Jer&Ger wrote:
Hi Griff, Yes I found it and I hope I don't have to replace it. My big hands will never get at it. The wire is on it too by the way. I'll read your post on figuring out what's wrong now. I had to replace the front brake pads and have found out that my master cylinder is letting fluid bypass, so I'll have to replace it too. That's what I've been working on for the last few days. I'm hoping to be able to use it this weekend, so I'm crossing my fingers.
Hi Griff, Yes I found it and I hope I don't have to replace it. My big hands will never get at it. The wire is on it too by the way. I'll read your post on figuring out what's wrong now. I had to replace the front brake pads and have found out that my master cylinder is letting fluid bypass, so I'll have to replace it too. That's what I've been working on for the last few days. I'm hoping to be able to use it this weekend, so I'm crossing my fingers.
I'll get back to the gauge stuff before this weekend.
Ran out of materials, money, and tasks on the house at the same time. However, tomorrow is payday so going to town for more materials.
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
eyeteeth wrote:
Replaced the thermostat to try and cure a problem running hot. Was fortunate enough to figure out I needed a special Skirted Thermostat. It helped... but only up to about 50 mph. As soon as we got on a freeway, it shot up again. Temp reading at the radiator are around 230. Thinking now we have an airflow problem. Engine was rebuilt a few years back, the radiator was re cored shortly after. There is a transmission cooler and the A/C Cooler in front of the engine radiator... Unfortunately, I need to rebuild the cab over.. not sure I want to tackle that. don't have a place I can really do it... don't have the money to pay someone else... that is my biggest quandary...
Replaced the thermostat to try and cure a problem running hot. Was fortunate enough to figure out I needed a special Skirted Thermostat. It helped... but only up to about 50 mph. As soon as we got on a freeway, it shot up again. Temp reading at the radiator are around 230. Thinking now we have an airflow problem. Engine was rebuilt a few years back, the radiator was re cored shortly after. There is a transmission cooler and the A/C Cooler in front of the engine radiator... Unfortunately, I need to rebuild the cab over.. not sure I want to tackle that. don't have a place I can really do it... don't have the money to pay someone else... that is my biggest quandary...
Three things on the radiator:
1. Does it have a fan shroud? A lot of times, the OEM shroud gets broken or otherwise doesn't get replaced. The shroud is necessary to getting good airflow through the radiator.
2. The coolers in front of the radiator aren't helping. If you can get rid of them, or at least move them out of the way, do so.
3. The person who re-cored the radiator may have used the wrong core or may have installed it incorrectly. (Did the overheat problem show up as soon as the radiator was installed or later?) Otherwise, something may be blocking some of the radiator tubes. Use an infrared thermometer to spot check various areas on the radiator's surface to make sure coolant is flowing through all the radiator. (I'm not sure but I'd guess there shouldn't be more than 10 or 20 degrees difference between areas.)
As for the cabover, I don't have a garage so I do most of my work outdoors in the summer. Being in interior Alaska, that means 3-5 months maximum, with large tarps when it rains (about half the time). I tend to build small components in the winter in my 12'x12' shop or house and assemble them outdoors during the summer. (I'm working on getting more space but will still need to work outdoors sometimes.) I also have to plan for cooler temperatures (below freezing) because some materials don't cure as well.
Jerry & Gerry, our pets (dogs), Byron, Coco
1976 Monaco, 440 ci. Dodge Sportsman chassis
Jer&Ger wrote:
Eyeteeth, on my first RV ('77 Dodge w/360), the previous owner had work done (or did himself) on his radiator and they put on a flex fan AND it was smaller in diameter than needed for the engine. That took me a while to figure out why mine was overheating. I even put in a brand new 4 row radiator that didn't fix the problem. Good luck on your journey. Jerry
Eyeteeth, on my first RV ('77 Dodge w/360), the previous owner had work done (or did himself) on his radiator and they put on a flex fan AND it was smaller in diameter than needed for the engine. That took me a while to figure out why mine was overheating. I even put in a brand new 4 row radiator that didn't fix the problem. Good luck on your journey. Jerry
A good example of how a change can cause more problems that it cures.
OEM radiators, shrouds, fans, and fan clutches are designed to work together to provide the cooling the engine needs. Varying from OEM is likely to cause problems unless your really, really know what you're doing. That's why I'm wary of aftermarket products intended to replace the OEM belt-driven fan. (You really need an expert's input if you're replacing your belt-driven fan with an electric fan system.)
One of the good things about living in Alaska is you can get away with a less than optimal engine cooling system.
If you find you need to replace the instrument voltage limiter, be careful to get a good one. Most (all?) of the limiters in our older motorhomes are electronic and are designed quit passing current when they fail. Some of the cheaper electronic regulators currently on the market go the other way when they fail, passing 12VDC instead of 5VDC to the gauges. The higher voltage tends to fry the gauges.
I have several spare instrument clusters so I might have what you need, once you figure out your problem. If so, PM me with the year and pictures and I'll look for a replacement.
Most of our older motorhomes, as well as most vehicles newer than the mid-60s, have printed circuit boards on the backside of the instrument clusters for "wiring" the cluster.
Broken copper traces is sometime the problem with instrument clusters. Close, careful inspection, with a continuity tester is just about the only way to find these. These can be fixed several ways, depending upon the size of the break. Small breaks can be rejoined with solder. Larger breaks can be rejoined by drilling small holes on each side of the break and soldering in a short wire jumper.
Another problem I've run across is people mistakenly adding a ground wire to the printed circuit board or gauges, apparently not realizing the sensor provides the ground side of the circuit. So, look for non-OEM modifications or additions. (Typically, these changes are evident unless the person did like I do and tried for a professional looking change.)
If one of the three gauges (fuel/oil/temp) is working, your problem is probably elsewhere.
If the fuel gauge is working but the other two aren't, you probably have an engine ground problem, which is the most common problem for oil pressure and coolant temperature gauges. (Ground problems can affect only one of these gauges, without affecting the other.)
After disconnected, broken, or dirty/corroded wires between the gauge and sensor, the most common cause of gauge ground problems is the use of thread tape when replacing the sensor.
In an attempt to prevent oil or coolant leaks, many people put thread tape on the sensor's threads. Unfortunately, thread tape tends to insulate the sensor from the engine ground, resulting in an incomplete circuit. (Thread tape is the first thing I look for when chasing gauge problems.)
To test for ground problems, I use alligator clips and a length of smaller gauge wire, connecting one end to the battery's negative terminal and the other to the base of the sensor. Gauges are designed to be slow reacting so it may take a minute or so to see any change.
Be VERY CAREFUL around running engines. Most surfaces become hot enough to burn skin quickly. Likewise, the fan and belts can also inflict nasty, possibly life-threatening, wounds. Loose clothing can get caught in the fan or belts, pulling your limbs or head into them.
18 gauge wire is best for the jumper wire, but 16 gauge wire is fine if that's all you have. (The smaller 18 gauge wire is fine for the lower current in gauge circuits.) If the gauge starts working correctly, you need to figure out what's causing the ground problem.
If the jumper wire get's very hot, burns off it's insulation, and starts glowing, you have a serious engine ground problem. (This is why I use a smaller gauge wire for the jumper.) Check the condition of the negative (ground) cable between the battery and engine. (I've discussed ground connections previously in this thread.)
Note: If the sensor is hard to reach, I attach the alligator clip to a long metal object, such as a long screwdriver, to serve as a probe.
If things don't change when you use a ground jumper, the sensor, gauge, or wire between the two is probably your problem.
Start with bypassing the sensor by removing the wire from the sensor and connecting the wire directly to a known good ground. (e.g., run a jumper from the wire to the battery's negative terminal.) If the gauge's needle moves all the way to the right, you have a suspect sensor.
If the sensor seems fine, test the wire connecting the gauge to the sensor by bypassing it. Connect a jumper between the gauge's sensor connection and the sensor's stud. (You can also ground the gauge's sensor connection, which effectively bypasses both the sensor and connecting wire but won't show if the sensor is working.)
If nothing changes during these tests, the gauge itself is probably bad. If you want, you can test the gauge using two C cell batteries out of a flashlight. Connect the positive side to the batteries to the gauge's power connection and the negative side to the gauge's sensor connection. Two C cell batteries, in series, will provide 3VDC, which should cause the gauge's needle to move towards the center of the scale. (AAA, AA, and D cell batteries will also work for this test ... I said C cell because I have a Radio Shack battery holder for two C cells that makes life easier ... ideal would be one of the old 6 volt lantern batteries.)
By now, you should have found the cause of your problem and figured out how to fix it ... all that's left is some general notes.
Notice that most of the tests are done on the ground (negative) side of the gauge circuit(s). This is because the tests can be done with little or no possibility of causing more damage, as well as because this is where most of the problems exist. As I noted, too high of a voltage (i.e., 12VDC or more) can damage the gauges. Testing on the ground side allows the voltage limiter to control the amount of voltage flowing during the tests.
Most of these tests require, at a minimum, the ignition switch to be in the run position. (In most cases, gauges aren't energized when the switch is in the accessory position.) Tests that depend on the sensor operation require the engine to be running and warmed up.
Normally, I wouldn't point out the need for the circuits to be energized because I tend to think people are smarter than they actually are. However, I wound up testing someone's vehicle myself because all the tests I recommended "didn't find the oil gauge problem." He realized his mistake when I started the engine to rerun the tests. (I also knew his problem, before I started the tests, when I spotted a lot of thread tape around the base of the oil pressure sensor ... which I verified quickly by grounding the sensor's base to the engine block with a broad bladed screwdriver.)
Alligator clips on your jumper wire aren't necessary but make testing easier and safer. (I've actually used spring clothespin to hold the ends of the wire in place.) Alligator clips allow you to perform the test by yourself, without additional help, by holding the wire securely in place while you start the engine and monitor the gauge(s). They also allow you to stand back from the running engine during the testing.
While most of what I've written seems to focus on the oil and temp gauges, the same tests can be used to troubleshoot fuel gauge problems. HOWEVER, only make your connections with the ignition switch in the OFF position to reduce the chances of a spark igniting stray gasoline fumes.
Finally, you probably will want to run these tests in the reverse order of what I've written. The jumper tests towards the ends are easy to do quickly while test involving the instrument cluster are a PITA due to difficulties in removing the instrument cluster. Of course, examining and analyzing the symptoms, such as one or more gauges malfunctioning, can narrow down your search for a cause.
Questions? Anybody?
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search........del=B300%2BVan&vi=5136500&keyword=shocks
Peace. ~RL
Fresh water tank and associated hoses are 40 yr old. Dunno what to do about that. Hoses are easy enough to replace but I'm not sure about the tank itself. Found a place on line with exact size requirements for a couple hun. Jury is out on this but the funds are there.
Just ordered a 15' sewer hose kit from amazon with an extra 45* and 90* fitting that goes on the RV side since the tank outlet is on the passenger side rear and points rearward. I have to add the 8' or so extra sewer hose length since most CG hookups are on the driver side. Maybe I'll hard pipe something over to the divers side rear later down the line.
Picked up a new single bowl bar sink and faucet kit from Lowes. Tomorrow I'll start with the galley remodel. Keeping it simple. Actually going to gain some floor sq ft.
I scheduled a trip to the local CG in mid-october as the maiden voyage. The site has water, sewer and electric.
Last on the list is to remove and clean the upholstery. My guess is that it will disintegrate while washing. One side is vinyl so I'll have to use that until new upholstery is made.
1979 ( really a 1978) Pre-Chrysler bailout LINDY 26' bunkhouse on CB300 chassis 440-3 motor. I think I got that part right. Oh, does anyone know the trans id and the rear axle id - ratios? On with the disclosure...
Duotherm Brisk rooftop a/c - 13.5, Duotherm 20k btu furnace under 4 burner stove, Overhead propane oven and over that is the 5" 4 blade exhaust fan behind a mesh grease filter ( need the pivoting cover)
6 gal water heater - propane only. Dometec 1308 refrig - 12v, 110v and propane. Oman 4k gen with the vertical airflow carb and the dual 90 degree air filter connection to the round stubby air filter near the rear of the compartment.
16.5 rims - oh hell..
brakes good, all mech good.so far - r-12 leaked out of a/c engine system back in the 80's - the system pulls vacuum for 15 minutes, so once the need for an oil charge can be determined, in goes the legal Freon stuff.
53k miles - all factory stickers intact everywhere- all wires soft and hard parts not cracked.
no burn marks on back/bottom of refrig propane chimney.
Oven propane burner shows zero use - no discoloration or shine on flame propagator - on and on. My goal for the younger class c was fading..
We were looking for a just pre-2000 c, and took a chance. No rust, no wear - no expected imprecision in steering, linkage, no leaks, minor uv damage, wood strong, chassis straight, etc..
Ok, enough of the coal in the dust history. It was a home for a guy at Knots B farm for a decade and then stored for years under cover in mild weather. 10 years ago it was bought to do local race visits and put on 3k miles - kids older no use, I buy.
Mileage affirmed, condition impressive, and design incredible! 7 sleeping berths w/o using the dining area - excellent bathroom, and then I drove it -
Exceptional - smooth, no vibes or shudders, tracks perfect, comfortable over road damage and seams, potholes do not shake - all the bushings are still doing the job. What a time warp. Vapor lock issue as addressed? Not so - gas filter boiling (glass and end cap model) near the exhaust manifold - dang... and 50% clogged..
OK, we are redoing the interior so my wife is happy. We are adding hi-tech - lots of it. This thread was linked to a potential buyer - we investigated the same craigslist listing here in Las Vegas and without knowing all the others who were thinking on it - we bought it and then found it referenced on the web. Weird...
but the one big issue, other than the 16.5 rim, freezer door fitting for ice cube tray and/or the lower thing - I have zero pics, just slot's for something - the frozen 6 oz juice canisters' wire rack on the hinge side is intact..., issue and the oven vent door, is this -
We need the gray water tank and or the sensor - I can get a great gray sloped tank, but the sensor needs to work with the panel indicators. Ideas?
thanks guys!
Mike
* This post was last edited 09/09/15 02:41am by z89101 *