Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Class A Motorhomes: Breakdown Information

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Topic: Breakdown Information

Posted By: KA9LCP on 05/11/04 08:28pm

I hate the fact that I need to contribute to this topic but...

I have a '93 Imperial with a Ford 460. I have had similar problems to what Lil Truckr described. I think that I found the problem, (at least part of it) on mine is the knife switch on the negative side of the battery.
I was driving down the road and lost power, the horn honked and then the engine died. I suspected the switch, jumped out and moved it, never opened it though. As soon as I touched the switch, I had power again.

Im not sure if this is normal,I have only owned my RV since October, but with mine, when the switch is closed, the horn honks. That was my indicator that I had lost battery power.

Mike & Theresa
'93 Holiday Rambler Imperial 35

Posted By: ET1(ss) on 05/14/04 10:04pm

RV particulars:
Driveline: 454 V-8
Miles: 173,000
Year: 1989
Break Down Description: Snapped left steering linkage
Symptoms: Left front wheel wildly flopping left and right, will not track with right front wheel.
Effect: Bucking like a bronc, inability to steer, wildly veering any direction it wants to.
Cause: Indiana Potholes
Outcome: 2 day wait while replacement parts arrive from St. Louis.

2 weeks ago, I-44 soutbound, Troy Indiana, happened on a truckstop off-ramp.

ET1(SS) Galen Young, USN Submarine Service - retired
1989 Fleetwood Southwind 30'6", 454 V8
full-timing in Maine
Ya gotta love MH's with a jaquzzi

Posted By: Barnyard on 05/18/04 06:23pm

RV Fleetwood Discovery
330 Cat, Allison 6Speed
Miles:4,000
Year:2003
Break Down Description: Loss of electrical power.
Effect:Loss of transmission shifting and all gauges
Outcome: Repaired by Freightliner Lancaster, Pa

Was on my first long distance trip with my 1st RV from NJ to Reno Air Races, left NJ at 0 dark 30 and got to Harrisburg, Pa and noticed my alt gauge well below normal, and then immediately got the alt light on the dash, pulled off at next exit got to the toll booth and the trans wouldn't shiftdown out of 6th. Rolled out from the booth in 6th, and added pedal very, very slowly until I could find a place to park. Stopped there and called freightliner Harrisburg, they said it would take a couple of days till they could get to it, they reccomnded I call Freightliner Lancaster, Pa (40 miles away). Lancaster said they could deal with it on second shift after 5pm. It was 2 pm now. I started the Gennie and thought to try to put a charge on the batteries, so I would have shifting, and low and behold, I found out an RV secret (at least to me) that the engine would run fine with the Gennie on as well as shift. Drove the 40 miles with my Gennie on and got there about 3pm. The Freightliner folks finally got to my Rig about 7:30pm and replaced a bad alternator and were done by 11pm. They let me park for the night in their lot and took off at 6am.

It has beeen working fine ever since.

Alas, I have no signature, Sigh">
2003 Discovery 38U
2004 Z-71 Suburban
Aventa II, and Blue Ox Base Plates
Brake Buddy

Posted By: Barnyard on 05/18/04 06:37pm

RV Fleetwood Discovery
330 Cat, Allison 6Speed
Miles:6,000
Year:2003
Break Down Description: Loss of Port side Rear inner tire.
Effect:Need to replace tire.
Outcome: Repaired by TA Truckstop Albuquerque, NM

Being a new RV'er, I failed to check my tire pressures as I should have, the Port side outer must have been low pressure, causing the innner to wear prematurely, after the tire wore down to the belt, the outer then started to handle the gaff wearing down to half tread as well.

Spent the night in WalMart (Saturday) and went to TA in the AM. I had TA remove the fronts and use them to replace the rears and bought two new fronts.

You live and learn, I now check my tires like a fiend every chance I get. Every morning, every fuel stop and every other chance I get.

I am even thinking of getting a tire pressure monitoring system.

Posted By: Barnyard on 05/18/04 06:54pm

RV Fleetwood Discovery
330 Cat, Allison 6Speed
Miles:10,000
Year:2003
Break Down Description: Loss of all instruments
Effect:No idea whats going on with engine, speed, fuel.
Outcome: Repaired??? by Freightliner, Lakewood, NJ

I was on a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina via Lurray Caverns Va, stopped for fuel on 95 just over the border into NC, after fueling, started the engine and pulled out and then realized my fuel gauge was at E, the saw that all my gauges were pegged at zero. I knew I had a full tank of fuel, and I use a Garmin GPS which gave me a speed, so I continued on my trip and when I was going north of DC on 95, the instruments came on again, only to die again a few hundred miles later.

Brought it to Freightliner and they said that the wire plugs worked loose from the EDC, they tighten them (supposedly) and the dash was back.

Put the rig up for the winter and took it out for a trip to Fla in April, got all set (CHECKED THE TIRES) drove about 50 miles and say goodbye to the dash again. So off I go, no dash.. I got to my brothers in Florida and played with the suspect connections and viola, we have dash again. On the way home, I stop at Lazy Days, stay for a day looking (drooling) over other RV's,no problems (off course). Head home and get to just north of DC( I think this area is part of the Bermuda Triangle), and it's toodle-loo to the dash again. Back to Freightliner and once more they clean the contacts and use dielectric grease on the connectors. I picked it up today, and we shall see what we shall see. If it craps out again, I will make an appt with Freightliner, Gaffney, SC to be looked at.

Posted By: The Sand Man on 05/19/04 10:10am

Quote:

There is no I-44 in Indiana...

Pat and Cassie Hayes
2004 Ultrasport with Subaru Toad!
Sarah, Cami, Hailey and Sam

Posted By: TippleUnduly on 05/19/04 12:29pm

RV particulars:
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Workhorse 8.1 liter, GM 4 speed
Miles: 23000
Year: 2001
Break Down Description: (You can add any description of the problem here that you think would help others in understanding the situation and problem.)
Symptoms: No ignition
Effect: No spark, no start. Checked battery connections and it started right up.
Cause: Defective ignition switch
Outcome: Replaced switch

Bill K

Posted By: TippleUnduly on 05/19/04 12:33pm

RV particulars:
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Workhorse 8.1 liter w/Gm 4 speed
Miles: 21000
Year: 2001
Break Down Description: (You can add any description of the problem here that you think would help others in understanding the situation and problem.)
Symptoms: Vibration, shuddering, noises
Effect: Able to drive by continually adding ATF until reaching service center
Cause: Leaking ATF at emergency brake system
Outcome: Placed on lift, tightened connections, OK since

Posted By: [email protected] on 05/20/04 11:50am

We own a 2001 Southwind, 32 foot, motorhome. On 12/26/03 on our way to Florida we broke down just south of Atlanta Georgia. It was our transmission - we only had 20,000 mile on the machine. Ever try to get help the day after Christmas ?? After several phone calls, we finally contacted a dealer further south that said we would have to be towed back to Atlanta, we have a work horse chasis. Arrangements were made and 3 hours later we were at a truck reapir in the commercial district of Atlanta. The problem, they were closing early because of the holiday and no one would look at it till Monday. Ever have to spend the weeekend in a parking lot with a garbage dump behing the building and nothing around. Monday they determined that we neede a new transmission thaty would have to come from Carolina. New year's Eve it was finally fixed and our vacation was almost over. We had to pay for everything or they would not do anything. It took till March before we received reimbursement from work horse - Fleetwood would do nothing. They did pay for everything, but no one can give us back the time lost. We still work and treasure the time we have off.

Posted By: ConnieAndMike on 05/20/04 06:51pm

RV particulars [emoticon]

RC Crown Imperial
Driveline (460, C6):
Year:91

March 00
Miles:100000
Symptoms:No Power under load, let foot off gas and it would pickup
Speed.
Effect:30 mph
Cause:Fuel Pump
Outcome [emoticon]

eplaced Pump at Ford Truck Dealer in Phoenix. $800

March 00 Thats right, 1 week later
Miles:101000
Symptoms:No Power under load, let foot off gas and it would pickup
Speed.
Effect:30 mph
Cause:Fuel Pump
Outcome [emoticon]

eplaced Pump at Ford Truck Dealer in Temecula. Warrantee

April 02 2 years later
Miles:106000
Symptoms:No Power under load, let foot off gas and it would pickup
Speed.
Effect:30 mph
Cause:Filter on Fuel Pump
Outcome [emoticon]

ad independent repair drop tank enough to remove pump.
Filter on pump had brown tinge. Unable to shine flashlight through mesh. Unable to buy just the filter from Ford. I cleaned it with gas and blew it with air untill it was clean. Reinstalled pump and tank. Cost $100
Run great ever since.

MIke

91 Holiday Rambler Imperial 37
F460 G-hog
Toad: 2up Toyota
Northern Illinois
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