1989 P30 454 Winnebago Cruise Control doesn't work

engineer bill · May 18, 2014, 01:25 PM

This Winne originally came with cruise control. Probably, for a number of reasons, it no longer works. Starting with the "smart stick" with all the switches non-functional.

My question is, should I put a lot of effort into trouble-shooting the cruise system per the chassis manual, and probably having to replace a bunch of expensive parts, or should I be looking to install something like a ROSTRA UNIVERSAL CRUISE CONTROL MODEL 250-1223 (AMAZON $174.00)

Any one with experience with the cruise control question on the late '80's P30 chassis?

Thanks,
Engineer Bill

M & J · May 18, 2014, 05:34 PM

Ours has cruise, and I chose not to fix it. I think being able to better control fuel consumption is more of a priority than keeping a constant speed in beasties like ours.

Rickf1985 · May 18, 2014, 07:12 PM

Make sure the vacuum lines to the round reservoir usually hanging up by the radiator are good and still on there. Sometimes there are two vacuum tanks, one for the heater controls and the other for the cruise.

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 18, 2014, 07:25 PM

I have one of the ROSTRA like aftermarket units on my 94 Honda Civic. Was easy to install as long as you have all the outputs available. Get yourself a copy of the manual first to understand what you have to do. I installed it 6 years ago however I believe I just have a loose connection I have to hunt down which is why it is not working at the moment. I am not even sure the P30 Service Manual even talks to Cruise Control.

Dave

M & J · May 18, 2014, 07:41 PM

It does Dave.

engineer bill · May 18, 2014, 08:01 PM

The manual has a real nice troubleshooting section on the cruise control. It does look like a lot of time to follow it out though, and the thing is, 80's electronics were not real reliable. We've come a long ways since then. The "smart stick" on the steering column is completely shot. Not a single switch on it works. A direct replacement has been hard to find but I bought an electrically functionally similar one on Amazon for $20 or so hoping to adapt the way it bolts on.

I will take a close look at the vacuum reservoir in front. I should be able to just plug a vacuum gauge in the hose right?

Bill

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 18, 2014, 10:29 PM

Just curious - What page number?

circleD · May 18, 2014, 10:49 PM

Speaking of vac lines going to the vac tanks with one hose on each side going to the exterior firewall. After I cleaned up my vac hoses after the new carb, I noticed that one of them was getting sucked shut. The old hose was soft but still hard once it got away from the motor due to the heat. So I cut out the old and put in some new hose with no collapsed hose.

Stripe · May 18, 2014, 11:29 PM

Quote from: engineer bill on May 18, 2014, 08:01 PM
80's electronics were not real reliable.

Hey! You knockin' my Atari 2600??? I still use it and it works great, Still playing Star Raiders and yet to finish Raiders of the Lost Ark...

Rickf1985 · May 19, 2014, 07:04 AM

Quote from: engineer bill on May 18, 2014, 08:01 PM
The manual has a real nice troubleshooting section on the cruise control. It does look like a lot of time to follow it out though, and the thing is, 80's electronics were not real reliable. We've come a long ways since then. The "smart stick" on the steering column is completely shot. Not a single switch on it works. A direct replacement has been hard to find but I bought an electrically functionally similar one on Amazon for $20 or so hoping to adapt the way it bolts on.

I will take a close look at the vacuum reservoir in front. I should be able to just plug a vacuum gauge in the hose right?

Bill

Yes, and not all of the ports are always used on the reservoir. One of mine has one hose and a blocked port and the other has two hoses.. Never got around to checking which is which since my cruise works but my heater controls do not. I will be in there soon enough.

Rickf1985 · May 19, 2014, 07:07 AM

Quote from: DaveVA78Chieftain on May 18, 2014, 10:29 PM
Just curious - What page number?

Don't tell me there is something in a manual that you do not know about?!!!!

It can't be true, they are just saying that to get your goat. W% :)rotflmao

(Sorry Dave, couldn't resist)

Stripe · May 19, 2014, 01:16 PM

I forgot to mention that my CC was not working when I first got the 'Goose'. When I started working under the dog house I found a vacuum hose that had come disconnected from a T that was also part of a canister setup. When I hooked that hose back up the CC started working again. The same happened with my Land Rover. Both cases I had checked the electronics before checking the hoses but at that time I did not know that the vacuum system ran the CC on both of those vehicles because the only other CC I had ever worked on were Porsches, and they are servo/computer controlled..

legomybago · May 19, 2014, 01:28 PM

On our P30, the CC wasnt working due to the vacuum canister/cable housing lost it's ground on the upper radiator support.

engineer bill · May 21, 2014, 08:56 PM

I've got the paper service manual that I bought before I found this site. The cruise control section start page 9-1. I haven't checked out the manual archives on this site but I will.

engineer bill · May 21, 2014, 08:59 PM

Sounds to me like the first thing I should do is check out the vacuum hoses before I even consider running the trouble-shooting routine.

BTW,
Does anyone know of a source for the "smart stick" control that doubles as a turn signal lever and also has the wipers on it?

M & J · May 21, 2014, 09:33 PM

Like this? Any auto parts store should have the Doorman replacements.

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 21, 2014, 10:44 PM

QuoteI've got the paper service manual that I bought before I found this site. The cruise control section start page 9-1. I haven't checked out the manual archives on this site but I will.

Thanks - Our digital copy also has it in section 9.

Dave

engineer bill · May 22, 2014, 11:35 AM

No, mine seems to screw into the plastic switch assembly inside the column. I've taken a picture (not very clear I'm afraid). Also attached is a picture of the lever itself. Keep in mind that I'm not positive that this is the original equipment - but I think it is.

I think that the problem is bigger than just the cruise control. The lever would have operated the turn signals, hi beam/low beam, wipers & cruise control. This cruise control functions can be easily duplicated with switches and only 4 wires. The other functions are inside the steering column in several plastic mechanical switch assemblies. I haven't taking the steering wheel off yet but I'm betting they are in pretty sad shape. I have no idea how availible those parts are.

The good news for me is that comments received so far suggest that the cruise hardware under the dog house may be ok and more likely the problem lies with the vacuum system.

legomybago · May 22, 2014, 11:53 AM

Somebody likes sideways switches!!

If nothing on that lever powers anything right now, I would check fuses, and then look for power going into your steering column...you probably dont have brake lights right now either....

engineer bill · May 22, 2014, 12:14 PM

The cruise switches "feel" broken. i.e. "on/off" switch is stuck, will not move and so is bad, "set" and "resume" switches don't feel right and I'm guessing those switches are bad also.

The turn signals don't always switch on and off and the hi/low beam also sticks. A previous owner rewired the wipers to a switch on the dash (but did not bother to wire the wipers through the "park switch" so they will stop anywhere on the windshield. Hum. Could have been that the park switch is bad or they just didn't realize that is was there.

Of course, replacing those switches is pretty straight forward, either by replacing the lever with a direct replacement part or fitting another lever or by putting switches on the dash panel. So, the lever, while I'd like to find the direct replacement for it, is the least part of it. I'm going to need to find out if the rest of the factory cruise system will work. (Switches, Wiring, Control Module Box, Vacuum System, Vacuum Actuator, Brake Switch, Vehicle Speed Sensor etc. First, I guess is to take a peek at the vacuum hoses as suggest by several members. Then I guess I'll look at running the trouble-shooting diagnostic list ... I just didn't want to do that if the sense of the group was that the factory vacuum/electric cruise control on these beasts was usually shot, since I can buy a replacement system from Rostra for about $175.00, and then spend maybe a half day installing it.

Rickf1985 · May 22, 2014, 12:32 PM

You will need to remove the steering wheel to replace that type of turn signal switch and probably the cruise with it. It is most likely all wired together. Where to find it if you can't get it from GM is another problem. The turn signal alone is no problem and is available aftermarket from Dorman. I am not sure about the cruise control.

ClydesdaleKevin · May 22, 2014, 07:02 PM

Since I didn't see anyone mention this...

In my opinion, don't bother with cruise control on an RV. I removed ours entirely even though it worked (although it was a source for a vacuum leak)...since we never used it.

Cruise control on a heavy RV makes your gas mileage go into the toilet unless you are on deadpan flat roads for miles and miles.

Kev

M & J · May 22, 2014, 09:34 PM

I did Kevin. One of the first replies. Same basic answer as yours.

tiinytina · May 23, 2014, 07:34 AM

Gone has cruise control I used it once to see if it did work.. it did.. but yea.. nope never use it at all.... Mine was aftermarket by PO.. so whomever cut the turn signal stick and stuck the cruise control handle on it (it falls off as can't find a small enough allen screw yet)... I should just remove the whole thing.... the control box for it just sits on the floor at this point to be kicked around.

I installed an aftermarket type on the first Datsun I had... was all electric with a sensor placed on axel and above axel. No clue if they make that type anymore that was circa 1983. was easy to run the wiring etc...

engineer bill · June 21, 2014, 04:25 PM

Good to know. I guess I won't bother to try to fix it (the cruise control).

Since the switches feels so "broken" I think it would still be a good idea to replace the turn signal switch, high beam (? not sure if it's in steering column), and re-re-wire the wipers so they run through the park switch.

at 60,000 miles is it normal for all of the switches to feel sloppy and sometimes only work if you wiggle them?