2016 Cascadia, Have an air leak nobody can find.

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by Ancient Mariner, Feb 4, 2022.

  1. Ancient Mariner

    Ancient Mariner Bobtail Member

    2
    0
    Mar 12, 2021
    0
    Hey guys. Really need your help here. I’ve spent $2000 so far at repair shops (including FL dealer and Detroit/Allison dealer) to find an air leak. I have replaced all the air bags and fittings on all the tanks. No sound is heard with the engine off, anywhere.

    It all started when I took my 2016 Cascadia into the shop because I noticed spray all along the bulkhead and catwalk of my rig. It smelled like differential fluid. I was thinking maybe in the transmission, but so far not even the dealer can find it. Any ideas? Truck fails an air brake test and drains to empty with the truck off for more than 6 hours or so.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. MRMTRANS

    MRMTRANS Medium Load Member

    396
    429
    Apr 28, 2015
    0
    Did anyone check behind the dash? Airleaks at one of those thin airlines can be very quiet. Maybe at a valve, as well.
     
  4. Mike250rs

    Mike250rs Heavy Load Member

    881
    7,081
    Sep 24, 2019
    Raleigh, NC
    0
    Lines on top of the trans can be a pain to check.
     
    Rideandrepair, Dino soar and jsnell Thank this.
  5. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

    29,501
    162,560
    Jul 7, 2015
    Canuckistan
    0
    Listen at the breather. Could be a leaking splitter/range piston leaking into the transmission housing.
     
  6. 07shaker

    07shaker Light Load Member

    197
    700
    Jan 12, 2013
    Tx
    0
    If it fails an air brake test what’s the chance it’s a brake chamber. Leaking down after 6 hours isn’t all that unusual but if you hold the brake and it leaks down fast I would be checking your brake chambers
     
  7. flood

    flood Road Train Member

    4,168
    4,045
    Dec 25, 2010
    0
    Sleeper leveling valve or airbags...?
    Suspension leveling valve
    ABS valves
    Tractor protection valve
    Line from compressor to governor
    Related lines and fitting...
     
    Rideandrepair Thanks this.
  8. goga

    goga Heavy Load Member

    895
    1,586
    Nov 11, 2021
    Earth..
    0
    gg, 6 hrs?
    Google says..
    "After the initial pressure drop, the loss rate for single vehicles should be no more than 3 psi in one minute and no more than 4 psi in one minute for combination vehicles"

    So, 120 psi : 3 per minute = 40 minutes till the system is legally empty.

    6 hrs x 60 min = 360 min : 40 = 9 -1 = your system is 8 times more than legal)
     
    Oxbow, Rideandrepair and Jed2009 Thank this.
  9. goga

    goga Heavy Load Member

    895
    1,586
    Nov 11, 2021
    Earth..
    0
    If the audio is not present it may be in older.. inside of Air dryer, compressor, parked chamber, transmission.
     
    Rideandrepair Thanks this.
  10. flood

    flood Road Train Member

    4,168
    4,045
    Dec 25, 2010
    0
    all your numbers are for the AIR BRAKE test and have nothing to do with how much air a truck should lose when turned off parked
     
    Rideandrepair Thanks this.
  11. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

    5,713
    18,286
    Dec 20, 2019
    Marion Texas
    0
    I’ve mentioned this in many of these type of posts. 99% of mysterious air loss is through the air shifted manual transmission. They will be hard to detect and can be slow and quiet. Install a shutoff valve on the air supply line for the trans and let sit to see if air leak stops. It was/is not uncommon to have to leave a shift selector button in dir or od when parked to keep from leaking.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.