Engine temperature

[wdweldon]

On my 04 Winnebago gas the engine temperature stayed very consistent however on my 2014 360 diesel the temperature swings a lot, it mostly stays on the cool side (first tick mark above the cold indicator) but sometimes the temperature reaches the half way mark (half way between cold and hot), is this normal?

[The Evil Twin]

Originally Posted by wdweldon

on my 2014 360 diesel the temperature swings a lot, it mostly stays on the cool side (first tick mark above the cold indicator) but sometimes the temperature reaches the half way mark

I'm not familiar with that specific engine, but from the limited info it sounds like the T stat is stuck/ failed. Diesels run hotter, but only when regulated to do so. Unregulated (failed stat) they will run cooler.

[Mmnsc]

Originally Posted by wdweldon

On my 04 Winnebago gas the engine temperature stayed very consistent however on my 2014 360 diesel the temperature swings a lot, it mostly stays on the cool side (first tick mark above the cold indicator) but sometimes the temperature reaches the half way mark (half way between cold and hot), is this normal?

Rather than watching the gage set the LCBU unit on the dash and read the actual temperature for the engine and transmission. Then you will know the true fluctuations you are experiencing

[wdweldon]

How consistent should the temperatures maintain?

[The Evil Twin]

Good point Mmnsc. Sometimes the analog gauges have a big swing for a small change.

[Mmnsc]

Originally Posted by wdweldon

How consistent should the temperatures maintain?

Mine usually is about 185 to 195 but under heavy load saw it go up. To about 210

[gordonsick]

Originally Posted by wdweldon

How consistent should the temperatures maintain?

When I'm running down the road, my temp gauge is typically a bit below the mid-point. If I am going up a big hill, the gauge rises above the mid-point and I listen for the engine fan to kick in. Once it does that, the temperature quickly falls back to the normal level. And the fan kicks off when I get to level ground and am not climbing a hill.

There are recent discussions in this Berk Forum about the fan clutch not engaging when the engine temp rises, so the engines were overheating. Since I always listen for the engine fan, I can tell if I have this problem. So far, I've been OK.

I watch the Transmission temp on my LBCU, since I'm happy with the functionality of the dial gauge for Engine temp.

–Gordon

[wdweldon]

Looking at the digital display my engine temperature varies between 180 and 215, is this normal?

[gordonsick]

WD,

You can download the Freightliner Operator's Manual at
https://dtnacontent-dtna.prd.freight...m425v&SM_USER=
https://dtnacontent-dtna.prd.freight...anual&SM_USER=

You might have to set up a free DTNAConnect account first, but that is something that you want to have, since it has PartsPro, which lets you find the part numbers on your chassis.

Page 5.5 says that a High Coolant Temperature Warning will come on if the coolant is too hot:
"High Coolant Temperature Warning
The high coolant temperature indicator and emergency buzzer activate whenever the coolant temperature goes above a preset maximum specified by the engine manufacturer.
Maximum Coolant Temperature
Engine Model °F (°C)
Cummins ISB 220 (104):

Page 7.12 of the Operator's Manual says "Except in an emergency, do not shut down the engine when the coolant temperature is above 194°F (90°C). To do so could damage the engine."

Page 11.11 says "During normal engine operation, the coolant temperature gauge should read in the normal range between cold and hot. See Fig. 11.14. If the temperature remains below or exceeds the normal range, inspect the cooling system to determine the cause."

Your variations are likely to be all within the cold and hot markings on your gauge. If they go outside that, you should look into a service call.

As people have noted before, the temperature rises until the fan clutch engages and pulls the temperature down. People like Erniet have had that clutch fail and it was a pain to change. I've noted that the fan is quite loud when it comes on, which I find reassuring.

–Gordon

[Trappfarmer]

Is that what makes all the noise when first start of the day?

[gordonsick]

Yes, that is the noise at the start of the day. If you stand behind the coach when it has jus started up, your hat might blow off.

I assume that this is to make sure the clutch is working. My 2019 Ranger truck also has the fan come on as soon as I start and it takes a minute or so for it to become temperature dependent.

–Gordon

[Igave]

You’ll also be able to hear the air pump when it’s running. It’s in the same area as the fan.

[gordonsick]

The air compressor has a real rattling noise that makes you think you might have a bad diesel knock in the engine. But, when it comes up to pressure, the dashboard alarm turns off and then the pump and its noise stops. You hear a pssh sound when it stops because there is an air drier in the system that ejects collected water from the compression.

WD, you are asking a lot of good questions, so I hope that you've downloaded a copy of my personal manual, linked from my signature. Over 90% of the material in it is relevant to you.

And, my manual answers some important questions that you haven't yet asked. One of the famous newbie gotchas is the failure of the coach to air up the suspension system when you break camp. The only other manual that I've seen that discusses this disastrous problem (running down the road with a deflated suspension) is a subtle mention of it in the Equalizer jack manual, which is not where you would expect it. The reason it is in the Equalizer manual is that the Equalizer system is responsible for sending a signal to the air suspension system to inflate the bags. A lot of newbies (like me) got caught when this happened and it is an awful pogo-stick ride. The issue is discussed on Page 62 of my manual, under "Retracting the Jacks" in the section on "Leaving a Campsite".

–Gordon

[anaviator]

I'll second the hard lesson learned regarding the suspension. When we did the walk-through on our coach, the dealer told us that we were supposed to operate the slides and jacks with th engine off. That's fine for everything EXCEPT retracting the jacks. When you hit the retract button, the Equalizer system sends the signal to inflate the airbags for a limited time (a minute or two?) - if there isn't pressure in the air system before that signal stops (which there wouldn't be if the engine wasn't running), the bags don't inflate.

Pogo-stick ride is an excellent description of the result!