[Shamu406]

John,
First thing can you verify that your 12V & 110V air pumps are working and building proper air pressure.  Your 12V air pump should build air pressure to about 55 psi.  Your 110V air pump should build pressure to between 110 & 120 psi.

R-1 is the front basement compartment on the right side.  I have seen over a gallon of water collecting in that air tank.

The second three gallon air tank is located on the front wall of the right wheel well in front of the right drive tire.

Since you are having so many air problems I suspect water is your issue and the first place I would look.  It is also the easiest place to start.  If you find any water, then you are going to need to get it out and replacing the desiccant filter is a good starting point.  Remember you live in a very humid climate so your coach is going to collect water much more than a coach in Arizona.  Once you get the moisture under control, then I would start valve by valve fixing or replacing them.  In your climate I would be replacing the desiccant filter once a year.

Working on a Newell is not difficult for some one with some tools and mechanical skills.  Understanding the different systems and how they work can be challenging.

Since I don't know what you have available to you, I'll describe how I get under my coach and you can determine if you can also do so.  I have a concrete surface and park my coach on 2 X 12s which raises the coach 1 1/2".  I then use the HWH leveling system to raise the coach all the way up.  I then crib the coach up using 8 X 8s that I cut to length--two fit under the trailer hitch and two under the front skid plates.  I then put HD jack stand under the square pads that are located behind the front & rear sway bars.  I can now safely go under the coach and perform every thing, including lubing the chassis and draining the air tanks.  

If you cannot get under your coach you are going to have to find some one competent to do it for you.  I would look for some one who services buses.  Being in Florida you should have some available to you.

I hope this is helpful......................................

Steve,
Thanks for the help. I will check the tanks you mentioned today. Both pumps seem to be working at those pressures. Do both pumps work the same lines? Or do they have separate duties? Because my toilet flapper started to work again when the 110 pump was left off for several hours, and I heard the DC pump in use, which is set at 60 psi, then I turned on the 110 pump and the toilet flapper got stuck again. and since the cabin air door is right next to the toilet, I guess that has something to do with the air door barely moving? Can water get in these lines too? Can they be purged?
Thanks Steve.
John

---

I recently had all of mine checked while the coach was lifted so you could walk under it.  Many of the tanks are built into the frame itself and thus do not look like tanks, and the have plugs instead of pet-cocks.  I think there are four or fine that look like air tanks, but the others are usually in frame cross members.l

Thank you , Chester!

[Shamu406]

John (Shamu)

Rhonda and I will winter in Tampa, New Port Ritchey.  We will be there in mid Jan after the college kids return home. Let's get together and I could show you a lot of the things that Steve is referring to.

Richard,
I would love to do that! That would be a huge help. There is so much that I do not know, and I certainly need to.
We have had 2 month long trips and several small ones since our purchase in May of last year, one to D.C. and this year to Bar Harbor, Maine, and many points in between on both trips. Learned a few things along the way, but clearly not enough to avoid future issues.
My biggest problem to date has been a steady leaking Aqua Hot. It had a minor drip when I bought it, but since then it has blossomed into a steady small stream. The diesel portion always gets the water hot, but the electric portion seems to be hit or miss. I did bump the AH exhaust on an unlevel cement parking pad in Gatlinburg last year, I was able to get in back in place, but not certain if I upset the connection at the AH.
I know prevention is the cure, but I need to know what to do in many different areas of the coach.
Thanks Richard.

[Chester Stone]

I am in the process of swapping the solenoid control valves between the curb and street sides. The air cylinder is only a year old but if the swap does not work, I will take the cylinder apart. The ARO solenoid control valve part number is A212SD-O12D. I have seen some for sale that look identical, but with a slightly different part number.

[Shamu406]

John,
First thing can you verify that your 12V & 110V air pumps are working and building proper air pressure.  Your 12V air pump should build air pressure to about 55 psi.  Your 110V air pump should build pressure to between 110 & 120 psi.

R-1 is the front basement compartment on the right side.  I have seen over a gallon of water collecting in that air tank.

The second three gallon air tank is located on the front wall of the right wheel well in front of the right drive tire.

Since you are having so many air problems I suspect water is your issue and the first place I would look.  It is also the easiest place to start.  If you find any water, then you are going to need to get it out and replacing the desiccant filter is a good starting point.  Remember you live in a very humid climate so your coach is going to collect water much more than a coach in Arizona.  Once you get the moisture under control, then I would start valve by valve fixing or replacing them.  In your climate I would be replacing the desiccant filter once a year.

Working on a Newell is not difficult for some one with some tools and mechanical skills.  Understanding the different systems and how they work can be challenging.

Since I don't know what you have available to you, I'll describe how I get under my coach and you can determine if you can also do so.  I have a concrete surface and park my coach on 2 X 12s which raises the coach 1 1/2".  I then use the HWH leveling system to raise the coach all the way up.  I then crib the coach up using 8 X 8s that I cut to length--two fit under the trailer hitch and two under the front skid plates.  I then put HD jack stand under the square pads that are located behind the front & rear sway bars.  I can now safely go under the coach and perform every thing, including lubing the chassis and draining the air tanks.  

If you cannot get under your coach you are going to have to find some one competent to do it for you.  I would look for some one who services buses.  Being in Florida you should have some available to you.

I hope this is helpful......................................

Steve,
I can't locate the tank in R-1. But there are 2 large tanks that have petcocks, located in the center, just behind the front axle. I was going to crawl under and open them, but feel uncomfortable in doing so. Was afraid of it coming down somehow.
Can't locate desiccant filter either. All I see is wheel well.

---

Chester, the dump port is where mine was leaking also.  Mine was caused from a bad dump valve where the internal seals were not doing their job. After I rebuilt the valve all was well.  But as Tom said there can be several things that cause this.  It just so happen this was my problem.  Most of the time the valves need rebuilding anyway so this is a good place to start.  The parts to rebuild the valve are inexpensive.

Where do I get the rebuild parts for the solenoids?

[Shamu406]

I am in the process of swapping the solenoid control valves between the curb and street sides.  The air cylinder is only a year old but if the swap does not work, I will take the cylinder apart.  The ARO solenoid control valve part number is A212SD-O12D.  I have seen some for sale that look identical, but with a slightly different part number.

Someone earlier in this thread said the part # was A212SD-000-N.
Which one should I get? Would like to get the rebuild kit for it first though.

[Fulltiming]

John, I would suggest that as soon as you can safely get under the coach or get someone else under it, you change the petcock drain valves out to the plug cord valves. That way you can drain the moisture out of the tanks on a routine basis without worry about crawling under the coach. I just had to replace both of the two brake tanks you found behind the front axle. They had rusted through from the inside and were starting to leak badly. They are hard to find so it is a good idea to keep water out to the maximum extent possible. I ran the pull cables through an opening in the back of the first compartment behind the wheels on the passenger side so I can easily access them.

[encantotom]

the ARO valves for the dumps are a very specific one. if the number is different than what was specified, it will not be the right one. they come in a variety of ways, different voltages, single vs double etc.

that said, i believe that the one A212SD-000-N referred to above is the right valve only it doesnt have any coils on it. the coils virtually never go bad so that should not be an issue.

the rebuild kits are avail. i believe the part that is needed is the spool kit. i have not confirmed but believe it to be part number ARO 118597-12 but you need to confirm

tom

[encantotom]

have a look at this document

tom

[rheavn]

Adrian,
I never suggested that you go under the coach until it is cribbed up safely.  I'm glad you felt uncomfortable as that would be a very dangerous and possibly deadly practice.  

As I said not all coaches have the air tank in R-1.  It is about 50-50.  Evidently you don't.  You will have every other air tank I described.  The two black oval air tanks you saw are the air tanks for the front brake system.  The two crossmember tanks you will not see until you are able to get under the coach.

Look again on the rear wall of the left wheel well.  The air dryer with the desiccant filter on top is on the rear wall inside the tag tire.  If you still can't see it, raise the coach and use a flashlight.  To change the filter I raise the coach all the way with the leveling system, crib up the coach as described and I can change it from the side of the coach without getting under.  The filter IS NOT under pressure so you do not need to drain the air system to change the filter.

[Shamu406]

Adrian,
I never suggested that you go under the coach until it is cribbed up safely.  I'm glad you felt uncomfortable as that would be a very dangerous and possibly deadly practice.  

As I said not all coaches have the air tank in R-1.  It is about 50-50.  Evidently you don't.  You will have every other air tank I described.  The two black oval air tanks you saw are the air tanks for the front brake system.  The two crossmember tanks you will not see until you are able to get under the coach.

Look again on the rear wall of the left wheel well.  The air dryer with the desiccant filter on top is on the rear wall inside the tag tire.  If you still can't see it, raise the coach and use a flashlight.  To change the filter I raise the coach all the way with the leveling system, crib up the coach as described and I can change it from the side of the coach without getting under.  The filter IS NOT under pressure so you do not need to drain the air system to change the filter.

Hey Steve,
John here. Not sure who Adrian is, but I think your post was meant for me. I'm going to crib it up as you suggested.
I checked the right rear tank in front of the drive wheel, and it did have about a shot glass of rusty water. I did find the air dryer and filter behind the left tag wheel, the whole unit looks like new.  I called the previous owner and he told me he had it replaced just before I bought it, he replaced the whole unit with a WABCO dryer and filter, but its probably due for a new filter, since it has been in for about 2 years or so.