MONACO PUSHER 40' RADIATOR OVERHEATING

[moondoggie2]

OVERHEATING ISSUES WITH MY MOTOR HOME
IT IS A MONACO POWERED BY A CUMMINS IT IS A SIDE RADIATOR MODEL
REPAIRS MADE TO IT SO FAR ARE AS FOLLOWS:
RADIATOR HAS BEEN FLUSHED AND DIRT BLOWN OUT FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH COMPRESSED AIR RELIVING THE OUTSIDE DIRT.
THERMOSTATS IN THE MOTOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED
WATER PUMP PRESSURE CHECK DONE.
HYDRAULIC LINES THAT COME FROM THE HYDRAULIC PUMP AND ATTACH TO THE HYDRAULIC RADIATOR FAN DRIVE HAVE HAD THE LIMITER VALVE REMOVED AND THE FAN RUNS AT A FAIRLY HIGH SPEED.
THERE IS A 50/50 MIX OF ANTIFREEZE.
THE RADIATOR FAN BLADES HAVE A ADJUSTMENT ON THE FAN AND YOU CAN ADJUST THE BLADE PITCH ALLOWING MORE "PULL" BUT THIS OPTION HAS NOT BEEN PREFORMED.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING AND I WOULD LIKE ANY ONES ADVISE
THANKS

[RayChez]

Side radiators are like any other mechanical part, they can break. So instead of getting defensive on side radiators why don't some of you come up with an answer as to why this engine is overheating. We all know that the reason why some rear radiators were over heating. Now this person wants to know why his engine is over heating and he describes his coach as to having a side radiator. Who cares if it is a 1998 or a 2014. The problem is still there and all he is asking for idea's as to what it could be. GEEZ!

By the way side radiators are right behind the rear wheels and they do suck up a lot of dirt and grim that is kicked back by the wheels. This radiators are also hydraulic and could have a problem there. They are not perfect, they can give problems just like any other thing that is mechanical.

[Ivylog]

With a IR temp gun you should be able to check your temps when it overheats. It will let you find where there is a big change in temps. It will confirm what your actual temps are too. Start by checking the difference of the water going into the radiator and coming out.

[moisheh]

So far not many good answers. This is a side rad and they are not known to plug with dirt. The OP needs to provide more info: make, model and year of MH, which Cummins engine. Throwing parts at the problem does not do much good. Perhaps the poster who stated this is a known problem with side rads could provide some links to this "known" problem????

Moisheh

[Scottiemom]

Belt? The only time our Phaeton DP ever overheated was on its maiden voyage to our dealer. Transporter had to stop along the way to have the belt changed.

Dale

[jdb7566]

liveneasy wrote:
While I don't have a side mounted radiator... several years back I had overheating problems, primarily on long or steep grades. The problem turned out to be two fold. An exhaust leak at the Turbo and a split seam on the charge air cooler. I'm not sure if it was one or a combination of the two problems but after the repairs were made I no longer had any cooling issues.

I agree, check the integrity of your exhaust system. I had a run hot issue last summer. The pipe from the turbo to the muffler had degraded to the point, very little exhaust was coming out of the tail pipe. I replaced the pipe and so far, no issues. Engine runs at a constant 190 degrees now, even up-hill.

[obgraham]

GoldenHVAC: Where is a side mounted radiator going to get all this grime from that will be washed out? The slobber tube is nowhere near it.

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

I would try washing the radiator again, and see if there is any more dirt on it.

Do you have a coolant water filter? Napa sells a kit #fil 4019 to install one on a 5/8" heater hose line. The coolant filter for a normal pickup is 4070, and they do sell higher capacity filters. If you never ran a water filter, I would suggest starting there. Change it after about 800 miles, it will remove a lot of junk from the engine, and any left over sand. When you notice the heater is not heating anymore, it is time to change the filter again, as it will plug a couple more times in the next 8,000 miles. Then should last 1 year between changes. I replace mine every September, so that the heater will work all winter.

I have a gas engine F-53 - 1997 Ford chassis. I have never had any overheating problems, and the water pump should last many more years due to the lack of minerals in the water.

Some members get offended by a question written with all capitol letters. In some blogs it is considered "Rude" or "Shouting" - as in trying to get your point across by typing in all caps. After taking several customer service seminars, I have learned to not worry about trivial things.

My friends with a Phaton had a problem with it overheating. Their solution was a quart of simple green in a chemical sprayer, mix about 10% green and 90% warm water, then spray some on the radiator, then let it soak, and then wash it out, until after soaking and washing did not bring out any more dirt. It took all day!

The outside coil is probably the A/C cooler, then the air charge intercooler, then the radiator nearest the engine. You need to wash all three coils. You might have to crawl under the RV and then spray the radiator from the inside, or perhaps from under the bed, you can get at it?

Charge cooler leaks can also overheat the engine. Why? Hot air from the turbocharger might not be cooled enough, before going into the engine, and that can mean 1,000F air into the engine only designed with 250F air in mind.

PS: Don't try cleaning the radiator in a campground, unless they have a special place to wash RV's. It will make a mess of the parking area, and management will not be happy. A pressure washer at a self serve car wash might work well too. Or a 1,000 PSI pressure washer - Just use great care not to bend the fins on the coolers with the pressure washer, it would be possible to wash a hole right into and through the metal with to high of pressure to close to the metal coils.

Good Luck,

Fred.

[mtrumpet]

Mr.Mark wrote:
Looks like some people are just throwing darts.

Known heating problems with side radiators? Never heard that.

OP doesn't mention model and year of Monaco motorhome, for all we know, it could a 1990 or a 2011.

More info would be a helpful. What size Cummins are we talking about?

MM.

You beat me to it Mr. Mark.

This the first that I too have heard of "known heating problems with side radiators" with regard to Cummins engines. So, I Googled it. The only two mentions were on two other forums from a few years back. One was on one forum regarding a 400 ISL, and on another forum regarding a Cummins 330. Other than that, I found nothing else. If there are/were issues, I am interested in knowing more since I too have a side radiator (?) Curios.

[Mr_Mark1]

Looks like some people are just throwing darts.

Known heating problems with side radiators? Never heard that.

OP doesn't mention model and year of Monaco motorhome, for all we know, it could a 1990 or a 2011.

More info would be a helpful. What size Cummins are we talking about?

MM.

[Executive45]

Start with the basics.
1. Make sure you're actually overheating. Rule out a bad gauge.
2. Since you recently replaced the fluids and the thermostat, did you also change the radiator cap?
3. Referring to item 2 above, ensure you don't have an air bubble in your system. Often when changing out thermostats, hoses, flushing etc. an air bubble is left in the system. Air, under pressure does not cool.
4. Make sure you cleaned the intercooler as well as the radiator.

Finally, did you do all these repairs BECAUSE of overheating OR were they done as a matter of routine maintenance....:h

Thanks for your post and welcome to the forum....Dennis

[Executive45]

For those that do not like yelling....Moondoggie, a new member, wrote:

Overheating issues with my motor home.

It is a Monaco, powered by a Cummins. It is a side radiator model.

Repairs made to it so far are as follows:
Radiator has been flushed and dirt blown out from the outside with compressed air, reliving the outside dirt.
Thermostats in the motor have been replaced.
Water pump pressure check done.
Hydraulic lines that come from the hydraulic pump and attach to the hydraulic radiator fan drive have had the limiter valve removed and the fan runs at a fairly high speed.

There is a 50/50 mix of antifreeze.

The radiator fan blades have an adjustment on the fan and you can adjust the blade pitch allowing more "pull", but this option has not been performed.

This has been very frustrating and I would like anyone's advice.
Thanks.


:)......Dennis

[Deano56]

as a new member I would not worry about posting in CAPITALS, I sure wouldn't take that as shouting, maybe frantic, so dont run away because there are many decent people here that have helped me. Is your temp gauge going into the red or where exactly is your temp?

[RayChez]

Yep! An exhaust leak to the turbo or at the turbo will cause it to overheat.

[liveneasy]

While I don't have a side mounted radiator... several years back I had overheating problems, primarily on long or steep grades. The problem turned out to be two fold. An exhaust leak at the Turbo and a split seam on the charge air cooler. I'm not sure if it was one or a combination of the two problems but after the repairs were made I no longer had any cooling issues.

[Jagtech]

I SUGGEST THAT YOU CONFIRM WHETHER THE TEMP GAGE IS ACCURATE, PERHAPS BY USING AN INFRARED LASER THERMOMETER.