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RE: f53 fuel pump
The in-tank pump is located at the center of the tank. It's fairly tall (same height as the tank), so you'll need that much room above the tank to remove/reinstall a pump. You'll also have to deal with the Ford quick disconnects on the fuel lines (a two handed operation) and some wiring issues. If you do some detailed scouting, you'll find that there are only 6 fasteners holding the tank in place. Two belly bands across the tank from frame rail to frame rail, and one bolt at each end to frame cross members. A little siphoning to reduce tank weight and you should be able to drop one end of it enough to give you the necessary working room. I used a couple of floor jacks and a bunch of 2x wooden blocks to lower mine. I think you can figure on about four hours in and out...unless you take lots of breaks. A helper makes the process go smoother, too.
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Jumbo One
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05/23/12 09:36pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 1996 F53 460 water pump change
Just for the sake of providing another opinion, I changed the pump on my '97 F-53 through the doghouse. Wasn't easy and it didn't improve my view of the design engineers...but it can be done. You will have to use your puzzle solving skills to get several of the tasks done, particularly the lower radiator hose(s) reinstallation. That bugger is a two section run of short, bent hoses that don't just jump into place or clamp themselves down. I spent lots of time laying on top of the engine while working with one hand on the wrench and the other hand on the inspection mirror.
If you elect to try this method, I would highly recommend one of those LED lights that strap to your forehead and a helper to chase the frequently dropped tools....!
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Jumbo One
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05/23/12 12:03am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Sheets for king size bed
Bed, Bath and Beyond carries the suspender-like retractors that pull the excess fabric to the underside of the mattress and keep tension on it, thereby leaving you with a smooth surface that stays wrinkle free. Each set has two stretchers, so you might want to get two sets and run a set in each direction. Ours work quite well but are a bit of a chore to get them installed properly. After installation, your bottom sheet will stay put even if it is considerably larger than your mattress. We use king sheets on our 66x80 with good results.
Walmart carries the same type device device in their bedding department...
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Jumbo One
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05/12/12 11:01pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Location of converter on 96 Allegro
Not sure about the internal fuses. My converter is literally in the same box (in the lower portion) along with the all the AC stuff. You might have a different configuration, but many of the ones I've seen are in the same outer box.
Your test indicates that there is no DC converter function, for whatever reason. The 12.4v reading is likely your battery bank voltage. Just to rule out other stray problems, you might consider looking at the house battery voltage while the engine is running. that should show you alternator voltage of at least 13.0v or greater.
Once you locate the converter, it will be pretty easy to check for a main fuse or burned out components. Please keep us posted...
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Jumbo One
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05/10/12 10:08pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Location of converter on 96 Allegro
If your rig is similar to mine, the converter is located in the bottom portion of the the main circuit breaker & fuse box. That box is usually in a geographic location near your shore power connection.
Since the converter only puts out about 13.6V, it amounts to an on board trickle charger, at best. The main function of the converter is to provide a substitute source of DC other than the battery bank. For charging, the converter takes forever. The alternator is the usual source of recharging power for the house batteries, assuming you drive your rig long enough to allow sufficient charging time (an hour or two should work).
If you're handy with a volt meter, I would suggest testing the DC system voltage with and without the converter operating. You should read 13.6v with the converter and about 12.7v (or less) with just batteries. It might be that your converter is operating exactly as designed...(?)
There are quite a few brands/models of 3 stage chargers that can be added in place of a converter if yours turns out to be bad. They do a much better job of charging the batteries....
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Jumbo One
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05/10/12 12:22am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Where is the Electrical Control Center Located?
Well, at least it wasn't even CLOSE to where I told you to look...
I hope you didn't spend too much time looking in the wrong place. Maybe yours has a coach ECC and a chassis ECC (?)
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Jumbo One
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05/02/12 11:58pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: It's always something...now it's the generator
If your F-53 is like mine, there are only two straps across the tank. Only one end of each needs the nuts to be removed, and the other side just loosened a couple of inches. There is a bolt at each end of the tank which will have to be removed. The real issue is the filler and vent hoses which fasten with steel band clamps. It can be somewhat of a chore to get to the end of these and have the necessary tool clearance to get them loosened.
I believe the fuel line connections are at the center of the tank, so dropping at least one end of the tank would make the job much easier.
You'll also need the little ring tool to remove the fuel line connectors.
Grab a can of PB Blaster to loosen the rust and go for it. It's not as bad as it seems...
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Jumbo One
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05/02/12 11:53pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Blocking sun glare through cab windows
x2 on the baseball cap...
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Jumbo One
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04/28/12 09:27pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Water leak behind outside shower panel
An inspection mirror and flashlight might give you a better idea of exactly where it's leaking and what you need to remove to gain access. Water leaks can travel all over the place before the drip becomes visible...
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Jumbo One
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04/27/12 09:59pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Where is the Electrical Control Center Located?
On my '97 F-53 chassis, the ECC is on the front side of the firewall, to the driver's side. Look for a plastic box with a snap off cover.
Since yours is an E-350, they might have hidden the box elsewhere, but it should be located fairly close to most of the chassis electrical circuits (look for the wire bundles)....
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Jumbo One
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04/22/12 11:12pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Update...Never too experienced to not be stupid
There might have been a few more clues that the battery was hooked up backwards. Did all the lights only cast shadows? Did the waterpump suck?
(getting a late start on April Fool's Day)
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Jumbo One
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04/09/12 12:02am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: removing gas
In my '97 F-53, I siphoned about 60 gallons without a problem. You need to use rubber fuel line that has some stiffness in the hose wall but limber enough to go around a couple of corners. I fed in the hose until it seemed to be blocked, and then twisted it about two turns and it slipped right by the obstacle.
Think about what you'll use as a pump so you can get all the fittings or connections to match. I wouldn't recommend the "oral" method to start the siphon unless you enjoy the taste of gas...
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Jumbo One
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03/24/12 11:05pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: U- shape dinnette pro-cons
We have had a couple of RVs with u-shaped dinettes, and we're glad they are in our past. We found that, because of their small legwell area, they create a jam under the table at the corners. With small children it's not too bad, but as they grow it becomes a problem finding space for all those legs and feet. We also grew tired of knocking our knees on the support post. The last issue is having everyone stand up to let one person in/out. With my crew, as soon as everyone got seated and comfy, sure enough the one seated furthest from the aisle had to get back out.
I would recommend a table and separate chairs...or distributed seating with TV trays.
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Jumbo One
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03/08/12 12:26am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Test F450 gas pump
Nope, 8" isn't enough clearance to swap pumps. The pump and fuel quantity stuff is as tall as the tank and it needs a little bit of extra room to get the fuel float down through the access hole. I would suggest at least twice the depth of the tank. You'll also need to do a bit of wiring/splicing in the area on top of the tank, and that needs a bit of maneuvering room, too. Most of us drain and then lower the tank to do the job (not as hard as you might imagine). Others have worked out ways to cut an access hatch in the cabin floor in order to do the job from inside the coach...but...that presumes that you can get from an open spot on the floor down to the tank without having to go through a holding tank. Still other folks have left the bad pump in place and added an electric pump in the fuel line between the tank and the engine. This method can have a few more glitches and problems getting the install done right, but is probably the least amount of work. There's lots of background information on the Class A forum if you look under "F-53 fuel pump"...
Good luck! Been there, done that...
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Jumbo One
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01/30/12 12:50am |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: High altitiude engine adjustment(s) for better performance?
Don't forget the fuel filter(s) if they haven't been changed for a while...
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Jumbo One
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01/21/12 12:14am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: RUNNING COOL
Have you checked to coolant overflow reservoir? On many installations, the reservoir is mounted way out of sight (and access) around the left front corner of the chassis hidden behind some electrical panels. If you only fill the radiator to the top of the radiator cap, there's more cooling system that doesn't have coolant in it. On mine, it's the lack of cabin heat that is the most obvious sign of low coolant level. The engine seems to run about 1/4 scale low on the temp guage, too. Just an inexpensive thing to check before the tools come out...
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Jumbo One
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01/08/12 12:20am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Need advice on used coach
Teleman...Hang on a minute. There's nothing wrong with the 16" F53 platform. Ford engineered all the gear ratios to match up with that size tire and it works just fine, particularly in terms of ride quality. There have been some improvements to the front end suspension that happened with the introduction of the V-10, but there were also engine issues with the first generation V-10 that are a lot worse than ride quality. You would do a lot better by focusing on how the rig weight is distributed between the axles, tire pressures, shocks, sway bar bushings, etc, etc. Ride quality is a very subjective thing. One person can drive a rig and think it's fine, and the next driver will say it's terrible. Get yours weighed and set up properly before you drain your bank account chasing rumors and opinions about your chassis. In the end, it will still have handling issues that you don't like, but not very many of them. After all, down underneath the pretty stuff, it's still a truck.
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Jumbo One
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01/07/12 11:40pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: HELP! overheating - frozen? alongside road
Like EXECUTIVE said several posts back...we need more specific information about your rig in order to change all this wild speculation into some focused advice. Right now, all we can tell you is to change everything in the engine compartment.
For a start, what engine? (gas, Ford, Chevy, diesel, Cummins, Cat)
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Jumbo One
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12/27/11 01:13am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Fun things for kids to do on the long stretches of road?
In those earlier years, we used to put our son to work handling the navigation chores while enroute. He would track road signs and landmarks to establish our position, work out distance and time estimates to upcoming landmarks, and even work out the fuel consumption. At first, the arithmetic was a challenge and his geographic orientation was somewhat limited. As he got older, I worked in some of the political history of the states we went through and he became a great reader/interpreter of maps and such. He also learned a lot about related earth sciences such as weather. I would always try to reach a balance between his attention span and the tasks he would take on. After all, getting there is at least half of the fun....
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Jumbo One
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12/05/11 11:14pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: How to Remove Onan Emerald III Genset to replace starter
The starter only has two mounting bolts and one wire. On my '97, they were fairly easy (for a small person) to remove and replace with the genny in place. Onan/Cummins wanted over $600 to swap it out, assuming they didn't run into any problems. I bought an aftermarket unit and put it in myself...$65 including shipping.
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Jumbo One
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11/29/11 11:44pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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