Broken down leaking oil

[Dan Murphy]

Well we just came from the Decatur In ARG Service facility. I had a cruise control issue and a loose awning that needed to be adjusted. While we were there we had them do a 29 point chassis check since we are leaving for Oregon in a month.
They lubed the chassis and checked all fluids and did a visual inspection of the chassis parts. The tech said it appeared to him that  we may be leaking a very small amount of oil into the air dryer system and I should see a Cat dealer to have it checked.
We have gotten 30 miles south of Decatur and pulled into a Walmart for some groceries. Kris was checking the Toad and it was covered with oil and there was oil dripping from the rear of the Beaver. It appears to come from the canister like thing on the lower right side that has a marking saying Webco. I will attempt a picture but may not be able to post the pic.
I have called The Arg service center and they are all gone but will call me in the morning. Coachnet has been alerted and they want to tow but don't know where yet. I am not wild about being towed anywhere.
The dipstick shows a quarter inch of oil and I wonder if it can be driven back to Decatur or fixed right here.
Does anyone have a suggestion??
It does not appear to be leaking any longer after it was shut off but I hesitate to start it up or drive it any farther without knowing what could be wrong.
I do not believe too much in coincidences I wonder what they did to my coach to make it spew out oil!

[Tom and Pam Brown]

I would not crank or drive the coach until you KNOW what the issue is.  If the air compressor failed it could pump all the oil out.  Can you tell where the leak is coming from?

[Dan Murphy]

Tom
It appears to me much of the oil was lost from the small canister like thing on the lower right side of the engine compartment. It looks like some kind of filter. Could it be the air dryer? It says Webco on part of it.

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Dan, that is probably the air dryer, however a air dryer failure would not pump oil out of,the engine.  Your comment earlier said there was 1/4 inch on the stick or was it a 1/4 low on oil?

[Edward Buker]

Tom,

It would make sense that it is likely coming from the compressor to the receiver drier. There is not much else in that system that has pressureized oil in it.

Later Ed

[Dan Murphy]

I talked to Gerald just awhile ago and he agreed with Mr Buker it is most likely the compressor. We will have Coachnet tow to the nearest Cat shop to check it out.
I sure do hate coincidences. Everything was ok until the service center checked the chassis. Now I have a problem.

Can't go anywhere till morning I hope Coachnet can find me a flat bed tow truck!

Dan

[Phil N Barb Rodriguez]

Had a '94 Patriot with a Cummins 8.3 engine. It started blowing engine oil out of the filter air dryer each time the pressure relief valve opened.

Turns out is was a bad engine air compressor.

Phil

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dan,
I'd be surprised if they flat bed your coach due to bridge clearance. I had to have 3 tows  in MN & Mi last year and in each case it was a rear wheel tow. The tow driver will disconnect the drive shaft and the repairing facility will reconnect it. Be careful to ensure the rear mud flap doesn't drag. I used bugie cords to hold mine up. Also make sure the lift bar from the tow truck does not come in contact with the bottom edge of the front cap. Get the tow driver's cell number and follow him in your toad. That way you can notify him if you see any problems as he is towing it. When you get to the repair facility verify you can over-night in the coach. I was at a Freightliner shop in Monroe MI that forced me to move the coach to the street as they wouldn't allow anyone in the yard overnight. Obviously not an option for you if it's spraying oil.
Good Luck!
Steve

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dan,
One more thing; If you are down to a 1/4 " of oil showing on the dip stick, (assuming that is well below the "Add" mark), be sure that no one starts the engine until they add some oil.
Steve

[Edward Buker]

Dan,

Before you call for a tow you may want to talk to the Cat dealer that you plan on using and let them know the symptoms. If they are relatively sure that it is the compressor, it is usually accessible from the rear hatch as long as you have a side radiator in the coach. The compressor may have antifreeze passages for cooling so it may not be something that they will want to change on the road but it may also be quite possible. It would be nice to avoid the risks of having a tow.

There is a big difference between a real Cat service center and a dealership that has a Cat sign out front that is authorized to work on Cat engines. Coachnet will likely be seeking the closest place of service that handles Cat engines. Before I would have my coach towed, if that is necessary, I would see if there is a real Cat service center within reach and see if that option is available. I had a breakdown in Golden CO and was towed to a Denver location that serviced trucks and had a big Cat sign out front. After two days of lack of adequate service and knowledge I called and had to get another tow to a real Cat service center across town. My problem was diagnosed and repaired that same day by the first and second shift teams. A world of difference in knowledge and capability between the two facilities, the real Cat truck dealership being far superior. Hope this helps.

Later Ed

[Dan Murphy]

Update to all:
Fleetwood sent a chassis man down to see if the problem was caused by them when they did the inspection. Doug crawled under and all around and he was the guy that did the 29 pt inspection. He said we were about a qt low yesterday and there was a small amount on the shop floor where we had been parked. This is news to me cause I have never seen any sign of leakage before and the oil was ok when I left Mich on Sunday.
Doug put 2 1/2 gallons of oil in so it is a pretty serious leak.
Coachnet was arranging a tow for us and the Jackson Garage called me from Celina Oh. He seemed to think that the garage there could fix my problem yet this week and get me underway. He was a little sketchy about towing it though about 30 miles to his place in Celina.
Meanwhile since he had not called Coachnet back about being able to tow they had arranged another company to come from Ft Wayne and tow the coach back to the Ft Wayne Cat shop for repair. I know they will not even look at it till next week.
Anyone heard of this Jackson Garage in Celina ( they have a website) and any opinions on whether I should try to drive it 30 miles or not??

Dan

[Edward Buker]

Dan,

Because you really do not know what is wrong with the engine yet it would seem risky to drive it in. What is a bad leak now could possibly travel the distance with some with oil checks and additions along the way or it could suddenly become a catastrophic leak if something that is damaged let go. The issue is without a knowledgeable diagnosis from a Cat trained person in the field you just do not know what is wrong and if you can expect to go the distance.

I would opt for the Cat dealer and then work with the service manager to see if you can get any earlier work done but you are up against the 4th of July holiday. Maybe get a hotel room, unhitch the toad, and do some sight seeing. One opinion....

Later Ed

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Dan, I agree with Ed, it's too risky to drive without knowing the issue. A lot of truck dealerships have mobile service and should be capable of at the very least a diagnosis.  They may be able to replace the compressor where you are sitting if that indeed is your issue.

[John Hennessey]

If you are uncomfortable with the Cat dealer, call Cat directly. Tell them the issue. They can tell you what service according to the serial number. They can be very helpful.  

[Dan Murphy]

We had the Beaver towed to Macallister Cat in Ft Wayne In. The tow truck operator was very careful but we still had some minor damage as the generator tail pipe was broken loose and kind of bent the top of th generator box. We discovered before they left and it will be taken care of. Should not be a problem.
I will not hear back from the service manager until next week so we drove home in the toad and we will wait for the verdict on what is wrong. I hope it is not too serious but "Murphy's law" you know !
I cannot say enough good about Coach-Net! They do an awesome job.

Dan