wolfe10

You will get BETTER MPG in OD-- gas engines are more efficent at lower RPM with higher loads. But that does NOT give the most HP. I would drive in OD all the time on flat country (and let the transmisison choose the correct gear-- unless the transmission is hunting). In mountains, switch out of OD for better performance. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. When asking a mechanical question, it helps state what chassis you have. Since you specifically mention "grade brake" I assume you have a Workhorse chassis. GRADE BRAKE: From the Workhorse website: Downhill descents are now easier on the driver and easier on the brakes with Workhorse’s new Transmission Grade Braking. All 2005 W Series chassis (W20, W22, W24) will feature this as a new standard system at no additional cost. The driver activates TGB through an illuminated dashboard switch. Then he or she engages the feature by depressing the brake pedal and releasing. The transmission automatically downshifts a gear and starts to control the motor home’s speed. So on a steep decline the driver just needs to step on the brakes to let his transmission automatically provide a smooth, safe ride downhill. This avoids unnecessary wear on the brakes while providing a reassuring sense of control to the driver. No stress, no sweat: TGB does the work." OVERDRIVE: The higher the gear (including OD) that you can run in without lugging the engine, overheating or "hunting" the better for economy. Definition: "Hunting" is the repeated shifting back and forth between gears caused by the engine not quite being able to maintain the higher gear, but easily able to accelerate in the lower gear. So, for example, the transmission would hunt, shifting 5-4-5-4-5-4.... up a hill. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Of what material is the sink made? Brett Wolfe

Yes, the tube with slits in the top is the burner tube that needs to have rust, dirt and insect nests removed from it. And the single cooling unit goes through the freezer FIRST, THEN the refrigerator. The thermistor that turns it on/off is in the refrigerator-- look on the back metal fins. If you do not have adequate cooling after the burner area tune-up, check the door seals. Close the door on a dollar bill (OK, it is an RV, so a $20 works better). There should be smooth resistance all the way around the doors. Also, check the condensate drain to make sure the restriction in the drain end is in place. If it is not, hot air can easily enter the refrigerator (not air rises). Also check the back of the cooling unit for any restriction to air flow such as bird or animal nests in/near the top vent. As with any refrigerator that does not perform to specs, read the refrigerator manufacturers installation manual (particularly in terms of side and top clearance) and VERIFY that yours is properly installed. Brett Wolfe

Steve, You live in a beautiful part of the world. Dianne and I have traveled over there many times--once for 4 months in a VW pop-top camper. Indeed, your road conditions, particularly if you venture south are different that most of us experience on U.S. and Canadian roads. Much more akin to road conditions in Mexico. To address a couple of your specific questions. Without doubt it is more difficult/less probable to build a structurally rigid coach with 27' long "hole in it's side" than one with two much smaller "holes". Were one to drive mostly on smooth roads this would not be as much of an issue. BUT, where you are driving more "challenging" roads, my personal opinion is to stay away from full wall slides. Not much different than comparing the structural integrity of an automobile coupe or sedan with a convertible model. Both because of your coach age restriction and more challenging road conditions, i would restrict my choices to higher end coaches-- probably in the 36'-38' range. And indeed with a family of 5 you will need to do some research (OR PERHAPS THOSE WITH SUCH A COACH WILL POST HERE) to find a floor plan that accomodates your family. As far as engines and grade climbing ability, a VERY good read is this document by Caterpillar Corporation-- it helps you understand what affects performance and also to set reasonable performance expectations: https://ohe.cat.com/cda/files/287140/7/LEGT5364.pdf Though a HP is a HP in terms of performance, the big difference between gas and diesel engines is that a diesel engine has a LOT more torque and can produce its max HP at a sustainable RPM. Gas engine have high peak HP, but it is not really at a sustainable RPM-- you couldn't reasonably climb an 8 mile grade with a gas engine at peak HP RPM. And all the coaches you will look at will have either an exhaust brake or engine compression brake (depending on engine size). When combined with the very strong Allison 3000 or 4000 transmission that locks the torque converter in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gear, they will provide adequate braking HP to allow you to safely descend grades. And though it is dependent on weight, with most, you can descend up to about an 8% grade without even touching the brakes (in second gear with exhaust/compression brake on). Your safe speed of descent on those very steep grades will be faster than a loaded truck and slower than an empty one. The same laws of physics apply! Virtually all coaches on your list will be equipped with very effective air brakes-- they are "power" by definition. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What computer are you looking for? Said another way, what functions does the computer you are looking for control? Brett Wolfe

For those who don't have a manual for your. go to this site to find Dometic (and Norcold) owners manuals: http://www.gasrefrigeration.net/dometic_manuals.htm This may be the one for your model: http://gasrefrigeration.net/dom_techdata/2300_2800OP.PDF Page 11 is very specific about what needs to be done. But, on all absorption refrigerators, the following needs to be done annually or when problems occur while on propane: Remove and clean the propane jet. Even a small spec of dirt can clog it. Use alcohol to clean it. Blow through it backwards. Do NOT use anything hard as it may change the opening size. Remove the burner tube and clean. Rust falls in it, dirt collects in it and insects seem to love to build nests in it. Do NOT short cut and try to blow it out with compressed air-- insect nests and dirt that has gotten wet will not always blow out. Remove and clean the igniter and on some models the separate thermocouple. Clean any carbon or dirt off them. When installing, set them per instructions with proper gap and centered over the flame. Check all grounds and wire connections for tightness (back of refrigerator where you are working). For all propane appliances, check regulator pressure. For instructions on building a manometer: http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/manometr.html Brett Wolfe

As Jack points out, when you do buy new tires, be sure they are NEW-- as you will most likely be replacing them based on age rather than wear. If they are already a year old, you will get one year less service from them. To determine tire date (on any tire made since 2000): There is a complete DOT number molded into ONE sidewall of each tire. The last FOUR digits indicate the WEEK and YEAR of production. So DOT........................3405 was made the 34th week of 2005. I will not accept a tire older than three months old except in an emergency. Brett Wolfe

Rolacoy, Removing the cover ONLY will not necessarily reveal problems corrected by doing a complete "burner area tune-up". You would not, for example, be able to see dirt, rust or an insect nest in the BURNER TUBE or a spec of dirt in the propane jet. If your refrigerator is not performing as it should, your best bet is to pull out your refrigerator owners manual and do the COMPLETE "burner area tune-up". Brett Wolfe

Bonnie, Since this is off thread, I will Private Message you on this. Brett Wolfe

I suspect the answer is NO, as compressors, etc are designed for a certain orientation. BUT, a quick call to the A/C manufacturer will give you the FACTS. There is generally enough force to exiting cold air that it does not mix with the return air. Brett Wolfe

Barry and Jan, Yes, the thermister controls the "on and off" of the cooling unit. The "coolant" goes through the freezer first, then to the refrigerator. NO separate controls for freezer/refrigerator. The most accurate way to measure temperature in the refrigerator is to put a thermometer in a glass of water. Much more accurate than an IR or thermometer just in air. And as you suggest, if you have a refrigerator model that does not allow you settings to control temperature, moving the thermister UP on the fin makes the refrigerator colder (and of course the freezer as well). If the same (too high) temperatures are experienced on both 120 VAC and on propane, that would suggest that you need to relocate the thermister higher on the fin. If this occurs only on one heat source or the other, you will need to troubleshoot that source. Brett Wolfe

Billy, Best advice is to call the manufacturer of your roof material and ask for THEIR advice on both product and technique for re-sealing around the vents. Not sure about calking around the A/C. A/C's are normally installed using a semi-crushable foam gasket, not calking. Brett Wolfe

You are likely to get a lot of "Opinions" as to which brand is best. Kind of like Ford vs Chevy. I am not aware of any "bad" tires among the majors. In the past, yes, but not today. But let's start at the beginning. What is the carrying capacity of your tires (molded into the sidewall) vs your actual weight. If you don't have an adequate safety reserve (i.e. the tire was designed to carry well more than your actual weight) you SHOULD consider up-sizing to a tire with greater load carrying capacity. Having tires with adequate carrying capacity (in access of your actual weight) not only gives you a safety margin, but you will be able to carry less PSI for a better ride. A curiosity question-- why are you replacing 2-3 year old tires? How many miles? Problems/uneven wear? Brett Wolfe

John, Certainly, you can add a coolant overflow tank. You will need one of fairly large capacity (truck or RV size as opposed to car size) because the large volume of your cooling system means you will have more flow in/out of the overflow reservoir as the coolant temperatures change. And it does not have to be mounted higher than the radiator. Expansion/contraction of coolant and/or any trapped air "move" the coolant into/out of the reservoir-- gravity NOT required. Sure, it is a little better to ADD gravity to the equation, but not necessary. BTW, this is a good idea. I always try to minimize the amount of air/oxygen in the cooling system. ONLY bad things happen when metal and oxygen meet. Brett Wolfe

At 11 years into our coach's life, all appliances were still original. I had replaced a hydraulic pump on the engine. Virtually all other work was in the form of Preventive Maintenance. Now at almost 17 years old, the refrigerator cooling unit went out in January so I replaced the refrigerator. I also replaced the A/C's with new, low profile more efficient ones, though they were still operating. We have remodelect the interior. Again, we have spent less IN TOTAL than one year's depreciation on a new unit. But, many are uncomfortable if a warranty does not cover them. So for them, an older unit may not fit THEIR needs. Would I buy an older unit, spending my last cent. NO WAY. Things will go wrong. But same for newer units. BTW, be sure to get someone knowledgeable in chassis and house systems to do a mechanical inspection on it BEFORE you buy. Things like tire age, SCA levels in coolant, ride height adjustment, air brakes, etc are not intuitive to most new coach owners. Arrange to be present when he goes over the coach. You should leave with lists: Things that need fixing right now. Things that should be done, but are not critical. Also both lists divided into "things I can do" and "things I will hire out". I do mechanical inspections on coaches, and really LIKE for a client to put on old clothes and start of the roof with me and 3-4 hours later end up crawling under the unit. And this is actually more beneficial to those who do NOT do their own work, as they really need an appreciation for what needs to be done so they can communicate that to their tech. Being able to see (and sometimes feel) something often makes it much easier to understand. Bring a notebook with you! There IS a learning curve we all went through-- some many decades ago-- some are still "in it". Brett Wolfe

That is a tough decision. It is exactly the one we faced when we bought our last coach in 1998. At the same price point we were considering new high-end gas, new entry level diesel and used high end diesel. We chose a 5 year old high end diesel (1993 Foretravel). We have put over 100,000 miles on it and are VERY happy with our decision. Have things failed-- of course. But most of the little things that go wrong are easily corrected by someone with even average mechanical skills. And let's face it, to replace ALL the appliances is still less than one year's depreciation on a new unit. Our coach is still extremely roadworthy (in fact we have friends with the same model who have over 300,000 on theirs). I look at the other coaches (the new ones) that were on our short list and sure wouldn't want an 11 year old entry level coach in place of ours! BUT (read that a BIG BUT) only YOU can make the decisions on what is important to YOU. Brett Wolfe

Here is an article I wrote for the Caterpillar RV Engine Owners Club Newsletter Cooling System 101 I just changed out my coolant to Caterpillar ELC and replaced all water hoses and belts. Thought I would share the experience. To my knowledge no chassis/coach maker is using ELC—so all are “low silicate coolant for diesels†with included or added SCA. Coolant needs to be changed per manufacturer’s instructions (usually every 3 years). Additionally the SCA, pH and freeze point need to be checked on regular intervals using SCA test strips and SCA added as needed. The test strips are inexpensive and easy to use (we check the SCA concentration in all coaches at Cat RV Club Rallies). When either the time lapses (time starts when coolant installed in cooling system, NOT when purchased) or testing reveals an out-of-line conditions like pH or freeze point, it is time to change it. You can avoid all the testing and SCA adding, and go to 6 year change intervals by going to Caterpillar ELC and get better cooling system protection as well. Whichever coolant you choose, most of the steps are the same. The job is reasonably time consuming TO DO RIGHT, but low-tech. Turn dash heater to full hot for the rest of the procedure—fan off. With the engine cold or at least cool, drain coolant. On some, there is a drain ****. On others, pull the lower radiator hose. I catch it in 2 Rubbermade 10 gallon storage bin lined with black trash sacks so I do not even get them dirty. At the end of the whole process, use a coffee can and funnel to pour old coolant into new coolant/water containers for recycling. Our city maintenance shop recycles coolant for free. Refill cooling system with tap water. IMPORTANT: Be sure to remove any air lock from the thermostat housing. Some systems have a hose set up for this—on ours I just loosen the coolant line to the air pump and bleed the air out. Allow engine to warm up (using the cruise control to select idle speed of 1,000-1,100 speeds this up). Run for about 10 minutes at regular temp. If the temp gauge does not rise as normal, you likely have an air block and need to bleed the thermostat housing. Allow engine to cool 20-30 minutes and drain again. Repeat until the color is clear. At this point, if this is the first coolant change on a 2-3 year old coach and you are not changing coolant brands/types, skip right to “Last rinseâ€. For older systems or for switching types of coolant, add a Cooling System Cleaner such as Cat Fast Acting Cooling System Cleaner 4C4611. Follow directions. Run, allow engine to cool, drain and again flush until effluent is clear. The flushing is markedly sped up by pulling off the heater hose (usually 5/8 to ¾†lines going to dash heater/motor-aid water heater, etc from the water pump. Put a hose nozzle in the hose and let it run until what comes out is clear. Run the engine to temperature at least once with tap water. If your hoses are over 3-4 years old, this is a good time to change them as well (before last rinse). Same for thermostat(s). Last Rinse is with distilled water. At $.62/gal at Walmart, it is silly to skip this step and leave your system full of high-mineral content water (there will be several gallons of residual water that you can not easily remove). Run engine for 10 minutes after getting to operating temperature. Cool and drain. Also drain and flush your coolant overflow container and refill with new coolant/distilled water. Add the proper amount of Coolant CONCENTRATE (NOT PRE-DILUTE) to make 50% of cooling system capacity. My cooling system is 18 gallons, so I added 9 gallons of Caterpillar ELC CONCENTRATE (119-5150) (plus one for overflow container). Top off with distilled water to achieve your 50/50 mixture. This is also a good time to clean the OUTSIDE of the radiator/after-cooler whether you have rear or side radiator. On rear radiator, most if the debris will be on the FRONT of the after-cooler (accessed from under the bed). On side radiators, most debris is on the outside of the after-cooler (side of coach). If it is just dirt, a hose and regular nozzle is all you need. If greasy or oily, use Joy liquid (dish washing detergent) in a spray bottle. Be SURE to rinse it off completely. You need to insure that the perimeter is as clean as the center. Ya, I know it is easier to see the center, but the fan blades "sling" the dirt to the perimeter. Check belts while you are in there. And Caterpillar recommends changing the TWO thermostats (they are in one housing) every three years: Caterpillar Maintenance Recommendations Brett Wolfe

Yes, there are several terms all describing the same "device": CAC, Charge Air Cooler, After-Cooler and Inter-Cooler. Intake air exits the turbo under pressure with a LOT of added heat-- 300+ degrees F is not uncommon. The air then goes through this "device" which is basically an air to air radiator and exits a lot cooler-- usually within 10-20 degrees of ambient temperature. It then goes to the engine intake manifold. Because it is in FRONT of the radiator, dirt sucked up by your fan is deposited on the FRONT of the "device". This blocks air flow. To determine if this is a problem on your coach, access the top of the engine (from bedroom or closet). Shine a strong flashlight inside the fan shroud/between the fan blades. Insure that the PERIMETER of the "device" is as clean as the center (the blades "sling" the dirt to the perimeter). The two most likely symptoms of a damaged turbo are significant loss of power (no boost) or burning oil (failed turbo seal). Concerning the fuel filter, I am a bit confused. You said, "The Inline Fuel Strainer, Cummins ISB02 Engine was replaced". I am not sure what Cummins filter you would use on your Caterpillar engine. Freightliner build both SINGLE fuel filter (to save a few bucks) and TWO fuel filter chassis. If you only have ONE fuel filter/water separator, per Caterpillar specs it must be have a 2 micron filter element. If you have (the much better) two filter arrangement, the PRIMARY filter/water seperator element can be 10 or 30 micron and the SECONDARY filter 2 micron. So, you need to determine if you have ONE or TWO fuel filters. Then you need to call or look up on-line Freightliner (or whoever's fuel filter they used) and ask the micron rating of the filter element(s) they installed. Since 2,10 and 30 micron filters all appear externally the same/install the same, it is CRITICAL that the correct part number is used. It wouldn't do your engine any good to have a parts guy incorrectly sell you a 30 micron filter when your engine's fuel system requires a 2! And, if you have the clear plastic bowl primary fuel filter, you can usually tell visually if you have a fuel contamination problem. If you see dirt or "black slimy stuff" in the primary filter, let us know and we can give further advice. Remember, there is NO average life for fuel filters. If all they see is clean fuel, they could go 10's of thousands of miles. But one tank of contaminated fuel can clog several sets of filters. BOTTOM LINE: CARRY 2 SETS OF FUEL FILTERS. You (or most anyone else) can change fuel filters, but you will likely travel a number of places that will not have the correct filters in stock. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What are your engine temperatures running? At 22,000 miles you certainly would need to have cleaned the AFTER-COOLER to reduce overheating. The other routine maintenance item other than oil and filter is the fuel filter(s). As far as stored engine codes, call the Caterpillar RV Hotline on Monday at 877 7773126. Have you engine serial number and the codes handy. They are VERY helpful. Let us know what year and chassis you have and we can be of more help-- the above ASSUMES you have a rear radiator coach. And cool down after running under load (highway or grades) you need to idle for 3-4 minutes. BUT, if you drove slowly into down, idled into the CG and let it run for a minute or so, you are fine. Damage by shutting down the engine after running under load with no idle time is overheating and coking of the oil in the turbo which can damage the turbo. A Caterpillar Corporation document that makes great reading for SETTING REASONABLE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS IS: Understanding Coach (RV) Performance Starting on page 6 is an excellent discussion of HP demand for climbing a 6% grade. Helps set reasonable expectations. BTW, this is excellent reading irrespective of engine brand or even engine type. Brett Wolfe

Tim, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Hopefully Tireman9 will chime in, but I'll get it started. Though it would be better to store tires with no load on them, for most, that is not practical. Many use the jacks to store with approximately 50% of the weight off the tires-- that is what we do. And it is best to isolate the tire from surfaces that are moist or chemically harsh. And indeed most any of the suggested materials you mentioned will work. Plastic, old mud flaps, or if indoors on concrete-- even plywood will work. Having tires inflated while stored to max PSI noted on the tire sidewall (as long as it doesn't exceed rim specs) helps insure better tire shape, even if there is some PSI loss with time and big drop in temperatures. Brett Wolfe

Click on "Wayne77590" and then on "View Member Profile". The photo may help you figure out who is who-- or maybe not.

Pat, Good questions. You are on the right track. There are several options that all work well. On-line bill review and on-line billpay; direct bill drafting; charging bills to your credit card. I have arranged for all of my utilities to bill directly to my credit card. At least with my utility companies there is no charge to do this -- but be sure to check. My credit card company sends me an e-mail when the statement is generated and I review all of my charges on-line. Just in case I cannot get on-line when the bill is due, I have set up my account to always pay my bill automatically, in full on the due date. Another option is to have bills automatically drafted against your checking account. This works particularly well if you have the option to "balance bill" your utilities. Balanced billing means you are billed the same amount every month for (generally) a one-year period. Balanced billing makes it easier to budget and determine how much you need in checking to cover basic bills each month. Then, at the end of the calendar year you pay the utility company any overage or they credit any amount due back to you against your next rolling average billing amount. I have found that insurance (at least State Farm) doesn't automatically bill homeowners or car insurance, but they are very willing to take a credit card over the phone to pay the bill in full. So when quicken reminds me that insurance is due, I call my agent and presto, she bills my credit card. Health insurance we have drafted each month directly from our checking account. Check with all of your monthly bills. You may be surprised how many (even small) towns now have websites that allow you to review your account on-line. Regarding mail forwarding. There are a number of very good mail forwarding services. FMCA has a very good one. But, if you only want mail forwarded for three months, check with your local post office. In my experience you have to arrange mail forwarding through the PO entirely in advance of your departure, so you have to know your forwarding addresses in advance, but they do now offer a mail forwarding service. FMCA is a lot more flexible and allows you to call in your address once you know where you are going to be for a week or so. Whatever combination you choose, get everything set up well in advance of your departure. It is much easier to relax and have a good time when you know bills are on autopilot. I've been doing this for over 10 years while we travel all over the world. Have fun, Dianne Wolfe

Steve, Narrowing down the choices within Class A coaches can indeed be almost overwhelming. Engines: A Caterpillar, Cummins or DD engine is BASICALLY the same in any coach. An exception that the Cummins ISL can be ordered with an engine compression brake or exhaust brake. And HP's within a given engine family can also vary, particularly in older model coaches (for example the Caterpillar 3126 was offered in 275, 300 and 330 HP versions). Transmissions: This is one of the few areas where there aren't a lot of variations except in extreme high HP rigs (like Caterpillar C15 and Cummins ISX). All others use Allison 6 speed transmissions, with the size/robustness of the transmission dictated by engine HP and torque. So 6 speed is NOT a term that will tell you what transmission you are looking at, as the Allison 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 are all 6 speeds. The 3000 is the normal transmission in 300-400 HP coaches, with the 4000 being used with larger engines. Suspensions: There are quite a lot of variations here, ranging all the way from leaf spring, 4 air bag and 8 air bag. Longer/heavier coaches often have tag axles to carry the extra weight. Floor plans: Here, you are on your own, as things important to you may be the opposite of what appeals to others-- same as in a stick home. Best advice is to SHOP. Make notes of what you like and don't like. Quality: Probably the most difficult to pin down, as most will show brand loyalty and almost always tell you THEIR choice is the BEST. My initial recommendation is to look at 10-15 year old examples from manufacturers on your short list. You WILL see a difference in quality, as solid wood cabinets hold up better than vinyl covered press board, drawers on ball bearing slides hold up better than those on cheap plastic slides, painted or gel-coated fiberglass holds up better than Filon, etc. As you narrow the field, you will get MUCH better help if you ask SPECIFIC questions (i.e. questions that require a FACTUAL answer) vs "opinions." Brett Wolfe

Same issues here. The chassis maker, not engine maker chooses the coolant. So you will need to check with Monaco for what brand they used if you need to top off what is in there. And, it will be a regular "low silicate for diesels coolant" that DOES require SCA testing/adding. But as stated above, if over 3 years old (from date of chassis manufacture) you real decision is whether to replace the old coolant with "low silicate for diesel coolant with SCA" or switch to a long life coolant that does not require testing and adding of SCA's. If you choose a long-life coolant, since you have a Caterpillar engine, I would go with Caterpillar ELC (Extended Life Coolant). Caterpillar also calls for (in your Caterpillar Owners Manual) for thermostat changes every three years. Coolant change time is a good time to do this. Your 3126 has two thermostats. If you need instructions on changing coolant, let us know. It IS time consuming, but very low tech. Brett Wolfe