Slobber?

[buford]

On my 2007 34h Journey with Cummins 300 engine I get what looks like used fuel on the ground in two spots near the front axle..(one on either side inboard of the tires) Is this from slobber tubes? or do I have a problem?

[Oldchinahand]

Buford, I'm leaning to that "fuel" leak near the front axle is most likely hydraulic fluid. Your hydraulics are under your steps, prone to leaks, and there are numerous hoses leading away to slides and levelers. Could be your genset, but not likely in two locations.

Condensate from your dash air drips in that area. Doubt you are using that this time of year.

We get an odd drip path from roof frost melting and winding up it your problem area.

Since you mention "slobber" tubes, yours is right of centerline, aft of the rear axle. 7/8in rubber/plastic tube. Slobber tube is common vernacular. Someone corrected my usage in an earlier post. Crankcase breather tube. Those of us with EPA07 and earlier engines are blessed with them. Unfortunately, it dumps a steady stream of oily vapors into your engine fan and onto your CAC and radiator. That leads to dirt, poor cooling and high temps. If you search this forum or others like IRV2, there are many solutions. I recommend you adopt one of those solutions. Most people are hanging a plastic bottle on the slobber tube (oops!) to catch the fumes. I' too lazy to crawl under and change the bottle.

The below pics show what I did

Used a piece of heater hose to couple the slobber tube (hmm, did it again) to a piece of 3/4in CPVC



Then ran the CPVC aft of the rear bumper



Then hung an empty mayo jar filled with steel wool on the end.



Simple to reach down and change the bottle. Amazing how much cleaner the radiator, CAC and your dinghy stays!

Fair Winds and Following Seas

[akeagle]

I thought those crankcase vent tubes were outlawed in 1970s by anti-pollution legislation. Or were some engines exempt - or still exempt?

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by akeagle

I thought those crankcase vent tubes were outlawed in 1970s by anti-pollution legislation. Or were some engines exempt - or still exempt?

Standard motor vehicles with gas engines had enforced smog requirements over many years and, still are. But, the diesels, over certain GVWR, were able to coast beyond any of the lighter vehicle requirments.

I don't know about Cummins but, CATS, from at least in the 2000 year and up, have had a "slobber" or, "blow-by" tube all the way up to and maybe including around '07 or '07 but, not sure. The factory, CAT that is, including Freightliner, just emptied that blow-by tube about mid length of the motor. Well, there was and still is in some "un-informed" cases, an alternative cause for excessive blow-by. And that is, an improperly marked dip stick on most of your C-7s and possibly maybe even some later 3126s. If too much oil was used in an oil change, the excess gets foamed up and, that creates excessive internal engine pressure and that creates BLOW BY.

Well, that excess pressure has to go somewhere so, out the blowby tube it goes. And, that can make a big mess where ever it decides to reside. Usually it's the CAC and radiator fins. And that causes other issues. But, I'm way off track of the original post here.

As to the OPs leaks, well, it's really not too hard. All you have to do is, LAY DOWN and look at where the drips are coming from. There is no "blow by" tube up front. The hydraulics for the Hwh systems are NOT PRONE to leak. They do on occasion but, it's not a common problem. I've worked on many, many Winnes and Itascas with the HWH hydraulic systems and none of them had even one leak.

That's not to say it can't happen. But, I'd look at those hoses and, anything else in the area.
Scott

[Oldchinahand]

Interestingly, there is a complementary (parallel, similar?) thread running in the Class A forum regarding oily leaks near the front axles. I chimed in there too, altho I didn't drift off into a discussion of slobber tubes.

For Buford's edification, as we run the same rig, I'm attaching the applicable HWH service manual.

HWH Service Manual.pdf

Can't speak to the universe of HWH systems. Understand they are superior. However, when we bought our rig, many things responded to a little tightening and attention. To this day, we have a line going to the ram on our main slideout that needs periodic tightening or it leaks a tad at the fitting.

I fully endorse the concept of LAYING DOWN and looking for whatever. Amazing how much better you feel if you've personally inspected your undercarriage.

Fair Winds and Following Seas

[DryCreek]

Road Draft tubes were on Cummins engines right up until 2007. When properly routed, they will not pose a problem with radiators, CACs and AC Condenser coils.

[SCVJeff]

No slobber tubes anywhere near the front of the coach

OP- you mention liquid on either side of the FRONT axle?
The generator has no slobber tubes, but the front bearings are OIL, not grease.. That needs to be looked at because. Leaking seal will contaminate the brake pad and severly hinder vehicle braking. Theres plenty of room to get in there and look, but there are only two things up there that leak: bearings and jacks. Both no bueno

[Jim_HiTek]

I'm going to make a WAG and say it's from the windshield wiper shafts. Water from rain got in there (easy to do) and mixed with the shaft grease and when it warmed up some a bit of that thin water/grease mixture dropped on the ground when the sun shone on the front of the RV.

Betting a beer that's all it is.

[SCVJeff]

I’m sitting here at the lake staring at a Journey, and the front axle is probably 6’ behind anything windshield washer related

[Jim_HiTek]

Originally Posted by SCVJeff

I’m sitting here at the lake staring at a Journey, and the front axle is probably 6’ behind anything windshield washer related

Ahh, yes, so is mine. Maybe it was windy the day OP found it? Heh.

[keithg]

About your slobber inboard of the front tires on your Journey. I have a 2004 Journey with the same chassis and engine.
I have at times noticed a “slobber “ on my cement garage floor after a few months of storage. In my case it is from grease /oil from the zerk fittings the grease the front spindles.
Hope this helps
Kg