I tried to submit to "Ask Dave" but got an error message so putting it out here looking for advice.....
I recently experienced an engine overheating on the Cat 3126 in my 2002 Patriot. Here’s what happened.
I had a service shop replace the tank in my Hydro-Hot Hydroponic system. They inadvertently failed to replenish the engine coolant upon completion. I left the service shop and drove to my storage lot approx. 1 mile away and didn’t move the coach for a month.
A month later, at the beginning of a short trip, I drove approx. 1-2 miles and the coach wouldn’t make “normal power” when pulling away from a stop sign. When I looked at the dash the check engine light was on! I was in a residential area, and it took me a couple of minutes to get pulled over. The dash gauge was at about 270 degrees; unfortunately, I didn’t check my Silverleaf 200. I let it continue idling and the temp gradually began to drop. When it was cool enough to add coolant, we added 6 gallons of 50/50 mixture of Univerasal Anti-Freeze and distilled water. Checked oil for any visual signs of water but oil looked good. No signs of any leaks in the cooling system so I returned to storage. The dash gage went quickly to 200 degrees, then stabilized. Once back to storage I added 3.5 gallons of the same solution to fill the sight glass. My manual states that my coolant capacity is 13.7 gallons.
Next day I drove 65 miles and the coolant temperature stayed 195 Deg. When finished oil on dipstick looked good; black and smooth w/no evident frothing.
Questions Please:
1. What do you suggest I do to determine if any permanent damage was done to my engine?
2. What actions do you recommend to recover from this episode, for example, coolant flush, oil analysis, engine scan, etc.?
3. Is there a particular engine scanning tool you recommend for RV owners with this Cat 3126B engine?
Thank you,
Jack Hannah
