2001 Journey 34 Overheating?

obdc10 · 11-10-2020, 03:37 PM

I have a 2001 Winnebago Journey 34. It is a diesel cat engine. In summer when I drive from Texas to Oregon the water temperature on the engine gets hot. It is especially bad at higher altitudes.

Anybody have any suggestions on how to fix it?
Olen Phillips,

Jim_HiTek · 11-10-2020, 10:34 PM

Sure do. First make sure your surge tank isn't leaking and that you have plenty of AF before and after a trip. Than...

Using Simple Green Purple (the friendly to aluminum formula) and a spray bottle, soak the front and rear of the radiator, remove the bed frame if you have to to gain access from under the bed. Let it sit 15 - 30 minutes. Then with a strong water spray (not a machine, just the shore water) spray out as much grit and grime as you can. Repeat.

Now check what's known as the 'slobber tube'. Where is it? Does it just hang down from the side of the Cat, or is it routed over to the underneath of the rad on the passengers side? If it just hangs down from the engine, you need to extend that. It's sputtering oil onto your radiator which accumulates dirt, with leads to overheating.

Now that that's done, wash the radiator again. Wait a few days, and do it again. After that, once per year should be sufficient.

Finally, lower the amount of oil you put in your engine by 2 quarts. Over filling the pan often leads to too much slobber oil spit out. If you have the extension tube all ready, if you find oil on the front of your toad, that points to too much oil. Those Cat pans have like 5 quarts more than necessary if I recall my reading correctly. Not too much but more than necessary.

If you have the side radiators...never mind.

Cataska · 11-13-2020, 08:10 AM

I had same problem over heating in summer on grades towing ,I did as mentioned above could not believe the gunk that came out haven't tested on hill yet but but the amount that came out it could not hurt.

Journey39n · 11-22-2020, 10:14 AM

I fought with overheating temps on hills and such for two years. It would usually cool down very quickly, when going to lower gears, and running level, no issues at all. Very intermittent, but gradually got worse. I did all the cleaning, had a Cummins engine, so no slobber tube.

A reluctant Freightliner shop that did not want to do much investigation did change out the thermostat upon my insistence.

Finally, one day, the temps went up, and would not come down. I limped the rig into the local Freightliner shop, two miles at a time, then stop and cool, over and over for 15 miles. I knew the problem immediately, there was no air blowing back through the radiator, yep, the fan clutch quit. Apparently it had been the problem all along.

After the repair, the engine and RV ran, better than new, we could set cruise control, and go right up those big hills, temps would climb to halfway point, then cool to normal, no issues at all. Very happy to have our rig running great the last few years.