| A Few Repair Updates on Coach [message #241947] |
Sat, 01 March 2014 19:19  |
Steve
Messages: 506
Registered: September 2013
Location: East Greenville, Pa
Karma: 1
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I have not worked on or driven the GMC since before Christmas. Heavy work and travel schedule combined with this crazy winter. I finally got to do a little work and take her out on the road. Living the dream!
Dash Heat - the dash heat turned out to be a pretty easy fix. I started with a new blower motor, complete with new plastic fan. $29 at AutoZone for the combined unit. The old blower motor worked when I put 12 volts directly to it but it had a lot of resistance and was difficult to turn by hand. Happy to have the new one but things still did not work. Next I went for the blower relay. This was standard GM, five prong motor relay. Again from AutoZone and less than $10. I was surprised to see that it was made in the USA. Blower motor was made in Mexico. I installed the relay and cleaned up the ground and everything works great.
If your blower motor is not pushing a large volume of air through the dash I would highly recommend this upgrade. I was really surprised to see how much air it is moving. Also very happy to see that all of the vacuum controls are working and properly directing the air to defrost, vent, and heat at the floor, and that I have all of the air speeds. This gives me greater hope for working on the dash AC if spring ever gets here.
Quick Day Trip to Cabella's - With heat now working I took my longest day trip yet, about 100 miles round trip to Cabella's. The GMC ran great out on the highway. I pulled the hills easily and kept up with the faster traffic, spending a fair amount of time in the left lane going around slower traffic. She seems to really like to cruse around 65 to 70. Speedo was pretty accurate as compared to the speed reading on my GPS equipped radar detector (Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania heavily patrolled and much of it is 55 mph.
New Alcoa's/Firestone Transforse - this was my first time out on the new tire and wheel combo. Wheels from Jim K and tires from Ken Frey. 65 lbs in the front tires, 60 in the rears. I have not weighed yet so I am just using these pressures as a starting point. Ran very smooth and handled really well. I also had a six wheel alignment done by Ken Frey. When I got back home I re-torqued the lug nuts to 140 lbs. I was surprised to see just how lose some of them were after the first 100 miles. Ken suggested I re-torque them after the first 100, after the second 100, and then finally after 500 miles. Don't forget to torque your lug nuts.
The only issue I seemed to have was a few drops of anti-freeze that dripped further back behind the drivers side wheel well. Based on location I suspect the rear heater hoses that run to the water heater. I will plan to replace them when it warms up. In the mean time I will keep a close watch on them and carry some emergency repair items in case I need to an emergency bypass of the water heater.
Furnace kept the coach nice and warm while I worked on it. Wish I was going to Montgomery.
1978 GMC Royal
Eastern Pennslyvania
1968 Chevrolet C20 396 Camper Special
1969 Chevrolet C20 Camper Special
1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue
1992 Camaro 25th Anniversary Heretage Edition Black
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| Re: A Few Repair Updates on Coach [message #241953 is a reply to message #241947] |
Sat, 01 March 2014 20:50  |
tphipps
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Inspect or better yet, replace those rear hot water heater hoses. One breaks, you loose a motor. I found out that the very hard way.
I now have ball valves in the hoses, and they are shut off. No water flow, no worry.
Tom, MS II
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
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| Re: A Few Repair Updates on Coach [message #242059 is a reply to message #241953] |
Sun, 02 March 2014 18:18 |
Steve
Messages: 506
Registered: September 2013
Location: East Greenville, Pa
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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| tphipps wrote on Sat, 01 March 2014 21:50 |
Inspect or better yet, replace those rear hot water heater hoses. One breaks, you loose a motor. I found out that the very hard way.
I now have ball valves in the hoses, and they are shut off. No water flow, no worry.
Tom, MS II
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Tom,
Thanks for the warning on the heater hoses. I should know better. I really don't want to learn that the hard way.
1978 GMC Royal
Eastern Pennslyvania
1968 Chevrolet C20 396 Camper Special
1969 Chevrolet C20 Camper Special
1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue
1992 Camaro 25th Anniversary Heretage Edition Black
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| Re: A Few Repair Updates on Coach [message #242064 is a reply to message #241953] |
Sun, 02 March 2014 18:50 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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| tphipps wrote on Sat, 01 March 2014 19:50 |
Inspect or better yet, replace those rear hot water heater hoses. One breaks, you loose a motor. I found out that the very hard way.
I now have ball valves in the hoses, and they are shut off. No water flow, no worry.
Tom, MS II
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Good report. The heater hoses are on the right hand side.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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