wolfe10

IF cooling while on propane is the problem, the best answer is to pull out your Dometic Refrigerator Owners Manual. There will be a section on "Burner area tune-up" toward the back. It takes no special tools and no parts. Do NOT short cut the procedure. Things that degrade refrigerator performance on propane that you will address are: 1. Dirt in propane jet. 2. Dirt, rust or insect nest in burner tube. 3. Carbon or rust on igniter/thermocouple 4. Igniter/thermocouple gap Dometic recommends this as an ANNUAL Preventive Maintenance item. If performance is down on both 120 VAC and on propane, look for obstructions in the air flow in the area behind the refrigerator. Start by checking for insect, bird or animal nests in the vent areas. If you have had this problem every time the ambient temperature is high/you park with the refrigerator side of the coach in the sun, pull out your Dometic manual and read about recommended side and top clearances. Too much clearance above the refrigerator WILL diminish cooling. Also, installation in a slide out where the hot air has to vent to the side rather than out the roof does lead to diminished performance. Often one has to install 2 small 12 VDC muffin fans at the top of the coils to exhaust hot air OUT. And always remember, the refrigerator PC board runs on 12 VDC, so if the batteries are low, don't expect the refrigerator to perform properly. Brett Wolfe

Montie, The secret for first-timers is to start slow in lower gears (use Allison down arrow). Lots easier to speed up (up arrow and lightly touch throttle for 2 seconds so the transmission up-shifts and/or toggle off the engine brake momentarily) than it is to be going too fast and HAVE to slow down. If speed starts to rise (you are above equilibrium speed=neither speeding up nor slowing down), use the service brakes to slow you down enough to down arrow to the next lower gear. You should be able to descend up to about an 8% grade (steeper than all but a handful of highway grades) BUT may be at 20 mph in 2nd gear. Obviously, the lighter your GCW and the more braking HP your engine has the steeper the grade you can take at higher speeds and still remain at equilibrium speed . Never fear going too slow. The loaded 18 wheelers WILL POSITIVELY be slower than you and everyone in smaller vehicles who has ever driven in the mountains KNOWS that trucks descend SLOWLY. Brett Wolfe

Steve, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. We have driven that route several times on the way to/from the FMCA Conventions in Redmond-- both the section from the west side of the mountains to Redmond and from Redmond on to I84. You don't give information on your rig or whether you are comfortable with "technical" driving. Kind of hard to give advice when one may have an overloaded gas rig pulling a 5000 pound toad or DP with effective engine brake. I would classify this as a "moderate" drive. Certainly not for novices with marginal rigs, but easily doable by those with good rigs with some mountain driving experience. Let us know what rig you have and whether you have done mountain driving and we can give you better advice. Brett Wolfe

The grease zerks on your coach ARE the same as those on a truck or car. And as suggested, a flex hose is often much easier to use than a straight metal extension. But, check in your chassis owners manual to verify that the grease you have in there meets the MIL specs for your RV chassis. The chances are it will. And on oil change interval why not go with the manufacturers change interval. If you want to "treat" your engine, switch to a synthetic and stick with the dino change interval. Brett Wolfe

I am sure someone with a National DP will post information here, but there are two other organizations (both FMCA chapters) that may interest you: The Caterpillar RV Engine Owners Club (aka Cat RV Club): Cat RV Club Website Freightliner Chassis Owners Club: FCOC Website Both clubs are a great `combination of shared technical information AND social gatherings. I am very familiar with the Cat RV Club, having served three terms as their President. So if you have any questions, I will be happy to address them. Not having a Freightliner chassis, we are not that familiar with that club.

The "Chemical-based absorbers ARE fine for closets and small areas, but you do have to dry them out periodically. Said another way, they will only absorb so much (measured in ounces or pints TOTAL capacity). That is why the "real" dehumidifiers that are compressor driven are so much better if you store in a humid climate with access to shore power. Our LG dehumidifier (from Home Depot for under $200) removes 35 pints PER DAY. What happens in an RV-sized space is that it runs for a couple of hours and removes 1-2 quarts, then runs less than 10% of the time, since there is no outside source of moisture. We just set ours on the galley counter and it drains into the sink/gray tank. Brett Wolfe

Just got through installing a Roadmaster base plate on a 2008 Ford Focus. Boy, it us sure nice to be able to go down the instruction sheet and have everything WORK. And 3 pages of color photos, so you KNOW where bolt A goes into hole B. NO, guys they weren't dirty pictures-- well maybe a little grease on them by the time I got finished. There have been some mis-information on this car as a toad, some of the mis-information directly from Ford. So, after just hearing back from Ford Technical: Weight of the 2008 and 2009 Focus Coupe is 2588 pounds. 2623 for the four door. Long wheelbase for a compact car for better tracking: 102.9" Manual transmission models are towable 4 wheels down with NO limit on miles or speed. IMPORTANT: the 2008 and 2009 Owners Manuals are INCORRECT when it comes to key position to unlock the steering column for towing. Page 150 of the 2008 Focus owners manual says: Turn the key in the ignition to the OFF position.. THIS IS INCORRECT-- THE MANUAL WAS NOT UPDATED TO REFLECT THE REDESIGNED STEERING COLUMN ON THE 2008 AND 2009 MODELS. THE CORRECT KEY POSITION FOR TOWING IS IN POSITION 2 WHICH IS ACCESSORY POSITION. Brett Wolfe

Your Allison transmission should not overheat while climbing unless you allow the transmission to "hunt". Hunting is the repeated shifting back and forth between two gears because you can not pull the grade in the higher gear, but the next lower one is low enough to allow you to accelerate to where it up-shifts-- process repeated over and over. Because the torque converter is locked in the Allison transmission, there is no slippage which is the prime cause of heat in some transmissions (particularly older ones without lock-up converters). Yes, transmission temp will go up a little, as the transmission cooler on the vast majority of coaches is in the radiator. So when engine temp goes up a little, so does transmission temp. And the advice is good-- if temps rise, use the "down arrow" to select a lower gear to raise engine RPM's and back off the throttle. But normally you will notice a rise in engine temperature long before a rise in transmission temperature. BTW, to keep the transmission from hunting, you also use the "down arrow" to lock the transmission in the lower gear. When the grade eases to allow use of a higher gear, just hit the "up arrow" or "D". And feel free to use the up and down arrows and "mode" as much as you want. You can NOT harm the transmission. Even hitting the down arrow 4 times at 65 MPH will do no harm-- in fact, that is EXACTLY what happens when you hit the exhaust brake if you have a 2nd gear pre-select. The transmisson ECU KNOWS that the command is to "downshift one gear at a time in such a way that engine RPM's are kept in a pre-determined safe range until the pre-selected gear is reached". Leaving the transmission in economy mode and using the up and down arrows gives you all the control of a manual transmission (only without a clutch). Do you need to do this, NO. But you CAN do it to more precisely control the transmission. After all, the transmission is REactive, seeing what happened well behind you. You can be PROactive, seeing ahead of you that you are about to top a grade or begin up a 7% grade. Glad you enjoyed your first trip in the mountains. Brett Wolfe

Steve, I like the concept of an adjustable "correct to center" for side wind or excessive cambered roads built into a steering dampener, but have not personally tested one. What are the return to center forces compared with, say the SafeTPlus? There is certainly a place for steering dampeners/return to center devices. BUT, I suspect many are sold as band-aids to "correct" other suspension problems that perhaps should be addressed first/instead. I wish there were a "silver bullet" to correct suspension issues. but my years in vehicle maintenance suggest that no such thing exists. Best answer is to start with the basics and only after making sure things like tire pressure, alignment, shocks, suspension components, etc are to specifications do you start looking for after-market solutions. And indeed there are quite a few that DO make a significant improvement over Original Equipment. Let's face it, just as in every other aspect of an RV (or any other product for that matter), manufacturers looked for cost cutting on chassis and suspension content. That leaves room for improvement in many chassis. Brett Wolfe

Ron, What are you trying to achieve? The aftermarket chips that I am aware of do NOT increase torque-- it stays 860 lb-ft @ 1,440 RPM. You will also need to verify that your coach's cooling system was OVERdesigned enough to accommodate the added heat load that goes along with burning more fuel to make more HP. You will need to check on its effect on Caterpillar's warranty and on the EPA certification. Before considering any HP boost, please read this Caterpillar document VERY carefully: Understanding Coach (RV) Performance Page 7 shows the huge increase in HP at the rear wheels (even more engine HP) needed to increase speed on a 6% grade by even 10 MPH. And if the expense of the chip and other negative elements won't do that...... An example from page 7: for a 34,000 GCW coach/toad to climb that 6% grade at 45 MPH requires 310 HP AT THE REAR WHEELS (every bit of that produced by a 350 HP C7 engine). For the same rig, same grade to go 55 MPH requires 402 HP AT THE REAR WHEELS. This is well past what even a radical chip can do. I am not suggesting not looking into it, but PLEASE consider the pluses and minuses and more than anything, set reasonable expectations for what it will do for you. Most find that going 4-5 MPH faster the few times they are on a 6% grade is not worth the effort. Brett Wolfe

Montie, I'll send you a private message-- will be glad for you to give me a call and I can walk you through this. None of it is complicated. Hate to see you spend money until the free or very inexpensive things are done. THEN, you can make a more considered decision, knowing that you have covered the other bases. I know it sounds more complicated, but just looking for a "silver bullet" to solve suspension issues is rarely a success without verifying all components are working as they should. I just did a mechanical inspection on a coach on Friday. Complaint of wandering. Turned out it was a worn drag link-- you could move it over 1.5" side to side by hand! He could have spent a lot of $$ on aftermarket items and still not solved his problem. You don't mention the year model of the chassis, but quite a lot of this chassis information is available on this Freightliner Website: Freightliner Chassis Specs for Fleetwood products Brett

Montie, Most of us are justifiably reluctant to give suspension advice without knowing what chassis they are dealing with and what condition some of the components are in. What chassis do you have? How many miles on it? Wheelbase if you know it? Are shocks OE, and do you know what kind you have? Any leaking or play in the bushings? Are the factory sway bar (front and rear-- IF FIT) end links (polyurethane or rubber) in good shape with no play? If you have wheel position weights or axle weights, post that along with the GAWR from the plaque near the driver's area. How are the tires and are they inflated per tire manufacturers recommendations BASED ON YOUR ACTUAL WEIGHTS plus perhaps 5 PSI as a safety reserve? The more information you provide, the better the advice. The handling of many chassis IS improved by going to a sway bar or a stiffer sway bar, but let's make sure they are where you need to start to improve your handling-- could be that there are free or inexpensive things you can do to improve it before or along with going to a stiffer sway bar. BTW I have Roadmaster sway bars on the front and rear of our coach and they DO help reduce sway. Brett Wolfe

Some protection is afforded by the coach rear skirt or mud flap. Then, I am aware of basically two types of toad protectors closer to the toad. They can be used together or individually: Rockshields and Skirts : Rockshield and Skirts Look forward to other's ideas on how they protect their toads. Brett Wolfe

Road Dog, Read VERY carefully the statement they give you. They did NOT, repeat NOT address what RPM to run the engine for best MPG. They gave an almost double talk answer of BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE and fuel mileage. You will get better MPG at closer to 1500 RPM if on relatively flat terrain (where it does not downshift on every upgrade). In rolling hills/mountains, you will need to run a little faster to get closer to "Best Overall Performance." 1500 and "economy mode" on the Allison will likely give you best MPG. Brett Wolfe

Reducing Servicing Errors Those who take their coach to others for service (or those who do their own work, but whose memories are not what they used to be) should place up to three labels in the engine service area. These will address the majority of mistakes made by servicing techs. One would be: "Oil Capacity Including Oil Filter XX qts." Label to be placed near oil fill. Two: For those with Transynd in their Allisons: "Transynd ONLY." Label to be placed near transmission fill. Oil capacity with filters changed (NOT initial fill capacity) would also be a good idea. Three: If other than standard coolant (low silicate for diesel with SCA) a label identifying what coolant is used. Most with Caterpillar engines who choose (like I did) to go with an Extended Life Coolant use Cat ELC because it is universally available at all Cat shops and has a proven track record in our engines. Locate the label near the coolant overflow reservoir. So: "Caterpillar ELC ONLY." Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I would agree, your mileage is at the low end. But, the more details you give, the better we can address your issues: What does your coach weigh? What are you towing? How fast do you drive? Do you drive in regular or economy mode (Allison transmission)? Flat land, hills or mountains? Did you subtract for fuel used by the generator? Is this a calculation of miles driven divided by gallons of fuel or is this from your computer? Brett Wolfe

ABSOLUTELY. Just go to "Engines." Click on "New topic" and share your ideas. My only reservation is that there are more differences in the gasoline drivetrains than between different diesel drivetrains. The "old technology" big block push rod Chevy 454 and Ford 460 are very different from the "new technology" overhead cam high RPM Ford V10 6.8 liter. And transmissions range from 3 speed with no lockup converter to 6 speed with lockup converter in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gear. So, the more specific information you post AND the the more specific information you suggest others post, the more relevant will be the whole discussion. Thanks. Brett Wolfe

Tom, Chlorine has been the industry standard for tank and water system sanitizing. And along with boiling is the EPA's recommended method of disinfecting water: EPA Water Purification Recommendations, But, as you mention, there are other chemicals that can be used. I have seen information on the use of Chlorine Dioxide (under the brand name Purogene) but it is many times more expensive: Purogene Manufacturer What do you use? And while screwing the hose ends together which we do as well, will certainly reduce contamination (and getting water in storage areas!), a damp warm environment IS still a good place for organisms to grow. If the hose is used frequently, this is a non-issue. But if this is the first camping trip in months sanitizing is a good idea. Brett Wolfe

Sanitizing your potable water tank and system starts with draining all the old water out of the tank and low water drains. If the water was really old, smelled or had any growth, hook up the hose and, with the drains open, let the hose run for a few minutes. Close all drains. Then pour a cup of bleach in the potable water hose (you know, the white one that is lead free). That will sanitize the hose and any filter as well as potable water system. Fill the potable tank completely, let it sit an hour. Then open each tap and let it run (on your water pump from tank) until you smell chlorine. It will take awhile for the hot water, since you will be mixing the heavily chlorinated water with 6 or 10 gallons of the old water. This will disinfect your entire system. Let that sit for a couple of hours, then drain. Leave the tank drain open as you start to fill with fresh water, that will flush a lot of the residual heavily chlorinated water from the tank. Then after filling about half way with fresh water, turn on the pump and open each tap until no chlorine is smelled. Drain and re-fill and you are finished. Other points: Store water for a maximum of two weeks in the summer and three in the winter (cooler temps slow algae and bacteria growth. So, turn over the water in the tank. Do NOT fill the tank at the beginning of the season then leave it in there as you use CG water at each over-night. When you do use tank water, it will be BAD. DO use a SEDIMENT ONLY filter for all incoming water. 5 micron sediment only filters are available at Home Depot,etc. Many CG's are on well water. The fine bits of sand aren't necessarily bad for you, but can mess up the pressure switch on your water pump. Do NOT use a charcoal filter for any water that you will be storing-- removing chlorine (which a charcoal filter will do) and then storing the water is a recipe for BAD water. Charcoal filters after the potable water pump are fine. Brett Wolfe

Fuel Filters Though this was written specifically for Caterpillar engines, 90 percent of this applies to any DP's fuel system. The typical "proper" fuel system layout: Fuel tank, primary fuel filter/water separator (course filter element-- 10 or 30 micron), lift pump, secondary fuel filter (2 micron filter element) WITH Caterpillar manual primer pump built into top of filter housing, engine. With the above system, you buy either a 10 or 30 micron primary filter element and the Caterpillar 2 micron secondary filter element. Install both DRY (per Caterpillar, not just my opinion). Use the manual primer pump to prime. To use the manual pump, no tools are needed. Unscrew the knurl nut (counter-clockwise). Pump in/out until the resistance goes from easy to firm (this will happen within a few strokes when all the air is purged from the system). IMPORTANT: Re-tighten knurl nut. You are ready to start the engine and drive off. Now, for chassis where chassis maker took some "money saving" shortcuts: If no manual primer pump: A Caterpillar manual primer pump can easily be fit if you have a Caterpillar secondary filter housing. It will have a block-off plate attached with two bolts that can be removed and a pump bolted right up. See "Files" section of the Cat RV Club Technical Website for parts list. http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/CATRVCLUB/files/. BUT, until you do that, you MUST pre-fill the filters with clean diesel before installing. Be sure, particularly on the secondary fuel filter to fill ONLY the small outer holes (inlets), NOT the large center hole (outlet). Anything that goes into the center hole will go directly to the injectors with no filtration! Ya, it takes a lot longer to fill this way, but it is safer than "hoping" that you have no contaminants in the fuel (and you can not see a 5 micron particle with the naked eye). If only a single fuel filter (chassis maker deleted secondary filter to save money), the filter element MUST BE 2 MICRON. Here is the rub. Go into a Freightliner dealer and ask the parts guy for a fuel filter element for a Freightliner motorhome chassis. If the last 4 filter elements that parts guy sold were for the two filter system, IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT HE WILL JUST HAND YOU A 10 OR 30 MICRON ELEMENT-- it will fit. YOU WILL BE SPENDING BIG BUCKS TO GET THE "ROCKS" OUT OF THE INJECTORS-- ACTUALLY YOU WILL BE REPLACING THEM. By the same token, if you have the two filter system and the last 4 filter elements he sold were for the single filter system, it is quite likely that he will just hand you a 2 micron element. Almost as bad. You now have a two micron element followed by another 2 micron element. The first will clog up quickly and the second will get a "free ride". Moral: Specify what micron rating filter element you need for YOUR application. BETTER, know the part number for the correct element and ask for that part number. Unlike most maintenance items, there is NO AVERAGE LIFE for a fuel filter. If all it sees is clean fuel, it could go for years. One tank of contaminated fuel could clog several sets of filters. ALWAYS CARRY AT LEAST ONE EXTRA SET OF FUEL FILTERS. You can find someone to install them virtually anywhere in the world, but may not be able to get the proper filter elements in the boonies. Mark the date on the filters when you buy them so you use "oldest first" and buy a new replacement that goes into your parts bin on the coach. Our engine’s fuel systems are "HIGH BYPASS". That means that for every gallon of diesel pumped through the engine, only a few ounces are burned. The rest is used to cool and lubricate the head and then returns to the fuel tank. What this means in practical terms is that the next time you stop after refueling you should visually check the primarily filter (those with a clear bowl filter), as dirt and water will show up very quickly if present. Brett Wolfe

An easy way to rule out the whole fuel supply system is to hook up a fuel line from a jerry can of fresh fuel. Obviously, keep the gasoline container and vapor a safe distance from the generator itself and any source of sparks. Another way is to splice in one of the inexpensive clear-body fuel filters just before the fuel pump and check for bubbles in the fuel passing through it. Brett Wolfe

What brand brake control? That may help narrow it down. Brett Wolfe

Welcome to the FMCA Forum. What year VW do you have/are you considering.

You will likely have one 120 VAC breaker box (with breakers, not fuses) and GFI's (just like in the bathroom at home-- may have more than one) to check IF these things are 120 VAC. You will have one to several 12 VDC fuse boxes (yup, with fuses). Again, first step is to determine if the inoperative items are 120 VAC or 12 VDC. Brett Wolfe