Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally
| [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91295] |
Tue, 06 July 2010 17:14  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Since we're going to help the hosts with the GMCDL rally at Dillard, GA
(almost NC) this week, we left before 9AM this morning, 2 days before the
official start.
The first accelleration out of our neighborhood on US19, I didn't thing the
transmission was ever going to make the 2-3 shift --- it was above 45 mph
with little throttle. But the next 30 miles proceeded normally, including
the sputter & dying engine after about 25 miles. Switching to Aux fixed
that. In the next town, we stopped to fill up with gas.
The pump shut off at 30+ gallons with a little burp down the side of the
coach. Doesn't seem like much when there should have been <6 gallons left
in the combination of the two tanks, but the price in that little town was
too high, so I didn't try to dribble more in.
When I started up again, SHE complained of the gas smell, and continued to
do so off and on for the next little while, despite my describing the burp.
Accelerating out of the station, the 2-3 shift was again sluggish.
After a couple of stop lights caught us and the transmission was still
acting funny, I decided to stop in a supermarket parking lot to check the
transmission fluid. Since I haven't yet calibrated the romote dipstick
after the Cad installation, I raised the engine hatch, engine still running,
to check the fluid.
At the left rear of the engine I have a 30 psi fluid damped fuel pressure
gauge mounted between the hard line from the surge tank and the SS clad
flexible line to the throttle body. Squirting out of the hole where the
glycerin is installed to damp the gauge was GASOLINE! There was a big,
continually evaporating and being replenished puddle on the intake manifold,
and gas was running around the flange of the left rocker cover and cascading
down over the exhaust manifold -- none of it dripping off because it was
evaporating too fast.
I shut the engine down and grabbed the fire extinguisher from beside the
entry door but by the time I got that, all the liquid had evaporated. With
the door and windows open to clear the fumes, I got the tool box and removed
the failed gauge.
Under the sofa bed I've always carried a 12"x18"x2" parts box with
everything from nails and wood screws, thru 2-56 machine screws to 1/2-13
bolts and nuts, to pipe fittings, with some of 'most everything below and
above those. It's been a lifesaver for me and others many times. But I
discovered yesterday that it was missing! The only thing that can have
happened to it is that I had it out of the coach (unusual) finding a piece
for someone at either GMCDL Calhoun or Bean Station in May and left it
behind. Al Samsel couldn't find it at BS, so I guess it's gone forever.
At any rate, that left me stranded with no way to plug the hole in the fuel
line. I was about to disconnect the toad when I noticed an Advance Auto
store next door to the supermarket! Yep, they had a $3.80 brass 1/8" MPT
plug. So we were underway again in about 10 minutes.
The transmission was at least full of fluid and after that stop, for the
next 210 miles, it shifted fine. Maybe this 425's smarter than I've given
it credit for: If I hadn't stop to check it, the coach would probably have
soon burned to the ground.
The rest of the trip was uneventful, but I don't think my junkyard fan
clutch is working. I never heard a roar (nor did she) and the engine temp
ran about 230-235*F most of the way, with 90+*F ambient. Cad500's are noted
for running hot, but not quite that hot. Only the 13 psi radiator cap kept
it from boiling, and I had to be careful before a couple of engine shutdowns
to fast idle it a while before killing the engine.
We're expecting about 60 coaches, I'm told -- an unusually high number for
us except at BS, expecially this time of year. I'll report more late.
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven
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] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91325 is a reply to message #91295] |
Tue, 06 July 2010 20:52  |
Steven Ferguson
Messages: 3447
Registered: May 2006
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Man oh man that is scarey Ken. You must be living right.
On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 3:14 PM, Ken Henderson <hend4800@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Since we're going to help the hosts with the GMCDL rally at Dillard, GA
> (almost NC) this week, we left before 9AM this morning, 2 days before the
> official start.
>
> The first accelleration out of our neighborhood on US19, I didn't thing the
> transmission was ever going to make the 2-3 shift --- it was above 45 mph
> with little throttle. But the next 30 miles proceeded normally, including
> the sputter & dying engine after about 25 miles. Switching to Aux fixed
> that. In the next town, we stopped to fill up with gas.
>
> The pump shut off at 30+ gallons with a little burp down the side of the
> coach. Doesn't seem like much when there should have been <6 gallons left
> in the combination of the two tanks, but the price in that little town was
> too high, so I didn't try to dribble more in.
>
> When I started up again, SHE complained of the gas smell, and continued to
> do so off and on for the next little while, despite my describing the burp.
> Accelerating out of the station, the 2-3 shift was again sluggish.
>
> After a couple of stop lights caught us and the transmission was still
> acting funny, I decided to stop in a supermarket parking lot to check the
> transmission fluid. Since I haven't yet calibrated the romote dipstick
> after the Cad installation, I raised the engine hatch, engine still running,
> to check the fluid.
>
> At the left rear of the engine I have a 30 psi fluid damped fuel pressure
> gauge mounted between the hard line from the surge tank and the SS clad
> flexible line to the throttle body. Squirting out of the hole where the
> glycerin is installed to damp the gauge was GASOLINE! There was a big,
> continually evaporating and being replenished puddle on the intake manifold,
> and gas was running around the flange of the left rocker cover and cascading
> down over the exhaust manifold -- none of it dripping off because it was
> evaporating too fast.
>
> I shut the engine down and grabbed the fire extinguisher from beside the
> entry door but by the time I got that, all the liquid had evaporated. With
> the door and windows open to clear the fumes, I got the tool box and removed
> the failed gauge.
>
> Under the sofa bed I've always carried a 12"x18"x2" parts box with
> everything from nails and wood screws, thru 2-56 machine screws to 1/2-13
> bolts and nuts, to pipe fittings, with some of 'most everything below and
> above those. It's been a lifesaver for me and others many times. But I
> discovered yesterday that it was missing! The only thing that can have
> happened to it is that I had it out of the coach (unusual) finding a piece
> for someone at either GMCDL Calhoun or Bean Station in May and left it
> behind. Al Samsel couldn't find it at BS, so I guess it's gone forever.
>
> At any rate, that left me stranded with no way to plug the hole in the fuel
> line. I was about to disconnect the toad when I noticed an Advance Auto
> store next door to the supermarket! Yep, they had a $3.80 brass 1/8" MPT
> plug. So we were underway again in about 10 minutes.
>
> The transmission was at least full of fluid and after that stop, for the
> next 210 miles, it shifted fine. Maybe this 425's smarter than I've given
> it credit for: If I hadn't stop to check it, the coach would probably have
> soon burned to the ground.
>
> The rest of the trip was uneventful, but I don't think my junkyard fan
> clutch is working. I never heard a roar (nor did she) and the engine temp
> ran about 230-235*F most of the way, with 90+*F ambient. Cad500's are noted
> for running hot, but not quite that hot. Only the 13 psi radiator cap kept
> it from boiling, and I had to be careful before a couple of engine shutdowns
> to fast idle it a while before killing the engine.
>
> We're expecting about 60 coaches, I'm told -- an unusually high number for
> us except at BS, expecially this time of year. I'll report more late.
>
> Ken H.
> Americus, GA
> '76 X-Birchaven
> www.gmcwipersetc.com
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Steve Ferguson
'76 EII
Sierra Vista, AZ
Urethane bushing source
www.bdub.net/ferguson/
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| Re: [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91328 is a reply to message #91325] |
Tue, 06 July 2010 21:26 |
stick miller
Messages: 1036
Registered: March 2010
Location: Americus, Georgia
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Looking forward to a visit to the rally on Sat and (possibly) Sunday. Looking at a Palm Beach on the way up. Staying in Clayton with friends, but looking forward to making some new ones in Dillard. I hope my trip in my wife's "cussed" VW Jetta is less eventful than Ken's.
Stick Miller
'78 Royale - "White Trash" - she left me for another man
'76 Eleganza - "Cousin Eddie" Sold
'84 Bluebird Wanderlodge - "Past Tents"
Americus, GA
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| Re: [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91337 is a reply to message #91325] |
Tue, 06 July 2010 22:19 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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""At the left rear of the engine I have a 30 psi fluid damped fuel pressure
> gauge mounted between the hard line from the surge tank and the SS clad
> flexible line to the throttle body. Squirting out of the hole where the
> glycerin is installed to damp the gauge was GASOLINE! There was a big,
> continually evaporating and being replenished puddle on the intake manifold,
> and gas was running around the flange of the left rocker cover and cascading
> down over the exhaust manifold -- none of it dripping off because it was
> evaporating too fast.
""
Ken--this reminds me of a spirited discussion we had almost 10 years ago. How do you improve reliability? Reduce the number of parts in a system. Sorry, i couldn't help that one 
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91368 is a reply to message #91337] |
Wed, 07 July 2010 06:59 |
pete lyons
Messages: 81
Registered: June 2010
Karma: 0
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Member |
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Ken,
I recently shared a similar experience. I was replacing the pickup coil on
the distributor, and while adjusting the timing, felt water drops hitting me
in the face. I replaced a water pump last year, so I leaned over to look at
the pump when I noticed the "water" was evaporating immediately. I then saw
a stream of fuel shooting from a cracked hose just below the fuel pump.
Had I not been tinkering with the timing, (had to get it "perfect") and
closed the lid and went on our way, it would have been a matchstick.
I now do a full "walkaround" the coach before every trip.
Murphy's law this past weekend when i lost all my brakes on the way home
this past weekend....
Pete Lyons
"the coach is running great! stopping is a little different story"
On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 11:19 PM, Bob de Kruyff <NEXT2POOL@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> ""At the left rear of the engine I have a 30 psi fluid damped fuel pressure
> > gauge mounted between the hard line from the surge tank and the SS clad
> > flexible line to the throttle body. Squirting out of the hole where the
> > glycerin is installed to damp the gauge was GASOLINE! There was a big,
> > continually evaporating and being replenished puddle on the intake
> manifold,
> > and gas was running around the flange of the left rocker cover and
> cascading
> > down over the exhaust manifold -- none of it dripping off because it was
> > evaporating too fast.
> ""
>
> Ken--this reminds me of a spirited discussion we had almost 10 years ago.
> How do you improve reliability? Reduce the number of parts in a system.
> Sorry, i couldn't help that one :)
> --
> Bob de Kruyff
> 78 Eleganza
> Chandler, AZ
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Pete Lyons
New Albany, IN
76 Eleganza II "Optimus Prime"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91369 is a reply to message #91337] |
Wed, 07 July 2010 07:07 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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No question you're right about that Bob. But when you're continually in a
test mode, as I seem to be, some things just need to be there. :-(
Sure is a shame things are not built more robustly. You'd think a gauge
intended for fuel measurement would be especially rugged, but I've had 3 of
them fail now. The first two, from Mr. Gasket, failed very quickly when the
needles quit responding. When I opened one of them, I found that the gears
were completely worn out. Thinking that the continual jiggling of the
needle caused that failure, I bought this more expensive fluid damped model.
It eliminated the jiggle, but to fail catastrophically after <1000 miles is
really scary.
Some people have installed oil pressure transmitters as electrical fuel
pressure sensors; I've never considered that because of the possible hazard.
Now, I'm even reluctant to install the one laying on my workbench that was
designed for the purpose. Yet my experiences with EFI thus far have
demonstrated that I do need to monitor FP.
Ahhh, the pleasures of GMCing -- work on the thing until it's perfect, then
have some piddly little part destroy the whole thing. :-(
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 11:19 PM, Bob de Kruyff <NEXT2POOL@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> Ken--this reminds me of a spirited discussion we had almost 10 years ago.
> How do you improve reliability? Reduce the number of parts in a system.
> Sorry, i couldn't help that one :)
> --
> Bob de Kruyff
>
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List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91376 is a reply to message #91369] |
Wed, 07 July 2010 08:24 |
Rick Denney
Messages: 430
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| Ken Henderson wrote on Wed, 07 July 2010 08:07 |
You'd think a gauge intended for fuel measurement would be especially rugged, but I've had 3 of them fail now. The first two, from Mr. Gasket, failed very quickly when the needles quit responding. When I opened one of them, I found that the gears were completely worn out. Thinking that the continual jiggling of the needle caused that failure, I bought this more expensive fluid damped model. It eliminated the jiggle, but to fail catastrophically after <1000 miles is really scary.
|
This is the same fuel gauge you recommended that I install on my system to troubleshoot my vapor lock symptoms?
Rick "who follows Ken down the garden path willingly--but at a distance" Denney
'73 Glacier 230 "Jaws"
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| Re: [GMCnet] Barely Uneventful Trip to GMCDL Rally [message #91389 is a reply to message #91369] |
Wed, 07 July 2010 10:08 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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On Jul 7, 2010, at 6:07 AM, Ken Henderson <hend4800@bellsouth.net>
wrote:
> No question you're right about that Bob. But when you're
> continually in a
> test mode, as I seem to be, some things just need to be there. :-(
>
> Sure is a shame things are not built more robustly. You'd think a
> gauge
> intended for fuel measurement would be especially rugged, but I've
> had 3 of
> them fail now. The first two, from Mr. Gasket, failed very quickly
> when the
> needles quit responding. When I opened one of them, I found that
> the gears
> were completely worn out.
When I first installed a gauge I was concerned about leaving it
installed at the top of the engine for exactly the reason you
accidently found.
I installed a brass T in the fuel line with a brass plug that I remove
to install the pressure gauge when I want to use it to adjust or check
the pressure. I remove it when done.
I use a pressure gauge that reads from 0 to 30 psi. I purchased this
from a welding shop. It was not made for gasoline but for hydrocarbon
high pressure gases where they leave it hooked up for hours or even
days. It has worked very well.
Emery Stora
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