Thermo King Tri-Pac APU shutting off

[DubbleD]

OK... I've got this issue and don't, don't lemme repeat DON'T criticize my lack of attention to the obvious...

Thermo King Tri-Pac APU... stopped running today.

Got "Eng" as code on the control panel, looked it up and ....

Low Oil, High coolant temp, or unit master switch has been turned off.

It was low on oil, I checked some time ago then just forgot... anyway...

1. filled oil to proper level

2. turned switch off then on

3. reset breaker

4. turned everything on and it started and ran for .... 4 - 5 minutes then quit.

5. removed heavily contaminated air filter (I'll get a new one at the ts later) and repeated steps 1 - 3 and same result as 4


Any ideas that you've tried?? Thanks in advance

 

[ironmanwife]

http://www.en3pro.com/book/thermoking+apu+troubleshooting/

 

[Injun]

I would be willing to be your motor cooling fan is not working right. There are three wires by the frame of the truck. I clipped one of them (blue, I think) and the fan stopped cycling and just ran all the time. It's been a while since I've had an APU, but the one I had did exactly as you describe until that fan cycling was disabled. At least, that's how it was explained to me.

My coolant system was integrated with the truck engine, so cool water was not the problem. The motor was overheating. Also, you can open the top cover to get more air to it. Other than that, Duck has the right idea.

 

[DubbleD]

I would be willing to be your motor cooling fan is not working right. There are three wires by the frame of the truck. I clipped one of them (blue, I think) and the fan stopped cycling and just ran all the time. It's been a while since I've had an APU, but the one I had did exactly as you describe until that fan cycling was disabled. At least, that's how it was explained to me.

My coolant system was integrated with the truck engine, so cool water was not the problem. The motor was overheating. Also, you can open the top cover to get more air to it. Other than that, Duck has the right idea.

I did have a new radiator installed Friday... wonder if the genius mechanic..... well I'll look. Thanks Injun

 

[Rigjockey]

Is that Tri-Pac new ? I had on that was brand new and it kept cutting out on me and I would get the ENG code . I took it to Thermo King and they aske me a bunch of questions about how I use it and when I use it and the things I power off of it . The they went to work ,They set it up for my needs and switched out a few things and it worked like a dream . I wish I had a Tri-Pac on the truck I have now .

 

[DubbleD]

Is that Tri-Pac new ? I had on that was brand new and it kept cutting out on me and I would get the ENG code . I took it to Thermo King and they aske me a bunch of questions about how I use it and when I use it and the things I power off of it . The they went to work ,They set it up for my needs and switched out a few things and it worked like a dream . I wish I had a Tri-Pac on the truck I have now .

Not a new one.. original. It's been working great until this morning.. got to shippers at 8 am for a load at 9 pm, went to bed and woke up thinking it hadn't come on... saw the red light and the Eng code. It runs and runs fine.. just stops after 4 -5 minutes

 

[DubbleD]

Well, Duck's little joke seems to be getting lots of attention.


Anyway, back on topic...I would be willing to be your motor cooling fan is not working right. There are three wires by the frame of the truck. I clipped one of them (blue, I think) and the fan stopped cycling and just ran all the time. It's been a while since I've had an APU, but the one I had did exactly as you describe until that fan cycling was disabled. At least, that's how it was explained to me.

My coolant system was integrated with the truck engine, so cool water was not the problem. The motor was overheating. Also, you can open the top cover to get more air to it. Other than that, Duck has the right idea.

Wiring looks fine... Not gonna pay for internet service when I can pull into a Thermo King facility and get it done on the company dime.

 

[Rigjockey]

Wiring looks fine... Not gonna pay for internet service when I can pull into a Thermo King facility and get it done on the company dime.

There ya' go . I know it`s a pain in the ars to make a stop at Thermo King , Hopfully they are quik like the one I was at . All the stuff that I mentioned was done in under an hour !

 

[DubbleD]

There ya' go . I know it`s a pain in the ars to make a stop at Thermo King , Hopfully they are quik like the one I was at . All the stuff that I mentioned was done in under an hour !

Somewhere between Raleigh, NC and Cleveland, OH is a shop with a bay waiting for me. My fingers are crossed that's all it takes for time.. the shop 30 miles from me wouldn't work on it till after hours.. with a mobile. Yeah, even tho I'm not footin' the bill don't mean I will toss the bosses cash out the window.

 

[mndriver]

Mine would shut off like this when it's like 90+* outside. All I can do is open the small door on the front. I know something isn't right. I can't get the cooling fan to come on at those temps. Even with it plumbed into the big engine for coolant.

 

[Injun]

Mine would shut off like this when it's like 90+* outside. All I can do is open the small door on the front. I know something isn't right. I can't get the cooling fan to come on at those temps. Even with it plumbed into the big engine for coolant.

I had the identical problem with the one I had on that Cascadia. In fact, I was just thinking about it this morning. There were three wires that go into the APU from the frame. If I remember right, the blue one was clipped and capped and the fan worked perfectly after that. No more overheating, no more shutting down.

 

[Elson McIntosh]

I feel you all on this, I've been trying to figure out what's going on with mine as well. Went to bed with it running and awoke to total darkness from the panel box. No lighting' no code... ziltch

 

[ironpony]

When was the last time you did a complete PM on the unit? You should be doing this every 1000 hours. There is an inline fuel filter in the back of the engine that doesn't always get changed. Fuel starvation after a few minutes of running will cause something like this if there's enough crud in it.

 

[Pops65]

I had the identical problem with the one I had on that Cascadia. In fact, I was just thinking about it this morning. There were three wires that go into the APU from the frame. If I remember right, the blue one was clipped and capped and the fan worked perfectly after that. No more overheating, no more shutting down.

Have mine wired liked that APU on. fan on .no cycle

 

[mndriver]

I feel you all on this, I've been trying to figure out what's going on with mine as well. Went to bed with it running and awoke to total darkness from the panel box. No lighting' no code... ziltch

Check down by the alternator. There's a 50 amp maxi fuse that sounds like it's blown.

 

[mndriver]

I had the identical problem with the one I had on that Cascadia. In fact, I was just thinking about it this morning. There were three wires that go into the APU from the frame. If I remember right, the blue one was clipped and capped and the fan worked perfectly after that. No more overheating, no more shutting down.

Actually, the 15 amp fuse in the control box was blown.

The start-up amps were like 18 amps and running amps were like 11 amps.

I ended up finding a local source for a replacement fan for the cooling fan. Cost all of $80. Works fine now.

 

[ironpony]

Check down by the alternator. There's a 50 amp maxi fuse that sounds like it's blown.

There's an upgrade kit that puts that fuse in the top of the engine box at the left as you look at it. And yeah, that is the usual deal with this symptom.

 

[mndriver]

There's an upgrade kit that puts that fuse in the top of the engine box at the left as you look at it. And yeah, that is the usual deal with this symptom.

Yeop. And thermo-king wants like $250 for the kit too.

All it is is a new maxi-fuse with a longer tail on it to get up to the top.

I had that fuse blow on me last January. Took it to thermo-king and they tried to sell it to me.

Biggest thing on this item is just learning the system.

 

[ironpony]

Yeop. And thermo-king wants like $250 for the kit too.

All it is is a new maxi-fuse with a longer tail on it to get up to the top.

I had that fuse blow on me last January. Took it to thermo-king and they tried to sell it to me.

Biggest thing on this item is just learning the system.

LOL! Price went up! They put that in for $50 on mine years ago!

 

[mndriver]

I love their system. I hate the dealers.