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Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » newbie rambling about 75 Palm Beach project
newbie rambling about 75 Palm Beach project [message #198815] Sun, 17 February 2013 23:39 Go to next message
Jack Ramsey is currently offline  Jack Ramsey   United States
Messages: 82
Registered: December 2012
Location: Tulare, CA
Karma: 1
Member
I have been going and getting the coach each weekend and bringing it home to clean it up and get a handle on its condition and guess at a reasonable plan of attack.

First couple of days full cleaning and oiling wooden cabinets, checking fluids and attempting to discern what in the PO leftovers is relevant to save. There are “unknown” hardware pieces that once I see a couple of other coaches I can probably figure out.

Got rid of various unconnected wires directly wired to the positive terminal on the passenger front firewall which apparently went to CB radios, and not sure what else, some looked like ham gear. They were just cut wires under the carpeting. At least some of them were fused.
Pulled the glove box checking voltages at all the fuses and found the little tiny “instrument lamp” fuse is grounded. Is this by design? One rear turn signal works (right)(I replaced all the taillight bulbs) no brake lights, most running lights OK (left front not working) and the right headlight worked after plugging and unplugging the connector.

Not happy with the brakes, but again I have nothing to compare it to. Feels too low, forward master cyl reservoir was low and the bellows are deformed. Adjustment may help and NO brake lights. no noticable leaks. Yet, just added fluid.

NONE of the Telltale lights work except the “low air pressure” light.

Fuel gauge shows full all the time, 3 broken wires, next to the Fuel Tank Selector Valve (18 Tan-wht stripe, tan and the black) were just hanging down under the coach and were cable tied forward. My question is where do they lead to? I know from the service manual, that they terminate to the fuel selector switch, but was hoping for a direction to look for remainder of the wiring loom. They obviously had been dragging previously so could be anywhere. I see the PO had added an additional small fuel pump on the left side frame rail, along with a good fuel filter.. He ran a 14 red from the pump, up the rail through the front drivers firewall to a red wire (crimp-tap connector, the 1980’s guys must have loved them, they are EVERYWHERE on this coach) under the pedal assy and labeled it with masking tape “Fuel pump safety switch” It connects (via a crimp-tap) to some kind of vacuum slide device to the right of the brake electrical switches.

Fuel Selector Valve was on the cross member not on the frame rail. ( I have worked on a lot of flagship cars, so not unusual)

Next will tackle the engine compartment, I see hanging down wires in there also, but the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. The PO had replaced the intake manifold with one that sticks up higher and modified the “dog house” to stick up about 8 in. Can’t swivel the seats. Annoying. As I get the extraneous non stock devices cleaned up, and get the core stable, I will feel better. This community has pretty good documentation on the proper upgrade procedures once I get it safe.

Pretty sure I have lost my mind, but have a nice smile on my face.

Jack


Jack Ramsey Tulare, CA TZE165V101526 1975 Palm Beach
Re: newbie rambling about 75 Palm Beach project [message #198822 is a reply to message #198815] Mon, 18 February 2013 00:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
X   United States
Messages: 112
Registered: December 2012
Location:
Karma: 0
Senior Member
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[Updated on: Mon, 23 December 2013 19:03]

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Re: newbie rambling about 75 Palm Beach project [message #198834 is a reply to message #198815] Mon, 18 February 2013 06:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Jack,

Do you have the service manuals and wiring diagrams?
If you do not, all that can be downloaded from links that you will find on Bdub's site.

It would be easier if you asked one question at a time. My best count from this last post is six to ten issues that could be addressed and I am not up to that right now.

I can tell you that there is a two wire connector in the region of the tanks selector valve that is the circuit to the senders. The senders are zero (actually 3) ohms low and 90 (more or less) high (full). So, if anything goes bad, the gauge goes to full and the low fuel light read the same circuit. If PO moved the selector valve, he may have lost the ground wire for the senders that went on one of the mounting screws.

Good Luck

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: [GMCnet] newbie rambling about 75 Palm Beach project [message #198849 is a reply to message #198815] Mon, 18 February 2013 08:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Henderson is currently offline  Ken Henderson   United States
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
Senior Member
Jack,

Welcome aboard. You'll get answers to all of your questions here --
perhaps multiple and perhaps conflicting. But for a start, I' agree with
Matt: Try to keep your questions sorted into separate message threads so
us old codgers don't get TOO confused & can get back to the right thread.
It's also helpful to add the year and model of your coach to your
signature block; there are significant differences in some systems.

Without attacking any of your problems immediately, I suggest you get a
good trouble light and a digital multimeter to help with your assorted
electrical problems. A trouble light can be as simple as a half-burned
out tail light bulb with two wires soldered to it, but a better option is a
Harbor Freight screw-driver looking affair with a curly cord for ground and
a bulb in the handle. While at HF, get a $0 to $6 digital multimeter --
that's good enough for 'most anything on the GMC.

If you don't know how to use those, either in general, or to help with a
specific problem, we'll help.

The second electrical suggest is to get the large wiring diagrams which you
can actually read: http://bdub.net/GMC_Motorhome_Wiring_Diagrams.pdf
Never mind that Alan's my son (this is not a paid announcement) -- they
really do make life easier. :-)

Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com


On Mon, Feb 18, 2013 at 12:39 AM, Jack Ramsey wrote:

>
>
> I have been going and getting the coach each weekend and bringing it home
> to clean it up and get a handle on its condition and guess at a reasonable
> plan of attack.
>
...
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
Re: [GMCnet] newbie rambling about 75 Palm Beach project [message #198851 is a reply to message #198849] Mon, 18 February 2013 08:42 Go to previous message
Mr ERFisher is currently offline  Mr ERFisher   United States
Messages: 7117
Registered: August 2005
Karma: 2
Senior Member
And
And
With the wiring such a mess
Be sure to put on an apc cable
So there is no chance of burning up your wires
Gene


FREE WIFI @ Mickey D





On Feb 18, 2013, at 6:26 AM, Ken Henderson <hend4800@bellsouth.net> wrote:

> Jack,
>
> Welcome aboard. You'll get answers to all of your questions here --
> perhaps multiple and perhaps conflicting. But for a start, I' agree with
> Matt: Try to keep your questions sorted into separate message threads so
> us old codgers don't get TOO confused & can get back to the right thread.
> It's also helpful to add the year and model of your coach to your
> signature block; there are significant differences in some systems.
>
> Without attacking any of your problems immediately, I suggest you get a
> good trouble light and a digital multimeter to help with your assorted
> electrical problems. A trouble light can be as simple as a half-burned
> out tail light bulb with two wires soldered to it, but a better option is a
> Harbor Freight screw-driver looking affair with a curly cord for ground and
> a bulb in the handle. While at HF, get a $0 to $6 digital multimeter --
> that's good enough for 'most anything on the GMC.
>
> If you don't know how to use those, either in general, or to help with a
> specific problem, we'll help.
>
> The second electrical suggest is to get the large wiring diagrams which you
> can actually read: http://bdub.net/GMC_Motorhome_Wiring_Diagrams.pdf
> Never mind that Alan's my son (this is not a paid announcement) -- they
> really do make life easier. :-)
>
> Ken H.
> Americus, GA
> '76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
> www.gmcwipersetc.com
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 18, 2013 at 12:39 AM, Jack Ramsey wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I have been going and getting the coach each weekend and bringing it home
>> to clean it up and get a handle on its condition and guess at a reasonable
>> plan of attack.
>>
> ...
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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