afchap
Well-known member
2002 MMGT chassis ...small leak appears to be on top of radiator but there is no visible access ...just a small hole that a small tube from the surge tank disappears into. How do I get there? If radiator removal is required, how does it come out? Appears to drop down ...what else must be removed?
We are on AK caravan headed back to US via Cassiar Highway ...no cell coverage to talk to Spartan and could find no email contact for customer service. I have emailed Winnebago OR but no response as yet.
The day before the leak became obvious I blew a hydraulic hose that was bundled by wire ties with tougher hoses ...wore two holes in rubber hose and covered toad with oil which was then heavily dusted by dirt construction areas after I managed to splice the hose ...huge mess, especially on the toad. But we did encounter some rain yesterday that helped clean it up a little.
What I had always assumed were two "transmission" coolers on the outside of the radiator are hydraulic oil coolers ...the line connecting the two coolers is the one that blew about halfway between as it runs behind the radiator underneath. If the lines had been enclosed in loom before being wire-tied together the hose would not have been worn down and blown out.
It dripped coolant all night the day I discovered it, taking the level down about half way (below the sight glass) in the surge tank. The next day, yesterday, I started the engine ...no low coolant warning ...put about 3/4 gallon into the surge tank to get it above the sight glass ...tripped the pressure release lever on the surge tank pressure cap ...then drove it 200 miles. The route included some significant inclines, and the temp stayed within normal ranges, maybe as warm as 190. I never saw any evidence of leakage either while running or after stopping. I thought perhaps the coolant would expand into the overflow tank but it did not. I am wondering now if the leak may be on the suction side that returns coolant to the radiator, as that if when I first noticed it ...after running awhile and then shutting the engine down ...a damp spot down the rear side of the radiator, and drips off the bottom. I haven't checked the level yet today. We have a 200+ mile run tomorrow to Hazleton, and then on to Prince George, Cache Creek, and down to Lynden WA.
I am thinking now I will be able to at least drive it back to the US. We are apx 400 miles from Prince George BC which does have a couple of places that work on pushers, and a bit over 1,000 miles from Seattle. We have a short time to get from Seattle to NW Missouri, and will be back home in Texas in early October. With the temps not really hot this time of year, I am even thinking of maybe driving it all the way back to East Texas with the pressure lever open.
We are on AK caravan headed back to US via Cassiar Highway ...no cell coverage to talk to Spartan and could find no email contact for customer service. I have emailed Winnebago OR but no response as yet.
The day before the leak became obvious I blew a hydraulic hose that was bundled by wire ties with tougher hoses ...wore two holes in rubber hose and covered toad with oil which was then heavily dusted by dirt construction areas after I managed to splice the hose ...huge mess, especially on the toad. But we did encounter some rain yesterday that helped clean it up a little.
What I had always assumed were two "transmission" coolers on the outside of the radiator are hydraulic oil coolers ...the line connecting the two coolers is the one that blew about halfway between as it runs behind the radiator underneath. If the lines had been enclosed in loom before being wire-tied together the hose would not have been worn down and blown out.
It dripped coolant all night the day I discovered it, taking the level down about half way (below the sight glass) in the surge tank. The next day, yesterday, I started the engine ...no low coolant warning ...put about 3/4 gallon into the surge tank to get it above the sight glass ...tripped the pressure release lever on the surge tank pressure cap ...then drove it 200 miles. The route included some significant inclines, and the temp stayed within normal ranges, maybe as warm as 190. I never saw any evidence of leakage either while running or after stopping. I thought perhaps the coolant would expand into the overflow tank but it did not. I am wondering now if the leak may be on the suction side that returns coolant to the radiator, as that if when I first noticed it ...after running awhile and then shutting the engine down ...a damp spot down the rear side of the radiator, and drips off the bottom. I haven't checked the level yet today. We have a 200+ mile run tomorrow to Hazleton, and then on to Prince George, Cache Creek, and down to Lynden WA.
I am thinking now I will be able to at least drive it back to the US. We are apx 400 miles from Prince George BC which does have a couple of places that work on pushers, and a bit over 1,000 miles from Seattle. We have a short time to get from Seattle to NW Missouri, and will be back home in Texas in early October. With the temps not really hot this time of year, I am even thinking of maybe driving it all the way back to East Texas with the pressure lever open.
