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| [GMCnet] Fwd: Dash heat and exhaust fumes [message #312652] |
Mon, 30 January 2017 19:45  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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I've had to edit out some of the original message to get under the posting
size limit.
KH
Jason,
I'm going to interspace answers with your questions. I started to use CAPS
to distinguish them, but I just can't do it. You'll have remember what's
yours and what's mine. :-)
On Mon, Jan 30, 2017 at 7:37 PM, Jason Lawrence
wrote:
> ...
>
> Dash heat. We ran the coach for over an hour and the heater never blew
> warm. It was 45 degrees outside. Owner didn't think it was broke just
> "inefficient". Something about the long distance the water had to travel
> around (to the house water heater and back he said).
...
D
ash heat should work well even on '73 coaches, moreso on '77. I doubt that
he forgot it, but a lot of us have installed ball valves in the heater
lines to improve summer cooling -- check for that. It can't be a major
problem to fix, even if you have to replace all the hoses (which you may
want to do anyway). The cockpit heater water does not travel via the water
heater -- they share the water coming out of the right rear of the engine.
At GMCWS.org there's a booklet "Separating Hot from Cold", by Zay Brand,
that gives complete descriptions and maintenance instructions for all 3 GMC
A/C variants; you should download and read it.
> Exhaust fumes. When we drove around the coach smelled of gas and fumes. He
> explained it away as the tank being "too full". True or bs. What could
> cause this? How much to fix. Ballpark. This is also a non starter for the
> wife.
> ...
>
...
Unless the exhaust was LOUD you probably didn't smell the exhaust. More
likely collected oil, etc., on the engine smoking and perhaps a little gas
leak -- or maybe a bad gas cap (remember the filler is right beside the
driver). There are a number of possible sources for such smells, but none
of them likely to be major problems to repair -- starting with a good
gasket around the engine hatch, which is probably badly deteriorated. The
GMC is not a "stink pot" by any means, but there will occassionally be a
whiff of something -- especially if you try to drive with the cockpit
windows open.
>
>
>
Some Road drift and loose steering - I think. The rig has just shy of 120k.
> Suspension never rebuilt. He's Running Alcoas and firestones. Owner said
...
This is probably the most common GMCMH complaint, IMHO. At 120K, the front
end needs rebuilding. And unless there's recent documentation of front
wheel bearing repacking, that should be your most immediate concern (after
brakes) because they DO require attention. If the condition of the front
end is such that you require rebuilt knuckles and/or hubs, you'll want to
either buy those from Dave Lenzi, or install a Manny One-Ton front end (my
recommendation and the more economical solution). Front end work MUST
include attention to the the steering box and proper alignment of the
steering column. Ride height adjustment and wheel alignment are essential
and MUST be done by someone with GMC experience and patience -- it's an
iterative process that can't be short circuited. For all that, without
labor, you're in the neighborhood of $2000; probably at least half again
that for labor though I'm no authority on that since I do all my own work.
>
>
> he didn't demonstrate the dash or roof ac - said it was "too cold" to show
> the AC works but he said they both worked.
>
Don't count on it. The roof airs probably do work, even if they're the
originals, because the sealed systems are very reliable. The dash air you
can't be too sure about. Compressor seals are prone to leakage on all old
vehicles, as are old hoses. And the heater problem you saw may be due to
some factors that also affect A/C -- you'll see in the reference I gave you
how that can be. WE've got a LOT of experience, and advice to give, about
A/C. The 77 & 78 coaches have the best of the GMC A/C's, but I wouldn't
suggest that it's GREAT.
>
> he didn't have the refrigerator lit off. What's a worst case scenario
> (parts and labor) on a replacement refrigerator in case it turns out to be
> beyond repair.
>
$1200 or so for a new Dometic 7cf replacement. It can probably be rebuilt
for less than that, but if it's clean and fresh-looking, it probably works.
>
> It's never been converted for ethanol tainted gas. Conversion estimate?
>
I'm not sure what you mean by "converted". The conversion is the
replacement of all gas hoses with modern ones that are ethanol-resistant.
If the coach has been being used over the past few years, some of that has
probably been done. If not, the gas tanks will have to be dropped and
about 50' of hose replaced. It's a full day job for me. Ken Frye probably
knows the status of those.
>
> He keeps the airbags in "auto" and not "lock" contrary to the instructions
> stated on the advisory plate. Is this bad.
>
...
I also run in Auto all the time, as I think most with fully functional
systems do. It's as much a personal choice as anything else. If the
system's leaky, that will need to be fixed, but if you found the coach at
ride height, and not drooping severely in the rear, it's probably OK.
Hopefully when the new frame was installed, attention was given to the
suspension components also.
>
> Last, the seats wouldn't slide forward. What do new or restored seats cost
> if it can't be repaired or just operator error.
>
Sounds to me like an operator problem or severe lack of lubrication. The
seats themselves shouldn't have anything to do with it, provided they're
mounted on the original swiveling/sliding bases. Even replacement of the
bases would not be terribly expensive. If you don't like the seats
themselves, you're looking at $100-$1000 for replacements -- your choice of
used/rebuilt/new, etc. Many of us have installed recent model van center
row seats for on the order of $200 per seat.
...
Seems to me the galvanized frame (undoubtedly for Don Stuckey) is a BIG,
BIG plus. It's stronger than OEM and impervious to rust. Anyone who'd
spend those big bucks on the coach really cared about it and was not very
likely to let everything else go to pot. You haven't mentioned anything
I'd consider a major problem. If there is a problem, it's likely to be
your need to have someone else do the work -- I hope you're close to Ken
Frye. :-)
...
Good Luck; hope you'll join the community soon,
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL,
Manny Brakes & 1-Ton, etc., etc., etc.
www.gmcwipersetc.com
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fwd: Dash heat and exhaust fumes [message #312688 is a reply to message #312652] |
Tue, 31 January 2017 16:41  |
AnnapolisGMC
Messages: 21
Registered: January 2017
Location: Annapolis, MD
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Such great answers. Thank you so much. You understood me right about the ethanol. Nothing was done to it to make it run on today's ethanol poisoned fuel that I know of.
I was thinking the same thing about the value of the frame being replaced. Sounds like a lot so I do need to factor that into my offer as I'm sure he did as well on his asking price.
Totaling it all up it sounds like if I offered him 3000 or 4000 less than asking that would be a fair offer to offset the unknowns and suspension rebuild. That is unless he is willing to haul it back up to Ken F and get a full written estimate on making it truly a "road ready, everything works"
rig as he's advertised then adjust his price accordingly. I seriously doubt he'd do that though. He seems pretty ready to just unload it and doesn't want to invest any more time or effort on it.
Would it be tacky to say on here how much he wants for it and ask if you all think it's a good deal
"As is" even with the issues I wrote about? I'm honestly a little worried too that if it in truth IS a smokin deal already as is someone here will see it and go and buy it out from under me. Lol. He hasn't advertised it very well and that may be why it's still available? I truly don't know what a "good deal" is on a rig yet. If you agree it would be best to try and keep That detail under wraps, I'd be happy to pm you and tell you his asking is if you wouldn't mind giving your opinion on its price fairness. (I'm assuming you aren't looking to buy another rig? Haha)
WTB a 77 or 78 with dry bath config.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fwd: Dash heat and exhaust fumes [message #312692 is a reply to message #312688] |
Tue, 31 January 2017 18:13 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Jason,
I don't see how divulging only the asking price would do any harm, and some
here may then express valuable opinions. Before doing so, you should
probably divulge more of the good points; most of your questions revolve
around the weaknesses.
JMHO,
Ken H.
On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 5:41 PM, Jason Lawrence
wrote:
> ...
>
>
> Would it be tacky to say on here how much he wants for it and ask if you
> all think it's a good deal
> "As is" even with the issues I wrote about? I'm honestly a little worried
> too that if it in truth IS a smokin deal already as is someone here will
> see it and go and buy it out from under me. Lol. He hasn't advertised it
> very well and that may be why it's still available? I truly don't know what
> a
> "good deal" is on a rig yet. If you agree it would be best to try and keep
> That detail under wraps, I'd be happy to pm you and tell you his asking is
> if you wouldn't mind giving your opinion on its price fairness. (I'm
> assuming you aren't looking to buy another rig? Haha)
> --
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Fwd: Dash heat and exhaust fumes [message #312695 is a reply to message #312692] |
Tue, 31 January 2017 19:06 |
Kingsley Coach
Messages: 2691
Registered: March 2009
Location: Nova Scotia Canada
Karma: -34
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Senior Member |
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Jason
Send Ken an off net email about the price...he's right on the rest of his
answers ..Ken Henderson
Mike in NS
On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 8:13 PM, Ken Henderson
wrote:
> Jason,
>
> I don't see how divulging only the asking price would do any harm, and some
> here may then express valuable opinions. Before doing so, you should
> probably divulge more of the good points; most of your questions revolve
> around the weaknesses.
>
> JMHO,
>
> Ken H.
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 5:41 PM, Jason Lawrence
> wrote:
>
>> ...
>>
>>
>> Would it be tacky to say on here how much he wants for it and ask if you
>> all think it's a good deal
>> "As is" even with the issues I wrote about? I'm honestly a little
> worried
>> too that if it in truth IS a smokin deal already as is someone here will
>> see it and go and buy it out from under me. Lol. He hasn't advertised it
>> very well and that may be why it's still available? I truly don't know
> what
>> a
>> "good deal" is on a rig yet. If you agree it would be best to try and
> keep
>> That detail under wraps, I'd be happy to pm you and tell you his asking
> is
>> if you wouldn't mind giving your opinion on its price fairness. (I'm
>> assuming you aren't looking to buy another rig? Haha)
>> --
>>
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> GMCnet mailing list
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>
--
Michael Beaton
1977 Kingsley 26-11
1977 Eleganza II 26-3
Antigonish, NS
Life is too short to hold a grudge; slash some tires and call it even !
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