RE: Is it just me...or...
Dont get me wrong but the miriad systems our coaches have increases the probability of some failure close to 1!, BUT there is no excuse for marginal quality that only last the trip from the dealers lot to the door of the DEALER's lot!
My coach is very old, and I do enjoy fixing things (ONCE, twice is a pain!).
I also treat my coach as my plane... For X. hours of use there are Y hours of maintenance (preventive or corrective) things are FINITE !!!
Cheers from sunny (and now very hot Guatemala)
RE: 4l80e Transmiision Upgrade from TH400
does anyone had considered an ALISON 545?
-does NOT need electronics
-all mechanical!
-5 speed!
-close ratio!!!!!
-1:1 final drive
if were talking "bulletproof-nes", this is a TANK!
RE: 454 water pump
as I know, there are a few diferent pumps for this engine and the specific RV pump is the LARGEST AND HIGER FLOW of all pumps, even the HD or high flow found on pick ups... I dont know if this applies for "trucks".
while there I would imho, change the thermostat!, so little for such a job!
in the rear of the WP there is a niple (maybe 1/2-3/4" dont remember) that conects the pump to the thremostat housing, this hose IS AN ELBOW! many people just put a straight short hose, only to be kinked!, this is the "signal" for the thermostat to open early if this hose is kinked the thermostat opens later in the heat cycle, and puts the engine prone to OH!!!
(just my 2 cents!)
hope it helps.
PROGRESS IN CHASIS RECONSTRUCTION!
I have a 88 southwind 29', on a chev 454carb chasis.
north of 80K mi. 19.5" tires
I decided that I had to change (finally) for a new main brake pump!, and I did found one BENDIX brand!, I couldnt be happier!!!, tomorrow will purge the system.
I already had cleaned and replaced the rubber in all the calipers, in the front done the racing hat "trick". aldo by chance I ruptured the line going to the rear brakes (was parked in my house when pressing the brakes I heard a woshhh, a corrosion spot about half an inch ruptured!!, right where is a "clamp" where the gas line, the return line, and the brake line come together, rubbing and rupturing...!!!)
new pads all around of course.
also I changed all three universal joints, (be carefull because there is a "kit" in which all three are the same size... WRONG!, one of them is larger)
I planed to disasemble for cleanup and grease change, but disasembling would damage the spring clips and the cups, and was the same job as changing all together... sure enough there where small marks in all axles of all joints... NEW IT IS!.
also refurbished the "hand brake", the old shoes showed evidence (too much CSI...) of wear due to use when rolling (instead of its original purpose that is to HOLD the vehicle while parked) somehow I suspected that this vehicle had brake problems before...
surprisingly this job I tought was a very difficult WAS NOT!, Ill change this opinion when bleeding the brakes tomorrow.
Ill Keep ypu posted with my findings in restoring this spoiled FAT lady!!!!
greetings from (now very hot) and sunny GUATEMALA!
RE: Removing Air Pump. Would like to remove A/C
I ditched the ac condenser and added a proper oil cooler from summit with fan (was on sale!)
Ive done a lot of my own work!
ASK ME!
RE: steering wandering 1991 pace arrow
I read in this forum that if you change the steering box, do so with a NEW one NOT a remanufactured.
The remanufactured has a weld on a spot where it was worn, that spots wears diferent and usually faster than the adjoining (sp?, sorry) theeth, so you got the problem again SOONER...
re check the chasis, Ive seen chasis hairline cracks where the holes of the bolts than held the lower A-arm...
I have a loose steering too, and little money to fix!!!!, so I have to tigthen them "the old way", (please dont ask!)
RE: Should I upgrade engine fan?
I'm glad the forum is back.
I bought a 88southwind 454 and it DID OH, in our first trip, very badly, this was the things I did:
I removed the rad for cleaning and found some debris and leaves between acrad and water rad, apparently the oval tubes in the radiator gets loose and "unwelds" from the thin metal core (that was NOT my case)
I replaced all rubber, and tried that the hoses where preformed (so no kinks), the water pump was new (I removed it w/ intention to change) and the RV engine DID use a special pump, even larger than the heavy duty 454...
when installing again the water pump, there is a short hose about 3/4"dia, about 3-4"long that the installed was kinked, this little hose served the vent and is the one that sends the first hot water to the thrermostat (I suspect since the flow of this hose was restricted only after the main hose received VERY hot water THEN the thermostat opened, thus already overheated motor)... so now I had all hoses new AND OPEN!, a good pump, a clean rad and good air path thru the rad.... unfortunatelly still hot but NOT as fragile as when I started using it.
use red coolant (just because it was on hand)
I used an independent rad for the trans, and for the engine oil...
and I think what DID THE TRICK!!! was when I used a product called WATER WETTER, worked wonderfully!!!!, I did put electric fans, but now I hardly use them...
yes from time to time I still hear the ROOOOOAAAAARRR of the AIRBOAT!, but definetelly positively working when before I was looking for a place to park to let the engine cool down...
hope this helps.!!!!
