Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-22-2021, 11:41 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 21
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner ER
Engine: 6.6L CAT 3116
Fluid leak/winter problems

Hello Hello! I live in Minnesota and my bus from south cali is experiencing its' first real winter as I demo it ahead of the conversion. It's now cold enough that I wasn't able to start it up the last time I went out there. I purchased an espar/eberspacher hydronic heat system to install at some point but was hoping somebody could link me to a cheap/easy temporary product for warming up the engine for better cold-starts since I won't be able to install the heater for a while yet.

I've noticed some fluids accumulating underneath the engine compartment. It wasn't leaking before and I have been running it, but not driving it. One fluid is kind of red, the other is a yellowish brown. Can anybody tell me what fluids are leaking, and how to fix it? lol


P.S. - which forum is the best for asking about my air compressor/fuel tank fittings? not sure where to ask those questions. Thanks!
Attached Thumbnails
PXL_20210120_210737496.jpg   PXL_20210120_210746120.jpg  

GrassMonster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2021, 02:16 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 21
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner ER
Engine: 6.6L CAT 3116
This is the heating kit I purchased if anybody has any advice on installation/implementation. I'm gonna try for radiant floor heat and plan on leaving the original coolant lines in for the defrosters.
GrassMonster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2021, 02:36 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,349
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Thomas 4 window w/lift
Chassis: G30~Chevy cutaway
Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
Red most likely ATF leak, yellowish brown, oil.

Trace the transmission cooling lines that run from the transmission to the cooler.
Some busses use the radiator for trans cooling, while others have a separate/remote cooler.

From your pic, it looks like the other leak could be the oil filter. Wipe the body of the filter free of oil, and then try tightening it carefully. You'll need to run it a bit after tightening to see if that was it, or if it helped. If not, more evaluation might be in order.

Good luck, and post up what you find...
peteg59 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2021, 02:52 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
Jolly Roger bus 223's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Swansboro,NC
Posts: 2,973
Year: 86
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford B700
Engine: 8.2
Rated Cap: 60 bodies
a temporary preheat solution could be a magnetic oil pan heater?
see if your block has the element heater(brain dead for real name for some reason right now). block heater?
some have it already installed and just need the cord, but your engine is already tapped for one if not already there.
being a cali bus it might not be there.
either one you will need 120v power available.
i have used torpedo heaters blowing under construction to get things warmed up but you also need 120v for that.
for the leaks i would clean everything up good and maybe put a clean sheet of cardboard under the area and run it and keep an eye on things but it definitely looks like the oil filter isnt tight
good luck
good luck
Jolly Roger bus 223 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2022, 11:24 AM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 12
Year: 2005
Coachwork: International
Chassis: IC 200 RE
Engine: t444e (7.3)
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrassMonster View Post
This is the heating kit I purchased if anybody has any advice on installation/implementation. I'm gonna try for radiant floor heat and plan on leaving the original coolant lines in for the defrosters.
I realize that this is an old thread... but did you end up going with in-floor heat? Did you plumb your webasto into the rad fluid for a pre-heater also, or just as a separate boiler for cabin heat? I plan on doing a similar setup with a webasto that is pre-insalled in my bus (rad fluid pre-heater). It's a huge one... 110000btu, and i'd like to do an in-floor system.
kbel is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
cold, fluids, leak, winter

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.