Pusher builds heat when towing

June 18, 2018, 12:51 PM

69dart

We have an older 1993 Fleetwood Bounder 32 foot pusher with a 5.9 cummins & 4 speed Allison. Shes a great coach but it was stupid HOT yesterday and coming home from the track the RV kept building water temp on the long hills. It would climb about 2/3rds of the gauge when wide open and slowly cool back to halfway when rolling off the gas.

It seems like an airflow issue on the interstate at around 60-65 where it wants to builds heat. It does fine on back roads at 55-60. Running 55-60 on the interstate gets old real fast though.

I changed the oil, fuel filters and degreased the radiator last weekend which helped but I'd like for it to stay at halfway.

We keep the 24' trailer pretty lean with roadster, golf cart and tools it's maybe 6-7k.

Maybe an air deflector or longer hitch would help?

I'm sure West coast guys have to see this when it 95 with 76 dewpoint. Any thoughts?

June 18, 2018, 01:22 PM

TOP38

quote:
Originally posted by 69dart:
We have an older 1993 Fleetwood Bounder 32 foot pusher with a 5.9 cummins & 4 speed Allison. Shes a great coach but it was stupid HOT yesterday and coming home from the track the RV kept building water temp on the long hills. It would climb about 2/3rds of the gauge when wide open and slowly cool back to halfway when rolling off the gas.

It seems like an airflow issue on the interstate at around 60-65 where it wants to builds heat. It does fine on back roads at 55-60. Running 55-60 on the interstate gets old real fast though.

I changed the oil, fuel filters and degreased the radiator last weekend which helped but I'd like for it to stay at halfway.

We keep the 24' trailer pretty lean with roadster, golf cart and tools it's maybe 6-7k.

Maybe an air deflector or longer hitch would help?

I'm sure West coast guys have to see this when it 95 with 76 dewpoint. Any thoughts?

When is the last time you cleaned the radiator? (Pressure washed it) If you haven't then do it with Simple Green or Gunk then try it again. They get very dirty!

June 18, 2018, 01:23 PM

Sc1041

Clean the Radiator with a pressure washer from the outside in words.It is probably plugged up with oil and dirt out of the vent tube from the engine.

June 18, 2018, 02:05 PM

Jason Compton

Having the same issue with mine.(96 pusher with 5.9 and Allison 6speed) Here in TN we have a few hills and mine is getting to the hot line.Previous owner live on a gravel road and it developed an oil leak. It clogged up things pretty bad. Tried pressure washing it from the back but no change. Realized it has an intercooler in front of the radiator,so went through the bed access to the motor and used gunk and washed it pretty well. Tried it this weekend(94 degrees and high humidity) and not much change. I guess next step is to remove the radiator and clean.I'll let you know if it works for me.

June 18, 2018, 02:23 PM

69dart

I pressure washed it from the back last week.

I guess I need to go from inside and try again this week.

June 18, 2018, 02:41 PM

bry-war

Yesterday mine read 230 on the dash but only 203 on the ECU (scan gauge). That's a long wire to keep a perfect reading. Verify sensor reading before doing anything drastic. Most coaches use separate sensor for dash gauge. My old 96 beaver might get a racepak dash if any other readings are wrong.
BW

I may be out of turn because a 93 prolly doesn't have obd2

June 18, 2018, 03:00 PM

TORQIN

Must be done from the inside out, then again on outside as most of the accumulation is on the inside of the radiator...degreaser or coil clean will do the job well with pressure washer. Don't get the pressure washer wand too close to the fins of the radiator...

The longer hitch will help as the longer tongue on the trailer does as well...more air movement is a good thing. An air deflector up top sending fresh air downward may help as well.

June 18, 2018, 03:50 PM

TOP38

quote:
Originally posted by 69dart:
I pressure washed it from the back last week.

I guess I need to go from inside and try again this week.

pressure wash from the inside out!

June 18, 2018, 06:13 PM

Greg Kelley

I have a 2015 Ram pickup Cummins 6.7. Yesterday coming back from Numedia was a pretty good test.

42' goose maybe 22,000 gross. Water temp on factory display is 196 on downhill/flats (same as around here)went to 213 on the hills then back down.

So maybe it's a Cummins thing?

June 18, 2018, 06:41 PM

Sugar Shane

When its HOT, as it is in much of the country, some vehicles are simply going to run HOT, especially when "wide open" or climbing a mountain or steep grade. Either slow down or plan to drive at night. One of my first trips to Vegas with a pusher, towing a stacker into strong headwind, resulted in having to raise the back gate/hood, lift the bed, open the windows and block off the bedroom in order to keep traveling and avoid running hot, it was pretty comical but we made it!

June 18, 2018, 10:11 PM

rusty

to add to all of the above good suggestions it is also tied to boost.make sure air cleaner is clean and also waste gate is working.,if it is froze shut as mine was boost will climb and then comes heat.i left bristol yesterday evening driving another motor home ,80 plus ft,temp on long hills would go to 210 and then cool going down.mostly it was around 195. i think a/c coil cleaner is best for cleaning

June 18, 2018, 10:48 PM

Don Higgins Crew Chief Pro Software

Many of these have defective fan clutches. They work fine at low speeds but won't drive the fan fast enough at high load situations.

My old motor home had this happen going to Vegas, so Randy Balough and I put 2 electric fans on the radiator as a temporary fix. The electric fans helped a bunch until I could get the fan clutch replaced.

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June 19, 2018, 10:30 AM

69dart

I bet that was ride with the bed up and engine bay open...lol.

I hope you had ear muffs. My dogs would've had panic attacks.

The dummy light has never come on so it's never 'overheated' per sey. Just makes me nervous climbing the hills.

I read about someone using a water mister system on another site. That might be clever on those Hot days. I guess the news reported Sunday was record heat here in parts of Ohio.

Thanks!

June 19, 2018, 11:51 AM

Bucky

It always seems like lugging them only makes matters worse too. So no wot if you can help it and choose a gear that will maintain speed, even if that speed is a tad slow. When it's hot, if you get in a hurry, that gauge is going to tell you.
All great advice above too. Radiator and filter clean for sure. Not sure how you check the clutch in the fan. But obviously the pushers depend on that fan for airflow.

June 20, 2018, 07:53 AM

00 DEAD ON

My 99 Mountain Aire did the same thing. I have a hyd pump that works the steering and the hyd fan for the radiator. The check valves were stuck not allowing hyd fluid to go to the fan hyd motor. Ended up putting hyd pump and both check valves and problem fixed. Good luck

Brian Mollison
2013 American Dragster
2020 Sumerduck Dragway VA Top ET Champion
2017 Sumerduck Top ET & SSS Track Champion
2017 MAC Top ET Track Champion
2009 Sumerduck Dragway Va Top ET & IHRA SSS Track Champion
2008 IHRA Division 1 Top ET Bracket Final Runner-up
2007 Colonial Beach Dragway Top ET Track Champion