Tom
Administrator
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Posts
- 52,213
If you happen to be at one of the rallies attended by Monaco &/or Cummins techs, here's a question for them.....
I'm in the middle of my annual coach maintenance (between rains). This morning I went to change the coolant filter (aka DCA filter). Although the test strip says it's not yet due, I figured I'd change it anyway since it's such an easy task. Wrong!
The Cummins ISC manual clearly shows the coolant filter bolted to the block, adjacent to the oil filter. The Monaco manual for our coach shows it in the same place. But it's not there! In place of the bracket/filter are a couple of coolant lines that run to the rear compartment which, in theory, makes it much easier to change the filter. Wrong again!
The remote bracket holding the coolant filter has no means for shutting off the coolant flow, whereas the bracket that would have been attached to the block would have a valve. A call to Monaco tech support had someone scratching his head - he'd never heard of a remote mounted coolant filter. He went off to talk to a factory tech who asserted that my remote filter was a fuel filter. Sorry, I've changed fuel filters, so I know where they are. This one even says "Coolant filter" on the side in addition to "12 units DCA". Also, when I unscrew it, what comes out is the familiar green ethylene glycol (aka antifreeze).
Scratch heads again. "Solution" - use a couple of clamps to shut off the coolant lines. Err.. won't that damage the lines? I reluctantly proceeded to clamp the lines and change the filter, but not before losing a quart of antifreeze. Fortunately, I'd positioned a bucket and a couple of absorbent pads on the ground to catch it.
So, if you happen to talk with a Monaco or Cummins tech, ask them how to change a remote filter without damaging coolant lines and without spilling coolant.
TIA.
I'm in the middle of my annual coach maintenance (between rains). This morning I went to change the coolant filter (aka DCA filter). Although the test strip says it's not yet due, I figured I'd change it anyway since it's such an easy task. Wrong!
The Cummins ISC manual clearly shows the coolant filter bolted to the block, adjacent to the oil filter. The Monaco manual for our coach shows it in the same place. But it's not there! In place of the bracket/filter are a couple of coolant lines that run to the rear compartment which, in theory, makes it much easier to change the filter. Wrong again!
The remote bracket holding the coolant filter has no means for shutting off the coolant flow, whereas the bracket that would have been attached to the block would have a valve. A call to Monaco tech support had someone scratching his head - he'd never heard of a remote mounted coolant filter. He went off to talk to a factory tech who asserted that my remote filter was a fuel filter. Sorry, I've changed fuel filters, so I know where they are. This one even says "Coolant filter" on the side in addition to "12 units DCA". Also, when I unscrew it, what comes out is the familiar green ethylene glycol (aka antifreeze).
Scratch heads again. "Solution" - use a couple of clamps to shut off the coolant lines. Err.. won't that damage the lines? I reluctantly proceeded to clamp the lines and change the filter, but not before losing a quart of antifreeze. Fortunately, I'd positioned a bucket and a couple of absorbent pads on the ground to catch it.
So, if you happen to talk with a Monaco or Cummins tech, ask them how to change a remote filter without damaging coolant lines and without spilling coolant.
TIA.