Water leak getting worse

[Earnest W9EEW]

I just purchased an 89 SP36 that has a water leak. It does not leak when the pump is off. Leaks a little when the pump is on (and getting worse). And gushes when city water is connected.

The water is coming out in rear most passenger side bay where the pump and heater is located. The water is dripping down along three pipes that are connected to the pump and heater.


I can’t find any water inside the coach. I’ve checked the access hole to fresh water tank underneath the closet, completely dry. I’ve also checked under the bed, also dry. I can’t figure out how to check under the drawers with the chassis heater at the bottom. Nor can I get behind the sloped carpeted channel along the floor.

I’m currently living in my bus. If this leak gets much worse, the water system will be unusable

See pics.

[kg4rrx]

Bluebird did a great job hiding screws in carpet. Try using a magnet to locate them.

[Earnest W9EEW]

Any idea where they typically put the screws? Front, top, both?

[isp2952]

The carpeted chase along the wall will usually have screws near the floor and along the wall. Like Chris said run a magnet over the area. It will need to be a strong magnet. You can also run a screw driver along the full length of the wall and floor about an inch into the carpeted chase. You may be able to feel or hear metal on metal. You may get lucky and find them. There are metal L brackets along the floor and the wall that the screws go into.

As far as the closet goes, I can't help much there, but I would remove the drawers and see if there are brackets at the base that hold it in place.

[ERWIN O]

One cracked fitting in any of the polyethylene plumbing and the water squirts out pretty fast under pressure. If you hook up the city water and leaks faster that just means the city water has more pressure than your pump.

look under the kitchen sink and bathroom sink. There is probably a removable panel(via latches) that can be removed to get a better view of the plumbing. In my bus those two areas are where all the T's are to give and receive water from other areas. There are also shut off valves to isolate other areas. A bunch of my shut off valves were cracked and dripping.

At least you may be able to isolate the leak through the shut off valves.

Water has a strange way of traveling. Just because it is leaking out at that bay doesn't mean the leak is above that. Try leveling your bus tilted in a different direction and see where the water travels.

But I do bet it is coming from under one of the sinks or around the filter system at the inlet to city water.

[Chief607]

are you able to pull the cover off the heater?

[ERWIN O]

I just removed all my carpeted cove for my remodel. The Magnet trick is crucial. The screws are about 3/4" off the wall and about 3/4" from subfloor (not carpet). They tended to have a matching screw floor and wall. In other words if you find one on the wall go straight down towards the floor and start looking. They are about 16 -24" apart. Not a lot of them. But just one left will make it impossible to remove.

See attached picture of two tabs on wall with cove removed. Might give you a better idea of how it is put together.

[Earnest W9EEW]

I’ve checked under both sinks. Bone dry.

I couldn’t get the heater out or the cover off. It’s still attached in back.

[gcyeaw]

Originally Posted by Earnest W9EEW

I just purchased an 89 SP36 that has a water leak. It does not leak when the pump is off. Leaks a little when the pump is on (and getting worse). And gushes when city water is connected.

The water is coming out in rear most passenger side bay where the pump and heater is located. The water is dripping down along three pipes that are connected to the pump and heater.


I can’t find any water inside the coach. I’ve checked the access hole to fresh water tank underneath the closet, completely dry. I’ve also checked under the bed, also dry. I can’t figure out how to check under the drawers with the chassis heater at the bottom. Nor can I get behind the sloped carpeted channel along the floor.

I’m currently living in my bus. If this leak gets much worse, the water system will be unusable

See pics.

Is the water exiting the coach when you say it gushes? Could it be that the tank is full and it is running out the overflow???

[Randy Dupree]

Originally Posted by gcyeaw

Is the water exiting the coach when you say it gushes? Could it be that the tank is full and it is running out the overflow???

Well your the smart one today!
Overflow from filling the tank,good guess Gardner!