wolfe10

Gatrtom, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Please be aware that this post is from July 2011, so may not be a good contact. For more information on the Michelin Advantage Program: https://www.fmca.com/benefits/michelin-advantage.html

FYI, I just visited with Chris Crowel, Cummins Motorhome & Emergency Vehicle Engine Market Leader about the new oil designations here at the Chandler Convention. His/Cummins recommendation is: CK4 15-40. NOT FA4.

Roland, What is your wheelbase? Overall length?

Welllll, Agree, weight is ONE issue when it comes to ride and handling. But there are many other factors that are equally or close to as important. WB/OL (Wheel base/Overall length) is also quite critical. Suspension is also important. What shocks, what air bags/ride height valves? Weight distribution-- a hard job to do correctly with a DP-- moving weights forward is hard but makes a big difference.

Karen, Look at the overall size of the battery box. Height as well as width and length. Then find the best deep cycle batteries that will fit. Consider both 12 VDC (but only true deep cycle, not marine) as well as 6 VDC batteries wired in series (series/parallel if more than two 6 VDC batteries. And, if the battery box is hard to access for checking water, consider AGM batteries.

Forum Meet & Greet – Wednesday, 3/8 4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. Seminar 2

Yes, the alternator turns all the time. BUT (read that a large BUT) the HP demand to run it is directly proportional to the amount of power (amps) it produces. Same goes for your hydraulic fan motors-- they always turn, but if the controller calls for very low PSI, it takes less HP than if the controller calls for high fan speed.

Carl, I am surprised you run your Hydrohot on electric supplied by the inverter. Running it on diesel is a lot more efficient. If powering the Hydrohot off the inverter, you are using diesel to turn the engine, which turn the alternator which powers the inverter. Then the Hydrohot uses the electricity to turn it back into heat. Efficiency is lost in each step. Using the diesel option, you just burn diesel to produce heat.

Jackgray, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. Do you have an absorption refrigerator or residential refrigerator? If absorption refrigerator, why not just run it on propane? If residential refrigerator, indeed, it should be possible to run it on the inverter while driving. Yes, you could run an absorption refrigerator on it, but I don't see working the alternator and inverter harder to produce heat when a small propane flame will do the same thing. You will have to determine which outlets are powered by the inverter. Some coaches have the refrigerator outlet ONLY powered by shore power, some by inverter and some have two outlets-- one powered by shore power only, not by inverter.

Quite likely you will need to get that information from a Caterpillar dealership/ shop manual. And, that assumes that the fan controller is controlled by that sensor. Since the chassis maker installed the hydraulic fan system, they are the ones who generally spec the temperature sensor.

Only reasons for a warmer tire are: 1. In the sun (would also affect the other tire on that side. 2. Dragging brake (lift tire off the ground and rotate to see if excessive brake drag). 3. Motorhome exhaust. Look carefully at the tail pipe. You may be able to rotate it so that the exhaust exits more to the side than down.

Correct, you do NOT want to use anything with petroleum base. 303 is fine.

Wow, 60 HP. That was a later model. 50-53 was standard through the mid 1960's through 1971.

But, a bad vacuum pump or cracked vacuum line means the air will only come out the defrost vents since that is the default position. Carl says it is coming out the selected vents. That means the vacuum system is operational. Again, the water valve could be electrically controlled (as it is on or coach), it could me mechanical (i.e. cable) or it could be vacuum operated. So, yes it is possible there is still a problem in a part of the vacuum system, but not the pump or main plumbing.

Carl, Is the air just coming out the defrost vents, OR is it coming out the selected vents but cold only? Very different issues.

All correct. The dash HVAC systems in diesels do NOT get vacuum from the engine (since there is none). They have a small 12 VDC electric pump up in the dash area. If the vacuum pump, plumbing or control fails, the air will come out the DEFROST. Defrost is the "default" position.

I believe it is on a Mountain Master chassis-- that is from a web search, not any first hand info. Was not able on Spartan's website to get any information on specifics for that chassis. Did find a (relatively minor) recall on rear suspension mounts for the air bags.

Sorry, the question is too vague/broad. Like asking of Ford is good-- are you talking about a 1992 Ford Escort or a 2017 Lincoln? Same for Spartan-- they made a number of different chassis over the years. Some VERY basic, others very high end. What year and which Spartan chassis are you interested in?

Carl, Doubt the dash heater issue has anything to do with the engine. Whether Caterpillar or Cummins they just supply water to the lines to the dash heater core.

Carl, Peak torque is 860 lb-ft at 1,440RPM, so don't run below that with any significant load. Peak HP is 350 at 2,400 RPM which is also governed RPM. A good hill climbing speed for that engine is 2,000- 2,100 RPM. For those not familiar with mountain driving with a heavy vehicle, a good rule of thumb is to find a gear where you can maintain 2,000 RPM AND STILL HAVE A LITTLE THROTTLE LEFT (i.e. not at Wide Open Throttle).

Carl, With engine warmed up, I would access the heater core (open the nose). Feel the hoses that go into the heater core. Some manufacturers add a ball valve in the line from engine to dash heater core (actually a good idea in case of a hose or heater core failure). Could have been done by chassis maker or Tiffin. Could also be a heater control issue. If you get that far into it, you will need to know the brand of the HVAC control.

Rick, Did they retract as soon as you turned it to ACC or did you turn it to ACC and then hit the "jack retract" button? And what jack system do you have?

More information on reading the DOT number/date code. The full DOT number is molded into only ONE sidewall of each tire. Could be facing outward, or could be facing inward. The date code is generally in a raised/indented area, since that part of the tire mold is changed weekly. The date code is the last 4 digits. so in Herman's example the last 4 would read 1416. That would mean the tire was manufactured the 14th week of 2016. There is no magic time when a tire goes from good to dangerous. Many factors affect tire life. Here are some: Never run under-inflated/overloaded. PSI based on actual wheel position weights, with all tires on an axle inflated to the same PSI based on heavier wheel position. A TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System) makes monitoring this a lot easier.) Not exposed to UV light (i.e. stored under cover or indoors of with tire covers on them) No petroleum-based tire dressing used. Driven frequently better than being parked for months/years at a time If your tire has not had the best "care and feeding" or you do not know how it was treated before you bought the coach, err on the side of safety.

Yup, had an 8' Dyer dingy for years. A hard fiberglass dingy. Easy to row.

Thanks, Bill. Have had three of their boats over the decades-- one 34' and two 37's. Somehow work had to sandwich in there somewhere!