Looking for oil leak.

[TommyL]

Have a small drip while traveling. Not enough to show on dip stick between oil changes. Leaves multiple spots on passenger side of toad. Have oily residue from behind timing cover to bell housing,passenger side. About 3” above oil pan to 3”below. Small oil return line, dip stick tube and rear main look suspicious. Cleaning area 2nd time today, will run at high idle in hopes of seeing were drip is. Not looking forward to changing rear main seal and having it done would be whole years allowance. Already drinking cheap whiskey and no sugar in my coffee. Any moral support appreciated.

Tommy 08 camelot isl 400  side rad.

[bklaes]

My ISL400 had the same situation.  Spray-on / wipe-off engine degreaser on the pan revealed it coming from the plug on the passenger side of the pan.   Oil was slowly dripping down, and more slowly creeping up.  Cummins tech said not to worry, and that the plug could be replaced even without dropping the oil first.  I think not.  I'll wait till my next change and do it then.   And, I'd sell my coach before switching to cheap bourbon.

[Ivan K]

Since you mentioned dipstick tube, I had oil spraying from where it enters the pan. The collar nut on it completely back off and gave me a scare when I found oily spots on the toad and then exhaust pipe a couple of days ago. There's just not a trip where are I would not have to get dirty...

[96 EVO]

And the uneducated call it 'Glamping' 🤨!

[Happycarz]

Tommy,

Since you stated you have an ISL400, I am assuming it is the black engine. The black Cummins ISL had no DPF, whereas the red Cummins ISL did have the DPF. Black was 400HP, Red was 425HP, later to be updated to 450HP.

Mine has the black ISL400 and after a few years of constantly cleaning up the oily mess behind the starter, I got after it.  There is a small draft tube that vents the crankcase to the atmosphere. Oily fumes exit here. I fixed mine in 2011 with a Jaz bottle.

I’m not saying your issue is the same as mine, but it is something to inspect. 

Another thing to check is the crankcase pressure. Too much and the Cummins will leak from valve cover, oil pan, and rear main, among other places. I know that one, from experience, also.  That is another story!

[TommyL]

Happycarz Harry , we do have the isl red with Doc and DPF . Engine serial number 46741969. Somewhere I got the idea it’s a 400 ? A few thousand mi. back replaced leaky valve gasket, put on home made slobber tube bottle,new crankcase filter,  maybe 4 drops in slobber bottle today. Intermittent warning light, maybe 100 mi.into trip ,maybe 30. First code reader says excessive crankcase pressure,find nothing wrong. Few weeks later 2nd tech reads excessive crankcase pressure, but shows slight vacuum at idle, very little pressure at higher rpm. 3rd tech  does update, reads history, all good except crankcase pressure code. He thinks weak, bad sensor. All venting components were clear and  original filter passed air easily. Will check all venting again and replace sensor. Raining now, will look for leaks with engine running later.

Bill no such luck on oil pan plug ,all dry.

Ivan, can only hope mines as simple as yours, will borrow wife’s fishing camera just to try and see it..

[Happycarz]

You may wish to take a picture of your data plate, if you haven’t already done so.  It is good to have it on hand for future reference. HP rating is on the plate.
 

Your A/C compressor is on opposite side from mine, but your engine data plate is in same place as mine on top of timing cover.

 

[96 EVO]

1 hour ago, TommyL said:

Happycarz Harry , we do have the isl red with Doc and DPF . Engine serial number 46741969. Somewhere I got the idea it’s a 400 ?  

I have the red 400hp ISL. Mine was the 83rd built after yours!

Think Monaco installed many of them in '08MY coaches.

Edited May 19, 2023 by 96 EVO

[Happycarz]

When I ordered my Camelot in April 2007, I was asked which engine I wanted, the ISL400or the ISL425? What’s the difference, besides horsepower?  The 425HP Cummins has the DPF.  I said I’ll take the tried and proven ISL400.  Monaco had three ISL400’s at that time.

Cummins painted the ISL400 black and the ISL425 red.

I’m glad I chose the ISL400, as there were many software updates the the ISL425 engines to fix regen issues with the DPF.

So, only two more coaches that used the Cummins ISL400 were built after mine.

January 1 2007 EPA07 regs started. And, Monaco had stocked up on the 2006 engines.

So, I have a 2006 ISL400 in my 2008 Camelot.
 

 

 

 

 

[Happycarz]

When I ordered my Camelot in April 2007, I was asked which engine I wanted, the ISL400or the ISL425? What’s the difference, besides horsepower?  The 425HP Cummins has the DPF.  I’ll take the tried and proven ISL400. Monaco had three ISL400’s at that time.

Cummins painted the ISL400 black and the ISL425 red.

I’m glad I chose the ISL400, as there were many software updates the the ISL425 engines to fix regen issues with the DPF.

So, only two more coaches that used the Cummins ISL, were built after mine. 

Starting January 1, 2007, Cummins had to meet EPA 2007 requirements. Monaco had stocked up on the previous, 2006, engines.
So, I have a 2006 ISL400 in my 2008 Camelot.
 

 

 

 

 

[Tom Cherry]

7 hours ago, Happycarz said:

When I ordered my Camelot in April 2007, I was asked which engine I wanted, the ISL400or the ISL425? What’s the difference, besides horsepower?  The 425HP Cummins has the DPF.  I’ll take the tried and proven ISL400. Monaco had three ISL400’s at that time.

Cummins painted the ISL400 black and the ISL425 red.

I’m glad I chose the ISL400, as there were many software updates the the ISL425 engines to fix regen issues with the DPF.

So, only two more coaches that used the Cummins ISL, were built after mine. 

Starting January 1, 2007, Cummins had to meet EPA 2007 requirements. Monaco had stocked up on the previous, 2006, engines.
So, I have a 2006 ISL400 in my 2008 Camelot.
 

 

 

 

 

That was not uncommon.  I have a friend that was the GM for a medium sized HR dealership.  He ordered 3 Navigators (2008).  He specified the big (whatever it was) Cummins NON-DPF engines.  They were delivered to NC in mid February 2008 as we camped with two of them in early March, 2008.  Remember it well.  They were parked in two sites (head to head) and we and others were next to them.  We were grilling under the double (two) rooftop Girards and a quick spring storm came up.  They paniced.  The auto retract on the Girards (even though set) was not that "quick".  It looked like, for you oldsters) two "Flying Nuns" with their habits flapping up and down, out of sync, in the wind.  The customer screamed at our buddy the GM, where the @#$@#$ is the retract button....to which was the reply, from our buddy in his doorway peering around....  I'll tell you as soon as a find the @#$@#$ thing.  Then we guyed down my manual rollout Winnie awning on our 36 Ft gasser and continued to grill.  YES....I can verify that from my camping log records and know exactly what CG we were in....The Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC.  

[TommyL]

Update on chasing oil leaks, curb side rear engine. Injector pump gear box ? Mounted with 2 studs and nuts , hyd.pump married to gear box. Bottom stud on block  seaping oil on outside of nut around threads . Silicone spread on nut and stud with red paint on them . Cleaned , tightened nut (very little) appears to quit dripping. Time well tell . Pretty sure this one was blowing back on toad. 2nd leak , oil return line from gear box to crankcase. 90 degree elbow screwed into block seeping. Ivan K gets credit for this one, while checking my dip stick tube I found the elbow above and  behind the tube . Appears to been drifting back to bell housing and dripping off bung hole, giving the appearance of rear main. I sure hope not ! Have to pull hyd. Pump to get to this one.

08 camelot  isl 400  

[96 EVO]

Ivan is one of the best there is!

Helped me out many times!!

[TommyL]

I’m beginning to think there’s not a nut ,bolt or fitting Ivan hasn’t had a wrench on.

[96 EVO]

4 minutes ago, TommyL said:

I’m beginning to think there’s not a nut ,bolt or fitting Ivan hasn’t had a wrench on.

The man does his own tire changes!

What more can you say!!

[Ivan K]

22 minutes ago, TommyL said:

I’m beginning to think there’s not a nut ,bolt or fitting Ivan hasn’t had a wrench on.

Haha, close, our coach has 198k miles behind its belts today. Some issues, other than drive train, are to be expected. It helps that I run a one man full service car shop at our house, now part-time. Only needed some bigger tools.

[96 EVO]

1 hour ago, TommyL said:

I’m beginning to think there’s not a nut ,bolt or fitting Ivan hasn’t had a wrench on.

He's close to installing a coach hoist, and inviting me over 😎!

[TommyL]

Much more under the bus work and I’ll be building a pit ! The 6” trough I built into the bus shed slab isn’t enough.

08 camelot 

[vanwill52]

On 5/19/2023 at 10:46 AM, Happycarz said:

You may wish to take a picture of your data plate, if you haven’t already done so.  It is good to have it on hand for future reference. HP rating is on the plate.
 

Your A/C compressor is on opposite side from mine, but your engine data plate is in same place as mine on top of timing cover.

 

Harry, how often do you wax your engine?  🙂

On 5/22/2023 at 10:14 PM, Ivan K said:

Haha, close, our coach has 198k miles behind its belts today. Some issues, other than drive train, are to be expected. It helps that I run a one man full service car shop at our house, now part-time. Only needed some bigger tools.

Just rolled over 200K.  Going strong.  I think "everything else" will wear out before the engine or trans.

[Happycarz]

Van, isn’t PhotoShop great?!  I hate leaks, I hate things that don’t work as designed, so with a clean engine I have a clean slate to keep track of it all.

My current project is keeping the combustion area clean. I added a Snow Performance water methanol system. I don’t want to pull the pistons again to scrape carbon off them and install new rings. I have always use fast idle when idling, so don’t know where the carbon buildup occurred, packing the first two ring lands. It wasn’t using oil, but I had enough crankcase pressure to push oil out in several ares.  I hate that! I now have 10,000 miles on the engine since doing ring job and no oil leaks. 85,000 miles now on engine. 

I did two flat land trip with the Snow Performance water/methanol injection to feel the power increase. But the real test is on my trip through the Rockies to Yellowstone National Park. So far so good as it flattens out the hills. There is one 2” gauge with three buttons across the bottom, so adjusting cut in, for example,  takes three or four seconds  

With this system there are so many variables and I keep trying different settings, on the fly. I’m getting closer as I have many 6% grades to test my settings on. After this trip, I will have a good idea what works best. I have yet to try a less than 50/50 mixture of water/meth.  A 25/75 or 30/70 mixture will be my next adjustment. It’s fun being a kid again.

Sorry Tommy, I not trying to steal your thread. I’m just adding my continuing saga with my coach, including oil leaks.

 

[vanwill52]

On 5/24/2023 at 10:40 AM, Happycarz said:

Van, isn’t PhotoShop great?!  I hate leaks, I hate things that don’t work as designed, so with a clean engine I have a clean slate to keep track of it all.

My current project is keeping the combustion area clean. I added a Snow Performance water methanol system. I don’t want to pull the pistons again to scrape carbon off them and install new rings. I have always use fast idle when idling, so don’t know where the carbon buildup occurred, packing the first two ring lands. It wasn’t using oil, but I had enough crankcase pressure to push oil out in several ares.  I hate that! I now have 10,000 miles on the engine since doing ring job and no oil leaks. 85,000 miles now on engine. 

I did two flat land trip with the Snow Performance water/methanol injection to feel the power increase. But the real test is on my trip through the Rockies to Yellowstone National Park. So far so good as it flattens out the hills. There is one 2” gauge with three buttons across the bottom, so adjusting cut in, for example,  takes three or four seconds  

With this system there are so many variables and I keep trying different settings, on the fly. I’m getting closer as I have many 6% grades to test my settings on. After this trip, I will have a good idea what works best. I have yet to try a less than 50/50 mixture of water/meth.  A 25/75 or 30/70 mixture will be my next adjustment. It’s fun being a kid again.

Sorry Tommy, I not trying to steal your thread. I’m just adding my continuing saga with my coach, including oil leaks.

 

Wow!  Interesting about the methanol injection system!