Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

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Topic: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

Posted By: Leeann on 06/02/08 12:42pm

79powerwagon wrote:

Goatmaiden, don't jump to conclusions just yet.

First things first!

Can the (bone-headed) mechanic actually turn the engine with a wrench? (Bone headed because this should have been the second thing he tried after realizing that no power was getting to the starter)

We're all self-proclaimed Mopar gods-of-sorts, we'll be able to help you through this!

...I hope!

Oops - sorry, Goatmaiden - missed that one [emoticon]

Yep, have him check that the engine turns over - by hand. It might just be a power issue - battery, starter, ground, coil....something electrical.

'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo

Posted By: hearseangel on 06/02/08 01:30pm

Leeann,

Thank you very much for the lead. I have not found any additional info as far as tags or anything, but right now I'm about 250 miles away from the rv, so unfortunately I can't run out and look again. But I will in 2 short weeks!

The main difference I've noticed is that mine has a perfectly flat nose, while the pictures of Champions I've seen have a slant to the windshield. But it might have been a different line or something. I'll keep looking.

Posted By: Goatmaiden on 06/02/08 01:33pm

79powerwagon wrote:

I know! I am trying to get myself into the "worst case scenario" frame of mind just so I am ready for whatever comes down the way. The mechanic I met this a.m. pretty much admitted he didn't know much about something this old. The guy I just got off the phone with sounded more together. And actually, I was tempted to sneak back in after hours and try the wrench thing, but thought they might sic the dogs on me (and I don't even know if I'd be strong enough!)

Leeanne, I hope it does end up just being something electrical (so does my pocketbook, because y'know I can't shoot the old dog yet!)

Posted By: Goatmaiden on 06/02/08 09:48pm

Worse case scenario peeps.

Engine seized.

So far I have found a 440 on Craigslist from an Apollo MH for $400. And a guy who said it's about 40 hrs. of work, so he thinks like $1500 for labor.

Or I get a new longblock installed at the Dodge dealership for $6500.

I'm gonna go hide under my bed now.

Posted By: 79powerwagon on 06/03/08 06:14am

Before you crawl too far under your bed, find out WHY the engine seized. Is it hydro-locked? Did the timing chain break and is jambed up in the housing? Did your push rods pop off and cause a jam? Did your oil pump shaft break? Did your cam break?

I've never seen an engine that couldn't be un-seized! [emoticon]

And, no way does it take 40 hours (one full-time week????) to change out an engine! I did it by myself (stupidly with no help at all) in one afternoon, maybe 8 hours max.

Time to find a local hero to assist you, or to scrap that rig and find another...

She ain't purdy, but at least she's slow!

Posted By: Trish Davis on 06/03/08 08:00am

Go here:
http://portland.craigslist.org/search/rvs?query=Dodge&minAsk=min&maxAsk

Find a donor for a lot less than what a "new" engine would cost.
Keep the best of both C's and junk the rest.

okay... that didn't work.
Go to Portland craiglist under "RV's" and type in "Dodge."

And see the $9000. Travco....
I love my Travco, but 9grand!?

Oh hey, I got laminate flooring --free from PGH Craigslist.
It's not as nice as Leeann's floor, but there's lots of it and the price was right.

Posted By: Leeann on 06/03/08 08:15am

79powerwagon wrote:

Exactly! 40 hours to swap an engine??? No stinkin' way - especially in a shop with all the goodies (tools). Seriously.

Find out the reason for the seize, then figure out if it's cheaper to fix than to swap. If it's cheaper to swap, buy the engine and do the swap yourself with friends. You can rent an engine hoist/crane from the local tool rental place.

Posted By: eyeteeth on 06/03/08 08:30am

I had a 94 Vortec Engine pulled from my truck... sent off to be rebuilt, and put back into the truck in a week.

It might be a little more difficult to pull a motor from a van... but not THAT much harder.

BTW... be careful where you do it... you don't the neighbors getting mad about an "inopperable RV" being parked on your property. (Not sure if that a sarcasm joke... or frustration yet) Haven't back from the city guy yet.

Posted By: Leeann on 06/03/08 08:33am

Sorta off topic: Hey, eyeteeth - how long did it take you to pull that '94 Vortec?

I have to pull a '93 vortec from a Bravada, a '93 vortec from an Astro, then put the Bravada's vortec into the Astro. It'll be two of us, though (which hopefully will help rather than hurt [emoticon]

)

Posted By: 79powerwagon on 06/03/08 08:46am

Motor drops out from below on the vans. You can pull it out the front if needed (that's what I'd do since I don't want that heavy tank balancing precariously on really high jack stands with me under it). You can also remove your seats and pull it through the dog house opening. Don't forget to support the tranny so it's not dangling by the only mount...

I still think you don't have a serious problem. It started ticking, then stalled, and now it's supposedly froze. I'd have thought it'd have made a LOT more noise before giving up the ghost than you described.

Heck, a friend of mine had an old Scamp with a /6 in it, blew a hole through the side of the block, down through the pan, and part of the valve cover disappeared. Now THAT was a BANG! [emoticon]

Best part? He still drove for the rest of the summer! He simply poured free drain oil over the top of the open engine, and drove it until it over-heated, let it cool down enough to start up again, and continue on!

Not the best thing for the environment, but that darned car kept working, even broken that badly!

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