SMC Leveling System has stopped.

[Bruce Sieloff]

This appears to be the season for leveling problems. Our SMC system has stopped leveling the coach.
The symptoms were a lessening of leveling activity, fewer and fewer jolts to the coach, and eventual cessation of any leveling activity other than a persistent whine, like the hydraulics were working too hard. this has been happening over a period of weeks. The leveling brain seems to be doing its job, the lights on the keyboard match what I can observe in the coach. I have checked the fluid level and it is fine. In a 2003 Marquis the slides and leveling system run from the same reservoir and I believe use the same pump.  The jacks show no sign of leaking. Is this a manifold issue? We are currently on the road near Lexington KY. Anyone have a suggestion of where to go to other than Bend have the system assessed?

[Edward Buker]

It does sound like the electronics are functioning properly and the logic is working. It sounds more like a pump issue where the motor is not developing the torque needed, or there possibly is some slippage in the coupling from the motor to the pump. Low voltage at the pump could be causing it to run slow. The electrical solenoid switch that controls the pump have been known to fail but that typically causes the pump not to run at all as a symptom. If the main slideout still functions well using the hydraulics then it may not be a pump issue. The fact that this seemed to degrade performance wise before failing has me still leaning in the pump/motor direction as a root cause. If the slideout performance is suffering also then the pump is the common thread to both symptoms. The slideout requires less energy then lifting the coach does, so it will not be a perfect diagnostic indicator of the pump capabiity.

I would call Bend and describe the symptom. If they have a good idea what the cause is, that would go a long way in a discussion with a more local RV or truck shops as to whether or not they could handle a repair. Alliance coach in Florida would possibly be another source of info and possibly a repair.

Later Ed

[David T. Richelderfer]

Another thought:  How long has it been since you checked the hydraulic reservoir's oil level?

[LaMonte Monnell]

David , He stated that he checked the fluid level in the reservoir and it is fine.

Ed's idea of how the slide operates may be one way to check pump operation, also check for any major leaking around the pump area and lines to pump.

[David T. Richelderfer]

Obviously, I missed that.  I had been celebrating my 3-over-par round before I got home last evening.

Oh... and on Monday, Aug 10th, I shot my age.  It is a par 62 course... but what the hell, I am 66.

[Bill Sprague]

Obviously, I missed that.  I had been celebrating my 3-over-par round before I got home last evening.

I had that dream once before I gave up golf.

[Les Brandt]

Obviously, I missed that.  I had been celebrating my 3-over-par round before I got home last evening.

Oh... and on Monday, Aug 10th, I shot my age.  It is a par 62 course... but what the hell, I am 66.

Last time I played golf, I shot a 62 as well.

Too bad I had to quit after the 3rd hole. LOL

Back to the thread. Have you looked at your battery cables? On my 01 Monticello, I had to cut back the cable and replace the ends as corrosion had worked its way up the cable from the terminal end. I wasn't getting enough power.

[Dave Atherton]

Gentleman, I guess that I'm missing a point somewhere on maintance and oil changing. after 42
years in field service. reguardless if it is a hydraulic driven fan on a motorhome or a hydraulic driven
fan on a excavator, hydraulic fluid is driving a hydraulic motor under pressure and will wear out. when
oil starts to break down wear and failure in most cases. this is why oil sampling is ever so important
I have hear many stories about hydraulic fan motors or hydraulic hoses break spraying heated hydraulic
into the exhaust system. granted motorhome do not compare with a piece of earthmoving equipment
but same factors are still involved. investing $ 300,00. to 500,00. and we are worried about skipping
service as important  as fluids. has anyone priced out replacement cost of failed componts or engine
failure cost. I guess I'm on the wrong side of this post, Dave Atherton Retired Cat Mechanic

[Bruce Sieloff]

So the hydraulic fluid was changed out about 3 years ago when the pump was replaced, and while it may be a good idea to change it, the slides work fine; it is just the leveling system that refuses to respond. Corroded cables might be a culprit, and could lead to the lessening of effectiveness, I might try tracking that down myself. I would have thought that starting with the pump end was the way to proceed since everything hydraulic is driven from there. The pump cables were removed and cleaned when the pump was changed. There is some wetness on the underside of the reservoir, a light coating actually. I guess I will try to trace wires going from the pump/manifold to the levelers and see if replacing the terminals helps. That given, the closest place to get it repaired is in Florida? Must be something more east coast than that. We are heading for Rhode Island in the next month, and I can live with it for a while, but running it up on blocks is getting old and some of the places we are staying aren’t level enough for that to be a good solution.

[Edward Buker]

Bruce,

This system makes some normal operating sounds when it is working properly. Pump runs with a whine and the pitch changes when it is running against closed valves during pauses and then the pitch changes again when valves open and the coach moves with the resultant jack travel. What is yours doing when you try and level?

Later Ed

[Bruce Sieloff]

Ed, the system always made a loud and obnoxious whine before and during leveling, to the point where my DW was embarassed to be associated with it. It wasn't something that made you friends if you pulled in and leveled late at night. But it worked. Over the past few weeks that instances of "coachquakes" became fewer and leveling activity less frequent until it has stopped all together.
It still whines like it is trying, but no action. Since I have no action from ANY of the jacks I'm thinking that it is upstream from the jacks themselves. I'm not sure where the manifold is located, there is a manifold right above and to the rear of the pump but I'm thinking this is for the slides not the jacks.

[Edward Buker]

Bruce,

On my 2002 Marquis the manifold is underneath up front on the passenger side but you have a whole different chassis in 2003. Wherever you hear the pump the manifold is likely nearby. The change in pitch of the whine was when the solenoids were driven to be open or closed by the controller. If the pitch is a constant and never changes and the jacks do not move then it could be related to the controller not opening any of the solenoids when it should. Wiring like a poor ground could cause the solenoids not to work. You need someone to diagnose if the solenoids are getting voltage that should open them or not.

Later Ed