lucilius
Active member
ER's usually have about 90 gallons of fresh water (fyi: in a single tank on the pax side just in front of the right rear wheel. It's in a well-protected position, well insulated with about an inch of solid foam board insulation and has a large DC heat pad that clicks on at ~40F and lower to prevent freezing..there is/was a vid on utube showing it off) mounted at the chassis level to keep COG low: pretty standard stuff IMO.
I agree with 2deg above: radiators and the Espar hydronic system are pretty foolproof as well and there's no mystery in running reinforced radiator hose in a circuit to a domestic hot water tank and back to the engine, plenty of campers do this: his truck should have had a manual or solenoid valve that would keep the coolant cycle limited to the engine. Then the only thing needed is competence. Espars and Webastos are in common use throughout northern US/Canada and Europe on all sorts of rigs but I could see a new owner either being rushed and just driving off with a new (used) vehicle, not being told about the system and/or not familiarizing himself with it and failing to notice a leak, especially someone from a warm climate (do people in Tampa even need hot water?).
One would think standard OEM Ford engine warning lights would indicate high temps and/or low coolant and any basically competent driver would simply pull over to check things out. Pixelwix might want to remedy this situation with a clarification, mea culpa, etc.
Right now the situation appears melodramatic and embarrassing at best and at worst to be spreading incomplete/inaccurate information and following that with an unsophisticated (for a software and simulations guru) deleted posts coverup...but to each his own and best of luck.
I would think worst case, this rig would need a new hot water tank and some engine work or maybe in an extreme case, a new engine.
(and no, the Ford 6.4 does NOT have to have the cab removed for work or engine replacement, it just makes things a helluva lot easier, it's a good engine....cough, cough, cummins 5.9 still better though IMO...the 6.4 lacks DEF system, simplifying things, and pretty solid if you get a little emissions work done and stay on top of maintenance but most new diesels take the "10lbs in a 5lbs bag" approach and no, none of them are really ideal for international travel in lands with less refined diesel, get a 7.3 or 5.9 or something foreign and in most cases get used to a bit of noise, smoke and going slow and enjoying the sights)
That sounds expensive (maybe $20-25k?) but when you consider the price of this vehicle when new, ~$250k, we're talking 8-10% of that, not a big deal. Kind of like having 3 or 4 grand of work done on a $40k toyota truck, so roughly equivalent to parts/labor for an OME 2.5 springs/shocks lift and UCA's or throwing on a decent RTT and some other overland kit. As for me, I don't really get folks who'll pay 60mil for a private jet and 30mil for a place to live in a city, etc., but since there's too much fun to be had elsewhere, I'm not going to opine about folks making choices about what they do with their money. Hopefully Pixelwix will get this situation and his truck reparied and be able to enjoy it on some trips or at least sell it to someone who will. If nothing else, please someone get it fixed and find a guy/gal with at least average driving ability and please, please answer the one holy grail of ER questions: with that sweet Kelderman suspension, manly MPT81 tires and brutish 700ftlbs of patriotic Ford goodness churning away, can it surmount the supreme challenge of crossing a wet, grassy field? (kidding, ER-people....just kidding).
I agree with 2deg above: radiators and the Espar hydronic system are pretty foolproof as well and there's no mystery in running reinforced radiator hose in a circuit to a domestic hot water tank and back to the engine, plenty of campers do this: his truck should have had a manual or solenoid valve that would keep the coolant cycle limited to the engine. Then the only thing needed is competence. Espars and Webastos are in common use throughout northern US/Canada and Europe on all sorts of rigs but I could see a new owner either being rushed and just driving off with a new (used) vehicle, not being told about the system and/or not familiarizing himself with it and failing to notice a leak, especially someone from a warm climate (do people in Tampa even need hot water?).
One would think standard OEM Ford engine warning lights would indicate high temps and/or low coolant and any basically competent driver would simply pull over to check things out. Pixelwix might want to remedy this situation with a clarification, mea culpa, etc.
Right now the situation appears melodramatic and embarrassing at best and at worst to be spreading incomplete/inaccurate information and following that with an unsophisticated (for a software and simulations guru) deleted posts coverup...but to each his own and best of luck.
I would think worst case, this rig would need a new hot water tank and some engine work or maybe in an extreme case, a new engine.
(and no, the Ford 6.4 does NOT have to have the cab removed for work or engine replacement, it just makes things a helluva lot easier, it's a good engine....cough, cough, cummins 5.9 still better though IMO...the 6.4 lacks DEF system, simplifying things, and pretty solid if you get a little emissions work done and stay on top of maintenance but most new diesels take the "10lbs in a 5lbs bag" approach and no, none of them are really ideal for international travel in lands with less refined diesel, get a 7.3 or 5.9 or something foreign and in most cases get used to a bit of noise, smoke and going slow and enjoying the sights)
That sounds expensive (maybe $20-25k?) but when you consider the price of this vehicle when new, ~$250k, we're talking 8-10% of that, not a big deal. Kind of like having 3 or 4 grand of work done on a $40k toyota truck, so roughly equivalent to parts/labor for an OME 2.5 springs/shocks lift and UCA's or throwing on a decent RTT and some other overland kit. As for me, I don't really get folks who'll pay 60mil for a private jet and 30mil for a place to live in a city, etc., but since there's too much fun to be had elsewhere, I'm not going to opine about folks making choices about what they do with their money. Hopefully Pixelwix will get this situation and his truck reparied and be able to enjoy it on some trips or at least sell it to someone who will. If nothing else, please someone get it fixed and find a guy/gal with at least average driving ability and please, please answer the one holy grail of ER questions: with that sweet Kelderman suspension, manly MPT81 tires and brutish 700ftlbs of patriotic Ford goodness churning away, can it surmount the supreme challenge of crossing a wet, grassy field? (kidding, ER-people....just kidding).
