Great News!!

[Lefty]

Hey guys!
I got some great news to share!!
We now own an RV again!! It's not a classic Winne, but it's still a nice rig.
It's a 1988 Georgie Boy Cruise Air II, 28' long, Chevy P-37 chassis, 454 gas engine, 53K miles.
The P.O. inherited it following the death of his grandfather, and had no experience, knowledge, or intrest in an older RV. He had already special ordered a tow behind travel trailer prior to getting the RV, and would not have space in his yard for both. Asking price was $3,200.00 o.b.o. which was within my budget.
After looking the RV over, it was obvious that this particular RV was in incredibally good condition inside, with no sign of any current or prior water leaks, and all upholstry, and cabinitry in virtually like new condition. The exterior was also in above average condition, showing no physical damage, but did have some discoloration of the finish, and deterioration of the vynil stripe graphics. However, a full inspection quickly uncovered a few problems.
1: Genset (Onan Emerald I Series 4.0 BGE) would not run, and the fuel pump for it was disconnected and dissasembled, and laying in the Genset compartment in a pile. Otherwise, it was intact and turned over freely.
2. A strong oder of raw fuel led to the discovery of gas dripping quite freely from the fuel tank. I was unable to determine at that time whether the fuel was coming from a broken fuel line, or a leak in the actual fuel tank.
3. The engine cranked quickly, and ran fairly well, but had a miss, and would not go to a slow idle. I heard no unusual noises from the block, nor did it smoke.
4. The fridge was not working. The seller said that the freezer part would get cold on 110v A/C, but that the fridge part would not cool, and it would not work at all on gas.
5. The roof A/C unit did not match the paperwork on the coach, which showed it was supposed to have a Dometic A/C unit, but had a Coleman Mach III unit instead. The seller confirmed that his grandfather had replaced it 3yrs ago. However, when we tried to run it, it was not cooling.
6. A quick climb up the rear ladder showed that the original EPDM rubber roof was in poor condition. Given that the life expectancy of EPDM is 20yrs., and this was a 23yr old RV, that was to be expected. However, more troubling was two areas that appear to have damaged plywood underneath approx. 18"X18" each. One located near the rear by the ladder, and the other located near the roof A/C unit. I could feel that the plywood under the rubber is buckled and delaminated.. but the rubber is still intact, and I cannot locate any sign of interior damage...yet.
7. The hydraulic levelers were not functioning at all.

OK, thats the bad. Here's the good.
1. It is immaculate inside, needing nothing. All the countertops,cabinets,hardware,lights,etc... are in flawless like-new condition. The front captain chairs, dining chairs, couch, etc... are also in flawless condition.
2. Plumbing system checked out good. All holding tanks are in good shape, all the valves work and don't leak. The shower, sink, and toilet also work perfectly. The water pump worked fine, and I found no leaks in any of the lines.
3. The sellers grandfather had replaced all 6 tires in 2008, and it had about 1,000 miles on them since. They sill appear as new rubber, both in tread and in sidewall. The spare though is badly dry rotted and will need replacing.
4. Included with the sale, and located in one of the storage compartments was; 1 new dist. cap, 1 new rotor button (both AC Delco), 1 set new AC Delco plugs. 1 new set Accell High Performance plug wires, 1 full set of new sparkplug heat shield boots (the kind from Napa that are for headers), new upper and lower radiator hoses w/ clamps. 1 new GM thermostat, plus, 2 gal antifreeze, 1 case of 10w/30 Valvoline, a new oil filter, and a full set of brand new belts.
5. Also included was 1 almost new RV cover. Which is big enough to cover the RV completely all the way to the ground all the way around.

So.... The asking price was $3,200.00
However, after letting him talk I had already learned he had no intrest in the RV, and he had already stated that it had to be gone by that Thursday... which was only 2 days away. I also knew that it was going to need some TLC, by somebody with far more knowledge and experience than he possesed. So, I low balled him. I ended up getting it for $1,800 in cash, with the agreement that I would remove it the next day.
Pics are coming, it's been raining here the past couple days, and it's currently under it's cover in the yard.
Next post I'll detail what I've accomplished since bringing it home.
                                                               Lefty

[Lefty]

Ok,
I've got the RV home, we decided since the fuel system was questionable, it would be safest to have it towed...So $150 later it was safely parked in my backyard, and hooked up to the new 30A RV weather proof power outlet that I had installed while waiting for them to arrive.
My first priority was determining the problem with the fuel system. As running the RV with raw, leaking fuel is out of the question. So I began by disconnecting and dropping the fuel tank. Being the only fuel tank, it is quite large, I'd guess at least 60 gal. if not 100 gal.

Upon dropping the tank, I was quickly able to discover the problem. This model uses an electric in-tank fuel pump, which feeds fuel thru a 1/2" line to the engine, and has a 3/8" return line. It also has a 5/16" line supplying the genset, that is not pressurized. The rubber parts are from the top of the tank, over to the framerails. To allow for the dropping of the tank. From there, the lines are metal, then theres short rubber sections going from the frame to the engine, which allows the engine to operate without damaging the metal lines. 5' of 1/2" Fuel hose, 10' of 3/8' and 10' of 5/16 fuel hose was enough to replace all rubber sections from tank to the engine with new hose. This also replaced the entire hose for the genset as well. The filler neck hoses were also in pretty bad condition, and I replaced them as well. One 1 3/4" 12" long flex hose, and 1 ft. of 1 3/4" filler neck hose was enough. Total cost incl. all new clamps, and 1 new brass T-fitting $42.35
Next, I decided to tackle the engine problems.
Removal of the old dist cap showed why it had an ignition miss. the cap and rotor were both in very bad shape. Since the seller had supplied everything needed, I replaced the cap,rotor,wires,plugs, changed the oil, installed the new belts and hoses, and changed the thermostat. I also purchased and installed a new air filter,pcv valve, breather filter, and fuel filter. Total cost $26.71
The engine now started much more quickly, and ran way,way,way better... However, it still wouldn't drop off of a high idle after it had warmed up. I removed the air cleaner, and found a couple of vacuum lined that had dry rotted, and showed either cracks or were broken completely. 25' of 3/16" vacuum hose, and 4hrs later, I had replaced every vacuum line on the engine with brand new hose. I also purchased a new choke pull off, which is simply a vacuum operated diaphram that attaches to the carb via two screws. Choke problem solved, and the engine runs as smooth as a baby's butt. Total cost $34.27 (which included two cans of carb cleaner)

Next, I decided to see if I could figure out why the levelers wouldn't work.
Now, I don't have any experience with hydraulic levelers, but I do know how a hydraulic system works. They basically consist of two circuits. One circuit is electrical, and operates the pump via power routed thru micro switches located at the base of each control lever. The other is hydraulic, and allows the fluid to be moved to various parts of the hydraulic system thru the opening and closing of valves operated by the control levers, with the end of each seperate circuit terminated by the rams mounted to the frame. I was able to determine with my multi meter, that I had voltage coming into each of the micro switches, and power coming out each as they were activated. But the pump would not turn on. So, I went under the coach, and saw that the pump was powered by a Ford Style solonoid which was mounted on top of it. A quick check determined that I had power coming into the solonoid, but not out of it. I jumped the solonoid and had an assistant operate the valves. The pump proceeded to operate normally, and all 4 of the rams came down and lifted the coach. I inspected the hydraulic parts, and could find no leaks anywhere. I replaced the solonoid and it now works great. Total cost $11.86

Now for some appliance repairs!!
After removing the inside cover of the roof A/C unit, It was clear that the P.O. had never heard of the need to occasionally clean the unit. The entire evaporator was covered in approx. 3/4" of dirt/dust and was clogged. The internal filter was also likewise clogged. Using my shopvac and some long handled bristle brushes, I got the inside of it clean. I washed the filters with hot soapy water and let them dry. The roof air now cools as good as new. Total Cost $0
The fridge was the one thing that I feared most. Knowing a replacement RV fridge is between $800-$1200 new, and not wanting to butcher the interior by installing an apartment style fridge, I decided I had nothing to lose by trying to fix this one.
Knowing that the fridge wuold freeze the freezer section, but the fridge section wasn't cooling when on 110v power told me two things... First, there was a blockage in the cooling unit between the freezer and fridge sections. And second, the heat unit for the 110v side was operating.
The only way to clear a blockage in a cooling unit, other than replacing the cooling unit (which is $375) is to remove the fridge and try to "burp" it.
While not 100% sucessful, burping a non working fridge does work enough of the time that it is well worth the shot. The basics are removing the fridge, then inverting it until it stands upside down. Allow 24hrs. then stand it back upright. Allow another 24hrs. then reinstall the fridge. This causes the ammonia solution to travel from the bottom to the top, and then back to the bottom, sometimes forcing the blockage to be cleared, especially if the blockage was nothing more than an air pocket caused by an operator attempting to use the fridge when the coach was not levelled.
So, I burped the fridge and reinstalled it.... scratching the cabinetry trim in a couple of places in the process... which my other half is still bitching about, but that's another story.
Anyways, reinstalled it, plugged it back in, and let it run overnight. Next day, freezer was at 0 deg. and fridge was at 36deg. with an ambient temp of around 85deg. So now I decided to try and get the propane side of it working, now that I knew he cooling unit was functioning. I was unable to get gas flow beyond the safety valve, so I replaced the thermocouple... still no gas, so I dissasembled it and determined that the push in igniter button in the fridge was not going in far enough to activate the safety valve solinoid (which is a spring loaded electro magnet, powered by the voltage produced by the thermocouple). By using a phillipshead screw driver as a push stick, I was able to depress the plunger a little bit farther, I now had gas going out of the safety valve and coming out of the jet at the burner, but still no flame. A coathanger straightened out and probed into the burner assembly confirmed my suspision that there was a dirt dauber nest built in it. I cleaned it out, and the flame immedietly lit. However, I am still having an issue with the igniter. It is supposed to operate by electrical resistance. When the igniter tip is cold, the resistance in it increases, and it sparks... when it gets hot after the burner lights, the resistance is supposed to decrease and its supposed to stop sparking. Basically, it is an automatic way to relight the burner flame if it should be accidentally blown out.. as it should start sparking before the thermocouple cools and shuts the gas off. In theory, it should start sparking within 10 sec. after the heat source is removed, and stop within 10sec. after heat is applied to it. The thermocouple is supposed to shut off the flow of gas approx. 30 sec. after heat is removed. Heres my issue, my igniter is sparking just fine, and the thermocouple is working properly.After the thermocouple heats up, I can stop depressing the igniter button in the fridge, and it's remaining lit... as it should. However, my igniter is not stopping sparking. Its sparking continously as long as the power selector switch in the fridge is set to the gas position. I think I'm gonna need a new igniter. Anyways. Total cost for a new thermocouple was $46.00 which is still better than what a new fridge would have cost.

Ok, now that I've got the rest done I decided to tackle the genset.
First off, a new Onan fuel pump is about $120 and I didn't want to spend that. So I bought a Mr.Gasket universal electric pump from O'reillys for $42, cleaned the fuel bowl out, changed the oil,filter, and plugs. Now it's getting gas but not firing. Removed, cleaned, and reset the points... still not firing. Gonna have to unbolt the tray and slide the genset out so I can access the coil for further troubleshooting. It's either going to need a new coil, or a new set of points, or both...

Roof- I am going to have to replace the roof rubber, as well as repair at least the two spots that I could tell were damaged under the rubber. It is not leaking anywhere currently, but if I had to grade it from 1-10 with 10 being new, and 1 being completely shot.. I'd rate the rubber on this roof as a 2. If it had a leak it'd be a 1. Not looking forward to that, and it's going to be at least $500 min. to do the job.

Exterior-It's going to need a good scrubbing and polishing... but should clean up pretty good. I can live with the striping being faded a bit. The awning is in good shape, and functions fine. Windows,doors etc. are all fine.

Will start taking pics tomorrow.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Congrats on the great find!  Sounds like a nice rig.  Our genny didn't run either when we got it, and nothing I tried worked.  I finally called in a pro, and it was a circuit board that fried itself...he replaced it and its been running great ever since.  Keep up the good work, and post pics!

Kev

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

In case you need the manual for the generator:

4.0BGE Spec A-E: http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/manuals/965-0530.pdf

4.0BGE Spec F and later http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/manuals/965-0528.pdf

If you have a Spec A-E then ignore the following:
For spec F (points) that the A1 board has been upgraded to a 3763 board, the documentation does not really cover that properly.  I have modified versions of pages A-3 and A-4 of 965-0528 located here http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll120/BaileyDave/Generator/.  Thats a points based system with a voltage regulator (SPEC F) using a 3763 board (primarily used with electronic ignition on spec G and later).  Onan had an upgrade (300-3950) that replaced the original Spec F A1 board with the later model one.  Original Spec F wiring diagram (points with a VR) is in the Generator section (page 8-4), not the appendix in the back (Spec J and later).  That drawing does not reflect the 3764 board upgrade  which remaps wiring with new electrical plugs.  I put together those revised pages because of the confusion due to no revised  Onan documentation.
More info on this is at http://www.spaco.org/onan/A1Upgrade3003950.htm


Regarding the P-37 chassis.  I have read that a P-37 was a straight axle front end where the P-32 was a coil spring/air bag frontend.  Is yours a straight axle?  P-37 is a sort of few and far between.

Dave

[Lefty]

Thanks Dave & Kev.
I do have the manuals, it came with a large pouch containing a service and repair manual for everything installed in or on the coach.
I got pics up...
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?action=mgallery;sa=album;id=371

Note- they are in no particular order, nor have I had time to add descriptions... but it's enough for a good look.  ENJOY!!!

Edit: Forgot to add that I've fixed the igniter problem on the fridge. Turned out it was just out of adjustment. By resetting the gap to the proper distance, the right resistance was restored.... It's working just fine now.

[LJ-TJ]

Holy Cow  nice rig. Well done.

[JDxeper]

Good show, NICE!

[Oz]

Incredible, Lefty!  And... amazing how little it cost to repair so much.... of course, the knowledge, experience and ability you have is.... invaluable!

[Lefty]

Thanks everyone!
Thankfully, the majority of the issues were actually small things. Dirt daubers clooging the burner tube on the fridge, for example. That kind of thing doesn't cost anything to fix... just time spent figuring out why it isn't working and then cleaning it out. Found the same thing when I tried to fill the potable water storage tank.... as it filled, the tank started bulging out & actually lifted the matress up. A quick check showed that the tank had a vent hose routed out the top, and then thru the floor. I went underneath and used a coathanger to probe the hose, and cleared out another dirt dauber nest... whoosh of air & the tank was venting again. Stuff like that doesn't cost a thing to fix... but are common problems on RV's that have sat for any length of time.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sweet rig, Lefty!!!  Awesome for the price you paid.  Have the best time in it ever!

Kev

[Lefty]

Well, it's been a while since I gave any more updates on my ongoing repairs.
So I thought I'd post a few of the things I've accomplished since last time.

As posted in another topic, I've repaired the genset. Turns out it was a bad set of points causing it not to fire, and the carb was in bad shape. I still need to properly rebuild the carb. or replace it with a new one... but for now it's running ok enough to use. I've managed to get it to stay within 118v and 121v at a full load...which is smooth enough for running the roof A/C while we travel.
I've also had to have the brake  master cyl. replaced, as the old one was leaking badly and had no pedal. I chose to have a shop do it due to needing it done before a short trip we took during Thanksgiving.
I solved my remaining choke problems by removing the automatic choke assembly and replacing it with a manual choke... Working like a charm now.

This past week, I have really been working on it, in preparation of our upcoming trip to Georgia.
I've removed both front wheels, brake assemblies and repacked the wheel bearings. I had the front rotors turned, and installed two new front brake calipers and a set of new pads. The brake hoses have been replaced at some point and were in excellent shape.
I also greased the entire chassis front to back... must have been at least 20 grease fittings on this thing!! lol
Today, I replaced a bad high beam headlight, and removed all of the clearance light covers,cleaned them, and installed all new bulbs in them.
I found that there were two broken tail light contacts, so I fabricated two new ones from an old lawnmower recoil spring I had laying around...it's the exact same width and thickness as the old contacts, I just had to drill a hole and rivet them to the housing. All exterior lights are now working.
I had a happy discovery too. While reading the owners manual, I ran across a mention that Cruise Airs had a built in Ice chest in the stepwell. I went out and tugged the second step and sure enough, theres a full sized ice chest under there!! It looks like it has never been used, nobody probably ever knew it was even there!! Woohoo!
I also changed out the tow ball to a 2" ball today, because that's what the car dolly I have uses.
Inside, I mounted a new under counter can opener, as well as a under counter clock radio/CD player that we found at a yard sale still new in the box for $5
I fixed my stuck heater temp control by spraying the valve with WD40 and working it back & forth a bit... now it goes effortlessly from hot to cold.
I also had a pleasant surprise today, While trying to solve why the dash air controls wont work, I discovered that the dash A/C actually is still working. It blows fairly cold air from the defrost vents..not ice cold, but I can hear the compressor kicking in and out, and it's obviously cooling. So I might just have to flush it and recharge it with R-134A to have working dash air...If it still has a charge in it, it's definitely not leaking anywhere, which is a good thing.
The bad side to that story is I found why the air only blows from the defrost vent. The P.O., being the idiot he was, busted the backside of the dash ventilation controls where all the vacuum lines hook up to it while installing his fancy new CD player... so without any vacuum, it's defaulted to the defrost vents, and until I replace it there's nothing I can do about it.
Other than that, I haven't had to do much else to it.. mostly just fiddling around fixing the little things as I've found them, which hasn't been too many.

[johnnytugs1]

Thats a great story, you must be pretty darn proud of yourself. thanks for sharing it and it really looks great! Have a safe & enjoyable trip to georgia.
JT

[Froggy1936]

Hi John. Have not heard from you lately , Any progress on the Camper ?  Also Lefty i reccomend a warning light (you can design one with a simple microswitch)  On manual chokes forgetting to open it all the way will destroy MPG  Frank

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Awesome job Lefty!  The ice chest thingy is pretty darn cool!

You have a 454 in that beastie, right?  With a Rochester Quadrajet?  How difficult was it to install a manual choke, where did you get it, and how much do they cost?

I'm still sorting out my own choke issues, and while I do have it working fairly well at this point, its still not quite right.  If I adjust it to set completely, thus starting the rig easily, the high idle won't kick down.  So I have it set at a compromise, which allows the choke to work somewhat and keep the high idle at warm up, but will kick down now...however, its a compromise for sure, and give the carburetor a very slight but noticeable hesitation from acceleration to kicking down.  With the choke turned enough to be disengaged completely, it starts hard, but runs perfect otherwise.  Really gotta think about a manual choke.

Kev

[Lefty]

Kev,
I'm working on a reply for you, which I'll answer in the topic you created to keep things on track.
Froggy,
Nice tip, might look into adding that. thanks

[Lefty]

Here's a shot of the built in Ice Chest... I think it's a pretty cool (no pun intended) option to have, and it will save us from carrying our old cooler we used to use.

This is with it closed...I'd have never known it was there if I hadn't saw mention in the original Owners Manual.


Here's it open...


And here's a shot showing the inside a bit better...doesn't appear to have ever been used before.




Reason for edit... uploaded wrong pic  oops!

[Wantawinnie]

That's a nice spot to have beverages while sitting outside. 

That location is where the batteries are on my dad's 96 Winnebago Itasca.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

What a great use of that dead space under the step!  Outstanding!  And Wantawinnie is right...all ya gotta do is open your door, and your beer is right there!  Now you just have to install one of those heavy cast bottle openers near the door, and you are all set for relaxing evening...lol!

That is also where the batteries are hidden in our friend Arlene's 2007 Itasca Sunova.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to the manual choke question, Lefty.  I'm eagerly looking forward to your response!

Kev

[Oz]

My in-laws have a Georgie Boy (Early 1990s?) and that's where the ice cooler was put in at the factory!  It's definitely a "cool" idea.  Get it?  Cool?   N:(

[Lefty]

Here is a project that I think really turned out good. If any of you have a built in TV up front, this might be a good way for you to upgrade to a larger TV without hacking up your cabinets.


Here is a shot of the original TV. It is a 13" color set, and still worked just fine... it was just so tiny! lol
First shot is doors closed, this cabinet is built into the center of the dash between the front seats. Since the cabinetry was in such good shape I really didn't want to hack them up to install a bigger TV.


Here's the original setup with the doors open.. note how small the TV is.


Here's the new 19" LED HDTV Flatscreen... It was too wide to fit the hole, so I mounted it on a swingaway bracket and it fits at an angle when stored, but pulls out for viewing.


Shot of the bracket, which is mounted to the inside passenger wall of the original cabinet. I had to make sure the screws I used didn't go thru the upholstery on the other side! (they didn't).


And, heres the TV in it's viewing position. It swings out to the right, then you center it in front of the opening. To stow, you just move it to the right until the left side will clear the opening, then push it in at an angle. Note how much bigger the TV is now!! And yes, it is tilted... it rotates at the bracket, and when I pulled it out I musta tilted it a bit...


And lastly, here it is with the doors closed... You'd never know it has been upgraded.



Here is our rear TV, which I mounted on a swingaway also, so it would clear the left side closet. It is also a 19" LED HDTV Flatscreen
This shot is with it in the viewing position, which moves it more towards the center of the room. (No, the dog in the background is not using the potty... she's after our other dog Buster, who was in the front seat and had her bone.


Shot of the mount, note it's adjustable so you can tilt the TV down for better viewing in bed.


Here it's in the travel position... it clears the hall passage doorway, but in this position you can't open the left side closet.


Side view, stows fairly flat to the wall, and you can see the tilt from this angle. Note the closet door in the background I was talking about, and you'll see why I had to mount one that swings out of the way.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Great TV mounting ideas, and a great use of that hole in the dash.  We have an even smaller opening with a tiny little TV in it, but it doesn't have a cabinet door over it.  The eventual plan is to take the TV out of the dash, and install a wood front that swings out with a secret catch, where we can store a safe.  Then in the wood front, I'm going to install a stereo near the top, where Patti can reach it while we are driving, and where the stereo is now in the dash, I'll be able to put in 3 more gauges, including a vacuum gauge.  The stereo won't fill that front added panel, so under it I plan on putting some more gauges, maybe a clock, maybe even a weather center or even a built in GPS.

In the back bedroom, we mounted the big flatscreen right to the wall without brackets, and screwed in on from inside the bathroom cabinets, after reenforcing the wall in the cabinet with oak 1x2s.

Looks great Lefty!  And thanks again for the awesome reply and pictures about the choke!

Kev

[Froggy1936]

Its not a secret now !!!  Frank

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOL Frank!  The combination is...plus one would have to know where the catch is, AFTER they get past the German Shepherds...

Kev