Holiday Rambler dual fuel

HandyDan · November 26, 2011, 07:32 PM

ClydesdaleKevin wanted to see some pictures of my Holiday Rambler. Well, if you ordered a CWVRV calendar for this year, this was the June centerfold.

I was very proud to have it on there.
I have recently removed all the propane to the motor hoses, regulators and wires. The propane system was too old to trust and I just wasn't wanting it confusing every mechanic that worked on the engine. This is what I removed:

The silver rectangle at the top center of the instrument panel is the control switch to select between gasoline and propane. I want to remove it but was wondering what I could replace it with. I don't want to just put a patch on the panel.

HandyDan · November 26, 2011, 07:42 PM

I am curious if anybody else has one of these:

It is some kind of vent or outlet from the propane tank. It has a large hose going to the top of the propane tank. I have not seen one on any other motorhome. Do you have one and do you know what it is for?

This is the hose from the propane tank to the "thing".

ClydesdaleKevin · November 26, 2011, 10:45 PM

SWEET rig, Dan! I've become a fan of these beasties! Mine doesn't have the dual fuel option, but right where your silver selector switch is on your dash...and our dash is almost identical, at least in shape...is where one of the AC/Heater vents is on ours. I had to remove it to get to the ignition switch wiring...more like to SEE the ignition switch wiring...and then reinstalled it. Where your AC/Heater selector is on yours is where the other dash AC/Heater vent is on ours, and where your hour meter and genny switch is on yours is where our AC/Heater selector is. Our speedo cluster sits a little higher, with most of the other guages under it, and the fuel guage sitting in between the speedo and the tach. Radio, key, ciggy lighter and headlamp switch are all in pretty much the same place, but there are a myriad of toggle switches with lights accross the top of ours, some of which I have no clue what they do...lol! Some just say Accessory, and don't do anything that I can figure out yet. Under our dash...you probably have the same cutouts in the top of the padded dash for access...there is a circuit board with even more fuses and LED lights.

Not sure what that spout is...ours doesn't have it. Does it connect into the propane tank, or dissappear above it? Looks more like a drain of some sort, since the hose goes up instead of down. Does yours have, or did it have an ice maker? Maybe an ice cooler or something?

Anyhow, AWESOME rig, and I'm jealous your dash is that burl walnut finish...ours is the carbon fiber looking thing...too modern for my taste, but ah well.

Kev

HandyDan · November 27, 2011, 12:29 PM

Thanks for the kind words. I had a chance to buy an HR very similar to yours with a Ford motor for $4000. The guy selling it had invested quite a bit of money into it with a Gear Vendor transmission add-on and a newly overhauled motor. I was hesitant about it because the ignition switch would not work and I couldn't hear it run. He said it was an easy fix, so I wondered why he didn't just fix it. It also had a queen bed sidways to the coach and I was looking for twin beds. However, the rig I have now had the same bedroom arrangement but somewhere in its life it was converted to twins. I didn't know that when I bought it. By the time I made up my mind to buy it, it was already sold.
Anyway, I had a brain flash while I was looking at the dash wondering what to do with that rectangle. The space just cries for a tach. Now if I can just find a tool to make the proper size hole with out messing up the instrument panel, I'll be in business.

This is where the hose to that "thing" connects to the propane tank. I have an overly big propane tank since it was used to fuel the motor. I think it must be some kind of vent. At first I thought it was a connection for a bbq grill since the sales brochure said it came with one, but there is no way to make a secure connection with it. It is just a smooth bore. Oh well, one of the mysteries of life!

ClydesdaleKevin · November 27, 2011, 06:45 PM

Hmmmm...maybe you have a double walled tank and could add water to keep the propane cooler for certain applications? I know nothing about these systems, just a guess in the dark.

I think you did great with the one you got...its pretty awesome!

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · November 27, 2011, 06:50 PM

Oh yeah...the hole for the tach. A hole saw run at a very low speed will make a neat hole in even thin plastic. Just get the right size one and back the hole with a piece of wood so the center bit will stay true and the hole saw will bite evenly. Clamp the wood or brace it from behind somehow, and use a hole saw at a slow speed, and you'll be happy with the results. You wouldn't even need to back it with wood if there already wasn't a hole there.

Kev

Oz · November 27, 2011, 08:28 PM

This is one of the hottest centerfolds I've ever seen! Y!

HandyDan · March 25, 2012, 08:04 PM

Well, today I removed the last of the propane system. I took out the switch on the dash. I haven't found anything to fill it with, yet, but I have a few ideas (one idea being the tach).

Wantawinnie · March 25, 2012, 08:28 PM

There is a digital tach brand known as a "Tiny Tach" that is rectangular. It is about 1.5" tall and 3" wide. Maybe that would fill the void for you without too much trouble.

Oz · March 25, 2012, 11:09 PM

We really need to convert our rigs over to burning french fry grease. Then, we could afford to go wherever we want and the petrolum companies could kiss our rear bumpers.

HandyDan · March 26, 2012, 12:12 PM

Quote from: Wantawinnie on March 25, 2012, 08:28 PM
There is a digital tach brand known as a "Tiny Tach" that is rectangular. It is about 1.5" tall and 3" wide. Maybe that would fill the void for you without too much trouble.

I like that idea. I'll check it out.

jkilbert · March 27, 2012, 04:36 AM

not a bad idea to convert to run on bio-fuel. unfortunately the first big expense would be converting from gassers to diesel.
john

HandyDan · December 06, 2013, 04:31 PM

Circled, does your air cleaner look like this? It is a very specialized air cleaner and you probably won't ever find a replacement.

I have been looking for a picture of the gasoline cutoff valve that is in front of the carburetor. I finally found one. It isn't the best, but it is the only one I have. My mechanic removed it and kept it after he put in a replacement metal line to the mechanical fuel pump. If this doesn't have electrical power to it, you aren't going anywhere.

circleD · December 06, 2013, 08:39 PM

Nope, my air cleaner looks like a trucks with a long hard tube going out and into a dryer duct to the grill for fresh air. For the void in the dash how about a custom cluster of gauges for fuel pressure, vaccum, or what ever. Summit racing has small gauges to fit. Our dashes are identical so we need to message each other about this or parts. If you cut a hole for 1-3 gauges and need a filler panel I have some diamond plate or stainless :)if you need some. I tried the switches for the dual fuel and heard things work but I still haven't drove it out of the garage YET! I have questions about what all you removed and pics. I still can't find the red wire that might ground out. And can you point to the location of the valve? Keep us posted about the little things that had to be plugged or modified plus is it worth the hassle? I thought that hole in the side was for the awning pole. It was humid today and wet so when it dries out next week I'll get my carpet rolled out and get underneath again. Oh yea, nice carpet color mine is the same for now.

circleD · December 06, 2013, 09:32 PM

Now that I look at that propane vent I think the hose was actually attached to the foam above it since it has some foam pieces on it. Maybe it fell or PO want to vent it from underneath the coach. The clamp that is being used doesn't look right and the metal pipe looks like something for a boat to put a light in or flag pole. Plus, you're not suppose to plug a vent. I know stuff can get in there but remembering to remove it isn't the "standard" but you never know.

HandyDan · December 06, 2013, 10:02 PM

If you don't have the air cleaner like my picture, then I would believe that your dual fuel system has been removed. That would account for why you can't find the shutoff valve. It should be right in front of the carb in the fuel line. There was a recall on the system that highly suggested it be removed due to possible fire hazards. That is why I removed mine. Since the previous posts were made, I installed the tach in the empty space. I cut a hole in a piece of aluminum the same size as the switch plate and mounted the tach in it, then screwed in place of the plate. I painted it black but plan to find something more complementary to the instrument panel. I find I use it more than the speedometer. It was easy to hook up - four wires. Ground, light, distributor, and power.

HandyDan · December 06, 2013, 10:07 PM

When I had the propane tank filled at the local Propane dealer, the guy there told me that tanks as big as mine are required to have a vent line, such as what we have, to aid in filling the tank. He unplugged it while he filled it.

circleD · December 06, 2013, 10:24 PM

I agree they have to vent but that just didn't look like the OE placement. I'll look at mine and get back to you. Does anyone else have a regulator on the PS of their quadrajet carb? Dan, I have something that resembles a propane regulator on the PS of carb. We'll get this figured out my friend.

bluebird · December 06, 2013, 11:27 PM

I had an 80 Itasca a few years ago that was a duel fuel when new, and when I bought it. I too removed the propane system. Mine had the regulator and vaporizer mounted on the right side frame rail. The vaporizer had heater hoses that were Td off the water pump. It also had 2 solenoid valves operated by the duel fuel switch, one after the vaporizer and one before the carb on the fuel line. I don't see how the coach was ever very efficient on propane because it just had an orifice in the end of a steel line that went through the bottom of the air filter housing. My coach too had a huge propane tank, close to 60 gallon, maybe a tad larger. I only got between 5 to 7 mpg on that coach on gas, I couldn't imagine what it would have got on propane. Mine also had a propane gauge on the dash for propane, which I left in tact.

HandyDan · December 07, 2013, 01:14 AM

This is where that shutoff valve was located on my engine. Notice the two wires coming from it.
Dan

bluebird · December 07, 2013, 11:38 AM

That's where mine was too. The regulator/ vaporizer was mounted on an aluminum plate that was mounted on the right frame rail. It was a burger to replace the plugs. I had a manifold leak, that's why mine was removed. Made getting to the manifold much easier.

circleD · December 08, 2013, 10:59 AM

Dan, I do have a vent like that on mine with a plug. I crawled under it and it hooks to the top of the tank with a muffler clamp. I would like to start a new saying " previous owner modification" aka ( POM ). I took pics with the wrong phone and have to resize it. I'll stick the camera up in there tomorrow and see if there's a valve or what.