jleamont

I'm with you on that! Doesn't make sense to do the job 2x. Below are the boots I have always used; https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NDP7353589

Thanks Herman! I just went through this with Keons coach, took his almost 5000 miles of shuddering to turn the engine light on, and even then it was a “random misfire” code. His Fleetwood only took me a little over an hour to replace all 10 plugs and coil boots. I did find the culprit, one boot had a white dot on it where ignition spark was going to ground. Considering those boots were 19 years old he did ok. It was time for some TLC on the other 9!

His year doesn’t have tow/haul. He has OD on/off on the shifter. Tow haul came with the 5R110 only in the F series in the beginning. The 5R110 also could be used for engine braking, the 4R100 if you down shifted it to slow you down you would wipe out the coast clutches eventually. Changed many of them along with Torque converters and Pumps. I had them down to 3 a day, out, fixed and back in and done. Horse trailer people and camper people use to keep me very busy.

Rich, wrong transmission. The Torque shift or 5R110 came along a few years later. 2003 with the Diesel and gas somewhere around 05 ish. He has the 4R100 in this year, this was the altered infamous E4OD, (not a good reputation) that gave most heart burn. The 4R100 was introduced in the late 90’s as a fix to the E4OD, from the outside they look identical other than the transmission lines were 3/8 vs the older had 5/16 and the cooler bypass during warmups. Other wise they look identical, sharing the same transmission pan. that needs flushed with something like this; yeah, that’s in the corner of my garage

Carl, this coach has the same power train as the truck you texted me about yesterday.

Heres my take on this: That transmission was known for torque converter shudder, often caused by lack of maintenance or wrong fluid useage. They also had a problem with turbine chatter, which often made people think they had an engine knock. That engine was also known for coil issues, end result was the same with a shudder at low RPM under load will yield the same customer complaints. The friction modifier pictured above is for limited slip differentials, not transmissions. Most of us are familiar with that product when we have posi traction, you need it so when you turn corners the clutches in the differential do not chatter. Ford PCM’s back then lacked a lot of diagnostic capabilities, both root cause possibilities should illuminate either the OD light to flash or the Engine light to come on. In those years it had to be very serious before the PCM would notice it. If it were me, I’d have the transmission flushed with a machine, especially now that it’s fluid is contaminated with axle friction modifier and due to its age is just good maintenance anyway. I would make certain the proper fluid is utilized and not some “universal” transmission fluid is used. Right afterwards someone needs to operate it with the Ford IDS software connected and monitor all 10 coils on the graph to make sure none are dropping out. If so address those immediately. Given the age of the coach I’d replace all 10 plugs and coil boots. Especially since this year is notorious for stripping spark plugs. Getting them properly serviced now could save a lot of money in the future with a breakdown. Those coil boots were most of the root cause for coil failure, as they would crack or develop a hole and send the spark to ground in the spark plug hole.

Joe, should you want a tutorial on maintaining that coach take a ride up the coast to PA. I’d be happy to walk over the chassis and generator with you. We can even do the service together here, just bring your oil and filters, I’ve got the tools. You could make a list on necessary tools after completing the service if you do not already have them. I don’t recommend doing this until April. The weather and the caustic stuff on the roads will ruin that beautiful coach.

Is that part number XL-3?

Who recommended and put that in your transmission? Ford dealer? Shudder, does this happen at low speeds turning right turns?

I figured if burnt smell was electric, enough to stink out other campers that would have reared its ugly face long ago with fire or smoke

Nope, not a single thermostat, not a one!

My gut tells me its a thermostat issue on the electric side. Ours has a low and high limit thermostat for the electric side. Basically one turns the element on and the other turns it off. Our high limit opened up and cut power to the element back in September. Where Monaco mounted the unit made it a 15 minute troubleshooting experience and 5 minutes to swap it out. Honestly that is the most simple part of the entire unit. Smell form the exhaust would be fuel nozzle or air intake adjustment could be improperly set or fuel leaking from the fuel pump into the combustion chamber. While performing routine maintenance its easy to bump the air inlet adjustment and knock it out of spec. Depending on the coach manufacture, the air inlet design and where its mounted for access it could be just that simple, don't forget geography can play a role with elevation or even something like a mud bug partially blocking inlet air flow. That was the reason for the year of the coach, might have never had its annual service performed, or it could be new enough not to have needed it yet? Photos would be ideal.

What year/model Aqualhot and coach do you have?

There was an oil company in Texas that bought up obsolete ford parts. Cannot remember the name but I have bought a few parts from them in the past. If I find it I’ll hop back on

Did anyone flush the transmission with a machine I.e. not just a drain and fill?

We don't do HOA's! I am married, she tells me where to plant flowers, what color/type flower. I get that for free, no need to pay someone to tell me what to do and how to hang my garden hose and what color my front door has to be A town not too far from us requires a permit to paint the interior of your house, of course if they micro manage that I would imagine you need to pull a permit do do just about anything but mow the lawn if interior paint is such an alarming concern!

Good to know! Thank you

In Texas, do you need building permits for something like this?

Jim, had to order Community Coffee from Walmart.com. The closet store to is that carries it is in Claymont DE. That’s over an hour away. I ordered enough for free shipping.

Eric, road millings are another good option and are usually free or very cheap.

Rich, that in of itself leads me to believe its either a TCM or a wiring (ground with excessive resistance) malfunction(TCM= Transmission Control Module) reason I say that, on an Allison the moment a down shift is commanded and it doesn't happen it will log a fault code. Modules in general when they have an internal problem they will NEVER admit fault. Cycling the key could reset the module internally or for that key cycle could present less resistance in the ground circuit due to something else not drawing on a particular ground circuit. Being a Freightliner chassis presents another level of concern; notorious wiring problems, they lead the industry with poor routing, undersized harnesses and inadequate grounds. This could take a GOOD technician several days to figure it out, or a technician that has a test module laying around to swap it in and take it for several rides.

Welcome to the FMCA Forum! My wife fells the same about the bridge . We looked into Blue Water Key https://bluewaterkey.com/resort/ when we were planning a trip there. Still haven't done it yet

Well said!

Common on big rigs, why? When the new emissions came along tractors got significantly heavier, the end goal is to carry as much freight as possible but keep it just under 80,000 lbs. super singles lighten up a tandem axle tractor just enough to off set all of the emissions components. That is the only positive they provide other than maybe a few tenths of MPG which is debatable. We compare both at work and there is nothing worthy of reporting on. Drivers have a much more significant impact on MPG.