RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Its inspection time for the '74 Dodge Rockwood and for the most part all went great. I had to replace a few bulbs, windshield washer pump and the emergency brake cable....there lies the problem.
My mechanic is not having any luck finding the right E-brake cable. Any suggestions. He got one from Dorman(part# C93516)and also one from Wagner(BC88831). Both are too short.
Any advice on where to find the proper cable? My Dodge is on a 1974 B300 sportsman.
Thanks for any suggestions, I can't wait to get camping!
Joe
Try CarQuest BRK 8498 (Raybestos). If that's not right, try BRK 68420, which is the one for the school bus version of the 74 B300 chassis.
BTW - your actual chassis designation is MB300 but a lot of parts databases don't list that chassis so B300 is the "best" alternative ... and hope there wasn't any differences between the two chassis for the part you're looking for.
Yours may be a split year motorhome, in which case your chassis could actually be a 73 or even a 72. Look for the chassis VIN stamped in the frame above and a little to the front of the right front wheel. (Or, left front wheel -- Mother Mopar moved it to the other side at some point in history.)
The chassis VIN may not match the title VIN as the final body manufacturer (i.e., Rockwood) assigns the title year and VIN. On split year motorhomes, the chassis year is always older than the title year. Some coach manufacturers used the chassis VIN but most assigned their own VIN. (And a few, like Explorer, used either depending on when they built the coach.)
I also checked 73 MB300 but my Weblink didn't show a e-brake cable for that year & model. That simply means they didn't enter it in the online database. I have other resources for looking up older truck parts.
Weblink did show a cable for the 73 (and earlier) B300 Maxi -- p/n PIO CA-5044 (Pioneer).
If none of this helps, let me know and I'll keep digging.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
eyeteeth - how close is it to a heat source? The coach builder may have put it in the wrong place and the extra heat might be causing them to fail prematurely.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Funny, I've spent less in repairs and upgrades than those I know with brand new RVs.
You couldn't make me buy a new one.
Agreed.
As long as the coach is solid, unless you're like me and like to completely rebuild them.
Mostly, replace a few parts, upgrade a few others, do routine maintenance, and understand them.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
First of all, welcome, Missjaymie.
Leeann - She has a catalytic heater, which is different from your forced-air heater.
I believe the heater issue has to do with the "spark" it's an old thermx catalytic heater. I've gotten it to run once, but it usually wont light, and when it does it starts with a puff of flame, that quite frankly worries me.
The difference is combustion within a sealed chamber versus combustion on the surface of a synthetic mat.
Almost all catalytic heaters start with a puff of flame -- unnerving but not really dangerous unless you try to start it with your face, hands, hair or a combustible material close to it.
Leeann's heater draws combustion air in from outside and vents the fumes outside. Yours draws its combustion air from the surface of the synthetic mat (i.e., from the inside of the vehicle) and vents the fumes off the mat's surface, to the inside of the vehicle.
Not the best option for heat but okay if you use some precautions, in addition to the precaution mentioned above.
First, you need to be sure the oxygen used for combustion is replaced. Your vehicle probably has enough air leaks but I'd leave a window slightly open, just in case.
Second, install a good battery-operated carbon monoxide detector (always a good idea) and keep the batteries fresh.
Third, if you find yourself feeling light-headed, dizzy, or unusually sleepy, get out and get some fresh air. At night, I'd leave a window close to, and higher than, the bed slightly open to be sure you get fresh air while sleeping.
Don't let this scare you -- catalytic heaters are comparatively safe, as long as you are aware and use some common sense.
As for the range, Leeann is probably right -- if there's any gas in the lines, it's probably stale or significantly diluted. In my cabin, it takes a couple of minutes for the gas to reach the range and build up sufficient volume whenever I change cylinders.
Good luck and have fun.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Yes. It pulled out very easily. Actually getting it back in is a little bit of a challenge. I've been thinking about trying to find a way to re-attach the two parts.
Probably won't hold unless you weld and grind it carefully. Welding something that small is difficult and you'll need to grind it to fit the tube.
Mini-bike and go-cart suppliers may have something that matches.
Get me pictures of the ends and measure the length. I'll check at work to see if something is available through CarQuest.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Hey Rehoppe. I wish I could send some to Colorado right now too with the way that wildland fire is moving... Right now we get rain from October through June apparently, and who knows what the weather will be like with this new tropical storm starting. Normally when that happens we get cool temps and rain. If this keeps up it is going to feel like year-round winter. I think we know where all of your rain went...
As to my gauge... okay, now I'm really confused... I managed to get the coolant temperature sensor off without pulling the alternator (still don't know how I managed that one but I did it). Got everything put back together and it looks good. Started up my rig. At first, no joy, then the needle on my Temp gauge starts to move upwards very slowly. I think to myself 'Finally!':@
Then the needle drops back down all the way to the bottom of the gauge and stops registering. Seriously!? :S
So now I'm thoroughly confused. I rechecked my wiring, I've a good ground, continuity, etc. But every time I start up my rig once it has cooled down and let it warm back up, it works for a little bit and then drops down again. I'm really lost. :h
Flush and "burp" your coolant system -- you may have an air bubble that expands when the engine gets hot, causing the sensor to lose contact with the coolant.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Hey Griff,
But boy oh boy is the location of the temperature sending unit eluding me. I have two service manuals, both show different locations, both are wrong. The first shows it is right next to the thermostat housing, accessed through the hood. But short of two hoses next to the radiator hose, all I'm finding there is a 3 prong vacuum source nipple temp sensor for the EGR, and it's nothing like the replacement single prong replacement I picked up at NAPA, who told me the 3 prong I located is definitely not what I'm looking for.
The second book shows inside the doghouse on the front of the intake manifold. No joy. I've followed every wire I can in both areas and I'm lost :h I know you have different models/years than I do, and sorry to ask, but do you happen to have any thoughts where it might be? I can't believe this little part is so hard to find.
On a LA small block (273/318/340/360), it should be located next to the thermostat housing in the intake manifold next to the coolant bypass hose. (The coolant bypass hose is a short 1" diameter hose running from the water pump to the intake manifold.)
Note: I said, "LA small block." It may be different on the Magnum small block.
On a B/RB big block (350/360/383/400/413/426/440), it is on the front of the water pump housing between the water pump and alternator, behind the alternator bracket.
In both cases, it is located towards the front of the engine on the passenger side. It is small and hard to see.
Here is a picture of the temp sensor on a big block:
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12125&d=1268509342
It's possible a previous owner upgraded to one of the newer sensors, which would look different. (Unlike older versus newer oil pressure sensors, I can't think of any reason for upgrading the temp sensor, other than they couldn't find a stock sensor.)
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Hey everyone :)
Since I have no breaks and the fuses are good I'm assuming my coolant temperature sending unit has bit the dust and I'll be installing a new one this coming weekend.
But as to my fuel gauge. Grrr... argh... My line and grounds look good, and my fuel gauge has continuity (I'm hopeful that means it's still good) so all I can think of is that either my floats or the whole fuel sending unit is toast. Which means dropping the whole tank :E not looking forward to that one. If anyone has any thoughts over whether it might be the floats/fuel sending unit or any other ideas I would really appreciate it!
Here's to hoping I get to enjoy the great weather we're having by getting on the road soon. Thanks all :)
Disconnect the temp and fuel level sending units and put an ohmmeter, or multimeter on ohms setting, on them. (No current to them while doing so -- extraneous power will mess up the reading and possibly ruin the meter,)
Both sending units are variable resistors. The resistance put out by the senders varies based on changes in coolant temperature and fuel level.
The temperature sending unit is inexpensive and easy to replace. NO teflon tape or thread compound on the the unit!! Ground for the older senders like you have is through the block and tape or compound will insulate it from ground.
Depending on the vehicle, fuel level senders vary from zero to 75 ohms or zero to 240 ohms -- I can't recall off the top of my head what the range is for Mopar vehicles or whether the the resistance varied high to low or low to high with changing fuel level.
Make sure you have a good ground to the fuel level sender ... run a jumper for the mounting screw on the sender to the negative post on the battery and see if that changes the gauge behavior.
In addition to being a PITA to change, OEM fuel senders are difficult to find. If all the tests I suggested show the sender is bad, send me a PM -- I might have an old OEM sender laying around that you could have for the price of shipping.
Good luck.
RE: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?
Trish is on target ...
However, I used to add the MMO to the crankcase engine oil ... now I use Seafoam SF16. One pint added to the new oil when I change the oil and filter ... and the other pint to the gas tank.
Is it black smoke or blue? Like Trish said, black smoke or soot in the tailpipe indicates it's running rich. Blue smoke indicates it's using oil. One older Mopar LA engines (the small blocks), the valve stem seals tend to disintegrate and cause oil to be sucked pass the valve stems into the combustion cylinders. (Many people -- myself included -- have done unnecessary valve jobs when replacing the valve stem seals would have reduced or eliminated the excess oil usage.)
I don't know if big blocks (383, 413, or 440) have the same problem with valve stem seals but I'd definitely try replacements before going deeper into the engine.
Always, always, ALWAYS change the filter when you change the oil.
And -- change the air filter. A plugged up air filter can cause an engine to run rich.
