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Coolant Filter FAIL!
This happened just today.
About 2 hours out of branson, I stopped at a rest area and did a walk around. Saw this:
It was the coolant filter. Looking up from the bottom, it had rusted through and was dripping at a rate of about 2 drops per second. Luckily we only lost about a gallon of coolant which I replaced with water at the rest area. The engine did not overheat.
Although it seems counter-intuitive that a coolant filter, containing rust inhibitors, would rust out and leak, i’m betting that this rust started from the outside and worked its way IN.
I called Prevost and they confirmed for me that I could simply shut off the filter using the two shutoff valves on top and not worry about it until I get home. Sure enough, it stopped the leak. Glad that it’s not a major problem, and it’s easy to reach from the rear door, just beneath the fan gearbox.
Aside from that, I noticed this afternoon that the window on the passenger side salon is now permanently locked shut as it appears that the locking handle is broken off inside the window frame.
Since we’re at the end of a 6000 mile trip, I’m not complaining. It was a good trip overall!
-fred
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9 Replies
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Fred,
How old was that filter? Don’t feel bad, I have a window that’s messed up too, but a screw came out of the linkage, I’ll fix it when I get home.
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Fred,
Your experience should be instructional for all of us. I believe the coolant filters which also maintain the SCAs in he coolant have to be changed every six months except when using 600,000 mile coolant. Since they are never intended to last a long time that is not a surprise. I don’t know of any filter that is painted on the inside for corrosion protection.
BTW, my guess is when the coach cooled down you would notice it might need a little more coolant. Just a guess.
Enjoyed our conversations and meeting you this week. Drive safe.
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NAPA / WIX carries coolant filters in blanks , with pellets and without pellets based on the capacity of your system.
NAPA filter catalog will have the information needed to get the right size. Ask to see it in store.
The times I’ve seen the bottom canister rusted out have been filters in service way past there expected service life.
Under General Discussions, page 11, dated 7-12-2013 .
I cut open my coolant filter that was in service about a year on our bus.
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This type of failure would concern me. Coolant is supposed to prevent rust and corrosion because of it’s additives which deplete in use; hence the requirements to change/check coolant every 2-6 years depending on type. If that filter rusted from the inside out, what does the rest of the interior of your cooling system look like? Has this coach been maintained?
“Blank” filters contain filter media but do not contain additional coolant additives which are recommended only for certain coolant types.
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The bottom of the filter could have been damaged at some point thus accelerating the metal failure.
A good example of engine parts rusting are frost plugs. Those were a direct failure due to anti freeze age and /or lack of proper strength.
Good clarification of the blank filter, joelselman….. thanks.
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A highly placed Prevost employee once told me that owners rarely maintain their cooling systems so if the corrosion was in fact the result of lack of system care it does not come as a surprise.
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That’s why I just had my radiator flushed at Prevost Houston hoping to avoid a problem when I had my oil changed. They said ph levels were good and fluid looked okay (clean) but with my luck, didn’t want to take a chance. Coach has 6100 miles on it and probably has never been changed.
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I had ALL fluids/filters zeroed out on our coach upon purchase in order to establish a baseline!
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What Alvie did is the only way to know the maintenance status if detailed records are not available. It is expensive, time consuming, and may not be required on some items, but unless you can obtain the records it is the only way you can be sure service has been completed.
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