dickandlois

RM1953! with the info sent does it look like the 2 items pictured? When you say hot, do you mean the cooling motor gets hot or when the engine temp is hot? If the motor stops when the engine heats up can you still spin the fan? That fan can not be turning when you try this !!! And make sure you can get you finger out of the way just in case it starts up again. Best to try to turn it with a short stick not a finger. When the fan stops and the engine is hot, have you found a way to power it from a source? Your DC system is 12 volts so the Control solenoid should work on 12 volts to open fully. The ECM controls the the speed by the length of a pulse sent to the fan. The fan should turn slow or not at all when the Engine is cold and speed up as engine temperature increases. Did you have any overheating problems before changing out the hydraulic pump? There could be a problem with the temperature sensors that send information, regarding the temperature of the CAC and radiator, that where border line before the pump was changed. The other problem that might be happening, is as the oil in the system heats up it thins out and you get the cavitation effect I mentioned do to air in the system rising to the highest point and stopping the flow of oil through the loop. Should the motor run with an external power source, the problem could be with the ECM. That is a long reach because you replaced the pump and it was working before. R.M.

Hum! I always thought that if it did not move you painted it Gray and it moves you put a life preserver on it.

Reoandkko,,Hear is a link to Kiwkee trouble shooting information. http://support.powergearus.com/techdocs/Step%20Troubleshooting%20Flow%20Chart.pdf Hope this helps find the problem. R.M.

Bart, The Electrical drawings are from GM. The Chassis manufacture for the P series chassis. The Fleetwood drawings should do a better job covering the Coach to Chassis electrical interface. Then again because of Fleetwoods Chapter 11 issue,they may have decreased the information covered because of age. Question, Did your drawings come in the form of a PDF file or a paper copy? The hard copy I have is 42-11 X 17 RV Truck pages,with more pages covering the other light duty trucks built in 87. The Chassis manual section covers all the mechanical hardware. I ordered the set when we purchased the Coach. I never did get the Fleetwood coach information. Things where much simpler back then. The Diesel pusher I now have is way more complicated. With items one could only dream of in 1987. That being the case I now have Engine,Transmission,Chassis and Coach information for reference. Add in the VMSpc and other software used when traveling one often feels overwhelmed. We started with a Class C on a Ford Econoline Chassis. Started in the wading pool and at times I feel that I'm over my head. I watch the changes and wonder just how far the envelope can be pushed. R.M.

Rich, Did you find the problem? There are 2 diodes in parallel,located in the turn signal power feed line. 6 amp rating, a voltage rating of 50 volts should work fine. Look at my photos in photo section under Alternator Problems to get testing info. for the diodes. Remember to get the polarity correct if they test bad !!! and need to be replaced. Then if you have a trailer towing module in your unit its a totally different setup !!! With the Vin Number and a call to Freightliner you should be able to get the proper drawings for your chassis. R.M.

Bart, been going over some of my other electrical drawings and it looks like I missed on the power source, but then it still could be a circuit breaker. Things have changed and I'm thinking that your wiring my have 2 fuse-able links connected at the positive terminal of the starter. The heavy red cable goes directly to the battery. The 2 links power the fuse block on many of the older units. One could be blown (burned open) and they do not look bad just by looking in many cases. So if you do not have power at some of the fuses,take a look st those links if your coach is wired that way. It would be simple if they where all wired the same. Hope this helps, still looking for my drawings for the 87 chassis. Boy! I can hide things well sometimes. Found the drawings!! Check the fuse-able links. You should have other circuits not working.No Radio ,then maybe no Heater & AC. No Head lights,feed direct from fuse-able link that power the light switch red wire,yellow feeds the dimmer SW. Looks like Lt.green wire is high beam and Tan wire is Low beam from the dimmer SW. Still got to work on that TV power feed ??? R.M.

Bart, I have been looking for some information that is tucked away in may old manuals,but no luck to this point.. The best I can do is recalling from memory. I owned a 87 Bounder that was on a Chev. P30 Chassis. The head light power is supplied through a circuit breaker ( they are auto resetting) think 30 amps. from the battery via fuse box harness on a tape point or connector block. Check the high low dimmer switch, the feed goes to this switch common point, now if you do not have voltage at the switch. Check for a relay in the power supply line, Relay is energized from the headlight Switch in most cases, not always thought. Power can be from the SW. directly in some cases. Check and see if you have power at the headlight / marker light SW. Have you ever remover the the knob assembly from the switch in one? There is a trick to it if you have not ever had to pull one. Now, you said head lights not working. Are the marker lights and instrument panel lights working? With the SW out check for power at the switch. You will have to reinstall the knob to check all the circuits for power. Check this link to see what it should look like. You can get them from NAPA ,For reference only. http://www.am-autopa...CFULe4Aod-ymAOA Regarding the radio, There is a 15 amp fuse for the radio. You mentioned the fuse was good. Most often they used a connection in the fuse box to feed power to the radio. This wire was plugged into the fuse box at a terminal next to the fuse. that wire runs to the radio. Depending on what kind of radio is in the coach,there maybe a fuse in or at the radio its self. Should your radio have a clock, then there will be a second power feed with a fuse about 1-1/2 amp in size.. For the TV power, got to think from your post that it runs on 12 Volts. Contact me with more info. Is it connected to a convenience type socket, one like that used for the cigarette lighter? R.M.

Wayne, The same thing happens with the new faubs used on everything, solve one thing and create another. Neighbor has a Ford with the touch pads and the battery died. Key would not turn the lock cylinders ( he never used them) so one needed to crawl under and connect the jumper cables to the starter positive terminal (hoping not to blow a fuse somewhere) and then enter the code. Lucky, because I was afraid the code might have been lost. What are we doing? Convenience over practicality. R.M.

William, Glad you got some propane delivered. I have been reading over all your posts again. No tack signal present,3060 Allison and 300 Cummins. Got to believe the trans is not shifting because the tack signal is not present on the Gauge. The Engine starts up with no problem and no engine codes present, so the crank sensor is working and its signal is reaching the engine ECM, this signal also is used to control the fuel injection system. The only thing I can come up with is there is an open wire between the Engine ECM and the TCM. The fact that the Tack signal is missing at the Tachometer is it comes from TCM ( Could be defective) or a connection problem between the ECM and TCM. Hoping my thoughts can help narrow down the area of the issue. Good luck and let us know what you find to fix the problem. R.M.

Hi Brett, The use of brakes and engine exhaust assisted braking has been well covered in this thread. I would like to mention one thought. When you have descended a long grade using air brakes and they have gotten very hot, it is always a good idea to let them cool down. Not that you have to stop,but if the road has more down grades its good to cool them down.Then you could feel like you need a brake to free your hands from the steering wheel and want time to reflect on the last few feet covered. When you stop with hot brakes, pull on the parking brakes and place some tire chocks. Then release the park brakes. The reason being,it they got that hot, as the drums cool down they will shrink and the brake shoes can restrict this action and it is possible to crack a brake drum. This does take a long time. However, if one takes an extended brake from driving before hitting the road again the possibility is there. What are your thoughts? R.M.

Follow up, I see you now know what area is leaking. Remove the nails. If you have a rental outlet in the area, see if they have a power stapler that uses staples that are 3/8in. in length. Kind of like the ones used for putting down carpet, just need the proper length staples! There is a air powered unit, but I do not know if you might have air lines with the proper couplings to connect things together. The lines are connected in most cases with release type couplers that require a tool made for that operation. Regular PVC tubing is not used, because it will fail / split quickly if it ever freezes. the plumbing lines are stiff,but when warm will bend / flex enough to work them out and back into the area. The RV line is much more forgiving is this case, but it to can burst if things really freeze up. Repairs will need a lot of patience and some time spent looking for ways to remove and replace the affected line(s). Removing the floor is not the best option !!! It should be avoided. R.M.

Whoachubby ! The water lines run between the floor and the sub floor.there is a space of about 3 to 4 in. Not the easiest area to work. or to get into.The only way to get a look under / between the floors is with a inspection mirror and a flashlight. There are inspection video cameras mounted on a goose neck for looking between walls,but they are not cheep and I do not know if you could find a rental unit. There are locations behind draws and behind cold air returns that allow some access to areas. The plumbing line information regarding supplier and type are in one of my folders, I just have to locate it. Should you be interested. R.M.

I have the same problem from time to time. After pondering the issue, the solution was to apply some plumbers grease on the seal at the valve area. They get dried out over time. What has worked for me now, I discover that since I have a china toilet bowl, I can pour some of the pink antifreeze in when setting for an extended period. The seal seams to like that as it has stopped leaking. The pink color will stain the plastic bowls !!! Little late for your issue, but hope it helps down the road! I was a day or two late on picking up on your post. R.M.

Winnetou, From reading your post,sounds like you live in the Northwest area of the country. That being the case, the area has higher humidity then some areas of the country. Things get rusty real fast when setting and my thoughts are.The drums are building up a layer of rust that takes a little time to wear off. The Brake shoes will absorb moisture and they need to get heated up to dry out. Do not know if you have had the opportunity to look at the brakes when the wheels and brake drums are off, but they are big brake shoes. Have you had the Chassis systems greased with a good quality grease? Many shops do not use a higher end grease and they are not created equally. The S-Cams and brake shoe hardware may need some TLC. Like cleaning and lubrication.This does require the removal of the brake drums. A quality job is labor intensive if done properly. When the S- Cams do not move freely the problem you described will be noticed. The hardest thing on the brake systems and hardware is just setting for extended periods of time, so a good run with the coach an a location where you can apply the brakes to slow down from road speed using just the brakes keeps things dry and freed up. All the other drive train parts benefit for these runs also. I live in a damp part of the country, so the coach gets a work out about every 3 months at expressway and stop go driving when a nice day comes around and the traffic is light. I do need to get my front S-cams pulled,cleaned and lubed as the brakes are doing some of the same things you described. When I apply the brakes hard I get a good thump,Yep ! I do need to clean the S-Cams and all the parts myself. R.M.

Just some personal side notes on the 8.1 and 454's, They do use the same block,but that is where it ends. The early 8.1 engines had an issues with Cam and Crank sensors. There was a recall from NTSB regarding these issues.Most where in the large work trucks and GM did not want to include engines that where outside there recalled VIN. numbers !! I have not heard of any problems with the engine with the up graded parts, because the sensors where improved. The 8.1 will run well on Reg. gas, 454's like the middle grade,but will run on Reg. and they get about the same millage in regards to weight ratio. The 454 engines tend to have more mechanically set ignition and timing then the 8.1. Just the difference in the level of ECM control on the newer engine. The mechanical portion of the 8.1 was built to run 300,000 miles if all service intervals are met and the rpm's are not pushed. Deliver companies do run engines hard and long! These engines are built for torque not high RPM numbers They are not warranted for 300,000 miles though!!! There have been some check engine codes set,due to the O2 sensors, and it is an intermittent issue,that in most cases just requires removing the ECM code. The problem can pop up on any given day or even every other year. The 8.1 oil capacity is seven quarts with filter change and there are two different sized filters for the engine if one prefers a larger filter. The change oil light will come on at different millage points depending on the driving conditions encountered between oil changes. Interesting point for one who keeps a maintenance log. Also! like most Big Block engines, one should check the oil level at around 1500 miles. Big engines do use some oil and that is not really a bad issue, when one considers the heat generated. Oil and filters are cheap compared to what it cost the repair them. R.M.

cricard04, I will attach a link to a product called Chassis Saver. Its a pant over rust formulated pant. Always a good idea to clean the surfaces well before applying thought. It comes in silver,gray and black colors. The black will turn gray in time when exposed to sun light. After it drys it can be sanded with 400 grit and painted any color. Must warn you it in not cheap,however it covers so well that a pint will probably do 4 to 6 windshields. Also! it does not store well once its been opened. so its best to use it up with in a week or two on any rusted areas of the coach frame. Use an old paint brush because cleanup is a nasty task,but it will really protect things. If water can get under it,that is about the only way that it will finely fail. http://www.magnetpai...m/underbody.asp Hope this info. helps a little R.M.

Driver, I just got to read your post, sent PM to you with a link to some information. Also listed hear. R.M. http://www.silverleafelectronics.com/files/J1708-J1939%20Diagnostic%20Connectors_0.pdf

Well! Dryer sheets work,spread them around if you do not like the smell of moth balls. Also! Steel wool around the openings where you need to run hoses and power cords keeps the little critters out. I use plumbers putty, the rope style or the blocks that you remove and mold up the size needed to plug around things, it stays soft for a long time,seals the areas from dust and can be removed to make repairs easier. R.M.

Do not know what part of Canada you live in, but there is one location around the Toronto area that removes the fog from windows. I just can not remember there name. I think its on the North west side of Toronto in the area of the 427. They have a different solution then most. They install a one way valve in one of the corners. I have no feedback on how well it really works though. D.M.

Cecil, links that list state requirements regarding towing with a motor home. http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm http://www.actiondonation.org/articles/state-by-state-rv-and-towing-laws.html http://www.brakebuddy.com/Towing-Laws The only states that list No Reciprocity are, Colorado, Delaware and Georgia. From the first link!! You will need to check into more info. in those states for more details. Hope this helps R.M.

There are many thoughts on this issue. I have picked up extended service on my coaches, because they have all been used. I try real hard to look them over and try to check and make sure things work. After a year or two I often drop the plans if there are no recalls, coach or chassis issues. I prefer to have control over who repairs or replaces items that I can not do myself. And if I have been real good about putting some money into my "if it breaks" account. I kind of go it alone. The need to have all the paperwork and records for the claims can be overwhelming. You have to be comfortable with the decision you make. R.M.

Brett, is right on top of the issue and you also. Mixing of the fluids is just not good in itself. Many of the seals used in hydraulic systems do not like some of fluids used.The fact that you followed up after finding what took place will save you in many ways down the road. Safe and happy trails. R.M.