WB Journey 39 350Cat Transmission Fan

kevinvanpatt · 05-27-2019, 10:02 AM

I purchased a '50 39' Journey with a 350 Cat in it. 53k Miles. I have put about 5k miles on it in the last couple of months but have not been towing anything.

My last CAT had an issue when pulling it would overheat and needed to have a cooling fan installed for the transmission.

Has anyone had issues with the airflow when towing on this unit?

Only way to find out for sure would be to start towing but I would rather see if anyone has seen problems before I do.

Thanks!

Kevin

Wingchop · 05-27-2019, 12:08 PM

I have an 06 Meridian 39' with the Cat 350 and 52k miles, tow a Honda Accord on a dolly and have had no problems.

cbeierl · 05-28-2019, 02:18 PM

The key thing is to make sure that your radiator & CAC are clean and not plugged up with gunk. If they need serious cleaning it may be necessary to remove them for cleaning. With a clean radiator/CAC and properly functioning thermostats (there are a pair of them) you should have no problems.

Cooperhawk · 05-29-2019, 06:54 AM

We tow with our 330 Cat all the time. No problems.

bsamole · 06-05-2019, 04:50 PM

I agree with CBEIERL. Also make sure the crankcase breather hose exits past the rear bumper to help avoid the problem in the future. I tow a Tahoe 5800 lbs 4 wheels down with no issues.

Skeggo · 06-05-2019, 05:43 PM

I also have a '07 Journey 39K with the Cat C7. Tow a Honda CRV with no issues. Agree with comments on keeping radiator/CAC clean and make sure slobber tube is extended below the bumper.

Radioflyer · 06-05-2019, 06:03 PM

We have ‘09 34y Journey with 350 CAT and tow a heavier GMC Acadia... no issues up and down Western mountains, New England mountains, or back and forth along southern I-95 corridor in Summer.

FIRE UP · 06-05-2019, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinvanpatt

I purchased a '50 39' Journey with a 350 Cat in it. 53k Miles. I have put about 5k miles on it in the last couple of months but have not been towing anything.

My last CAT had an issue when pulling it would overheat and needed to have a cooling fan installed for the transmission.

Has anyone had issues with the airflow when towing on this unit?

Only way to find out for sure would be to start towing but I would rather see if anyone has seen problems before I do.

Thanks!

Kevin

Kevin,
I was not aware of 1950 Winnebago Journeys. Just kidding. I'd like to ask something here. WHERE might I ask, did they install a "cooling fan" on an Allison Transmission, in a motorhome, to help cure your "then" heating issues? Now, as has been pointed out, the "blow by" tube is one of the potential causes heating issues on especially the C-7, any version. But, it itself is not the problem. It's the secondary side of a problem that emanates from TOO MUCH OIL in the engine.

You see, to start with, the first thing you need to do is, make darn sure WHICH oil pan you have so that, you have installed, the correct amount of oil in it. The type of oil pan dictates just how much oil is to be installed after an oil change. If too much oil is inserted in the engine, that results in foaming which, results in aeration which results in excessive oil mist inside the engine block. That extra oil mist has to go somewhere and, the only opening is the blow by tube.

If you have excessive oil mist from the blow by tube and, that tube is still sitting where the factory (Freightliner) put it, that mist, will be directed via the fan, to the fins of the radiator and the CAC. Once the fins are coated with that oil, guess what, anything and everything that is sucked up off the roads, by that engine fan, will be deposited on those oily fins. Once the fins are all clogged up, no air gets through them. When that happens, it's not killer on flat, no load traveling. But, where it rears its ugly head is on grades when the engine is now working harder and the fan slows down and, you HAVE NO AIR GETTING THROUGH the fins.

So, that's that story. Make sure you have only the prescribed amount of oil. Make sure that the blow by tube HAS BEEN EXTENDED to the rear of the coach so that, IF there's any oil mist from it, it will not be deposited on the radiator and CAC fins.

Now, speaking of the radiator and CAC. Some have what they claim as "luck" in cleaning those fins while the radiator is still in the coach. Well, once you remove that radiator and CAC, you'll see just how much can STILL BE LODGED in those fins due to inappropriate cleaning. It's not an easy job to clean those fins, in or out of the coach. And, likewise, on about 90% of the rear radiator coaches, it's not an easy job to even inspect those fins to see just how bad they might be clogged.

If you're new to this coach, it would behoove you to:

1. Make sure you've got the prescribed amount of oil. (On about 99.99% of the C-7s out there, no matter what version, 300, 330 or 350 HP, it's normally 19 quarts total.

2. Make sure the blow by tube is extended.

3. Do whatever you have to, to do a thorough inspection of those radiator and CAC fins, to see if you have any clogging in any portion of them. And that includes all the corners where it's virtually impossible to clean while in the coach.

Once you've assure yourself of all the above checks, then you should be good to go in terms of towing your toad, anywhere you'd like.
Scott

P. S. The factory cooling system on these is fairly stout and dependable. Rear radiator cooling is by far, not the most efficient. But, when kept clean and you drive them like a trucker, you should get great service out of them.
Scott

CharlieB · 06-06-2019, 07:52 AM

I have a CAT C7 and was wondering if anyone have any links/videos on how to check/clean the radiators and tubes? Trying to learn more about maintaining it.

Thanks

FIRE UP · 06-06-2019, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieB

I have a CAT C7 and was wondering if anyone have any links/videos on how to check/clean the radiators and tubes? Trying to learn more about maintaining it.

Thanks

CharlieB,
Well Sir, videos or links might be of some help but, to be honest, the radiators and CAC's in our type coaches are extremely difficult to get proficiently clean, while still in the coach. No one in their right mind, LIKEs to have to pull out a radiator and CAC JUST to clean it. I know, I've done it twice. But, I'm retired and, have plenty of time for this sort of thing. While certainly not a FUN job, it's not all that bad either. It helps if you've got a nice place to work, all the required tools, some entertainment nearby (NCIS on the TV and or a movie) and, you're still at least somewhat flexible enough to be able to handle what it takes to get those two units out and on some saw horses to be able to do the most thorough job possible.

There are some that have cut large holes in the top of their fan shrouds to be able to gain at least "SOME" access to those fins. But, without a doubt, you cannot get to ALL THE SQUARE footage of those radiator and CAC fins doing it that way. The ones that have cut the holes in the shrouds, then had to remove the radiator for other reasons, saw first hand what was missed in their cleaning(s).

Many RV owners, especially rear radiator diesel owners, simply do not have the capability, tools, place to work, and or desire to yank those big radiators out and do the type of job needed. It is what it is. One of the problems is, the radiator is encased in a steel frame. And that steel frame has corners that capture a ton of debris/dirt/leaves/hay/rodents/plastic grocery bags and more. You cannot, REPEAT, CANNOT get those corners clean while the radiator is still in the coach, no matter how many holes you cut.

I can't sit here and tell you go remove those two pieces to get a bangup job done. That's up to you. Below are a few pics of ours when I yanked them for various other work. The first pics are of it when the blowby tube was still in the factory position, NOT GOOD. The second set of pics is from the most recent yanking of that Radiator and CAC. No real oil film build up like the first time but, never the less, 40K miles plus and about 5 years, and it still get's dirty.
Scott

P.S. When I mentioned "rodents", yep, that's what you see in the second set of pics. He was "Well done" by the time I got around to pulling that radiator and CAC the second time. It takes me about 2.5, start to finish, radiator out and on saw horses.

Cooperhawk · 06-06-2019, 02:33 PM

We had to replace the radiator in our 02 Journey and here is a thread that I did on it on the Mother Forum. IRV2

Radiator replacement on 02 Journey/Frieghtliner - iRV2 Forums

You can see what a short slobber tube can cause.

skyking · 06-08-2019, 08:52 AM

I had a 35' National Dolphin (V-10 gas) that had an overheating problem on grades. The cure was a new viscous fan drive.
Do these diesels, with their huge fans, have viscous fan drives? While I'm under mine, I'll take a look.

bobmac · 06-23-2019, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radioflyer

We have ‘09 34y Journey with 350 CAT and tow a heavier GMC Acadia... no issues up and down Western mountains, New England mountains, or back and forth along southern I-95 corridor in Summer.

All Journeys post 2007 came with Cummins engines. Cat exited the RV market when the 2010 pollution standards were enacted effective 2008. I have a 09 Journey with a Cummins 350hp ISB engine which is what should be in your 09 as well.