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air compressor
#1

Was going camping last week and noticed rising water temps and white smoke on acceleration.
Pulled over and found coolant leaking from between head and body of air compressor. Pulled supply line
from intake manifold and found some there also. [Think this was the cause of white smoke on take off]
Anyway, found and ordered new compressor and installed. All good for about 50 miles, then, same symptoms, 
except air pressure was falling also. This time water was was coming from back of head gasket area instead of front. 
I realize my air dryer filter is probably bad and needs replacing, but after installing new compressor, noted
pressures and recovery time after using brakes or leveling and all appeared normal. D2 valve seemed okay, running
about 125 psi before unloading. At $800+ for compressor plus core charge, would sure like to know what 
caused same problems on two compressors. By the way, previous owner had also replaced compressor, do not
know why. To get home, bypassed water to compressor head, lit off gen and hooked up my cheap harbor freight 
compressor to air system and made it back to the house. [not recommended if you have to stop very often]
Any thoughts or ideas appreciated.
Jim

2003 foretravel designer series. previous 2000 foretravel 34 ft, isc 350, 1995 45 ft Newell coach 385, Foretravel [2], 4106, 4905, wayne bus, wanderlodge fc, gmc motorhome.
toads: 2011 honda fit sport, Yamaha Zuma 125, Suzuki tu250.
daily drivers: boxster and cayenne
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#2

Jim,

I am asking because I haven't had to touch one of these, yet. What model Tu Flo? Water cooled?

The big question IS: is the water in the manifold coming from the compressor? Or is coolant getting into the manifold from the engine head and putting coolant into the compressor intake?

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
Reply
#3

(09-19-2016, 11:50 AM)Richard Wrote:  Jim,

I am asking because I haven't had to touch one of these, yet. What model Tu Flo?  Water cooled?

The big question IS: is the water in the manifold coming from the compressor? Or is coolant getting into the manifold from the engine head and putting coolant into the compressor intake?

Its a tu flow 750, normal compressor except has water cooled head. Engine coolant comes from rear of engine
head through compressor head back to fwd engine head. Do not think Newell used many of these, had to get
one from freightliner in Maine. First time saw white smoke when leaving from a stop, so pulled over and found
eng. coolant leaking from gasket between comp head and body. Pulled comp air suction line and found some
coolant in it, thinking when running, boost pressure in manifold kept the water in the compressor and when
stopped no boost,  so water could go back up suction line and into manifold, causing white smoke on takeoff.
Put on new compressor and made it 50 miles before same thing happened again.
May be wrong but appears brake tank pressure was higher than before, but cannot see how anything downstream
of the compressor could cause this. After installing new comp., ran level up  and pumped brakes, pressure fell and
then built up again and dryer dumped. Pulled d2 off and hooked up electric compressor and filled tanks, at about
125 psi, d2 started passing air, which I think should unload compressor if hooked up.
After 2nd time, bypassed water to compressor and capped air comp suction on manifold, piped in electric comp and 
drove home. No white smoke and full boost, so believe water is coming from compressor and not some problem with intake manifold.
Plus good coolant leaks from head gasket area on both comps.
I am stumped.
Jim

2003 foretravel designer series. previous 2000 foretravel 34 ft, isc 350, 1995 45 ft Newell coach 385, Foretravel [2], 4106, 4905, wayne bus, wanderlodge fc, gmc motorhome.
toads: 2011 honda fit sport, Yamaha Zuma 125, Suzuki tu250.
daily drivers: boxster and cayenne
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#4

Perhaps you have my luck & got a bad compressor from factory. It happens to me so often that I just expect it now rather than getting upset & raising my blood pressure. On my AC issue last year I got a bad condenser fan motor from Grainger, a bad compressor from Newell and a bad solder job from tech in Phoenix. Have had as many as 3 failed Xantrex chargers in a row from factory. Last set of 4 tires had 1 that would not balance & had to be replaced. So... it does happen.
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#5

(09-19-2016, 12:59 PM)ccjohnson Wrote:  Perhaps you have my luck & got a bad compressor from factory.  It happens to me so often that I just expect it now rather than getting upset & raising my blood pressure.  On my AC issue last year I got a bad condenser fan motor from Grainger, a bad compressor from Newell and a bad solder job from tech in Phoenix.  Have had as many as 3 failed Xantrex chargers in a row from factory. Last set of 4 tires had 1 that would not balance & had to be replaced.  So... it does happen.

It is very possible, reman compressor [by who?] is $800, brand new one $4800. Once bought a remanufactured water pump,
got it home and looked at it. No seal on shaft! The impeller and shaft actually rattled in the housing.
It is just strange to have the same exact problem twice in a row.
Jim

2003 foretravel designer series. previous 2000 foretravel 34 ft, isc 350, 1995 45 ft Newell coach 385, Foretravel [2], 4106, 4905, wayne bus, wanderlodge fc, gmc motorhome.
toads: 2011 honda fit sport, Yamaha Zuma 125, Suzuki tu250.
daily drivers: boxster and cayenne
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#6

I would think bad reman job because leak is now from a different area.
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#7

(09-19-2016, 04:20 PM)ccjohnson Wrote:  I would think bad reman job because leak is now from a different area.

True, but have never read about or heard about this type of leakage problem, so am thinking some 
other factor is causing it to repeat in two instances, in different places, but both from head gasket.

2003 foretravel designer series. previous 2000 foretravel 34 ft, isc 350, 1995 45 ft Newell coach 385, Foretravel [2], 4106, 4905, wayne bus, wanderlodge fc, gmc motorhome.
toads: 2011 honda fit sport, Yamaha Zuma 125, Suzuki tu250.
daily drivers: boxster and cayenne
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#8

Is a non cooled compressor an option?

Can you temporarily cap the coolant lines to the compressor?

Was there any warranty on the reman unit?

Is there coolant in the wet tank?

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
Reply
#9

(09-19-2016, 06:35 PM)Richard Wrote:  Is a non cooled compressor an option?
Been thinking about this, wish another newell around here so I could look at layout.
Think bellhousing flange is standard, but would have to see oil and air lines and physical
size. [Water cooled may be smaller because no air cooling fins are necessary]
You don't have any pics of your 95 compressor, do you? ha!

Can you temporarily cap the coolant lines to the compressor?
Yes, have bypassed compressor and ran a line between both eng head fittings, but not
so sure compressor would be reliable because it is designed for water cooling.

Was there any warranty on the reman unit?
I believe so, must remove it and deliver to parts place 60 miles away for evaluation.

Is there coolant in the wet tank?
A small amount of water, but not green anti-freeze and dryer is only spitting a little water.

2003 foretravel designer series. previous 2000 foretravel 34 ft, isc 350, 1995 45 ft Newell coach 385, Foretravel [2], 4106, 4905, wayne bus, wanderlodge fc, gmc motorhome.
toads: 2011 honda fit sport, Yamaha Zuma 125, Suzuki tu250.
daily drivers: boxster and cayenne
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#10

I'll take some pics of my compressor. Series 60 is the key, not necessarily the year I would think.

No coolant in wet tank is puzzling. Cause if coolant is in the intake hose, then it must make its way into the compressor cylinder, and then to the wet tank, I would think. Any liquid in the compressor is bad news because a little will wash the cylinder walls and a lot will cause the compressor to go solid and bend the rod at best. So this in my mind is a tricky diagnosis, because coolant in the compressor could result in extremely high pressures leading to blown gaskets or seals. A tear down would possibly show the blown components but you don't know if the failed seal allowed coolant in or coolant in the compression stroke caused the failed component.

I would cap the coolant lines and run it for a few miles. Then take off the intake line and see if any coolant is in the intake line.

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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