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Got the motorhome........Almost

Started by chasd60, Aug 25, 2008, 06:38 AM

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GeneF

Quote from: ForestCreature[indent]    Kelly, we could all just show up @ Assateague and stay in that BUS  :yikes:  and leave our campers home. You could drive here and then we could road trip and split the gas ;)

That thing is huge Charlie, You guys should be quite comfortable.

Marcy did you know that the AF used the mosquitos from Assateague during WWII as bombers?  Yup, they are that big. :)

GeneF

Chas

You have got to be happier than a pig in ???

I know that your mind is just a whirling and a dirving with all sorts of ideas for mods, trips, and repairs.  Love to be there to watch you with the biggest smile on your face.

Only drawback that I see is the twin beds, I am older than you but I am not ready for them yet. :)

Give me a call when you are heading to NH.  If I can, I'd love to take a ride and see that rig.

Have fun and I know you will.

chasd60

It is in Franklin about 12 miles from my son Chris' house and I bought it last Saturday. I am driving down this Saturday to see if I can get it ready to bring home. I'll give you a call Saturday..... it is off of the road that goes to Thousand Acres CG.

Gonna pick up a bottle jack and probably at least a brake caliper. I have a battery powered reciprocating saw if I have to cut the exhaust off to find out if it is plugged.
   
   If I can get the brakes fixed and the exhaust issue straightened out, I may bring it home Saturday night. I am trying to get one of my sons to ride down with me so he can bring my car back.
   
   I see your point with the twin beds....... too close for you when you could sleep on opposite ends when you had the hybrid ;)
 
  I'll have to fib a little when I go to Seawall CG....... MAX length is 35 feet.

chasd60

Quote from: GeneFChas
 
 Columbus Day is October 13th and the Fair ends on the 5th.  Are you sure about your dates.
 
 Now if DW and I hadn't had the RV movie experience with the black tank at Acres of Wildlife, we might have considered joining you.
DOH!!

cyclone

I'm guessing that one of those mods swirling through Charlie's head is to replace those twin beds ......

GeneF

"You have got to be happier than a pig in ???"


Yes I was definetely right on that one.  Just got back from seeing Chas's new beast and he and his sons are having a great time getting her going.






"I know that your mind is just a whirling and a dirving with all sorts of ideas for mods, trips, and repairs.  Love to be there to watch you with the biggest smile on your face."


Yes, the smile was there as big as ever.  His mind is a going already on the changes to be made.

He just can't wait to play with all the gadgets on this one.

OH, it is a nice rig.  Has some age but in nice shape.

Good luck Chas.

chasd60

Quote from: GeneFHas some age but in nice shape.
 
 
I didn't think you noticed......:o
Thanks Gene :yikes:

chasd60

Got to NH at about 10AM on Saturday. DS#2 and I rode down from Maine and DS#1 lives about 12 miles from where the motor home was located in NH. (DS#3 didn't help cause he just moved to FLA).
 
 DS#2 and I removed the right front wheel to determine the cause of the sticking caliper. Pumping the brakes to build up pressure caused the caliper to lock up. Loosened the brake hose from the steel brake line and nothing happened. Loosened the brake hose from the caliper end and fluid spurted out and the caliper was no longer locked up. This indicated the brake hose was internally collapsed and would allow the brake fluid to return.
 Item# 1: Buy a new brake hose (or two)
 
 DS#1 showed up and began disassembling the exhaust pipe where the heat riser is because it had two leaky donut gaskets and the pipe would get red hot. Figured this might be caused by the introduction of air into the exhaust and some unburned fuel due to the age of the fuel.
 
 Item# 2: Buy donut gaskets
 
 The battery was low when I tried to start the motor home and we had to use my booster box. After it started I checked the alternator output and there was no charging.
 
 The motor home was stored at a home where the homeowner likes to tinker and has a lot of spare parts. He had a truck with an identical alternator. We tried that and no change in the charging.
 
 After a trip to the store, no one had a brake house with the right configuration. I bought one that was pretty close but would take a little bending on the attached steel line.
 
 Installed the brake hose and that took care of the caliper issue.
 Installed the donut gaskets but also had the home owner weld the heat riser open. Gonna try to squeak a little more MPG's but pulling some of the smog stuff off.
 Started the rig back up and it was much quieter with no more red exhaust. The rig did had a bad backfire when it was shut off.
 
 Back on the alternator problem............
 Checked everything I knew of with no success
 Plugged the RV into 110V and turned the key to accessory so the isolator would allow the converter to charge the chassis battery as well as the coach batteries. Went to DS#1 house to look up some info on the web and sleep overnight.
 
 Returned on Sunday morning and had no more luck with the alternator than the day before. According to the info I found on the web, 1 wire was not hooked to the correct terminal in the connector. I can't imagine this wire pulled itself out of the connector and put itself back in another spot. (4 slot connector with only 1 wire but alternator has 4 tabs).
 
 I moved the wire and had no luck with this either. DS#2 and I decided to take a chance and hit the road to head for Manchester NH, the only place that had an alternator in stock. It was an Auto Zone and we figured they could test it and if it was bad I could replace it in the parking lot.
 
 First place to stop was the gas station. When I shut the engine off it kept dieseling and didn't want to stop. I turned the key back on then off and it stopped but had a nice backfire. Dieseling is sometimes caused by advanced timing (or in this case real old gasoline)
 I knew there was a problem with fuel leaking from a hidden hose when I turned on the main fuel tank so I only filled up the AUX tank which held 30 gallons.
 Started the rig and it ran great with no more backfiring.
 Drove down the road about 3 more miles and the alternator belt started squealing and I could smell burning rubber, thought maybe now I had a water pump issue or something. When the belt stopped squealing, the ammeter indicated the battery was now being charged. Not sure what finally started working but I was happy.
 
 We continued on to Manchester and had no charging issues so we rerouted home.
 
 Once in my home town I filled both tanks (the main one won't leak if it isn't turned on).
 
 70 gallon main tank and 30 gallon aux tank.............OUCH!!
 I got 7.2MPG going 55mph into a strong headwind. I am real happy with that number cause I figure with the smog stuff removed and no headwind, I may get around 9-10MPG.
 
 I don't know what to think about the alternator problem, nor how to deal with it if it returns. I hate self solving problems that I don't understand.
 
 I still have an issue with the 6.5KW generator not starting becuase it is not getting fuel. I may work on that problem this week then take it to a garage for our safety inspection to see if everything else is OK.....i.e the front end such as ball joints and such.
 
 Overall still very happy with the motor home. Even found out it has a central vac system in it.

wavery

Quote from: chasd60I don't know what to think about the alternator problem, nor how to deal with it if it returns. I hate self solving problems that I don't understand.

I still have an issue with the 6.5KW generator not starting becuase it is not getting fuel. I may work on that problem this week then take it to a garage for our safety inspection to see if everything else is OK.....i.e the front end such as ball joints and such.

Overall still very happy with the motor home. Even found out it has a central vac system in it.
The alternator issue was probably just stuck brushes. That's a fairly common issue on boats, due to lack of use.

The little wire that you mentioned is probably the "Exciter".

Glad everything is going well. Finding that bad brake hose was a stroke of genius. I've never heard of that one before  :eyecrazy:  and I thought that I'd seen it all.

chasd60

Quote from: waveryThe alternator issue was probably just stuck brushes. That's a fairly common issue on boats, due to lack of use.
 
 The little wire that you mentioned is probably the "Exciter".
 
 Glad everything is going well. Finding that bad brake hose was a stroke of genius. I've never heard of that one before  :eyecrazy:  and I thought that I'd seen it all.
Odd that it happened to both alternators but I guess they both haven't been used in a while. Yes the single wire was to set up the excitation field.

I recently went through the brake hose issue with a Dodge pickup AFTER replacing the calipers. Some things stick in your mind especially when they cost you money.

GeneF

Thanks for the update.  DW has been wondering if you made it home safely.

Your DW is going to love the vac system.

Glad to hear that the alternator has decided to work. Maybe something just needed a kick to get it going.  As my fil use to say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Once again Chas, have fun and good luck with the beast.

It was nice seeing you and the boys.

wavery

Chas,

You may already be aware of this but it's a good idea to completely flush the brake system with new brake fluid, once in awhile, on those heavy rigs. It sounds like it may be a good idea to do it to that rig. Also, if one brake hose has deteriorated, it may be a good investment to replace all the rubber brake hoses. They aren't that expensive and it's a pretty good bet that all those hoses are 20 years old (except 1  :p ). Those brakes get really hot when that thing is coming down a steep grade.

You (and everyone that tows) might find this interesting:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/bfluid.htm

chasd60

Quote from: waveryChas,
 
 You may already be aware of this but it's a good idea to completely flush the brake system with new brake fluid, once in awhile, on those heavy rigs. It sounds like it may be a good idea to do it to that rig. Also, if one brake hose has deteriorated, it may be a good investment to replace all the rubber brake hoses. They aren't that expensive and it's a pretty good bet that all those hoses are 20 years old (except 1  :p ). Those brakes get really hot when that thing is coming down a steep grade.
 
 You (and everyone that tows) might find this interesting:
 http://www.aa1car.com/library/bfluid.htm
All fluids are getting changed including brake, oil, power steering, tranny and rear diff.

wavery

Quote from: chasd60All fluids are getting changed including brake, oil, power steering, tranny and rear diff.
Have you given any thought to synthetics?

chasd60

Quote from: waveryHave you given any thought to synthetics?
I have........but
Every older or high mileage engine I have changed to synthetic oil, developed oil leaks. Research indicates this was a problem with some of the original synthetic and is not prevalent today........ the exception being on a seal that is almost compromised now. The synthetic can accelerate leakage in a seal that is not yet leaking but may be in 30-40k more miles with dino oil after the sludge that is plugging the leak is finally washed off.

I guess the synthetic washes the sludge of rather quickly and although not the direct cause of the leak, it exposes the leak.

I have never had this problem with rear diffs or transmissions though.

I have been told to stay away from tranny flushes on old trannys for the same reason, sludge removal. Basically if you never flushed, don't start after 50k miles (or 21 years). Drain and refill is the better option but is not complete.