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wolfe10

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Posts posted by wolfe10

  1. Posted · Report reply

    Just after the Redmond convention, we are scheduled to attend Camp Freightliner Aug 23 and 24 in Harrisburg, Oregon. We would like to swap a spot for the class being held the week before on Aug 19 and 20. If anyone has the flexibility in their schedule to swap the weeks, please let me know. Thanks (edited)

    You might also contact Freightliner and alert them and perhaps they will even send an e-mail to attendees of the earlier class.

    Brett

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Dear Friends,

    My wife and I are considering a trip to Arizona, Nebraska and Kansas in our RV this summer. We are currently in Maryland and notice that the air conditioners run quite often, even though we are in a fairly well-shaded lot. We have a 43' RV with (3) 15,000-BTU air conditioning units.

    Looking at the RV Campgrounds in Arizona and Kansas, it appears there are not many trees in these campgrounds. Any recommendations or insight you can provide is most appreciated.

    Sincerely,

    cstlaurent

    Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

    You will find one advantage in the desert SW compared with where you are-- substantially less humidity. And condensing all that water takes a fair amount of your A/C's BTU's.

    A windshield solar screen (outside windshield) helps reduce the "greeenhouse" heating.

    Some have tinted their side windows as well.

    Brett

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Montie,

    I would start by minimizing moisture intrusion into the refrigerator.

    Do the "dollar bill" test to insure the door gasket is OK and the door properly adjusted. Ya, it is a motorhome, so a $10 bill works better.

    All you do is close the bill the the gasket area and try to remove it. There should be some drag on removal and it should be consistent all around the doors.

    Also, check the condensate drain hose (outside access area) to make sure the restrictor is in the outlet. If not, hot humid air "rises" into the refrigerator and makes condensation a really bad problem.

    Certainly humid climates encourage condensation, as do more frequent openings of the refrigerator door.

    Brett

  7. Posted · Report reply

    First, I would have to say, "Whatever the owners manual says."

    Safe travels,

    RWB

    CORRECT. There are coaches/chassis designed to be leveled first and those designed to have the slides extended first. Please follow the instructions in your owners manual or contact Monaco for the proper order for YOUR coach.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    OK, with the generator's engine running at proper RPM, start by flipping OFF and back ON the two breakers on the generator itself.

    Next is to trace power from generator to the motorhome's 120 VAC breaker box. There will be a junction box near the generator where generator 120 VAC output splices into the wire to the coach.

    IMPORTANT: ONLY if you are safe working around 120 VAC, check voltage there and on further "down-line" (or have a qualified technician do it).

    From there, generator output goes either to a plug that you have to manually switch to go from shore power to generator OR to an ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch). You have an ATS if you don't physically have to move plug ends around to go from generator to shore power. ATS's are reasonably easy to locate as there are three gangs of wires to them: generator IN, shore power IN, and OUT to 120 VAC breaker box. Check on both sides (generator IN and OUT) in the ATS.

    Brett

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Is it making any voltage? If so, what? And if the answer is zero, turn OFF and then back ON the two breakers on the generator itself.

    It could also be your ATS (if you have one). Have you checked with a voltmeter at the ATS or where the Onan wiring connects to house wiring (ONLY if you are safe working around 120 VAC!)?

    If gasoline (vs propane) when was it last run? Did you drain the gas out of it or put Staibl in the fuel before storing?

    And, if propane is it liquid or vapor?

    Does the engine sound OK (correct RPM, no surging, etc)?

    Brett

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Here is a link to Family Motor Coaching magazine's annual guides to flat-towable vehicles that have been approved by their manufacturers for flat towing behind a motorhome without major modications. You must be a current FMCA member or magazine subscriber to view the articles.

    http://www.fmca.com/index.php/motorhome/to...04-towing-index

    The guides go all the way back to 1999. I am not aware of any change 1998 to 1999. As I recall, the Subaru manual transmissions ARE towable 4 wheels down, but confirm with Subaru.

    Brett

  15. Posted · Report reply

    What generator do you have (and what watt)?

    What A/C?

    Have you looked at the voltmeter when this happens-- what is the voltage (and does it drop off just before the generator breaker trips)?

    Is this the first time the generator has been used in awhile? If so, did you either run it out of gas (only assuming gas-- model above will tell us) or add Stabil to the gas before storing?

    Brett

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks Brett for the quick reply. When you say If your hoses are over 3-4 years old, this is a good time to change them as well, do you mean just engine area hoses or the two hoses that run up to the front heater core as well. The latter would require a lot of time in the bays, plus dropping the LPG tank and maybe the fuel tank on my '98 Safari.

    Chuck,

    The hoses in the engine room are a lot more in harm's way than those run in a basement or frame rail-- heat, vibration, petroleum product exposure, etc. Many coaches have a splice at the front of the engine area. If not, a hose to hose barb fitting can easily be fit.

    At the very least, check them for softness, cuts or abrasion.

    Brett

  18. Posted · Report reply

    We will be in Oregon/Washington next week for cabinet and other work, and I saw Halton CAT listed as a level 1 dealer in Portland. I need oil, lube, coolant change, valve lash, etc. Has anyone used them and what was your impression of service quality?

    Also, I've looked into the CATRVclub web site several times (Tech Tidbits and more) but cannot find the write-up on coolant change procedure. Usually that means it's right under my nose. Can someone push me in the proper direction? Thanks.

    Here is a thread on Changing Coolant: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showto...ng+system\

    Scroll down to my 3rd post for the step by step procedure many of us use.

    Brett

  19. Posted · Report reply

    My FW Excursion (07) is powered with a Cat C-7 350 HP engine. Problem is when checking the oil, the dipstick will only return to within about 6-8 inches of seating. It sometimes takes 5-10 minutes of turning and twisting to get it around whatever obstruction is interfering with its return to the crankcase. This then makes the simple process of checking the oil level a sometimes 30 minute chore. Does anyone else have this same problem or any experience curing it or diagnosing the cause ?

    Thanks

    It is my understanding (we are in Bonaire right now, so I can't call Caterpillar) that the chassis maker, not Caterpillar fits the dip stick.

    You can call the Caterpillar RV Hotline with your engine serial number to confirm: 877 777-3126.

    And then if indeed the dipstick IS fit by the chassis maker, call them.

    Also, verify the dipstick's calibration: http://community.fmca.com/index.php?showtopic=388

    Brett

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Tom, the 'Smoking Engine' was my post. If you promise not to tell Brett, I will tell you what my problem was. My 400 ISL has the Jake Brake.

    Now for the story. I had installed a new fan on my dash and looked for a curcit that came on and off with the egnition switch. On a trip back home we came to a down grade and I stepped on the Jake Brake. which slowed the coach down. That was when I noticed the fan quit. When I let off the Jake Brake the fan came back on. [Jake brake on fan off, jake Brake off fan on]. I had a stop light and when I came to a stop the engine went into rough idle, no power with lots and lots of smoke. I got through the intersection and on to the side of the road. This was the same problem I had before. "What the H- did I do but reach up and turn the fan off. WALII the engine begins to odle smoothly and the smoking stopped. What ever hot wire I connected the fan to was also connected to the Jake Brake. Needless to say I have removed the fan wire and moved it to the elec. panel and put in a inline fuse.

    No more problems. [but Tom please don't tell Brett]

    Now, Herman, connecting to an engine control circuit to power a fan will only get you 5 minutes in time out-- no big deal. You will be out in plenty of time to join everyone for lunch.

    But, it does bring up a good point. With today's electronic engines and transmissions (both gas and diesel), one needs to be very careful with modifications, particularly with things like fans that can produce RF Interference as well as being an electrical load.

    Brett

  23. Posted · Report reply

    I have been waiting to see if an owner of any of the Spartan chassis coaches with the EPA07 engine weres going to jump in. The Cummins ISC is available with a two speed compression brake. I know several friends with Tiffin Phaetons on Spartan chassis with them.

    Research Jacobs Vehicle Systems, JAKE BRAKE MODELS 490/490A

    Application Information

    For the most accurate application information, refer to the Cummins Application Guide (Jacobs P/N 20994 Bulletin 3401804), available from your Cummins Distributor or online at www.jakebrake.com.

    Yes, for the 2007 and newer Cummins ISC, there is an engine compression brake available. BUT, NOT for any Cummins C engine built before 1/1/07.

    It certainly would not be available for the OP's 2003 model.

    Brett

  24. Posted · Report reply

    Brett,

    Thanks for the information. My truck driving buddy has been trying to convince me that there is a switch missing!

    The PacBrake link that you sent (thanks for that, too) says to 'cycle the exhaust brake manually or electronically a few times' - how do I do that?

    JT

    Manually is difficult because you are "fighting" a pretty heavy duty return spring. You can disconnect the arm at the butterfly and manually move it.

    You can also disconnect the positive wire (signal wire) from transmission to the air solenoid at the air solenoid. Apply 12 VDC from any source in the engine room to the solenoid side ONLY (don't "back-feed" the wire).

    You can also apply the lube just before you drive and turn the brake on/off multiple times.

    Brett

  25. Posted · Report reply

    My 2005 Excursion (Cat 350, Spartan, Allison Trans) has a PacBrake as well as a Retarder, the latter being controlled by an on/off switch. Can anyone tell me how the PacBrake is activated? I realize that its purpose is to restrict the exhaust flow, but I don't know how it is controlled. Thanks!

    You have only one of these devices with the C7 Caterpillar. It will be some brand of exhaust brake. Jacobs makes one, PacBrake makes one, etc.

    They all work basically the same way:

    You have a switch at the driver's area that turns on the exhaust brake. When the switch is on AND the throttle position switch says the throttle is closed, a relay sends a signal to the Allison ECU. The ECU then does two things-- starts downshifting toward the "pre-select gear" (you will notice the left window/only window of the Allison shift pad goes from "6" to whatever the pre-select gear is with 2nd and 4th being popular choices) AND sends a signal to the air solenoid on the exhaust brake to open the valve which allows air pressure to activate the exhaust brake butterfly.

    The butterfly does indeed function as a "potato stuffed in the tailpipe" building about 55 PSI of back pressure to slow you down.

    There are two other kinds of auxiliary braking devices-- an engine compression brake (only available on much larger engines) and an Allison transmission retarder (only available on on Foretravel and OTR busses as far as I know).

    And the exhaust brake does need lubrication:

    http://www.pacbrake.com/index.php?page=maintenance-2

    Brett

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