the HWH system. Do NOT add HYDRAULIC oil. The HWH system is separate from the chassis engine system. Do not add stop leak to the system, it will gum things up. If the jacks are inop now, that points to a problem that is more than just the genset problem. Doug

So you put transmission fluid in the reservoir? Sorry to be so stupid. :(

Thanks. I checked the reservoir and it seems full. I don't know how it could be with the oiliness of the hydraulic bay. Inside the bay, it looks like a spray of oil on the wall and ceiling. :( The slide out rooms seem fine.
Any easy band-aid tricks? The HWH guy can't talk to me for 2 weeks and the Mobile RV service guy doesn't work on hydraulics.