Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City
| [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326159] |
Sun, 19 November 2017 12:28  |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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I got a "Black's List" call last night from a California GMCer with apparently severe engine problems some 15 or so miles east of Oklahoma City. Kaitlin is driving a 77 (455 engine) and is overnighted in a church parking lot (safely off I-40) with solar battery power and a good supply of propane and food.
I am aware that there are several ignition components that are recommended as "universal" spares for travel; module, rotor, cap, etc. I don't know if a NAPA is open on Sundays but O'Reilly's, Auto Zone, and Advance are. Would those places have the likely suspect parts and if so what part numbers (if possible).
My mechanic neighbor seems to have come down with the flu overnight, so I don't know what good I can do, but Kaitlin does have at least some rudimentary tools and has already had other assorted malfunctions.
Any ideas, help, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326160 is a reply to message #326159] |
Sun, 19 November 2017 12:48  |
powerjon
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Mac,
Without know what the symptom are it would be hard to recommend the necessary parts. Would suggest a module and a coil and look at the cap and rotor to see if they need to be replaced. Always do parts search as a 1975 or 76 Oldsmobile Toronado
AZ Module part numbers DR100 and the AC Delco model is D1906
AZ Coil Part numbers C833 or C834
Ask if it just quit or was backfiring out the back, check to see if fuel is in carb or has no spark. No spark would be the first choice.
JR Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMC Eastern States Charter Member
GMCGL Tech Editor
GMCMI
78 GMC Buskirk 30’ Stretch
1975 GMC Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan
> On Nov 19, 2017, at 1:28 PM, D C _Mac_ Macdonald wrote:
>
> I got a "Black's List" call last night from a California GMCer with apparently severe engine problems some 15 or so miles east of Oklahoma City. Kaitlin is driving a 77 (455 engine) and is overnighted in a church parking lot (safely off I-40) with solar battery power and a good supply of propane and food.
>
> I am aware that there are several ignition components that are recommended as "universal" spares for travel; module, rotor, cap, etc. I don't know if a NAPA is open on Sundays but O'Reilly's, Auto Zone, and Advance are. Would those places have the likely suspect parts and if so what part numbers (if possible).
>
> My mechanic neighbor seems to have come down with the flu overnight, so I don't know what good I can do, but Kaitlin does have at least some rudimentary tools and has already had other assorted malfunctions.
>
> Any ideas, help, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
> D C "Mac" Macdonald
> Amateur Radio K2GKK
> Since 30 November '53
> USAF and FAA, Retired
> Member GMCMI & Classics
> Oklahoma City, OK
> "The Money Pit"
> TZE166V101966
> '76 ex-Palm Beach
> k2gkk + hotmail dot com
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326161 is a reply to message #326159] |
Sun, 19 November 2017 13:07 |
Ty Hardiman
Messages: 43
Registered: April 2017
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Karma: 0
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Member |
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Mac could you put me in touch with the GMCer and I will see what I can do? You can reach me by text message or call at 405-833-4384. I submitted for the blacklist after Elkhart but I'm not sure that my name is up there yet.
Norman, OK / August 1977 Kingsley / 403 / 3.55 / 16" / Quadrajet
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| [GMCnet] UPDATE: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326172 is a reply to message #326165] |
Sun, 19 November 2017 19:34 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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I bought ignition module, coil, distributor cap and rotor at Auto Zone and took them to Kaitlin and Paul. Paul installed the ignition module. Dizzy cap and rotor looked okay and we put new coil, cap and rotor back in the box. Those will become MY traveling spares someday.
Ty came by and engine was started. Very noisy, much worse than my own. Ty went back to his shop for timing light. I went home for supper.
Ty went back to coach and set timing.
All set off to attempt a slow trip to Ty's shop but attempt was aborted after about 8 miles and arrival at a gas station as a safe place for overnight stay.
Towing to an as yet unknown destination will be done on Monday, probably to Ty's shop location.
Billy Massey knows of a possible replacement engine in SE Oklahoma from a coach with a wrecked aft end (as I understand it).
Adequate food and propane are available.
Stay tuned for the latest in "The Adventures of Kaitlin and Paul.|
73 de Mac, K2GKK/5
(Since 30 Nov '53)
Oklahoma City, OK
USAF Retired 61-81
FAA Retired 94-10
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Jeanette Hodges
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2017 14:58
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City
Ty you are a gem.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Nov 19, 2017, at 1:27 PM, Billy Massey wrote:
>
> You're on there, Ty. Thanks for being a part of it.
> bdub
>
>
>> On Sun, Nov 19, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Ty Hardiman wrote:
>>
>> Mac could you put me in touch with the GMCer and I will see what I can
>> do? You can reach me by text message or call at 405-833-4384. I submitted
>> for
>> the blacklist after Elkhart but I'm not sure that my name is up there yet.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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| Re: [GMCnet] UPDATE: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326174 is a reply to message #326172] |
Sun, 19 November 2017 21:01 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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k2gkk wrote on Sun, 19 November 2017 19:34I bought ignition module, coil, distributor cap and rotor at Auto Zone and took them to Kaitlin and Paul. Paul installed the ignition module. Dizzy cap and rotor looked okay and we put new coil, cap and rotor back in the box. Those will become MY traveling spares someday.
Ty came by and engine was started. Very noisy, much worse than my own. Ty went back to his shop for timing light. I went home for supper.
Ty went back to coach and set timing.
All set off to attempt a slow trip to Ty's shop but attempt was aborted after about 8 miles and arrival at a gas station as a safe place for overnight stay.
Towing to an as yet unknown destination will be done on Monday, probably to Ty's shop location.
Billy Massey knows of a possible replacement engine in SE Oklahoma from a coach with a wrecked aft end (as I understand it).
Adequate food and propane are available.
Stay tuned for the latest in "The Adventures of Kaitlin and Paul.|
73 de Mac, K2GKK/5
(Since 30 Nov '53)
Oklahoma City, OK
USAF Retired 61-81
FAA Retired 94-10
Had I realized that you were going to buy ignition stuff at AZ,
I would have sent this warning earlier. The HEI ignition coil
for a GMC (and TORONADO) is different that the rest of the
Oldsmobile V-8 line. The ignition coil is matched to the pick
up coil in the base of the distributor. There are 3 different
pickup coils used and 2 different ignition coils used across the
GM product V8 line. What you want to buy is an IGNITION COIL that
has RED and YELLOW wires. If you are buying the PICK UP COIL
it must have a YELLOW plastic connector on the end. The
problem at AZ (and others) is the tube jockey (Discount Tires's
TIRE MONKEY's cousin) sees both types and the only difference
he sees is the price. So usually people get the cheaper wrong
coil.
If it has RED and WHITE wires it is WRONG. If it has
RED and YELLOW wires, it is CORRECT.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| [GMCnet] UPDATE #2: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326256 is a reply to message #326172] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 11:32 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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On Sunday evening, Kaitlin attempted to drive the coach to Ty Hardiman's business location but could hardly get up any upgrades so she parked it at a gas station about half way there. They had a pizza delivered there for a late supper.
Coach was towed to Ty's shop on Monday morning. Ty ran a bunch of tests on Monday including compression and leak down. Found two suspicious spark plugs and one missing bolt on exhaust manifold.
Just before 10 pm Monday, Kaitlin reported, "She lives!! She sounds and is running great."
Analysis: 2 bad plugs; missing bolt on passenger exhaust manifold,; BOTH manifold gaskets worn out; exhaust system had not been supported under the coach, causing manifold to pull away from the engine; distributor timing incorrect. All buttoned up around noon Tuesday.
Kaitlin and Paul got underway about 6 pm on Tuesday evening.
All this is a result of the superb level of assistance by Ty Hardiman, a fairly recent convert to the GMC motorhome obsession!
Bon Voyage, Kaitlin and Paul!
D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com
________________________________
From: D C _Mac_ Macdonald
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2017 19:34
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: UPDATE: Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City
I bought ignition module, coil, distributor cap and rotor at Auto Zone and took them to Kaitlin and Paul. Paul installed the ignition module. Dizzy cap and rotor looked okay and we put new coil, cap and rotor back in the box. Those will become MY traveling spares someday.
Ty came by and engine was started. Very noisy, much worse than my own. Ty went back to his shop for timing light. I went home for supper.
Ty went back to coach and set timing.
All set off to attempt a slow trip to Ty's shop but attempt was aborted after about 8 miles and arrival at a gas station as a safe place for overnight stay.
Towing to an as yet unknown destination will be done on Monday, probably to Ty's shop location.
Billy Massey knows of a possible replacement engine in SE Oklahoma from a coach with a wrecked aft end (as I understand it).
Adequate food and propane are available.
Stay tuned for the latest in "The Adventures of Kaitlin and Paul.|
73 de Mac, K2GKK/5
(Since 30 Nov '53)
Oklahoma City, OK
USAF Retired 61-81
FAA Retired 94-10
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Jeanette Hodges
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2017 14:58
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City
Ty you are a gem.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Nov 19, 2017, at 1:27 PM, Billy Massey wrote:
>
> You're on there, Ty. Thanks for being a part of it.
> bdub
>
>
>> On Sun, Nov 19, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Ty Hardiman wrote:
>>
>> Mac could you put me in touch with the GMCer and I will see what I can
>> do? You can reach me by text message or call at 405-833-4384. I submitted
>> for
>> the blacklist after Elkhart but I'm not sure that my name is up there yet.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flist.gmcnet.org%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fgmclist_list.gmcnet.org&data=02%7C01%7Ck2g kk%40hotmail.com%7Cc45323f28ffb4ea2c37508d52f907455%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636467219827532897&sdata=mOyMU06Xu%2FzConq1KAdOj5 xYMBo0jD6UJcJkC7t0PrI%3D&reserved=0
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| [GMCnet] UPDATE #2: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326257 is a reply to message #326256] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 11:58 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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On Sunday evening, Kaitlin attempted to drive the coach to Ty Hardiman's business location but could hardly get up any upgrades so she parked it at a gas station about half way there. They had a pizza delivered there for a late supper.
Coach was towed to Ty's shop on Monday morning. Ty ran a bunch of tests on Monday including compression and leak down. Found two suspicious spark plugs and one missing bolt on exhaust manifold.
Just before 10 pm Monday, Kaitlin reported, "She lives!! She sounds and is running great."
Analysis: 2 bad plugs; missing bolt on passenger exhaust manifold,; BOTH manifold gaskets worn out; exhaust system had not been supported under the coach, causing manifold to pull away from the engine; distributor timing incorrect. All buttoned up around noon Tuesday.
Kaitlin and Paul got underway about 6 pm on Tuesday evening.
All this is a result of the superb level of assistance by Ty Hardiman, a fairly recent convert to the GMC motorhome obsession!
Bon Voyage, Kaitlin and Paul!
D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com
________________________________
From: D C _Mac_ Macdonald
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2017 19:34
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: UPDATE: Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City
I bought ignition module, coil, distributor cap and rotor at Auto Zone and took them to Kaitlin and Paul. Paul installed the ignition module. Dizzy cap and rotor looked okay and we put new coil, cap and rotor back in the box. Those will become MY traveling spares someday.
Ty came by and engine was started. Very noisy, much worse than my own. Ty went back to his shop for timing light. I went home for supper.
Ty went back to coach and set timing.
All set off to attempt a slow trip to Ty's shop but attempt was aborted after about 8 miles and arrival at a gas station as a safe place for overnight stay.
Towing to an as yet unknown destination will be done on Monday, probably to Ty's shop location.
Billy Massey knows of a possible replacement engine in SE Oklahoma from a coach with a wrecked aft end (as I understand it).
Adequate food and propane are available.
Stay tuned for the latest in "The Adventures of Kaitlin and Paul.|
73 de Mac, K2GKK/5
(Since 30 Nov '53)
Oklahoma City, OK
USAF Retired 61-81
FAA Retired 94-10
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Jeanette Hodges
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2017 14:58
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City
Ty you are a gem.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Nov 19, 2017, at 1:27 PM, Billy Massey wrote:
>
> You're on there, Ty. Thanks for being a part of it.
> bdub
>
>
>> On Sun, Nov 19, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Ty Hardiman wrote:
>>
>> Mac could you put me in touch with the GMCer and I will see what I can
>> do? You can reach me by text message or call at 405-833-4384. I submitted
>> for
>> the blacklist after Elkhart but I'm not sure that my name is up there yet.
_______________________________________________
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Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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| [GMCnet] UPDATE #3: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326258 is a reply to message #326257] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 12:03 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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I just received a text from Kaitlin. They made it to Memphis last night and expect to make the rest of the trip to Florida by tonight.
Coach running great and getting 1.5 mpg better than previously.
D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of D C _Mac_ Macdonald
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2017 11:58
To: GMC Mail List
Subject: [GMCnet] UPDATE #2: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City
On Sunday evening, Kaitlin attempted to drive the coach to Ty Hardiman's business location but could hardly get up any upgrades so she parked it at a gas station about half way there. They had a pizza delivered there for a late supper.
Coach was towed to Ty's shop on Monday morning. Ty ran a bunch of tests on Monday including compression and leak down. Found two suspicious spark plugs and one missing bolt on exhaust manifold.
Just before 10 pm Monday, Kaitlin reported, "She lives!! She sounds and is running great."
Analysis: 2 bad plugs; missing bolt on passenger exhaust manifold,; BOTH manifold gaskets worn out; exhaust system had not been supported under the coach, causing manifold to pull away from the engine; distributor timing incorrect. All buttoned up around noon Tuesday.
Kaitlin and Paul got underway about 6 pm on Tuesday evening.
All this is a result of the superb level of assistance by Ty Hardiman, a fairly recent convert to the GMC motorhome obsession!
Bon Voyage, Kaitlin and Paul!
D C "Mac" Macdonald
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326259 is a reply to message #326159] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 12:21 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Thanks for the update. That is a great success story. The way it started out I thought another engine failure.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326260 is a reply to message #326159] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 13:42 |
Ty Hardiman
Messages: 43
Registered: April 2017
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Karma: 0
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Member |
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I have been waiting to make sure Kaitlin and Paul and Theodore the dog made it OK before posting an update, hope this post doesn't jinx them! They left Oklahoma City Tuesday night and made it to Memphis. I spoke to them today and they are well into Mississippi and hope to make their Florida destination for the holidays.
When I got to them on Sunday night, Kaitlin's coach ran terrible. It was the worst running thing I've heard. Mac had been helping them diagnose the ignition and so we decided the first step was to set the timing and confirm plug wire hookups. We also cut the zip tie holding all wires together to eliminate the possibility of the 5-7 crossfire. We pulled the #1 plug to confirm that TDC matched our harmonic balancer timing mark. Thanks to Dick Paterson teaching me all this over the phone when I was troubleshooting my coach this summer.
Once we trusted the timing we tried to drive the coach the 16 miles to my shop but there was just no way. It was gutless and terribly loud. They overnighted at a gas station Sunday night and Monday we had the truck towed to my shop. Over the summer I had met with my tow operator so that he was familiar with the right truck and hoist he would need to move our GMCs safely. Kaitlyn and Paul and Theodore the dog had to endure a few off-color tow operator jokes on the ride in but he only charged them $165 for the 8-mile run, which seemed fine considering he did it with the right equipment.
We dug into the coach Monday night while Mac and his wife provided moral support. I wanted to set a baseline for the engine so we pulled the plugs and ran a compression test and leak-down test and recorded for her log book. We checked the plug wires and looked over all the spark plugs, recording the condition of each, gapping them, and numbering all of them to return to the same cylinders. It was immediately obvious that there were a couple of bad plugs in the mix which would have put us down two cylinders.
I was suspicious of the exhaust gaskets contributing to the noise of the engine, so we decided to pull the manifolds and here's what we found first of all the exhaust gaskets were blown out on the topside, then we found that the donut gaskets were bad as well, but the big surprise was when we unhooked both sides of the exhaust pipes from the manifolds. The entire Y assembly with the flowmasters on it banged onto the ground. We got under the coach and realized that there were no muffler or pipe hangers reinstalled when Kaitlin had the flowmasters put on her coach recently. The result was that the entire assembly forward of the fuel tanks was hanging from the back of the manifolds. This, combined with loose bolts on the manifolds, compromised all of the exhaust gaskets on the engine. We knew this had to be fixed in order to listen to the engine closely enough to diagnose further issues.
I wanted to install Jim K's Remflex gaskets or Dave Linzi's copper ones, but I knew that we could acquire Fel-Pro's on Monday night so we decided to proceed in that direction after visually inspecting the manifolds for cracks or warping. Tuesday we were able to pick up a couple of donuts and put them in, then we jacked the exhaust system up and temporarily anchored it long enough to get the coach on my four post lift where we raised it and secured the exhaust pipes back in place. New plugs, torqued everything down, and I wish I could describe the look on Kaitlin's face when she fired up her coach to hear the engine running normally. This, after she spent the entire weekend worrying that her nice Dave M.-built 455 was gonna have to come out. She got out for the cost of a tow and some exhaust gaskets. Couldn't ask for a better outcome over Thanksgiving.
Kaitlin is going to check the plugs and the torque on the manifold bolts daily right now and she will take the coach to a muffler shop for long-term exhaust pipe hangers and probably install locking retainers for the exhaust bolts. She is very mechanically inclined and she understands and is willing to learn what makes these coaches tick. We need to get her out to GMCMI Tucson this spring. She's one of the young, technically minded owners that our community needs more of. It was a good team effort by everyone giving Kaitlin advice over the phone and some good, actually great, luck on our part. Kaitlin and Paul took me to dinner at my favorite restaurant Monday night so I made out pretty well also!
Ty
Norman, OK / August 1977 Kingsley / 403 / 3.55 / 16" / Quadrajet
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| Re: [GMCnet] UPDATE #3: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326262 is a reply to message #326258] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 14:01 |
Mike Kelley
Messages: 467
Registered: February 2017
Karma: -2
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Senior Member |
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Glad to hear Kaitlin did not need the Illinois GMC hauler she inquired about - Dave Marchiando will be glad to hear it also.
Mike/The Corvair a holic
Sent from my iPhone
> On Nov 22, 2017, at 12:03 PM, D C _Mac_ Macdonald wrote:
>
> I just received a text from Kaitlin. They made it to Memphis last night and expect to make the rest of the trip to Florida by tonight.
>
> Coach running great and getting 1.5 mpg better than previously.
>
> D C "Mac" Macdonald
> Amateur Radio K2GKK
> Since 30 November '53
> USAF and FAA, Retired
> Member GMCMI & Classics
> Oklahoma City, OK
> "The Money Pit"
> TZE166V101966
> '76 ex-Palm Beach
> k2gkk + hotmail dot com
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Gmclist on behalf of D C _Mac_ Macdonald
> Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2017 11:58
> To: GMC Mail List
> Subject: [GMCnet] UPDATE #2: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City
>
> On Sunday evening, Kaitlin attempted to drive the coach to Ty Hardiman's business location but could hardly get up any upgrades so she parked it at a gas station about half way there. They had a pizza delivered there for a late supper.
>
> Coach was towed to Ty's shop on Monday morning. Ty ran a bunch of tests on Monday including compression and leak down. Found two suspicious spark plugs and one missing bolt on exhaust manifold.
>
> Just before 10 pm Monday, Kaitlin reported, "She lives!! She sounds and is running great."
>
> Analysis: 2 bad plugs; missing bolt on passenger exhaust manifold,; BOTH manifold gaskets worn out; exhaust system had not been supported under the coach, causing manifold to pull away from the engine; distributor timing incorrect. All buttoned up around noon Tuesday.
>
> Kaitlin and Paul got underway about 6 pm on Tuesday evening.
>
> All this is a result of the superb level of assistance by Ty Hardiman, a fairly recent convert to the GMC motorhome obsession!
>
> Bon Voyage, Kaitlin and Paul!
>
> D C "Mac" Macdonald
>
> _______________________________________________
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326264 is a reply to message #326260] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 14:09 |
Mike Kelley
Messages: 467
Registered: February 2017
Karma: -2
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Senior Member |
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Way to go - Ty - you are amazing.
Thanks for letting us know the details.
Mike/The Corvair a holic
Sent from my iPhone
> On Nov 22, 2017, at 1:42 PM, Ty Hardiman wrote:
>
> I have been waiting to make sure Kaitlin and Paul and Theodore the dog made it OK before posting an update, hope this post doesn't jinx them! They
> left Oklahoma City Tuesday night and made it to Memphis. I spoke to them today and they are well into Mississippi and hope to make their Florida
> destination for the holidays.
>
> When I got to them on Sunday night, Kaitlin's coach ran terrible. It was the worst running thing I've heard. Mac had been helping them diagnose the
> ignition and so we decided the first step was to set the timing and confirm plug wire hookups. We also cut the zip tie holding all wires together to
> eliminate the possibility of the 5-7 crossfire. We pulled the #1 plug to confirm that TDC matched our harmonic balancer timing mark. Thanks to Dick
> Paterson teaching me all this over the phone when I was troubleshooting my coach this summer.
>
> Once we trusted the timing we tried to drive the coach the 16 miles to my shop but there was just no way. It was gutless and terribly loud. They
> overnighted at a gas station Sunday night and Monday we had the truck towed to my shop. Over the summer I had met with my tow operator so that he was
> familiar with the right truck and hoist he would need to move our GMCs safely. Kaitlyn and Paul and Theodore the dog had to endure a few off-color tow
> operator jokes on the ride in but he only charged them $165 for the 8-mile run, which seemed fine considering he did it with the right equipment.
>
> We dug into the coach Monday night while Mac and his wife provided moral support. I wanted to set a baseline for the engine so we pulled the plugs and
> ran a compression test and leak-down test and recorded for her log book. We checked the plug wires and looked over all the spark plugs, recording the
> condition of each, gapping them, and numbering all of them to return to the same cylinders. It was immediately obvious that there were a couple of bad
> plugs in the mix which would have put us down two cylinders.
>
> I was suspicious of the exhaust gaskets contributing to the noise of the engine, so we decided to pull the manifolds and here's what we found first
> of all the exhaust gaskets were blown out on the topside, then we found that the donut gaskets were bad as well, but the big surprise was when we
> unhooked both sides of the exhaust pipes from the manifolds. The entire Y assembly with the flowmasters on it banged onto the ground. We got under the
> coach and realized that there were no muffler or pipe hangers reinstalled when Kaitlin had the flowmasters put on her coach recently. The result was
> that the entire assembly forward of the fuel tanks was hanging from the back of the manifolds. This, combined with loose bolts on the manifolds,
> compromised all of the exhaust gaskets on the engine. We knew this had to be fixed in order to listen to the engine closely enough to diagnose further
> issues.
>
> I wanted to install Jim K's Remflex gaskets or Dave Linzi's copper ones, but I knew that we could acquire Fel-Pro's on Monday night so we decided to
> proceed in that direction after visually inspecting the manifolds for cracks or warping. Tuesday we were able to pick up a couple of donuts and put
> them in, then we jacked the exhaust system up and temporarily anchored it long enough to get the coach on my four post lift where we raised it and
> secured the exhaust pipes back in place. New plugs, torqued everything down, and I wish I could describe the look on Kaitlin's face when she fired up
> her coach to hear the engine running normally. This, after she spent the entire weekend worrying that her nice Dave M.-built 455 was gonna have to
> come out. She got out for the cost of a tow and some exhaust gaskets. Couldn't ask for a better outcome over Thanksgiving.
>
> Kaitlin is going to check the plugs and the torque on the manifold bolts daily right now and she will take the coach to a muffler shop for long-term
> exhaust pipe hangers and probably install locking retainers for the exhaust bolts. She is very mechanically inclined and she understands and is
> willing to learn what makes these coaches tick. We need to get her out to GMCMI Tucson this spring. She's one of the young, technically minded owners
> that our community needs more of. It was a good team effort by everyone giving Kaitlin advice over the phone and some good, actually great, luck on
> our part. Kaitlin and Paul took me to dinner at my favorite restaurant Monday night so I made out pretty well also!
>
> Ty
> --
> Ty Hardiman, Norman, OK / Member FMCA-GMCMI-GMC Classics / August 1977 Kingsley TZE167V102390 / 26' / 403 / 3.55 / 16" Wheels / Quadrajet / HEI /
> Previous Owners: Basil LeBlanc, Dan Ramker / Original Owner: William Strahm, Loveland, CO
>
> _______________________________________________
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326265 is a reply to message #326159] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 15:16 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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If you can Ty, let her know several of us will be at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka 10 - 18 December. Skycraft, The Co-Op, and Ikea are likely junkets during the week. And Theodore can meet 3,000 or so of his closest buds at the week long dog shows.
--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] UPDATE #3: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326269 is a reply to message #326262] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 16:49 |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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In our shop, we catch ourselves jumping into the middle of a engine issue
instead of starting with the basic and moving up.
Where your on the road and develope problems, we sometimes do not use our
talent but jump to conclusions and then need to backtrack.
On Wed, Nov 22, 2017 at 12:01 PM, Mike Kelley wrote:
> Glad to hear Kaitlin did not need the Illinois GMC hauler she inquired
> about - Dave Marchiando will be glad to hear it also.
> Mike/The Corvair a holic
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Nov 22, 2017, at 12:03 PM, D C _Mac_ Macdonald
> wrote:
>>
>> I just received a text from Kaitlin. They made it to Memphis last night
> and expect to make the rest of the trip to Florida by tonight.
>>
>> Coach running great and getting 1.5 mpg better than previously.
>>
>> D C "Mac" Macdonald
>> Amateur Radio K2GKK
>> Since 30 November '53
>> USAF and FAA, Retired
>> Member GMCMI & Classics
>> Oklahoma City, OK
>> "The Money Pit"
>> TZE166V101966
>> '76 ex-Palm Beach
>> k2gkk + hotmail dot com
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Gmclist on behalf of D C _Mac_
> Macdonald
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2017 11:58
>> To: GMC Mail List
>> Subject: [GMCnet] UPDATE #2: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City
>>
>> On Sunday evening, Kaitlin attempted to drive the coach to Ty Hardiman's
> business location but could hardly get up any upgrades so she parked it at
> a gas station about half way there. They had a pizza delivered there for a
> late supper.
>>
>> Coach was towed to Ty's shop on Monday morning. Ty ran a bunch of tests
> on Monday including compression and leak down. Found two suspicious spark
> plugs and one missing bolt on exhaust manifold.
>>
>> Just before 10 pm Monday, Kaitlin reported, "She lives!! She sounds and
> is running great."
>>
>> Analysis: 2 bad plugs; missing bolt on passenger exhaust manifold,;
> BOTH manifold gaskets worn out; exhaust system had not been supported under
> the coach, causing manifold to pull away from the engine; distributor
> timing incorrect. All buttoned up around noon Tuesday.
>>
>> Kaitlin and Paul got underway about 6 pm on Tuesday evening.
>>
>> All this is a result of the superb level of assistance by Ty Hardiman, a
> fairly recent convert to the GMC motorhome obsession!
>>
>> Bon Voyage, Kaitlin and Paul!
>>
>> D C "Mac" Macdonald
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: [GMCnet] UPDATE #3: Re: Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326274 is a reply to message #326269] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 19:45 |
cbryan
Messages: 451
Registered: May 2012
Location: Ennis, Texas
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Ty,
With reference to your troubleshooting Kaitlin's coach with the bad exhaust gaskets, no hangers, two bad plugs, etc, it was the best thing I have read today. It's great to hear some difficult problems solved quickly. And cheaply. Thanks from all of us for your big heart and skills you share.
Carey
Carey from Ennis, Texas
78 Royale, 500 Cadillac, Rance Baxter EFI.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Help Needed near Oklahoma City [message #326278 is a reply to message #326260] |
Wed, 22 November 2017 23:29 |
Adrien G.
Messages: 474
Registered: May 2008
Location: Burns Flat, OK 73624
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Ty,
Thanks for your report, and a good outcome to what sounded as a real problem.
Sometimes we don't get to read about the final out come.
Wishing you and the forum members a good Thanksgiving.
Adrien & Jenny Genesoto
75 Glenbrook (26-3) Mods LS3.70 FD / Reaction Sys / 80mm Front&Intermidiate / Hydroboost / 16" Tires / Frame Rebuild / Interior Rebuild
Yuba City,Ca. Text 530-nine-3-three-3-nine-nine-6
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