New POGers

[bravochrly]

Hi All,

After looking for several years, and reading many many posts in the POG forums, Lynda and I finally bit the bullet and bought a coach from Steve at California Coach last August. It's a 1992 vintage, 40-ft, Country Coach conversion and we've had a lot of fun with it so far -- about 5,000 miles worth. I guess we (I) should have introduced ourselves earlier, but I'm a little shy about that kind of thing so I had to wait until we had a problem that I couldn't solve to come running for help!

We live on the coast near San Francisco -- which seems to be a Prevost-free zone, among other things -- and if there are any other Prevost folks close by, I would love to get a recommendation for repairs and maintenance. My current problem is leaking coolant from under/behind the hot water heaters and an inoperative Webasto. It's a long story, but if there is anyone out there who is conversant with the CC hydronic heating system, I would love to bend your ear for several hours and at least get this problem off my chest!

On a happier note, we stayed at LVMC Resort a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Great service, great resort and great people. They threw a great St. Paddies day bash, gratis to everyone in the resort... food, band, the whole works. A lot of fun. We will probably be there for the POG rally, assuming I can get my hot water working again. Thanks in advance for any kind (or even not kind) advice you might have!

Bruce (& Lynda Davis)
San Gregorio, CA

[Jamie Bradford]

Hi Bruce & Lynda,

Welcome to the Prevost Owners Group - POG.

There are several Country Coach owners on this site who can assist you. I am a CC owner but my technical skills are not as advanced as some other owners.

I look forward to meeting you both in Vegas.

Welcome aboard!

Jamie


Jamie

[bravochrly]

Jamie!

Thanks for the nice welcome.

Bruce

[Gary Carmichael]

Bruce and Lynda, here's wishing you a big southern welcome to POG, Little things that go bump in the dark are part of bus ownership, but the good times just blank them all out, welcome!

[merle&louise]

Bruce & Lynda,

Welcome to POG! You sure live in a beautiful part of the country. Sorry I can't help with your Webasto problem; try calling Vehicle Systems in Ft. Lupton, CO. They build the Webasto and they should be able to direct you to the closest service center. Also, Steve Bennett may be know of someone in your area who can help you.

Always feel free to post, we all need help from time to time. Glad to have you aboard!

[bravochrly]

Gary,

I spent some time in the South in my youth. Lynda is a Texan. So thank y'all for the kind welcome.

Bruce & Lynda Davis

[bravochrly]

Thanks Merle&Louise!

I'm giving them a call tomorrow. Thanks for the tip! I wonder if they make the Isotherm marine water heaters as well... I'll find out when I call. Thanks again,
Bruce

[garyde]

Hi Bruce. Sounds like you have a leaking hose on your coolant loop thru the w/h compartment. The age of your coach suggests its probably time to start replacing all of those hoses. Not easy.
The Webasto has several componants which need attention. If your unit attemps to start and won't , you may need to clean the fuel jet. Or the ignitor coil may be bad. All of this was discussed in a thread originally started by Mango Mike. Look under articles for this.

[bravochrly]

Hi Gary,
Thanks for the help! The hoses, and w/h's were replaced in 2008, by the previous owner. I believe the leak occurred where the hoses connected to the water heaters. I can't say for sure since I spilled coolant everywhere when I pulled the heaters out. Wottamess. After cleaning everything up, I connected the two hoses by clamping them to a piece of PVC. Started the bus and ran it until things warmed up, and was unable to get any flow (the hoses stayed cool) through that loop. So... an enigma. Why did I have a large pool of coolant under the bus and under the water heaters, and now I can't get any coolant at all through the lines? If you have a thought I'd love to hear it, if not that's OK too. I don't want to saddle others with my problems.
Bruce

[bravochrly]

Gary, It's usually me that goes bump in the dark!
Bruce

[mike kerley]

Welcome Bruce,

We also have a "vintage" CC, so I'm sure we will share some stories down the road. Enjoy the trip and feel free to call if I can be of help. We've had ours for 7+ years so have learned a few lessons...772 201 7344

[Denny]

Bruce,
It has been two years since I traded my '99 CC so my memory of the systems is fuzzy and there also could be a difference in the systems between the two buses. I believe my hot water tanks were controlled by solenoid operated valves for the water flow. Check yours and be sure no wires came loose while you were working on it.

[bravochrly]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the very kind offer of help, and the phone number. Really above and beyond the call! I'm sure we'll be in touch. Thanks again,
Bruce

[Reagan Sirmons]

Bruce,
I have some experience with Webasto having taken mine apart three times in another coach and more recently having replaced one of the cracked anti-freeze pumps as well as a fuel pump on my current machine over the last 12 months.
My number is 713 725 9486 if you want to call and talk about your issues. I may not help but will try. I do have a list of checks. There are more capable persons on this site than myself so I feel you will get the issue solved. We have one of the best Webasto people in the nation here in Houston and we might also bend his ear if we can get the questions exact.

Pres

[bravochrly]

Denny, thanks. Mine works with solenoid valves too. Checking wires will be my next move. Then I have to figure out some way to see if the valve is working properly when it is wired up. I really like the idea behind the hot water and heating system -- it's just darn hard to find the various components and then test to see if they work. Thanks so much for the help.
Bruce

[bravochrly]

Pres (Regan), wow! Thanks, I'll be in touch. I'm beginning to wonder if the inop Webasto and the fact that no coolant will flow through through the HW loop are connected somehow. This is all weird since the whole problem started with no electric hot water, and coolant oozing out fromunder the lower HWH. Now the heaters are completely removed and nothing comes through the hoses. Go figure. Once I figure that problem out, I'll be moving on to the Webasto.
Thanks again,
Bruce
PS, Lynda (wife) is from Houston.

[mike kerley]

Bruce, Coolant not flowing through the hoses after a leak could be caused by an air block in the lines or low coolant. Did you refill the coolant tank (with approved coolant or distilled water) and how much did it take to fill it? The engine will pump coolant through your water heaters without the external heater fired up. Ours has electric elements as well as the engine coolant lines to provide hot water. We have two heaters, stacked and either one should provide plenty of hot water for a shower or two. Each is 10 gallon.

Any one know how to bleed air from these lines???

[bravochrly]

Bruce, Coolant not flowing through the hoses after a leak could be caused by an air block in the lines or low coolant. Did you refill the coolant tank (with approved coolant or distilled water) and how much did it take to fill it? The engine will pump coolant through your water heaters without the external heater fired up. Ours has electric elements as well as the engine coolant lines to provide hot water. We have two heaters, stacked and either one should provide plenty of hot water for a shower or two. Each is 10 gallon.

Any one know how to bleed air from these lines???

Mike,

I had to put about a gallon and a half into the coolant tank -- I would guess that about half of that amount leaked out from the HWHs, and the rest gushed out when I disconnected all the hoses. I ran the bus for a considerable time, and the coolant temp stabilized around 178 (best I could read). I could squeeze the hoses almost closed by hand, and they never heated up. I had the Fresh Water Heaters switch on, and the two 12v thermostatic wires clipped together. I also tried the Central Heating and Interior Exchanger switches in various combinations, to no avail. I can't help but thinking that I have overlooked some switch somewhere or configured all the switches in some way that causes the problem I'm trying to solve!

I also wondered about air in the lines, but the interior hydronic exchangers all worked during the test so coolant was reaching all the way up to the front of the bus. What do you think about disconnecting the HWH exchanger hoses from each other, firing up the bus and seeing what happens? I have room for a 2-gallon bucket where the HWH used to be. Thanks much for your help.
Bruce

[rahangman]

Bruce, welcom to another CC owner!!!! Help from a fellow up in Oregon that used to work for CC & Marathon may be a phone call away. I will PM with stats.

[bravochrly]

Rodger, Cool, thanks!