Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Maintenance write up
| Maintenance write up [message #256175] |
Tue, 22 July 2014 22:55  |
Tilerpep
Messages: 404
Registered: June 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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I have done a few maintenance things recently that might benefit some newer members to hear another version/compilation write up.
I bought my coach May of 2013. It had been sitting for eight years. Things like the cooling fan clutch I learned about here online, as I had nothing to compare it to when I bought it. Reading signs of a bad fan and understanding it are two different things. It has to "roar" when the engine starts. The whole bloomin' thing roared to my novice ears! Based on the oily shaft and two incidents of climbing temperature gauge, I put a Hayden 2747 fan on (after much reading, I didn't want the heavy duty fan). Now I know the "roar" and I didn't have it before. Now if I sit at a light it comes on, if I run the AC it transfers enough heat in that compartment the roar comes back. Haven't been on a real road trip with the new fan, but this should help with minor vapor lock I experienced, and keep that temp gauge steady. I was able to swap the fan without removing the shroud. [There was a metal sleeve/cylinder/spacer thing that came with the fan about half inch across and a little bit longer. I did not see where there was anything like it installed before, so I didn't use it. Comments on that decision are welcome, especially if I need it!] My reading showed various opinions on fan options and reliability, especially for the Haydens, but what I have now is better than what I had...
Adjusting front ride height was tackled this week. My front frame slots sat at twelve inches, a full inch too low. I borrowed torsion bar unloaders and figured out my driveway mechanic approach...jacked up the coach by the center of the main frame in front so the front wheels were off the ground, and less torsion on the bars. Jack stands to hold the weight, and another set for safety. folks had suggested I weigh each side, never figured out a way to do that, so i removed the adjuster bolts all the way, counting the rotations. They were even (14 turns each) and my coach was level prior, so i took that to mean balanced. I cleaned and greased the adjuster bolts, tightened the unloader, and put each bolt in to 19 turns. I had read six turns would yield about an inch. Got it cleaned up, on the ground, drove a few miles, measured it, and it only went to 12.2 inches (even side to side). Apparently the early turns yield less. So I set it all up again, added five turns to each side. Drove it again, and it's still not quite high enough, and passenger side is quarter inch lower than driver side. So will likely add one turn on driver side and two or three on passenger.
Changed the transmission fluid and filter while it was on stands, and book says 4 quarts for fluid, and 5 if you change filter. I put 6 in to get to the marks on the dipstick (running, warm, in park)(have more fluid on hand than the book says, I had to make another trip to store), and still need to check it a few times when it is hot to be certain it's right. Bozo moment goes to the attempt to add fluid to tranny while the engine was running - I topped it off last year. But remember that I just put a working fan on this year right? Ha! So I start to pour and...it is amazing how much area an ounce or two of red tranny fluid covers when blown by a working fan. aaarrrgh. ha.
All new coolant while it was up. (My house water heater hoses have been bypassed since the heater started leaking and I have not replaced it.)
Changed engine oil while it was up. (I put fresh oil in when I bought it, and probably put 1000 miles on this change.)
Tinkered with the three way switch on the light over the driver seat. On (up) works, middle position seems off, and third position some said was courtesy light with door, and some said could be switched on by the headlight switch. Mine never did either until today - an extra little tweak of the headlight switch rotating got it to light briefly.
My parking brake light worked twice today, making three total times in a year.
I bought some junkyard 2000 Honda Odyssey middle row seats to swap for driver and passenger, but apparently most of the write ups I had read did not quite match the actual mounting setup I discovered underneath. There must have been a change about 2001. Still might be able to use them, but I'll have to customize a little differently than what I read. I have the OEM seats that if I read the GMC manual correctly are from Flexsteel? There is a piece of Luan type thin wood inside the base of the seat between foam and springs that I don't know if it is original or was added when re-upholstered 15 years ago. Doesn't sit well for more than about 20 minutes.
I re-bedded my vent stack covers with some butyl tape.
Last year I put new TransForce tires on the 16.5's. Still not totally pleased with some wobble that feels like out of balance, despite the installer finding this year they balanced them wrong the first time. They improved but still not convinced whether its the wheels, tires, or more nuanced realities of drivetrain or bearings or something odd. Need to rotate and experiment some more.
Next will probably be the clearance lights. I know I have some leaking, and only half work. PO (previous owner) bought all new ones which he left with the coach, but between rust and short wires on the existing, I have not made any real progress on getting the new ones in place.
A long version of JWIWD. Comments, encouragement and feedback welcome!
1975 Glenbrook, 1978 Royale rear bath
Raleigh, NC
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| Re: Maintenance write up [message #256179 is a reply to message #256175] |
Tue, 22 July 2014 23:12  |
jim kanomata
Messages: 257
Registered: March 2007
Location: fremont,ca
Karma: 12
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Senior Member |
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That was a good message.
Be careful of reading the original temp gage. majority will run at quarter mark.
Should you feel that it will go 3/4 or more, you'll be in for a surprise, as it will not and you'll need anther engine.
Even at half mark, it is hitting 220degrees.
Idling your engine to warm-up is not good as the rich mixture will wash the lub of the valve guides and rings. Ending up with a oil burner.
With choke adjusted properly you need only to run it for less than a minute then put it in gear and drive slowly .Your engine will warm up quickly and also save gas.
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: Maintenance write up [message #256197 is a reply to message #256175] |
Wed, 23 July 2014 06:04 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Let's address that spacer first. It is supplied with most Hayden fan clutches so the clutch will fit on two different water pump hub sizes. I have always seen it used on the GM waterpump.
Remove the clutch and insert the spacer on the center of the water pump hub and then reinstall the clutch.
Good luck with that Hayden clutch. I went through 3 of them trying to find one that would turn off. Hayden finally refunded my money and I went with an AC Delco one. The problem went away immediately. So if you have a problem with the clutch running most of the time, return it Hayden. If the clutch only runs at startup, up to about 10 mph, and after that only under high engine temperature situations then you have a good one.
Be careful adjusting the front ride height. When you turn the adjusters unequally the rear airbags will self adjust throwing off the front ride height. It will make a load imbalance on the front and rear wheels. Meaning heavy on diagonally opposite corners of the coach. The rear ride height must be set exactly before you can do any unequal side to side adjust met to the front. Many of us put a pair of exactly cut wood blocks under the rear bogies so the air bags can not affect the front adjustment.
I do not know where you are in NC but my scales are currently in Knoxville. If you are within driving distance you might contact Chuck Boyd as he has them and knows exactly how to use them. If you are not close, then block the rears to the correct exact height before doing any front ride height adjustments.
1/4" equals about 125 pounds weight transfer front one side to the other. I would not crank on those front bars unequally without scales and the rear blocked so they can not move. I watched Chuck check one this spring that was out almost 1" and 500 pounds side to side on the front. He adjusted the rears to the correct height and blocked them in place with two hydraulic jacks. Checking the fronts then showed the difference in height and weight moved into specs without touching a thing up front.
JMHO
Contact Chuck if you are close by.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Maintenance write up [message #256228 is a reply to message #256175] |
Wed, 23 July 2014 10:25 |
Tilerpep
Messages: 404
Registered: June 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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Thanks JimK, good reminders/summary on the temp gauge...I replaced my sender last fall with a NAPA TS6469 that reads more like one would expect. The tranny filter I ordered from you in February is the one I put on last week!
KenB, you had suggested Knoxville for your scales a month or two ago to me when I was asking for tips, Chuck even sent me a note. But that is a long haul from Raleigh. Without an ideal shop, I am relying on averages...drive it around, measure in one parking lot, drive it around, measure in another parking lot. Knock out errands, and get to be out in it! Based in today's advice, I will probably add one or two more turns (equally) to the front adjusters before I send back the borrowed unloaders.
So, I asked for advice on that fan spacer and you said to go back in and use it. (I also asked so anyone installing one might read BEFORE they are in there like I was, ready to be done!) So, the "now I am here" question is: how vital is it? It seemed like the assembly mounted to a flush surface, not really on a spindle of any sort. So, do I need to re-do it before my beach trip in a couple weeks, or add it to the "took four months to put my tranny filter on" list?
Thanks,
Tyler
1975 Glenbrook, 1978 Royale rear bath
Raleigh, NC
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| Re: Maintenance write up [message #256242 is a reply to message #256228] |
Wed, 23 July 2014 11:36 |
midlf
Messages: 2212
Registered: July 2007
Location: SE Wisc. (Palmyra)
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Tilerpep wrote on Wed, 23 July 2014 10:25
So, I asked for advice on that fan spacer and you said to go back in and use it. So, the "now I am here" question is: how vital is it? It seemed like the assembly mounted to a flush surface, not really on a spindle of any sort. So, do I need to re-do it before my beach trip in a couple weeks, or add it to the "took four months to put my tranny filter on" list?
Thanks,
Tyler
The water pump "should" have a pilot nose on it. The fan clutch has a bore. The bushing is there to make sure the fan clutch, and fan, is properly centered if the pilot nose is too small for the bore as it usually is. It is a solution to the mfr's desire to have one size fit as many as possible I suspect. If it is not properly centered you can have vibrations that are bad juju for the bearings in the fan clutch or water pump. Also when those bearings crap out it can launch the fan through the radiator or, at least, damage the shroud.
For me this would be a high priority item to correct.
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
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