dandick66

I have a 100 gallon tank in my Diplomat. I ran out once a few years ago. Like you, I estimated how many miles I had left. The low fuel light came on, but I figured I had more than enough fuel to make it home. I made it to the driveway, so I was lucky. Now I have a log of each time I fill up and note the gallons purchased. I also level the coach when I pull into the station, so I know I’m really filling the tank. When the pump cuts off I can add anywhere from 10-15 gallons more when the foaming stops. Do you think anyone could have siphoned some fuel from your tank? I started locking my fuel doors now that the price of fuel is so high.

Gary, So sorry for your loss. I know how tough it is - I’ve been through this several times. It never get easier. Keep the memories alive.

I have a 2012 Diplomat with the Trav’ler. I had to send it back to the factory once. It’s worked fine since then. If it fails again, I’m done with it. I’ll try something else. As far as the Dish network hacking, it’s true. It happened several weeks ago and Dish has been less than forthcoming about the problem. Frankly, I’m surprised that they don’t have to officially notify customers. I found out because my Dish Anywhere App and MyDISH App would not work. I couldn’t login. I finally reached someone at Dish and they told me all apps and their website were locked down “for my protection “. I told them that was a bunch of crap and that it was their problem. They weren’t protecting me from anything. Dan D

I asked you if it was only the shower and you said “yes”. Now you’re saying it’s all the faucets. Well, if it’s only the shower, your problem is the shower mixing valve. If it’s all the faucets, then the problem lies in your Aquahot.

Is it only the shower that’s not real hot? If so, it’s definitely the mixing valve. I had a problem with my shower and had no hot water. I took the valve apart and cleaned it and adjusted the mixing valve. The problem was that I did this in the summer when the “cold” incoming water was not real cold. When I used the shower in the winter I noticed the hot water was not real hot. It was ok, but not as hot as I’d like. I’ll have to open it up and adjust the mixing valve again.

Would you please post the new file on the site? My son has a 3D printer and willing be able to print mine. Thanks. Dan

Dave, Glad to hear you got it going. I thought they told you the IAT sensor was bad and they had it in order. What happened with that? As far as not waiting long enough for the engine to warm up, I don’t know about that theory. If the MIL light came on, the NEDS will show either active or inactive codes. The MIL will only turn on if a DTC occurs. What exactly did the repair shod do? Dan

When you say the tech replaced the AC motor, are you talking about the blower/fan? If so, how did he access the fan motor? If it was from inside the coach, it’s possible he shorted some DC wiring in the overhead, hence the ceiling lights fuse keeps blowing. Another question - Did he test the AC when he completed the job? If not, that might be your problem.

Have you tried the diagnostics? TCMs are around $1300, so I wouldn’t change one unless it was truly “bad”. I’m sure a new one would have to be programmed. You might be able to send your old one in to get rebuilt. Make sure all connections are tight and clean.

I have the Leece-Neville 3700150C92, 160 amp alternator in my 2012 Diplomat with the Maxxforce 10. As far as accessing the alternator, it’s difficult to get to from the top or the air filter housing area. You can see it, but not reach it easily. I have not removed mine, just was looking at in case I had to change it sometime. I also found a couple of pictures of the Leece Neville and it looks like the white wire is grounded and red is positive. You said the original 160 amp alternator was replaced. Was it the Leece Neville? Also, the International dealer was right about not using the International body control. As far as I can tell, Monaco used Medallion. Good luck trying to find out much about how it interfaces. I contacted Medallion several times before I was actually able to speak to someone. The guy I talked to said the guy that did the Monaco stuff didn’t work there anymore so they didn’t have any information. How did you unplug the annunciator? If I recall, mine is surface mounted to the circuit board and I didn’t see any way to unplug it. I did put some electrical tape over it so it wasn’t so loud. I see you’re in Yorktown. I’m across the river in Gloucester.

Dave, Good to hear you got the adapter and software. I think you’ll find the NEDs does everything you might possibly need. The way I look at it, the cost of the software and hardware will pay for itself in 1 visit to the dealer. As you know, the Maxxforce has a pretty bad reputation. I didn’t realize that when I bought the coach. However, from what I’ve been told, the Maxxforce 10 did not have the problems. I think it was the 7, 11 and 13. I really can’t complain about the performance or reliability of my engine. I’ve put about 25k miles on mine since I got it. I think it has about 47k total miles. IRV2 has a Maxxforce section on their forum. I’ve got some help there. I’ve downloaded a lot of stuff for the Maxxforce engine on the internet. Send me your personal email address and I’ll send the files to you. Dan

Sounds good. Let me know how everything goes. Dan

Dave, I have the BlueFire, too. I use it with the iPad. I got the NEDS and the adapter both on EBay. With NEDS, you really aren’t concerned about getting the latest version/update since our engines are over 10 years old. As far as the adapter, I bought the DPA 4 (Dearborn Protocol Adapter). There are other brands you can use. I see someone is selling the DPA 4 plus for $150 on eBay and NEDS s $60 and up. You will need a laptop, too. I have an older laptop that I use for NEDS. Most of the NEDS on eBay are remote installation. You need to download software, usually Teamware, and they connect into your laptop and install the program. Was a little leery about doing that, but it was OK. Here is a link to the NEDS User manual https://store.diagnosticinnovations.com/pdf/International_Navistar_UserManual_ned.pdf

Interesting… I thought the voltmeter had to be connected in parallel for it to read voltage. From what you described, you’ve connected it in series, like an ammeter. This has me scratching my head. I hope you’re able to get that insulation out and look at the wires. Judging from the diagram, the ground and power connections start at the driver’s side. Since the first light isn’t working, the problem has to be at or downstream from the point. Good luck.

I bought the Scangauge and it’s great for the basics - temps, RPMs, fuel, etc. However, it didn’t show any codes when my MIL was on. I ended up buying the NEDS and the applicable protocol adapter. The main reason I went with the NEDS was because of my engine brake. For some reason the engine brake was programmed to only activate when the service brakes were applied. Well, this didn’t really help going down a hill because your service brakes will overheat. I did some research and found out the engine brake settings are user programmable, if you have the software. I figured if I took it to the dealer it would cost me at least $200-$300. I think (it was about 3 years ago) my cost for the adapter and software was less than that. I was able to reprogram the engine brake myself. I really like the NEDS. After each trip, I download the engine info - mainly for record purposes. The NEDS has more features than I know how to use. It displays total engine hours, total miles, total fuel consumed and more. You can also set it up to record data. Another feature is that if it throws a code, you can look at the snapshot. The snapshot shows exactly what was going on when the code was set - miles, temp, throttle position, etc. Sometimes a code will set, but the MIL doesn’t come on. The NEDS will show current and previous codes. You can also reset the codes. I’ll find an engine report and the NEDS manual and send it to you. Give me a call if you want to discuss this further. There’s way too much to type…757 291 2023

You have made a lot of progress and done a great job. I’m a little confused with your descriptions and the photos. Is TS1 (circled in the top photo) the same part that is circled in the bottom photo? If so, the wires are supposed to be red, and hot (+12v). If you follow the wires in the top photo, you’ll see the ground is a white wire. If you remove the zip tied wire, do the rear lights work? Is the connection where the two wires are connected ground or hot? As far as figuring out exactly where the problem/disconnect is, I would look at the easier area first. In your case, I don’t know if that’s at the wire bundle or the cap where you stuffed insulation. Good luck.

Dave, Based on what you’ve said it looks like we can rule out anything getting moved/damaged in the vicinity of the secondary fuel filter or the oil filter centrifuge. The oil filter is accessed by opening the cargo door that covers the AC condenser. You might want to open that up and take a look at any wires/connectors. I don’t think there are any near the filter. As far as the oil filter, they could have pulled in the DPF sensor wires, but that would be a pretty far reach. You could slide under the coach and take a look. I feel your pain as far as getting anyone to work on the MH. I try to do as much as I can by myself. If your local diesel mechanic does not have NEDS (Navistar Engine Diagnostics Software), or a good scanner, they won’t be able to pull the code. You might want to go to the local International dealer and explain to them what happened. Even though they “don’t work in motorhomes”, you might be able to talk them into connecting their software and pulling the code. I would think your engine and chassis is configured like mine. If so, there are 2 diagnostic plugs - one is on the firewall by the steering column, the second is in the rear battery compartment. They could hook up to that one and not worry about getting your coach dirty. The nice thing about that software is that it will show both current and previous faults. Good luck and keep me updated.

You said the International dealer reset the light. They should have looked at the code to see WHY the MIL was illuminated, not just clear the code. What about your mechanic? Did he just clear the code without any troubleshooting? Why did you think you needed a forced regen? The DPF lights did not come on, so no need for the regen. Obviously, you have a recurring problem. The light has come on 3 times now since you took it to the International dealer. It’s probably too late to talk to them now. They either 1) won’t remember the problem, or 2) will you it was too long ago. The MIL is not a big deal if it comes on. However, the red triangle is not good. You said this happened after the oil and fuel filter change. There are no sensors or wires any where near the oil drain plug or the filter. Did they change the centrifuge filter as well? If so, to access it, you need to slide the battery tray out and contort yourself to get to it. I know it has an air line going to it. I’m not sure of any other wires or connectors on it. There are a bunch of wires near the centrifuge. Lastly, did they change the secondary fuel filter? If so, it’s on the top of the engine near the valve cover. To access it, you need to remove the engine cover in the back. There are a bunch of connectors, wires and sensors near it. I’ve read that Maxxforce engines are known for wiring harnesses going bad because Navistar used very small gauge wires. I have not had any problems with mine. Look at the paperwork from the dealer. It should list what they changed and it should have a bill of materials. How far away is the dealer? Go there and talk to them before this drags out any longer. Like I said earlier, they might not even remember. But, if they’ve never done a motorhome before, I’m sure they talked about it among the mechanics. I don’t believe in coincidences. I have a gut feeling they messed something up when changing the secondary filter. You didn’t say what the local mechanic did other than the forced regen. Sorry for all the questions, but there’s a lot of stuff unanswered.

If you have a slide on the passenger side, you can mount the stick on type of LED strip to the bottom, inside of slide. There is 12 volts available in the slide. Just get rid of the supplied AC power supply- the lights work on 12 volts. The lights are protected from the elements and it looks good.

I have the Valid system on my 2012 Diplomat. I’ve attached the file with the air schematic. As far as I can tell, Monaco didn’t change much over the years. I’ve seen older schematics that look almost identical to mine. 18623342_B (Schematic Pneumatics DEKA 43ft) Model (1).pdf

Richard, That’s a smart move. 95 from Boston to DC is a white knuckle trip. I did that way too many times in the 70’s. I’d rather play leapfrog with a unicorn than take that route. As an alternative to taking 81 to 77, you could take 81 to Winchester VA and take 66 to 17 South. It will hit 95 at Fredericksburg VA. Nice roads for RV and very little traffic. If you take that route you’ll avoid the Virginia and NC mountains. Dan

Richard, I don’t know the diameter of the hose, but if it’s 5/8 or 3/4 you might want to try using a hose barb. If you have enough slack, you could cut out the leaking area and insert the barb and clamp it. If you don’t have the slack, pick up the necessary length of hose and use 2 barbs. If you don’t want to try the repair before your trip, you could still pick up the barbs and hose and have them ready for a roadside repair. I’ve included a link to Amazon for the nylon barbs. I know you can get brass ones at Lowes, etc. if you elect to get the nylon ones, make sure they can take the heat. I don’t know what route you’re taking to Florida, but if you’re taking 95, I’m about an hour east of Richmond. If you get in a jam, get ahold of me. Dan

I did notice an improvement in handling. I bought new tires and had the front end aligned within a couple of months of installing the Safe-T-Steer. I don’t experience any wandering. I can feel strong winds, I don’t feel like I’m fighting to keep it straight. I didn’t notice the coach being any more difficult to steer, either. I have no regrets about purchasing it. I hope I never have to test the blowout effectiveness of the Safe-T-Steer. My understanding is the wheel will not jerk out of your hand if you have a blowout.

I have the Safe-T-Steer installed on my 2012 Diplomat with the RR10R. Your RR8R should be the same setup. I installed it in 2018, shortly after I bought the coach. The installation was very straightforward and easy. I did have to borrow a 3/4 inch breaker and large socket. If you can’t do it yourself, I would think any truck shop could install it in way less than an hour. I purchased mainly for the tire blowout security aspect. My coach has the Sheppard box, but I don’t notice any wandering.

Looking at your first photo… it looks like there was chafing near the zip tie. Is the insulation intact on the large red cable? Also, follow that large red cable and it looks like it is going to a solenoid relay. It looks like the top terminal on the solenoid is touching the wire loom. Is the wire loom intact? It looks like maybe the loom rubbed through and hit the solenoid terminal. You said you pulled the fuses for all the stuff you didn’t need to drive. You might want to get a meter and check each of those connections where you removed the fuse. Alternatively, you could start replacing the fuses and see if one blows. Even if they don’t blow, test the device associated with the fuse. Since you said the wires weren’t connected to anything in the fuse panel, I’m a little confused. Do you have any aftermarket devices that may have been wire into the system? Glad you are safe and were able to prevent further damage.