Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+
| [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317170] |
Sun, 07 May 2017 20:16  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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About ten days ago, Rick & Karla Denny arrived here for a little (greasy)
visit. We immediately dropped the drive train out of their GMC. John
Beaver had a 455 rebuilt and waiting for the AL manifold from their
engine. As soon as that was installed, John ran the engine in on his test
stand. With George Zhookoff's arrival, we had a full installation crew.
Since Rick wanted a rebuilt transmission also, we went ahead and installed
the rebuilt engine and final drive. Then Manny Trovao arrived to build
transmissions. The first of those went into the Denny's coach.
After a 25 mile test drive last Wednesday morning, Rick & Karla in their
coach following Manny & Me in my coach, launched for the 423 mile drive to
GMCDL Bean Station, TN. We arrived to find about 20 coaches already there,
enjoying the sunshine. Which almost immediately went away, leaving us with
mostly cold, rainy days and nights.
For those who haven't been there: Al and Marty Samsel have created a
GMCers' paradise on a mountainside overlooking Cherokee Lake, TN. There
are full hookups for, oh, maybe 45 coaches, as a guess. The only problem
with that statement is that the electrical supply for all those 15A & 30A
outlets is adequate for about 10. SO, the RULE is: NO ELECTRIC HEATERS or
A/C's!!!
It wasn't until last night, with the drizzling rain and 39*F thermometer
that some of us got up the nerve to fire off our generators -- until about
9:30. Then, anyone without lots of blankets was in for a miserable night.
Manny and I survived in our (RESPECTIVE) Travasak's.
Today, Manny and I drove home to Americus, and were shortly joined by
George, who's going to help Manny complete the transmission rebuilding
session before Wednesday. Hopefully, Rick & Karla, and all the other 25-30
couples from BS have gotten home safely & uneventfully also.
For tonight, Manny, George, and I are just glad to be back in dry 70+*F
weather!
Most of Y'All missed a great rally!
Ken H.
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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] My Exciting Week+ [message #317181 is a reply to message #317170] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 07:54  |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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A great rally. Since my coach awaits one of the transmissions Manny rebuilt, I stayed in a really nice little room I found on Airbnb. 28 bux a night 6 miles from the Samsels' on the other side of the mountain. 10 miles if you take the safe road, 6 if you like challenges. Sorted out the propane setup and a genset, and superintended several repairs from 'buzzard's row' in the pit garage. A great rally, too much good food, and familiar - and a couple of new - faces included.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317183 is a reply to message #317174] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 09:24 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Yes, I stayed with and followed Matt for the first 1/2 of my 503 mile trip home. It was an uneventful trip which is what I was hoping for unlike my trip down there.
On the way down I got 511.5 miles into my 514 mile trip and the engine just quit while coming down Clinch mountain from William Bean Overlook. I coasted over a mile before coming to a stop at the junction of 25E and 11W. So there I was 1.3 miles short of my destination. I had to call for a tow to Samsel's. When I called the first thing I heard on the phone was "Were are you? How come you are not here?". After a few minutes Colonel Ken and Manny showed up in their Honda CRV tow vehicle to tow me the last 1.3 miles to the rally.
The in tank electric fuel pump quit. Which is very common on these vehicles and do I carry a spare. The problems were dropping the almost full tank of gas, getting time on the pit, and where to store all of the gas. Also their is no drain plug in the tank. I had several volunteers that said I could put the gas in their coaches.
I checked for fuel at the manifold and had Mary Colie listen at the tank for the pump to run while I applied power. Nothing. I knew the pump was bad. I counted up and between my daughter and I we have replaced 7 of these electric pumps over the last 15 years, plus another 4 on PU trucks.
An hour or two later George Z. and I were standing outside talking about what I was going to do next. George said "Have you checked the fuse and fuel pump relay?" No I hadn't. I pulled the relay and jumpered the contacts at the relay socket while George listened at the tank. The pump ran and the engine started. I put the relay back in the socket and it still ran. I swapped the relay with the same part number horn relay and it still ran. That is the way it still is today. I did not want to get too far away from my possible tow vehicle or the Samsel's garage. So in the next two days I made three trips locally to Morristown and back chasing parts for other peoples coaches. I put on a total of 90 miles and had no problems.
So Sunday I got adventuresome and decided to drive the 500 miles home. It happened without any problems. I thank Matt and Mary for riding along with me for the first 1/2 of the trip.
I got 21.9 mpg for the return trip and filled up 3 times at $2.00, $2.01 and $2.00 per gallon in Kentucky and Indiana.
Oh yes, I failed to mention this vehicle was my 220,000 mile 1998 Chevy Blazer, Not my GMC.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317189 is a reply to message #317170] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 10:28 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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Ken Henderson wrote on Sun, 07 May 2017 21:16.
Most of Y'All missed a great rally!
I am safely in my son's driveway near Lousiville. I still have 400 miles to go later this week to get home.
Going to Bean Station has become one of the highlights of the year for me. I am looking forward to next year.
Even with less than 10 amps available to use, there was still water and sewer. I have no problems with the setup. I would dry camp to be there.
I was toasty warm and sure felt sorry for those that were cold.
The best part for me was being around all the "experts" trying to soak up as much knowledge as I could. Also comforting to know that there can still be lots of quality life left after age 90!
I always learn something at gatherings like these. This time I learned about changing transmission fluid, the best grease(SynPower™ Synthetic), the steering CV joint, etc.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317203 is a reply to message #317200] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 13:21 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Yes, I was thinking about him during my drive home. He died 2 years ago in January. I was also thinking about Paul Bartz. Paul is the one that first got me to go Bean Station. Both were good friends that I miss when GMC things are happening.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317209 is a reply to message #317203] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 13:59 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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Ken Burton wrote on Mon, 08 May 2017 14:21Yes, I was thinking about him during my drive home. He died 2 years ago in January. I was also thinking about Paul Bartz. Paul is the one that first got me to go Bean Station. Both were good friends that I miss when GMC things are happening.
Same feeling here about Dan & Paul. I did not know Dan that well. However, a few years ago when he was sick, I tried to post photos of the first Bean Station I went to for him to see. I had lots of shots of GMCs. But that is not what he wanted to see. He told me to post pics of the people there rather than motorhomes. He wanted to see his friends and what they were doing. He was really a people person, who liked everyone.
There's not much about my GMC that does not remind me of Paul and his advice on things to do with my motorhome. He sure loved to talk about GMC motorhomes on the phone late at night! I miss those monthly, hours-long Skype phone conversations. Several times we caravanned back to Michigan from rallies. He also encouraged me to attend Bean Station.
RIP Dan & Paul.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317210 is a reply to message #317170] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 14:06 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Amen. Dan and Teri were a huge asset to the GMC COMMUNITY. Miss their
contributions. Special folks.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On May 8, 2017 11:59 AM, "RJW" wrote:
Ken Burton wrote on Mon, 08 May 2017 14:21
> Yes, I was thinking about him during my drive home. He died 2 years ago
in January. I was also thinking about Paul Bartz. Paul is the one that
> first got me to go Bean Station. Both were good friends that I miss
when GMC things are happening.
Same feeling here about Dan & Paul. I did not know Dan that well. However,
a few years ago when he was sick, I tried to post photos of the first Bean
Station I went to for him to see. I had lots of shots of GMCs. But that
is not what he wanted to see. He told me to post pics of the people there
rather than motorhomes. He wanted to see his friends and what they were
doing. He was really a people person, who liked everyone.
There's not much about my GMC that does not remind me of Paul and his
advice on things to do with my motorhome. He sure loved to talk about GMC
motorhomes on the phone late at night! I miss those monthly, hours-long
Skype phone conversations. Several times we caravanned back to Michigan from
rallies. He also encouraged me to attend Bean Station.
RIP Dan & Paul.
--
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Coop Roller Cam 455, Howell TBI + EBL, 3.42 FD, Quadra Bag, Macerator,
Manny Tranny etc.
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317225 is a reply to message #317210] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 16:47 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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Ditto on Dan & Teri. Even though we had some face time on a fairly regular basis, most of our friendship was long distance/email. I felt that Dan was one of my best friends, but I'm guessing Dan had LOTS of best friends. He was just that kind of guy. I miss him and find the GMC Net a lot less fun without him and his input.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317228 is a reply to message #317170] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 18:23 |
Richard Denney
Messages: 920
Registered: April 2010
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Part Two:
Ken (of course) has a jig that allowed us to upend then final drive, given
that we didn't have the proper gasket at hand to pull the cover. We drained
the oil, and got maybe a pint of black goo the consistency of molasses.
There being no alternative, we determined to just fill it with fresh oil
and keep going.
The Great One From San Jose (said with appropriate bowing and perhaps an
arabesque) arrived Saturday night, brought by Johnny Bridges, and Sunday
morning we found the issue with the tranny going into my coach, but lacked
the lip-seal tool needed to reassemble it until Manny's tools arrived. So
we let Ken show us around a bit, and there is a lot to see in Southwestern
Georgia.
Manny wiggled the input shaft of my 3.07 final drive and pronounced it
unsuitable for long-term use. Here's the trick: there should only be 10
thousandths of thrust play in the shaft, which should be too tight to feel.
Mine had more. Eventually, this will damage the transmission. So, Manny
will be adding a 3.21 final drive to the one-ton front end we are buying
next month.
We did chase down an alternative, which gave us the chance to visit with
Jim and Ethel Walters in their hangar, among Jim's collection of lovely
vintage cars. I had serious hangar envy. At the end of the day, that final
drive was no better than ours, and that is probably not uncommon for
original 3.07's.
I will say no more about the dipstick except this: don't try to install a
new lower tube with the header in place. Fortunately, I had a spare Remflex
gasket. And do it before lifting the engine into the coach, or at least
before installing the tranny.
So, at one point Ken looked down through the hatch and suggested I
straighten up the power steering pump. It's all the way up, I tell him.
"Not if you want to be able to pour fluid into it." The reservoir was
shaped to point the fill opening about 20 degrees off from the correct
arrangement. This isn't easy to see just looking at it, or from the bottom.
The little note in the box read, "this part is made for many applications,
and you may have to use the reservoir, cap, and about fifteen other things
from your old pump." So, we changed the reservoir--I think that was the
third or fourth time I had to start over with the power steering pump
installation. But it was worth it--the new pump solved the problem of
leaking and marginal pressure that was causing my steering gear box to
struggle in parking lots.
We even found the problem with the wipers--the switch had rotated so that a
hot spade connector came into contact with the headlight switch housing,
shorting it out.
The last night before leaving for Bean Station, Manny took an overall look
to find things still needing work, and found everything ready. In the
morning, we fired it up, topped up the fluids, and took it for a 25-mile
test drive. Then to the gas station, where I discovered the parking pawl
was not fully engaging. "We'll fix that at Bean Station" and off we went.
The drive to Atlanta was the speed variation part of the break-in, and then
we gave it the ultimate test: following Manny, driving Ken's coach, through
the the middle of Atlanta on the HOV lane.
John Beaver called Ken: How's it going? Ken's response: "He's keeping up."
At Bean Station we replaced the break-in oil and realigned the shifter
linkage, and then spent several days actually *using* the coach. It was
cold and wet, but I think most everyone had a good time. (Well, Eric Tanner
did persuade me to cut open the oil filter used for the first 450 miles of
break-in, and we found just what we expected to find--fine break-in
products but nothing else.)
I wasn't at all nervous about the 400 miles to get home, and actually that
drive became positively boring, except for the usual horror that is I-81 on
a Sunday afternoon. But we know the back roads and we were not in any
hurry.
I was asked several times why we changed the engine and transmission, given
that both worked. For me, it was the capital expense we sometimes make to
sustain a state of good repair, to give us the confidence to use our
coaches without hesitation. The old engine ran fine, but for how long? The
coach has 103K miles on it, and the engine has had (at least) a valve job
(those black valve covers are a clue). Part of it is fixing something at
the point when the risk of failure starts to accelerate, and part of it is
replacing it when it is still good enough to be rebuilt, so that another
engine isn't lost. And I'm trying to minimize the probability of needing a
tow.
The transmission had a loose chain that would have caused other problems
eventually, and the final drive was obviously neglected by all previous
(and current) owners, so what else was neglected? At some point, we need to
push the reset button. We have owned the coach for 14 years--even things I
have done before are now in need of doing again.
The next project is dropping the tanks and replacing fuel filler
hoses--again. And installing new senders. Then, we'll install the new final
drive. Then comes the one-ton front end, to get easier maintainability, a
wider stance, new bushings (badly needed), strengthened lower control arms,
and bigger brakes. Next year, maybe reaction arms.
I close with two pieces of advice, one from Manny: Drive the coach 50-100
miles a month, every month. Stuff that gets used tends to stay usable.
During the last few years of other responsibilities, I forget that and
appreciate the reminder.
The other is this: take advantage of opportunities to visit and do projects
with our gurus. Ken and Elaine showed the Redhead and I wonderful
hospitality, and there is no better place to learn than places like
Henderson's Garage and Bean Station. These opportunities are easy to take
for granted and put off, but they are not never-ending and at some point,
we just have to say "now". Ken was telling me that he had looked through
pictures of Bean Station rallies he had attended, and realized that most of
his GMC mentors were no longer with us. The time is now.
Rick "planning to attend Elkhart" Denney
> '73 230 "Jaws"
Northern Virginia
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317229 is a reply to message #317170] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 18:18 |
Richard Denney
Messages: 920
Registered: April 2010
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Part One:
Our friends just shake their heads in bewilderment when I tell them about
our vacation (I am making quote signs in the air). I used to know how to
turn a wrench, but Oh My Goodness did I feel like a beginner in Henderson's
Garage.
The transmission is the one from last year that was rebuilt and ready to
go, but when installed in someone else's coach, failed to transmit motive
power. The Great One From San Jose sorted that one first, finding (thank
goodness) the smoking gun--a missing piston under the modulator. But I'm
getting ahead of myself.
When we arrived on Tuesday of the week before Bean Station, we needed to
IMMEDIATELY pull the distributor and intake (with mounted carb) to take to
John Beaver the next morning to install on the otherwise-completed 455 he
has been building for me for a couple of months. Water was still dripping
out of the coach from the drive through three inches of North Carolina rain
and we were throwing (unlabeled) bolts into a bucket as fast as we could
unscrew them. Ken's shop is sort of a bolt recycling facility. People bring
projects, can't sort the bolts they removed, go get new bolts form Ken's
obsessively well-organized bins, and then have a bunch of bolts left over
that will be sorted into those bins for some future visitor.
George arrived in his coach and stayed until we got most of the new stuff
installed, and his help was hugely valuable.
Mounting the intake and firing up the engine on the test stand was fun.
John ran in the cam and we left to drop the drivetrain.
The bolt bucket got more full and 900 pounds of iron was slowly dropped
using using Ken's chain hoist and truly odd winch come-along. It takes
both--the engine needs to be turned nearly on end. We forgot that bit later.
But before we did that, I was tasked with spraying degreaser and
power-washing the underside of the engine compartment, and the floor of
Ken's shop in the drop zone. That was not the first time those shoes were
soaked.
The next day, we separated the engine, transmission,and final drive, and
took the engine core to John Beaver. We picked up the new engine (and then
picked it up again when it fell over trying to negotiate the Class Four
Jeep Trail that leads down to John's shop), and took it back to Henderson's
Garage. We had the engine and final drive back in the coach by Friday
night. That's when we should have installed the new dipstick tube. That's
when we should NOT have installed the power-steering pump and all its
ridiculous brackets.
Continued...
Rick "too long for one post" Denney
On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 9:18 PM Ken Henderson wrote:
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317230 is a reply to message #317170] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 18:27 |
Richard Denney
Messages: 920
Registered: April 2010
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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I hate the Gmail app. I hope you guys can read both of my long posts--the
app turned them into quotes without telling me it would, hiding them from
view.
Rick "hating lousy software" Denney
On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 7:23 PM Richard Denney wrote:
> Part Two:
>
> Ken (of course) has a jig that allowed us to upend then final drive, given
> that we didn't have the proper gasket at hand to pull the cover. We drained
> the oil, and got maybe a pint of black goo the consistency of molasses.
> There being no alternative, we determined to just fill it with fresh oil
> and keep going.
>
> The Great One From San Jose (said with appropriate bowing and perhaps an
> arabesque) arrived Saturday night, brought by Johnny Bridges, and Sunday
> morning we found the issue with the tranny going into my coach, but lacked
> the lip-seal tool needed to reassemble it until Manny's tools arrived. So
> we let Ken show us around a bit, and there is a lot to see in Southwestern
> Georgia.
>
> Manny wiggled the input shaft of my 3.07 final drive and pronounced it
> unsuitable for long-term use. Here's the trick: there should only be 10
> thousandths of thrust play in the shaft, which should be too tight to feel.
> Mine had more. Eventually, this will damage the transmission. So, Manny
> will be adding a 3.21 final drive to the one-ton front end we are buying
> next month.
>
> We did chase down an alternative, which gave us the chance to visit with
> Jim and Ethel Walters in their hangar, among Jim's collection of lovely
> vintage cars. I had serious hangar envy. At the end of the day, that final
> drive was no better than ours, and that is probably not uncommon for
> original 3.07's.
>
> I will say no more about the dipstick except this: don't try to install a
> new lower tube with the header in place. Fortunately, I had a spare Remflex
> gasket. And do it before lifting the engine into the coach, or at least
> before installing the tranny.
>
> So, at one point Ken looked down through the hatch and suggested I
> straighten up the power steering pump. It's all the way up, I tell him.
> "Not if you want to be able to pour fluid into it." The reservoir was
> shaped to point the fill opening about 20 degrees off from the correct
> arrangement. This isn't easy to see just looking at it, or from the bottom.
> The little note in the box read, "this part is made for many applications,
> and you may have to use the reservoir, cap, and about fifteen other things
> from your old pump." So, we changed the reservoir--I think that was the
> third or fourth time I had to start over with the power steering pump
> installation. But it was worth it--the new pump solved the problem of
> leaking and marginal pressure that was causing my steering gear box to
> struggle in parking lots.
>
> We even found the problem with the wipers--the switch had rotated so that
> a hot spade connector came into contact with the headlight switch housing,
> shorting it out.
>
> The last night before leaving for Bean Station, Manny took an overall look
> to find things still needing work, and found everything ready. In the
> morning, we fired it up, topped up the fluids, and took it for a 25-mile
> test drive. Then to the gas station, where I discovered the parking pawl
> was not fully engaging. "We'll fix that at Bean Station" and off we went.
> The drive to Atlanta was the speed variation part of the break-in, and then
> we gave it the ultimate test: following Manny, driving Ken's coach, through
> the the middle of Atlanta on the HOV lane.
>
> John Beaver called Ken: How's it going? Ken's response: "He's keeping up."
>
> At Bean Station we replaced the break-in oil and realigned the shifter
> linkage, and then spent several days actually *using* the coach. It was
> cold and wet, but I think most everyone had a good time. (Well, Eric Tanner
> did persuade me to cut open the oil filter used for the first 450 miles of
> break-in, and we found just what we expected to find--fine break-in
> products but nothing else.)
>
> I wasn't at all nervous about the 400 miles to get home, and actually that
> drive became positively boring, except for the usual horror that is I-81 on
> a Sunday afternoon. But we know the back roads and we were not in any
> hurry.
>
> I was asked several times why we changed the engine and transmission,
> given that both worked. For me, it was the capital expense we sometimes
> make to sustain a state of good repair, to give us the confidence to use
> our coaches without hesitation. The old engine ran fine, but for how long?
> The coach has 103K miles on it, and the engine has had (at least) a valve
> job (those black valve covers are a clue). Part of it is fixing something
> at the point when the risk of failure starts to accelerate, and part of it
> is replacing it when it is still good enough to be rebuilt, so that another
> engine isn't lost. And I'm trying to minimize the probability of needing a
> tow.
>
> The transmission had a loose chain that would have caused other problems
> eventually, and the final drive was obviously neglected by all previous
> (and current) owners, so what else was neglected? At some point, we need to
> push the reset button. We have owned the coach for 14 years--even things I
> have done before are now in need of doing again.
>
> The next project is dropping the tanks and replacing fuel filler
> hoses--again. And installing new senders. Then, we'll install the new final
> drive. Then comes the one-ton front end, to get easier maintainability, a
> wider stance, new bushings (badly needed), strengthened lower control arms,
> and bigger brakes. Next year, maybe reaction arms.
>
> I close with two pieces of advice, one from Manny: Drive the coach 50-100
> miles a month, every month. Stuff that gets used tends to stay usable.
> During the last few years of other responsibilities, I forget that and
> appreciate the reminder.
>
> The other is this: take advantage of opportunities to visit and do
> projects with our gurus. Ken and Elaine showed the Redhead and I wonderful
> hospitality, and there is no better place to learn than places like
> Henderson's Garage and Bean Station. These opportunities are easy to take
> for granted and put off, but they are not never-ending and at some point,
> we just have to say "now". Ken was telling me that he had looked through
> pictures of Bean Station rallies he had attended, and realized that most of
> his GMC mentors were no longer with us. The time is now.
>
> Rick "planning to attend Elkhart" Denney
>
>
>> '73 230 "Jaws"
> Northern Virginia
>
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317231 is a reply to message #317230] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 19:32 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Denney, good posting. Thanks for taking the time. Don't abuse or overuse
Manny. He is a great resource for all of us. We try to take it easy on him
here on the West Coast. We would like him to be hale and hearty for a good
long time. Ken Henderson and you also. Lenzi too, and many others as well.
Pictures of Bean Station would be great for us out here in the West too. We
wrapped up the GMC Cascaders Covered Bridge Rally on Sunday, and a couple
of GMC'S followed me home, so we have a mini work rally going on. Hope to
get them ready to travel by tomorrow night. Fun stuff, these GMC'S.
Jim Hupy
On May 8, 2017 4:30 PM, "Richard Denney" wrote:
> I hate the Gmail app. I hope you guys can read both of my long posts--the
> app turned them into quotes without telling me it would, hiding them from
> view.
>
> Rick "hating lousy software" Denney
>
> On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 7:23 PM Richard Denney wrote:
>
>> Part Two:
>>
>> Ken (of course) has a jig that allowed us to upend then final drive,
> given
>> that we didn't have the proper gasket at hand to pull the cover. We
> drained
>> the oil, and got maybe a pint of black goo the consistency of molasses.
>> There being no alternative, we determined to just fill it with fresh oil
>> and keep going.
>>
>> The Great One From San Jose (said with appropriate bowing and perhaps an
>> arabesque) arrived Saturday night, brought by Johnny Bridges, and Sunday
>> morning we found the issue with the tranny going into my coach, but
> lacked
>> the lip-seal tool needed to reassemble it until Manny's tools arrived. So
>> we let Ken show us around a bit, and there is a lot to see in
> Southwestern
>> Georgia.
>>
>> Manny wiggled the input shaft of my 3.07 final drive and pronounced it
>> unsuitable for long-term use. Here's the trick: there should only be 10
>> thousandths of thrust play in the shaft, which should be too tight to
> feel.
>> Mine had more. Eventually, this will damage the transmission. So, Manny
>> will be adding a 3.21 final drive to the one-ton front end we are buying
>> next month.
>>
>> We did chase down an alternative, which gave us the chance to visit with
>> Jim and Ethel Walters in their hangar, among Jim's collection of lovely
>> vintage cars. I had serious hangar envy. At the end of the day, that
> final
>> drive was no better than ours, and that is probably not uncommon for
>> original 3.07's.
>>
>> I will say no more about the dipstick except this: don't try to install a
>> new lower tube with the header in place. Fortunately, I had a spare
> Remflex
>> gasket. And do it before lifting the engine into the coach, or at least
>> before installing the tranny.
>>
>> So, at one point Ken looked down through the hatch and suggested I
>> straighten up the power steering pump. It's all the way up, I tell him.
>> "Not if you want to be able to pour fluid into it." The reservoir was
>> shaped to point the fill opening about 20 degrees off from the correct
>> arrangement. This isn't easy to see just looking at it, or from the
> bottom.
>> The little note in the box read, "this part is made for many
> applications,
>> and you may have to use the reservoir, cap, and about fifteen other
> things
>> from your old pump." So, we changed the reservoir--I think that was the
>> third or fourth time I had to start over with the power steering pump
>> installation. But it was worth it--the new pump solved the problem of
>> leaking and marginal pressure that was causing my steering gear box to
>> struggle in parking lots.
>>
>> We even found the problem with the wipers--the switch had rotated so that
>> a hot spade connector came into contact with the headlight switch
> housing,
>> shorting it out.
>>
>> The last night before leaving for Bean Station, Manny took an overall
> look
>> to find things still needing work, and found everything ready. In the
>> morning, we fired it up, topped up the fluids, and took it for a 25-mile
>> test drive. Then to the gas station, where I discovered the parking pawl
>> was not fully engaging. "We'll fix that at Bean Station" and off we went.
>> The drive to Atlanta was the speed variation part of the break-in, and
> then
>> we gave it the ultimate test: following Manny, driving Ken's coach,
> through
>> the the middle of Atlanta on the HOV lane.
>>
>> John Beaver called Ken: How's it going? Ken's response: "He's keeping
> up."
>>
>> At Bean Station we replaced the break-in oil and realigned the shifter
>> linkage, and then spent several days actually *using* the coach. It was
>> cold and wet, but I think most everyone had a good time. (Well, Eric
> Tanner
>> did persuade me to cut open the oil filter used for the first 450 miles
> of
>> break-in, and we found just what we expected to find--fine break-in
>> products but nothing else.)
>>
>> I wasn't at all nervous about the 400 miles to get home, and actually
> that
>> drive became positively boring, except for the usual horror that is I-81
> on
>> a Sunday afternoon. But we know the back roads and we were not in any
>> hurry.
>>
>> I was asked several times why we changed the engine and transmission,
>> given that both worked. For me, it was the capital expense we sometimes
>> make to sustain a state of good repair, to give us the confidence to use
>> our coaches without hesitation. The old engine ran fine, but for how
> long?
>> The coach has 103K miles on it, and the engine has had (at least) a valve
>> job (those black valve covers are a clue). Part of it is fixing something
>> at the point when the risk of failure starts to accelerate, and part of
> it
>> is replacing it when it is still good enough to be rebuilt, so that
> another
>> engine isn't lost. And I'm trying to minimize the probability of needing
> a
>> tow.
>>
>> The transmission had a loose chain that would have caused other problems
>> eventually, and the final drive was obviously neglected by all previous
>> (and current) owners, so what else was neglected? At some point, we need
> to
>> push the reset button. We have owned the coach for 14 years--even things
> I
>> have done before are now in need of doing again.
>>
>> The next project is dropping the tanks and replacing fuel filler
>> hoses--again. And installing new senders. Then, we'll install the new
> final
>> drive. Then comes the one-ton front end, to get easier maintainability, a
>> wider stance, new bushings (badly needed), strengthened lower control
> arms,
>> and bigger brakes. Next year, maybe reaction arms.
>>
>> I close with two pieces of advice, one from Manny: Drive the coach 50-100
>> miles a month, every month. Stuff that gets used tends to stay usable.
>> During the last few years of other responsibilities, I forget that and
>> appreciate the reminder.
>>
>> The other is this: take advantage of opportunities to visit and do
>> projects with our gurus. Ken and Elaine showed the Redhead and I
> wonderful
>> hospitality, and there is no better place to learn than places like
>> Henderson's Garage and Bean Station. These opportunities are easy to take
>> for granted and put off, but they are not never-ending and at some point,
>> we just have to say "now". Ken was telling me that he had looked through
>> pictures of Bean Station rallies he had attended, and realized that most
> of
>> his GMC mentors were no longer with us. The time is now.
>>
>> Rick "planning to attend Elkhart" Denney
>>
>>
>>> '73 230 "Jaws"
>> Northern Virginia
>>
>>
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317234 is a reply to message #317231] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 20:55 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Rick, I don't understand your frustration with GMail. Your fine postings
both came through perfectly for me. I won't consider using anything else.
Rick''s redheaded, enthusiastic, wife, Karla, made LOTS of photos -- maybe
she'll share those with us (minus some made at times we'd rather not
remember).
RJW, you didn't say whether you had any steering binding on your Synpower
way home...
Again, a great rally with great friends. This time, I hardly got into any
grease, yet hardly had time to miss HER after she yielded her berth to
Manny.
Memories of Paul & Dan & several others are the reason I'm going to start
calling some of you periodically. It had been too long since I'd talked to
either of them when I could no longer do so. Please don't interpret any of
those calls as premonitions! :-)
Ken H.
On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 8:32 PM, James Hupy wrote:
> Denney, good posting. Thanks for taking the time.
> ..
>
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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] My Exciting Week+ [message #317235 is a reply to message #317234] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 22:26 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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Great reports, Rick and Ken. I am envious of Bean Station and wish we had a similar event/rally here in the Southwest.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] My Exciting Week+ [message #317236 is a reply to message #317231] |
Mon, 08 May 2017 22:26 |
Richard Denney
Messages: 920
Registered: April 2010
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Jim, Manny can't be slowed down. There is an amazing amount of knowledge
and intuition right in his fingers, and he is incapable of keeping that
bottled up.
But, you have to admit that he is crazy. The humor level went up three
notches when he arrived, and given the stress of attempting all we were
attempting, I spent a week just trying to keep up. The Redhead did better
than I did--but it still took two examples for her to learn the definition
of "grande". (The first, in reference to a margarita, and the second, of a
burrito, both approximately the size of a human head.)
The advice I got from him, mixed in as it was with endless repartee, was in
the form of real advice, and it was all good advice. Such as: the day
before we buttoned everything up, he said: "Make a punch list. Do it, and
then get someone with fresh eyes to make another one." That falls into the
category of common sense, perhaps, but there is a reason we are compelled
to add "common" to "sense"--it is not common at all. We forget to make a
list, and then we forget to make that one connection that will cause us to
have to pull over and fix it ten miles down the road. We didn't have to do
that on the way to Bean Station, if you don't count the known condition of
the linkage, which required chocking the wheels when we stopped to eat. And
the phone call I got from him as he was following me over that first
hundred miles of break-in suggesting a more pronounced strategy for varying
speed.
He is probably sleeping now, but tomorrow morning he'll be finishing up
rebuilding five transmissions for use in the east--what he came to do.
I have GMCnet emails in my archive going back to 2003, and Manny's are
always short, to the point, and correct.
On the subject of "fun", I have to admit that I was a bit stressed at
times. It's quite a lot of work, and though I had planned things out, there
are just too many things that can't be anticipated. But here's a measure of
how deeply satisfying it is, even if the word "fun" sometimes seems a
stretch: I'm already planning the next project. Most of what made it fun,
though, was the company.
Rick "it was a good plan because it worked" Denney
On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 8:32 PM, James Hupy wrote:
> Denney, good posting. Thanks for taking the time. Don't abuse or overuse
> Manny. He is a great resource for all of us. We try to take it easy on him
> here on the West Coast. We would like him to be hale and hearty for a good
> long time. Ken Henderson and you also. Lenzi too, and many others as well.
> Pictures of Bean Station would be great for us out here in the West too. We
> wrapped up the GMC Cascaders Covered Bridge Rally on Sunday, and a couple
> of GMC'S followed me home, so we have a mini work rally going on. Hope to
> get them ready to travel by tomorrow night. Fun stuff, these GMC'S.
> Jim Hupy
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