'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo
I'm the recent owner of a Dodge Sportsman 24 footer with a double barrel 360, seems like the engine could use some love (from what I gather thats about the only constant with these old beasts) so I'm likely going to start looking into upgrades and preventative maintaince and the like. It feels like the engine has some intermittent knocking at times and also she has some smoke especially under load, any ideas about the cause/ a solution to make her run cleaner?
also here is my vin 34cf5v033xxx what can you tell me about the chassis from it? thanks alot i'm glad to know this forum is here!
I plan on photo documenting my restoration process and posting it to a blog, I'll post the link up here when I do in case you want a look. shes already got 500 watts of solar power and a quad deep cycle bank to power the house so when I'm done i'm hoping for something of a boondockers dream
thanks
vax
1975 Dodge Sportsman 360 double barrel v8 500 watts of solar, 2k onan gennie the never ending project ; ]
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vaxination wrote:
Hey guys, I've been lurking awhile and thought I would add my 2 cents and ask a question.
I'm the recent owner of a Dodge Sportsman 24 footer with a double barrel 360, seems like the engine could use some love (from what I gather thats about the only constant with these old beasts) so I'm likely going to start looking into upgrades and preventative maintaince and the like. It feels like the engine has some intermittent knocking at times and also she has some smoke especially under load, any ideas about the cause/ a solution to make her run cleaner?
also here is my vin 34cf5v033xxx what can you tell me about the chassis from it? thanks alot i'm glad to know this forum is here!
I plan on photo documenting my restoration process and posting it to a blog, I'll post the link up here when I do in case you want a look. shes already got 500 watts of solar power and a quad deep cycle bank to power the house so when I'm done i'm hoping for something of a boondockers dream
thanks
vax
Hey guys, I've been lurking awhile and thought I would add my 2 cents and ask a question.
I'm the recent owner of a Dodge Sportsman 24 footer with a double barrel 360, seems like the engine could use some love (from what I gather thats about the only constant with these old beasts) so I'm likely going to start looking into upgrades and preventative maintaince and the like. It feels like the engine has some intermittent knocking at times and also she has some smoke especially under load, any ideas about the cause/ a solution to make her run cleaner?
also here is my vin 34cf5v033xxx what can you tell me about the chassis from it? thanks alot i'm glad to know this forum is here!
I plan on photo documenting my restoration process and posting it to a blog, I'll post the link up here when I do in case you want a look. shes already got 500 watts of solar power and a quad deep cycle bank to power the house so when I'm done i'm hoping for something of a boondockers dream
thanks
vax
Knocking: check your timing and vacuum advance on the distributor. Some people advance the timing a bit to get better gas mileage ... but, advance it to far and the engine develops an intermittent knock.
Smoke: replace the valve stem seals. The LA small block is notorious for the seals wearing out, which allows the cylinders to pul oil in past the valve stems.
Do not do a valve job unless you also plan to re-ring the engine ... in most cases all that's needed are new stem seals, which is easier and less expensive.
NB: the reduced leakage of a valve job, without new rings, causes more blow-by past the rings into the crankcase.
1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A
Peace is our Profession
War is just a hobby.
Minot MiMS 1970-72
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/cool.gif "cool")
Regarding your LOT in Life: Build something on it ... or park your Dodge on it.">
Bill & Laurie
1976 Dodge Sportsman Midas Mini 226
new v'er wrote:
To err is human to forgive is not SAC policy.
Peace is our Profession
War is just a hobby.
Minot MiMS 1970-72
To err is human to forgive is not SAC policy.
Peace is our Profession
War is just a hobby.
Minot MiMS 1970-72
'Nother one of us in here... And Missiles too.
![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
Ken
Malmstrom 75-79, VBerg 79-88 & 89-95... Got "stuck" with GLCM in '88 Belgium (shutting it down (INF treaty)).
1978 21ft Tioga Dodge 440 Motor,
4.5kw Generac and 80 watts Solar
1984 Goldwing Interstate (Daily driver)
Misc Things I've done to my RV pictures
USAF Retired
To Err is human... To Forgive is not SAC Policy.
Does it smoke on acceleration, or when 'backing off', or both?
First thing I'd do, were it mine is run a compression test, Then do a 'leak down' compression test. That'll give you a better idea of what you've got left.
Hopefully Griff is 'right on', the odds are that he is. You are going to have to pull the plugs to change the valve seals anyway. So you might as well give it a compression test to rule out rings and pistons.
While you're at it before you take it apart. Put a timing light on it and check your timing/timing chain. It the light 'bounces' around, you're needing a new timing set.
Hopefully the 'bottom end' is good and all you need is valve seals and maybe a double roller timing set. You didn't say how many miles it has on it? Or I should say are showing on it.
I presume you've already dropped the tranny pan and cleaned up, or changed the screen?
When you changed the engine oil how did it look? and how many miles were on the oil? What weight oil?
Do make sure you change all the fluids. Engine, tranny, rear differential, brake fluid, Power steering fluid, (engine coolant after making sure the timing set is good). Unless of course you have dated receipts for any or all of the above. Fluids are cheap. Hard parts, Not so much.
Hoppe
2011 Dodge 1500 C'boy Caddy
2000 Jayco C 28' Ford chassis w V-10 E450
Doghouse 36' or so Trophy Classic TT
rehoppe wrote:
VAX;
Does it smoke on acceleration, or when 'backing off', or both?
First thing I'd do, were it mine is run a compression test, Then do a 'leak down' compression test. That'll give you a better idea of what you've got left.
Hopefully Griff is 'right on', the odds are that he is. You are going to have to pull the plugs to change the valve seals anyway. So you might as well give it a compression test to rule out rings and pistons.
While you're at it before you take it apart. Put a timing light on it and check your timing/timing chain. It the light 'bounces' around, you're needing a new timing set.
Hopefully the 'bottom end' is good and all you need is valve seals and maybe a double roller timing set. You didn't say how many miles it has on it? Or I should say are showing on it.
I presume you've already dropped the tranny pan and cleaned up, or changed the screen?
When you changed the engine oil how did it look? and how many miles were on the oil? What weight oil?
Do make sure you change all the fluids. Engine, tranny, rear differential, brake fluid, Power steering fluid, (engine coolant after making sure the timing set is good). Unless of course you have dated receipts for any or all of the above. Fluids are cheap. Hard parts, Not so much.
VAX;
Does it smoke on acceleration, or when 'backing off', or both?
First thing I'd do, were it mine is run a compression test, Then do a 'leak down' compression test. That'll give you a better idea of what you've got left.
Hopefully Griff is 'right on', the odds are that he is. You are going to have to pull the plugs to change the valve seals anyway. So you might as well give it a compression test to rule out rings and pistons.
While you're at it before you take it apart. Put a timing light on it and check your timing/timing chain. It the light 'bounces' around, you're needing a new timing set.
Hopefully the 'bottom end' is good and all you need is valve seals and maybe a double roller timing set. You didn't say how many miles it has on it? Or I should say are showing on it.
I presume you've already dropped the tranny pan and cleaned up, or changed the screen?
When you changed the engine oil how did it look? and how many miles were on the oil? What weight oil?
Do make sure you change all the fluids. Engine, tranny, rear differential, brake fluid, Power steering fluid, (engine coolant after making sure the timing set is good). Unless of course you have dated receipts for any or all of the above. Fluids are cheap. Hard parts, Not so much.
yea a full fluid refresh was kind of what I was thinking too for initial servicing, I just got her earlier this week so repairs are going to be kind of a piece meal process as I get breaks in my work schedule (new hobby I guess) thanks for the pointers guys this is helping me to get some priorities for my repair/rennovation schedule. shes got 99k miles this time around, supposedly got a new engine 15k ago, hard to say but I'd doubt that, it looks pretty damn grimey for that recent of a drop, however at less than ten miles per gallon those miles dont come as easy i suppose. I'm still waiting on the previous owner to find a misplaced packet with all her service records, hopefully that will shed some light on the history. I'll have to see if a friend of mine has the needed kit for a compression test, I unfortunately I dont have access to a full shop of gear (thought about enrolling in an engine class just so i could use the facilities hah would still probably be cheaper than letting a mechanic hose me for every turn of the wrench shes going to need!)
I'll post again once I get all the fluids changed out and we'll see if that doesnt change anything. thanks for the pointers guys, I have a feeling this forum is going to be something of a life raft of good advice.
AT 100K I would not be surprised if it had a rebuild 15k ago. That's the best news you've posted yet.
The Tranny is probably a rebuild as well. So Take Care of them. Just do your basic tune up. Run a tank or two of gas thru it. and see if the smoking stops. Might have all sorts of 'junk' in the tank, so carry and extra fuel filter with you, and the screwdriver, pliers, etc to change it with.
At 15k it shouldn't need valve seals yet.... UNLESS they are OLD. That motor rebuild could have been a while ago? But run it a bit and see how much oil it uses first.
Stay on the seller for those receipts. They will tell you a Lot.
Change the fluids like you said.
Look at the brakes as you change the brake fluid.
Check the belts and hoses,too.
Oh yes, and check the ujoints. Shift from Drive to Reverse with your foot on the brake at a High Idle, if they bang and clank, replace them.
Buy a shop manual, Chilton's, Haynes, whatever. READ IT! That's your class.
The gauges and tools needed to diagnose and fix that old beast are not that expensive. It doesn't have a computer, and doesn't need one to set it up either. Common sense goes a very long way on that era of mechanics. As the old saying goes; It ain't rocket science.
1. Ballast resister. 1ea. Mounts on firewall. Don't leave home w/o a spare.
2. Belts 2ea.If i recall there are only two. If the old ones look bad, put on the new ones, carry the old ones. You'll never need them that way.
3.Rotor cap, and stator kit.
That's all I remember now. It's been a while.
Oh yes, special equipment needed.
1. Timing light.
2. vacuum gauge (optional nice to have)
3. Digital MultiMeter.
4. compression gauge, w/adapters
5. Torque wrench 1 large 1 small
6. normal hand tools. end wrenches, sockets, allen wrenches, feeler gauge, etc
* This post was edited 03/27/12 06:49pm by rehoppe *