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| And now the fun begins... [message #256541] |
Fri, 25 July 2014 20:12  |
thorndike
Messages: 406
Registered: January 2011
Location: Conifer, Colorado
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Ok, I was lying, this isn't as much fun as I had hoped.
We are now diving into our GMC reno. Last night we picked up the GMC from the storage lot. I had charged the batteries the other day and started it up, so I had no concerns about getting it the two miles to the house....famous last words.
We weren't 100 yards out of the parking lot when the rv just quit. No hitching, or hesitating, just nothing. I put it in park and was able to get it to run again. We went another 100 or so yards when it died. Again, I put it in park in was able to get it going fairly quickly. We left the state park where the storage lot is and turned onto the road. We were about 50 feet from the first traffic light when it died. This time I couldn't get it started. I waited and tried to start it several times for about 15 minutes before I was able to get it moving again. This time I was able to make it the whole mile and a half to my house without it dying.
My gut feeling is the the PO may never have replaced the fuel filters, so that will be one of the first things I do. Does anyone have suggestions for the best/appropriate filter to install? And anything else I should look at?
When we climbed down, we smelled the unmistakeable smell of burning brakes. I touched all the wheels and found the left rear wheel was extremely hot, so I knew I had a stuck caliper. Not a big deal, just not what I wanted to attack first. So that was going to be the first thing to work on today as I needed to be sure I could return the rv to the lot.
Add a partial brake job to the list.
My wife was cleaning the inside this morning so I knew I couldn't jack it up to work on the wheels, so I thought I would look at the generator until she was finished. I pulled the generator out (6k Onan) and noticed oil dripping from below the filter. Oh no. I had a new battery for the generator, so I began pulling the old one out. As the battery came forward, the cable clamp on the end of the battery cable broke in two leaving the clamp on the battery post and the cable hanging free. There must have been an awful lot of power going through the unbroken portion of the cable clamp as it seemed to be turning over just fine.
Ok, so now I have:
to replace the battery clamp.
fix the oil leak.
tune the Onan (which I have never done.)
Looking for more slack in the positive cable, I reached behind the generator ( has anyone else noticed that there is not a lot of room back there ) and discovered a bundle of wires that had been rubbed through the outer insulation by the generator's drawer slides. The interior wires look fine so far, it is the outer cable that appears to be damaged.
Ok, so I have to repair this cable too.
It turns out these wires go to the control board on the Onan and then out the bottom of the RV. Underneath the RV, the wires in the cable are spliced into individual wires that are cable tied to the frame and run toward the front of the RV. I am assuming that they run toward the control panel by the door. If so, I am not sure why they don't run on the inside of the RV instead of down below. I am assuming it was a very poor repair job. Let me correct that, I KNOW it was a poor repair job.
Ok, so now I need to rerun those wires as well. Any suggestions for an appropriate wire replacement? Where should I expect them to terminate.
After looking at this and trying to see how I am going to work behind the Onan, I began to wonder about replacing it with a Honda or other more current generator. They are probably lighter and more efficient. If I go this route, does anyone have experience doing so? I'd love to hear about it.
Just think, this is only the FIRST day of repairs....What have I gotten into?
I am sure there will be more later!
Bob
Robert Peesel
1976 Royale 26'
Side Dry Bath
Conifer, Colorado
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