2014 Journey42E front engine cover leak

tomjsas · 07-28-2021, 03:07 PM

I recently purchased a 2014 Journey 42E with the 400HP ISL 8.9L Cummins. The coach has 27,000 miles on it. Took it in for an oil change and generator service and am being told that the front cover is leaking and needs to be resealed. Of course this means removing the radiator to get to it. Parts aren't bad but the labor estimate was a shocker at $4800! Has anyone else experienced this kind of failure with this engine? I don't want to be foolish but thinking this is something to monitor for a bit before throwing that much money at it. BTW I have seen no oil on the ground where it is stored.

The other item is they want to change the air filter. I did this in my 2004 Fleetwood Providence and it was simple but two of us got it done. How easy or hard is it in the 42E?

Thanks in advance - Tom!

Jim_HiTek · 08-02-2021, 10:30 PM

I would get a 2nd opinion. If you're a wrench yourself, lift the bed out of the way or remove the closet cover and check it out with a strong light. From the top and underneath. Make sure they aren't pulling a fast one. Perhaps the bolts only need tightening?

Nearly all diesel RVs the engine can be accessed from the top, the bottom, and with removal of the rad, the front. The rad in my 36' Journey can be removed in 1-1.5 hours. I have a Cat engine and nearly everything on the front can be serviced from top and bottom. Not easily, but it's serviceable without removing the rad. A young'en would have to climb all over it to reach certain things, but it's doable. Just not for an old dude like me any more.

imnprsd · 08-03-2021, 01:38 AM

What "front cover?" Can you be more specific?

Do you see oil leaking? Can you post pictures?

Where are you getting your RV serviced?

tomjsas · 08-03-2021, 10:13 AM

The coach is being serviced at Transwest RV in Frederick Colorado who deals in Winnebago, Newmar and other coaches. I have not seen oil on the ground and have not had a chance to go down and look at the unit myself since the diagnosis. They are currently waiting on an air filter and will look when they get that installed and it is ready to pick up.

From what I understand the front cover is the portion around the shaft that comes out the front side of the engine. At this time, I plan to get a second opinion and monitor until then.

Jim_HiTek · 08-03-2021, 10:21 AM

Here's what the Cummins looks like, maybe some pics will help?

400HP ISL 8.9L

When you get the 2nd opinion, just tell them the shop told you there's a problem with the engine and how much time they estimated to fix it. Don't mention what it was. Ask them to find it...be prepared and offer to pay for an hours search.

Morich · 08-03-2021, 11:29 AM

I'm NOT a mechanic and never worked on diesel but there are some things that are common on all engines. Things get loose and may need to be tightened!

So if it is something like a cover with a gasket and the bolts get a bit loose, oil may leak and when we take it to repair, there are different ways to think about the repair. One way is to do it totally right, take it all apart to be able to totally clean the mating surfaces and put in a new gasket. They don't want the rep of doing work that fails again in a year, so they do a total (expensive?) repair so be sure it holds.

But then it may also be a gasket with one loose bolt that needs torqued to the right level and the gasket is actually fine, so that a guy with a good set of tools with an air wrench with long reach can stick it up in that space where we can't get our hands, tighten the bolt and call it good for another 20,000 miles! That 20,000 is not good enough for a trucker but may be more than you and I add to an RV in the whole time we own it!

So, I might see step one as finding out what kind of leak, where and what are the odds of it being fine with the lightweight fix, rather than the super fine expensive one?
Several folks telling me the same and maybe even showing me, is before the $4000 comes out!
I don't know engines but I have fixed lots of things by a simple tighten move.

Jim_HiTek · 08-03-2021, 12:18 PM

What he ^^^^^^^ said.

ItascaJoe · 08-07-2021, 09:32 AM

I have the same engine in my Itasca 2014 and I have the same problem. It was shown to me about 2 years ago while I was getting an oil change. There never was a leak it was just an accumulation of dried oil that was collecting dirt that looked worse than it really was. Today it still looks the same no worse. I was told by a guy who built that engine that the oil I've been putting in is recommended by Cummins Shell Rotella 15W40. He says that oil is to thin and is seeping through the seals. He told me to run straight 30 in it. I will check that out before my next oil change.

Morich · 08-07-2021, 03:36 PM

With that new theory or info, I might go a small step further top sort out what is going on. If it's old oil, washing it off would seem to be a step on finding if it is leaking or old oil?
A power washer would be nice to reach in to places which we can't get to with hands but if you can reach it, a putty knife to scrape it off would help.

Before going with an easy answer from someone with very thin background, I would first want to run what he is saying over a bit in my own mind.
Some thoughts on oil grades is needed before I move from 10-40 to straight 30 as 30 is thinner than 40! Temperatures and lots of things involved that engineers are supposed to be trained and know???
While the info may be right or wrong, there is far more bad info on the internet than there is good info! Lots of people still dying because they don't check their info!

ItascaJoe · 08-08-2021, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

With that new theory or info, I might go a small step further top sort out what is going on. If it's old oil, washing it off would seem to be a step on finding if it is leaking or old oil?
A power washer would be nice to reach in to places which we can't get to with hands but if you can reach it, a putty knife to scrape it off would help.

Before going with an easy answer from someone with very thin background, I would first want to run what he is saying over a bit in my own mind.
Some thoughts on oil grades is needed before I move from 10-40 to straight 30 as 30 is thinner than 40! Temperatures and lots of things involved that engineers are supposed to be trained and know???
While the info may be right or wrong, there is far more bad info on the internet than there is good info! Lots of people still dying because they don't check their info!

I am going to clean my engine with a pressure cleaner as well. I will still use the recommended oil and go from there. I have never seen a drop of oil on the ground where I park it and there is no oil consumption.

Dr. Hoopty · 08-08-2021, 05:28 PM

As a heavy equipment mechanic, diesel engines all sweat oil to a certain degree. If it’s not dripping I wouldn’t worry about it really. Clean the area up real good to see if it is indeed leaking and keep an eye on it. As far as the oil goes, use ONLY what the manufacturer calls for. Think about all the 100’s of millions of miles these engines go in the commercial world and all the samples that have been analyzed. These engines were developed by engineers and scientists that have forgotten more than any of us will ever know, and Cummins has to warranty stuff if it fails. Oils and viscosity stories based on urban legend are not the way to go. Think about gas engines in the last 4-5 model years and what oils they use, 0w16 for example. Is that too thin by who’s standard? My take on this.

Corkyz · 08-08-2021, 08:19 PM

I have a 2006 Winnebago Vectra 40 KD with the 400 HP Cummins 8.9L ISL engine and two years ago during my annual maintenance at Cummins Bridgeway in New Hudson Michigan the tech noticed slight oil seepage from front timing cover which faces the rear of the RV. He confirmed that the cover was tight, added some leak dye to the oil and suggested we monitor it. During this years annual inspection we found no change in the seepage and again he recommended we monitor it.

Journey39n · 08-09-2021, 12:42 PM

I have the smaller 6.9 Cummins engine. Just as a point of information as to my experience. I have always had Freightliner do the work on my RV, in various parts of the country as we travel. Usually happy with the work, although I have run into shops that weren't really interested in RV work but did it anyway, or did just enough to get me on the road again, so the logistics of getting the work done was a bit of a pain.

Recently, I had an engine issue with the Turbo actuator, and EGR valve. I went to an actual Cummins shop, Motor Trucks, Inc., just north of Bellingham WA. Wow, what a difference. They were anxious to work on my engine, were very through in the diagnosis, and exceptionally fast in getting the work done.

They did nearly all from the bottom side, and what they couldn't reach from there, was easily accessible through my bedroom floor access panels. My lesson learned was, if it is overall chassis work, Freightliner is my shop of choice, but if it is the actual engine that needs attention, I think I will look for an authorized Cummins shop first.

I do know that shops can vary, so do your research, and pick one that is right for you. Don't necessarily believe some diagnosis, as you drive it everyday, and know what it seems like, they only have a brief snapshot to look at the problem.

Just my opinion of course. Others may vary.

Jim_HiTek · 08-09-2021, 02:19 PM

I checked with Freightliner shops about specific repairs I needed, asking for quotes. Those quotes were what caused me to find a truck shop instead. For example...changing out the easily accessible Master Cylinder - $2500, firm. And they insisted on changing out the Hydroboost too though nothing was wrong with it and it worked fine for 10 years after the MC was changed.

Actual cost somewhere else? $875.

And they were the same with really high quotes at different shops in different states (full time RV'er so I travel a lot) on other items. I'll never go to a FL shop for repairs. After 3 attempts I've learned independent truck shops are far more economical.