Florida to Arizona, 2019!!!

joanfenn · January 26, 2019, 08:09 PM

Now if you had a composting toilet you would not have to worry about that.

:)rotflmao

Rickf1985 · January 26, 2019, 09:13 PM

Or a storm drain next to your site. :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

ClydesdaleKevin · January 27, 2019, 10:20 AM

LOL!!! For now, we are both loving the traditional toilet and not having to deal with changing peat moss, etc...nevermind the tiny fly problem you can get if you don't use Gnatrol pesticide in the peat moss.

The holding tanks are pretty big on this RV, and they don't leak...so I'm thinking we can probably go 2 weeks on the black tank, especially since we put the toilet paper in the trash can next to the toilet instead of down in the tank. And Rick...there does happen to be a "wash" right behind our campsite...which is where we always dumped out our grey water, ninja style in the middle of the night, with our old setup.

On the way here, we drove with the transmission selector in the "mode on" setting...and it made a big difference in how it shifts. A lot smoother in the lower gears, and seems to upshift earlier. The manual says it is an "economy mode" with the mode in the "on" setting. I'm not sure if it improved our fuel economy, and I'm not sure how accurate our fuel gauge is...but we haven't fueled up since Lordsburg, NM, and the trip meter says we have traveled 320 miles so far since the fill-up...and the fuel gauge is reading at just under 3/4 of a tank. When we fill up on the way out of here in April, I'll be able to get an accurate MPG, but just at a glance, I would say it is at least 12mpg on this leg of the journey, which is phenomenal!

Kev

tmsnyder · January 28, 2019, 12:00 PM

IMO this is not enough miles to accurately measure mpg, coach may be sitting a little differently than at the previous fillup and may take a gallon or two less then at the previous fillup, or maybe it took more and you're actually getting better mileage. Need more data. Looking forward to seeing more miles .

"We fueled up in Lordsburg, NM...138.3 miles...12.54 gallons of diesel to top off the tank...11.03 MPG on this leg of the journey...SWEET!!! I think I can safely say now that we average about 10 MPG in this RV."

ClydesdaleKevin · January 28, 2019, 06:18 PM

True enough TMS. Which is why I averaged it out at every fill-up, and it came out to a solid 10mpg. Except this leg of the trip, because we didn't fill it yet. I'm just guessing at this point, as we are on level ground, drove over 320 miles, and the fuel gauge is reading at just under 3/4 full.

Kev

Rickf1985 · January 28, 2019, 08:54 PM

I have no doubt that once you get back on the road again and start driving with it in the economy mode you will see the mileage increase. That motor home is light for that engine so it should have no problem pulling you at lower shift points.

Shawn62 · January 29, 2019, 07:45 AM

Kev

Did your power steering fluid leak resolve itself? I apologize if I missed an answer to this in a previous post.

ClydesdaleKevin · January 29, 2019, 10:22 AM

Hey Shawn. I don't think it is leaking...I think the reservoir was low and there was air in the system. I had to top it off twice during the first couple of legs of the trip, but after that the level stayed the same for the rest of the journey (over 1200 miles). I'll keep checking it before each trip, and I'll check the lines going to the power steering pump before we leave here (I want to pull the bed mattress and engine cover before we leave Arizona to inspect the belts and radiator hoses anyway, so I'll check it then).

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · January 29, 2019, 10:25 AM

SCORE!!! The Atwood hot water heater is still sooting up, and when I shut off the water heater, a tiny blue flame stays lit at the orifice on the gas control valve...which means the gas control valve is bad. And I just bought one on eBay for 8.00! It is a take-off from a unit that was freeze damaged in Washington state...but for 8 bucks, at least I'll be able to rule out that part before spending 80.00 plus on a new one. It should be here in a few days.

Kev

Froggy1936 · January 29, 2019, 01:05 PM

I was going to ask you if you solved that problem , Mine did that last time i used it ,I have not looked for why, Because i dont use the propane much anymore ,since i installed the Hot Rod 110 V heater. It does a very good job as long as you are plugged in , Which i try to always do . Or fire up the Generator ! Let me know if you finally find an answer ! Frank

ClydesdaleKevin · January 29, 2019, 06:56 PM

Will do Frank!

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · January 31, 2019, 01:28 PM

And thus endeth this chapter. I will now start a new thread entitled "Arizona 2019."

Kev

gopher · February 11, 2019, 02:08 PM

Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on January 09, 2019, 04:47 PM

I also tried to troubleshoot the furnace, which was working when we bought the coach, but won't come on now. It is a Suburban furnace. I took off the outside cover, and it is clean inside and there don't seem to be any loose connections...and the fuse is still good. So it is either a control board issue, or a problem with the wall thermostat (which also controls and works with the ducted AC). I'll mess with it when we get to Arizona and until then use the ceramic heater.

Kev, regarding furnace trouble, whenever something on my rig goes wacky, the usual culprit is a high-resistance connection. A year ago my furnace was acting up. I got so tired of that, I removed and polished ALL the connectors and wiped them with anti-corrosion gel before putting them back together. Since then, my furnace has been 100% reliable. A failed part or board is the last thing you should suspect.
Fuses are a good place to look, too. A fuse may look OK, but sometimes you can get a voltage reading across the fuse holder, which shouldn't be. Pulling the fuse and putting it back should be the cure.
It doesn't take much corrosion to drop a few volts, which can be trouble when you're only starting with 12!

~gopher

thomas · March 17, 2019, 02:25 AM

Thats a realy nice RIG you have there!! just scrolled thru all the photo on this board!! always nice to see people get blessed like that!! THOMAS

ClydesdaleKevin · March 17, 2019, 10:56 AM

Thanks Thomas!

Update on the hot water heater: No more soot with the new gas control valve. I also just replaced the propane regulator at the tank when I installed the Extend-A-Stay valve.

Kev

KaraokeGreg · March 22, 2020, 08:27 PM

Hi Kevin, been a few years since I had to ask for help and you were able to help me once before. I'm asking you because I can't seem to find anyone any longer who has an old Holiday Rambler Imperial like you did and I still do. I believe my fuel pump is no longer pumping, as I pulled the line off before the filter, though I here it running, there is no gas coming out. Hoping you can confirm with me that the pump is in the tank, before I cut a hole in the floor or drop the tank to replace. I'm praying you see this post as I see it's been a while since you've been on here. Thanks in advance, I hope you and your new rig are doing well.

Rickf1985 · March 23, 2020, 10:14 AM

Here is the last blog Kevin has been posting on, you should be able to catch him there or PM him.

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?topic=15283.25

ClydesdaleKevin · March 23, 2020, 10:38 AM

Quote from: KaraokeGreg on March 22, 2020, 08:27 PM
Hi Kevin, been a few years since I had to ask for help and you were able to help me once before. I'm asking you because I can't seem to find anyone any longer who has an old Holiday Rambler Imperial like you did and I still do. I believe my fuel pump is no longer pumping, as I pulled the line off before the filter, though I here it running, there is no gas coming out. Hoping you can confirm with me that the pump is in the tank, before I cut a hole in the floor or drop the tank to replace. I'm praying you see this post as I see it's been a while since you've been on here. Thanks in advance, I hope you and your new rig are doing well.

Ours was an '89 Imperial, and if you crawl under the rear tag axle on the passenger side, you could sit up and access the top of the fuel tank without cutting any holes in the floor.

We had a LOT of problems with that fuel pump that is in the tank. Once, the pump slipped out of its bracket and was just floating in the tank, not able to pick up fuel. Another time, the short rubber hose that is inside the tank and connects to the pump broke in half from rot. Another time, it was the wiring, and I ended up bringing new wires all the way from the relay in the doghouse, to the top of tank where the wires come out. And finally, the relay itself died, and the replacement was impossible to find....so I rewired it for a standard 4 pin 30amp relay.

If you can hear the pump running, it isn't the wiring or the relay...it is either the pump or the short hose that connects to it.

Also, make sure you replace the fuel filter...if yours is like ours was, in the back of the front passenger side storage compartment is a panel held on with screws. The fuel filter is behind it. It is a big one, using 1/2 inlets and outlets. If you still have the original Quadrajet carburetor, there is also a tiny little fuel filter inside the carb, where the fuel line attaches.

Kev

Rickf1985 · March 23, 2020, 08:21 PM

And there should be a fuel pressure regulator somewhere back there.