2016/10/27
Log 2016102701
I sent an e-mail requesting OEM part, or product numbers pertaining to the sending unit and transfer pump for the motorhome's 38 gallon tank. What I should have asked is what tanks were available for the 1988 Ford Econoline 350? On occasion, I see sending units and transfer pumps for 36 gallon tanks. Since I didn't buy the motorhome new 28 years ago and my measurements could still be off, it's possible that it could be 36 and not 38.
2016/10/23
Link to the American Discovery Trail Facebook Group
The American Discovery Trail as of the date of this blog entry has two different kinds of Facebook accounts. First is the more traditional style, or "page" which in my opinion, is better for the American Discovery Trail Society itself to communicate to the outside world, either by it's posts, or ones that it forwards. Any posts made by other users here will go a "Posts by Others" area that has to be clicked on to be seen.
But it's "group" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/americandiscoverytrail) is much more like a semi open forum on the topic of anything ADT related, such as the trail. gear, food, water, support and maybe even some things about the society itself. One needs to have a Facebook profile and be a member of this group in order to read, or submit posts. If you haven't already, you can click on the link above, or copy it into your browser's address bar, press enter and it will take you to the group. Then click on the "join" button. This group is monitored for SPAM, so it may take time before your request to join is approved, or not.
My name is MD Edmonds. I'm an ADTS member from Ohio. But this blog is 3rd party to any trail agency.
But it's "group" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/americandiscoverytrail) is much more like a semi open forum on the topic of anything ADT related, such as the trail. gear, food, water, support and maybe even some things about the society itself. One needs to have a Facebook profile and be a member of this group in order to read, or submit posts. If you haven't already, you can click on the link above, or copy it into your browser's address bar, press enter and it will take you to the group. Then click on the "join" button. This group is monitored for SPAM, so it may take time before your request to join is approved, or not.
My name is MD Edmonds. I'm an ADTS member from Ohio. But this blog is 3rd party to any trail agency.
2016/10/22
Log 2016102201
The 100 & 200 mile polygon zones for my AAA towing areas have been drawn and I now have copies of those files and are now ready for transfer to my tablet. They're not perfect and that's especially so for some of the outer edges of my 200 mile polygon. I'll have to estimate whether those areas are actually in when and if the time comes. The 200 took 102 routes drawn in Google My Maps and imported to Google Earth to build it's polygon. The 100 mile polygon only needed the ends of 27 to form it.
It's an off-line file, which is what is needed because I'll never know where I'll break down and won't have any signal. If I don't, it's GPS antenna will still work and with off-line maps, it will still show my position. These polygons overlay those base maps. There might be a situation I might be able to run the motorhome a few more miles so I can get into one of the zones. That's what it's really about.
It's an off-line file, which is what is needed because I'll never know where I'll break down and won't have any signal. If I don't, it's GPS antenna will still work and with off-line maps, it will still show my position. These polygons overlay those base maps. There might be a situation I might be able to run the motorhome a few more miles so I can get into one of the zones. That's what it's really about.
Log 2016102201
Yesterday, I purchased two in-line fuel pumps, but the store only had one. So, today I picked up the other unit from another one of their stores, but I forgot to ask if they had any fuel line clips? Last time, I had another one and right now, I think it came in the replacement pump's box.
It's a shot in the dark to see if this will work or not? When I turn the key to the accessory position in the motorhome, I hear something electrical come on, the starter kicks on one click later, but the engine doesn't take over. But the transfer pump has never worked and I drove it for 40 miles on the freeway recently, so I'm running on a theory that I had been overtaxing the high pressure in-line pump.
It's a shot in the dark to see if this will work or not? When I turn the key to the accessory position in the motorhome, I hear something electrical come on, the starter kicks on one click later, but the engine doesn't take over. But the transfer pump has never worked and I drove it for 40 miles on the freeway recently, so I'm running on a theory that I had been overtaxing the high pressure in-line pump.
2016/10/20
Log 2016102001
- Two 9V batteries were purchased today. One is for the carbon monoxide/ smoke detector and the other is a spare.
2016/10/19
Log 2016101901
- My AAA Roadside Assistance Reimbursement paper is printed out as my original invoice from the motorhome's last tow was scanned yesterday, or the day before.
- My ink printer/ scanner here at Home Port fell off my desk yesterday. I put it up on 12 - 6in bed stands, lifting it 8". I thought that went hit the ground, that was going to be the end of it. Well, it wasn't. Only the USB port was damaged. I was still able to get it to work over the Wi-Fi. With that being said, using the scanner bed, I backed up the Wayne National Forest Hiking, Backpacking and Mountain Bike map, as well as the obsolete paper maps for their Marietta Unit. The goal is to waypoint all of their stated facilities and track their trails in Google Earth either by tracing, or downloading them from AllTrails.
The maps were scanned in at 200dpi, or dots per square inch. When overlaying them in Google Earth, zooming in might be necessary in order to correctly position them. There's 35 images to over lay and I hope that I did them right? On the big, fold out Hiking, Backpacking and Mountain Bike map, I only needed the area surrounding the Whipple Section, but I just backed up almost everything.
What I'd like is to see the "big picture" of what's going on around the trail. The position and route of the Kinderhook Horse Trail is hard to imagine sometimes in comparison with my records.
- My ink printer/ scanner here at Home Port fell off my desk yesterday. I put it up on 12 - 6in bed stands, lifting it 8". I thought that went hit the ground, that was going to be the end of it. Well, it wasn't. Only the USB port was damaged. I was still able to get it to work over the Wi-Fi. With that being said, using the scanner bed, I backed up the Wayne National Forest Hiking, Backpacking and Mountain Bike map, as well as the obsolete paper maps for their Marietta Unit. The goal is to waypoint all of their stated facilities and track their trails in Google Earth either by tracing, or downloading them from AllTrails.
The maps were scanned in at 200dpi, or dots per square inch. When overlaying them in Google Earth, zooming in might be necessary in order to correctly position them. There's 35 images to over lay and I hope that I did them right? On the big, fold out Hiking, Backpacking and Mountain Bike map, I only needed the area surrounding the Whipple Section, but I just backed up almost everything.
What I'd like is to see the "big picture" of what's going on around the trail. The position and route of the Kinderhook Horse Trail is hard to imagine sometimes in comparison with my records.
2016/10/16
Log 2016101601
There was the question of how long the hi pressure inline fuel pump in my motorhome could go for without taking a break on the freeway? I just recently confirmed that it can handle those roads. It wasn't a matter of the wind, but the pressure in the tires at the time. And I was wondering if it would fare better at a constant 55MPH instead of 55, 45, 35 & 25 on the country highways that I was driving before. Turns out, it's inconclusive.
The motorhome ran fine for 45 miles and there wasn't a sign of hesitation until I got off the freeway to try and re-enter going the other direction. It was as if the engine had enough fuel to barely stay on. And pressing on the accelerator only revved the engine a little while it was still rolling. I had just enough momentum to pull into a gas station, stop, turn the engine off and give it a break like I've been doing.
Well, it wouldn't start again. In the accessory position, I get the noise like the fuel pump's turning on. But when I try to start it, the starter cranks, but the compression cycle doesn't start. Right now, my guess is that the mechanical portions of the electric pump are damaged. And the driving that I've done prior has damaged it little by little before this. In weeks past, I had be concerned about the quality of the engine's idle sound. And the fact that when I did the last 90 minute test, I pulled into a campground, stayed for 2 nights and while it got me home the next day, the quality of the engine's sound wasn't as good as it was.
I have AAA Premier RV+, so I called them and they didn't have anyone who could get it and offered to reimburse me if I could find someone. Well, the gas station that I was at was very easy going about me staying there until the morning and that's what I did. I called AAA again and they still couldn't get me. So, I made arrangements myself and now I have to submit for reimbursement my $475 bill for about a 48 mile trip and some labor.
When the tow truck operator lifted the front end, he had to do something at the rear axle. And apparently, one of my U joints came loose from the drive shaft. It's OEM from 28 years ago and I had never seen it before, but he was unable to get these little rods that line the inside of it back right because neither one of us had any grease. But if it was that easy, I'd rather replace it. He said that they could have come loose and the drive axle could have dropped when I was driving?
Well, if the high pressure pump is immediately the culprit, installing a new high pressure in line pump is easy. The problem is that I have a driveway that I can install in the gas tank and peripherals. The best date to do that is coming up soon and I'm really out of money. If I decide to go through with it, it's not just one fuel pump, but two to move it and get the full repair perfect.
The motorhome ran fine for 45 miles and there wasn't a sign of hesitation until I got off the freeway to try and re-enter going the other direction. It was as if the engine had enough fuel to barely stay on. And pressing on the accelerator only revved the engine a little while it was still rolling. I had just enough momentum to pull into a gas station, stop, turn the engine off and give it a break like I've been doing.
Well, it wouldn't start again. In the accessory position, I get the noise like the fuel pump's turning on. But when I try to start it, the starter cranks, but the compression cycle doesn't start. Right now, my guess is that the mechanical portions of the electric pump are damaged. And the driving that I've done prior has damaged it little by little before this. In weeks past, I had be concerned about the quality of the engine's idle sound. And the fact that when I did the last 90 minute test, I pulled into a campground, stayed for 2 nights and while it got me home the next day, the quality of the engine's sound wasn't as good as it was.
I have AAA Premier RV+, so I called them and they didn't have anyone who could get it and offered to reimburse me if I could find someone. Well, the gas station that I was at was very easy going about me staying there until the morning and that's what I did. I called AAA again and they still couldn't get me. So, I made arrangements myself and now I have to submit for reimbursement my $475 bill for about a 48 mile trip and some labor.
When the tow truck operator lifted the front end, he had to do something at the rear axle. And apparently, one of my U joints came loose from the drive shaft. It's OEM from 28 years ago and I had never seen it before, but he was unable to get these little rods that line the inside of it back right because neither one of us had any grease. But if it was that easy, I'd rather replace it. He said that they could have come loose and the drive axle could have dropped when I was driving?
Well, if the high pressure pump is immediately the culprit, installing a new high pressure in line pump is easy. The problem is that I have a driveway that I can install in the gas tank and peripherals. The best date to do that is coming up soon and I'm really out of money. If I decide to go through with it, it's not just one fuel pump, but two to move it and get the full repair perfect.
2016/10/13
Log 2016091301
The Robot is definately not getting enough power. It's USB 3.0 expansion card is barely supporting the tablet being the only thing tethered to it. And my smartphone (which is a USB 3.0 device) had to be plugged into one of the on-board 2.0 ports so I could transfer some pictures between the devices. One of those pictures is the driver's side door panel of the motorhome's cab which has the weight limits, VIN and model numbers printed on them.
When I checked my Kill-A-Watt meter, it said that The Robot was drawing 95 watts. I'm pretty sure now that it's time for a new power supply unit.
When I checked my Kill-A-Watt meter, it said that The Robot was drawing 95 watts. I'm pretty sure now that it's time for a new power supply unit.
2016/10/12
Log 2016091201
I just got back from the Whipple Section and it's surrounding area. The one thing I couldn't do was paint because I didn't bring the proper clothing. But I did get some North Country Trail tack-ons up and some reconnaissance done for the upcoming Buckeye Trail Data Book.
One thing that it's authors spotted was a couple benches and picnic tables. How they made out there being a pavilion, benches and a water well from satellite imagery is beyond me? I have it up in Google Earth now and I even tried street view on Google Earth and I'm unable to get that much defination. For those of us on the ground, it's kinda sunk back and it's brick tends to blend in with the foliage. And they're aren't any signs for it. Well, the property is on Tittle Run/ T43 near Pleasant Ridge Rd/ County Rd 17 in Lawrence Township, Washington County just inside of the Wayne National Forest's proclamation boundary. It was once a church pavilion that is now privately owned.
One other thing, I got GPS waypoints on a monument mentioned in the section's guide. For the last 17 months, I've been unable to find it up until this week. It's a monument to the Tittle Family who first settled the area it's on Kohl Rd/ T391 about 200ft NW of Nichols Rd/ T329 in Fearing Township of Washington County.
Lastly, I got a recommendation regarding the Liberty Grocery at 105 South Main Street in Belle Valley of Noble County. Two days ago, I went inside and found that there is a small selection, but enough food for resupply on for any direction. This location is on The Wilderness and main loops, Belle Valley Section - Buckeye Trail (BT, without a concurrency, also referred to here as the "30 mile redundancy") about 800ft SW/ W of the 3-way intersection with the Road Fork Section - BT/ North Country Trail Connector (NCTC).
One thing that it's authors spotted was a couple benches and picnic tables. How they made out there being a pavilion, benches and a water well from satellite imagery is beyond me? I have it up in Google Earth now and I even tried street view on Google Earth and I'm unable to get that much defination. For those of us on the ground, it's kinda sunk back and it's brick tends to blend in with the foliage. And they're aren't any signs for it. Well, the property is on Tittle Run/ T43 near Pleasant Ridge Rd/ County Rd 17 in Lawrence Township, Washington County just inside of the Wayne National Forest's proclamation boundary. It was once a church pavilion that is now privately owned.
One other thing, I got GPS waypoints on a monument mentioned in the section's guide. For the last 17 months, I've been unable to find it up until this week. It's a monument to the Tittle Family who first settled the area it's on Kohl Rd/ T391 about 200ft NW of Nichols Rd/ T329 in Fearing Township of Washington County.
Lastly, I got a recommendation regarding the Liberty Grocery at 105 South Main Street in Belle Valley of Noble County. Two days ago, I went inside and found that there is a small selection, but enough food for resupply on for any direction. This location is on The Wilderness and main loops, Belle Valley Section - Buckeye Trail (BT, without a concurrency, also referred to here as the "30 mile redundancy") about 800ft SW/ W of the 3-way intersection with the Road Fork Section - BT/ North Country Trail Connector (NCTC).
2016/10/07
Log 2016100701
I got a few things done today.
- Spare tire cover installed
The stock one was plastic with a wider outer diameter and it interfered with my hitch mounted bicycle rack.
- Frayed 12 gauge wire repaired temporarily
It's brown and I found out that was the main wire to my brake and running lights. I realized during the repair that I didn't have any extra 12 gauge wire. But I pulled it taunt enough to connect it with a blue cylinder.
- I purchased a laptop safe today, but in placing it in the motorhome, it ended up being larger than I wanted and wouldn't fit between the seats.
- A new sewer hose was cut to fit the motorhome's outside carrier compartment. I didn't measure it when I did it, but I believe that it was cut down from 10ft to 6ft. It's low priority at this point, but there's a lot of space behind there and I probably could upgrade the carrier and maybe install a second one?
As soon as I diagnose the reverse lights, I can get a piece of strip steel installed on the spare tire mount. If I drill the holes right and lengthen the spare tire's bolts, I can JB Weld Steel Stick them together. Then install a 90° angle at the top and mount the reverse camera to it. The camera has to be taller than my biggest bicycle on the hitch rack. And the hitch rack has an arm that extends about 30" up.
But in all actuality, I think I'd rather have it on more than just in reverse. So, I might wire it straight to the battery via a switch? One already exists in the cab for the lighter port power socket. That already supplies power to the three way splitter and the tablet which will connect to the camera via Bluetooth.
- Spare tire cover installed
The stock one was plastic with a wider outer diameter and it interfered with my hitch mounted bicycle rack.
- Frayed 12 gauge wire repaired temporarily
It's brown and I found out that was the main wire to my brake and running lights. I realized during the repair that I didn't have any extra 12 gauge wire. But I pulled it taunt enough to connect it with a blue cylinder.
- I purchased a laptop safe today, but in placing it in the motorhome, it ended up being larger than I wanted and wouldn't fit between the seats.
- A new sewer hose was cut to fit the motorhome's outside carrier compartment. I didn't measure it when I did it, but I believe that it was cut down from 10ft to 6ft. It's low priority at this point, but there's a lot of space behind there and I probably could upgrade the carrier and maybe install a second one?
As soon as I diagnose the reverse lights, I can get a piece of strip steel installed on the spare tire mount. If I drill the holes right and lengthen the spare tire's bolts, I can JB Weld Steel Stick them together. Then install a 90° angle at the top and mount the reverse camera to it. The camera has to be taller than my biggest bicycle on the hitch rack. And the hitch rack has an arm that extends about 30" up.
But in all actuality, I think I'd rather have it on more than just in reverse. So, I might wire it straight to the battery via a switch? One already exists in the cab for the lighter port power socket. That already supplies power to the three way splitter and the tablet which will connect to the camera via Bluetooth.
Log 2016100601
It's like somebody at the scrap yard asking me: "is it aluminum or steel?" I often wish I'd respond: "if it's not rusted, how in the hell do I know?" Is the roof of the motorhome rubber? I think so. Everything I've read says it is.
I went to another RV store today. I can tell that they're very knowledgeable and deal with mostly men. The ladder I can tell because when I don't know something, they keep trying to drive the hell out of it. And they don't know how deal with DIY'ers. Well, I was after covers for my outdoor electrical sockets and cable ports and didn't get them. But I did get a hand crank for the outdoor antenna and a retrofit replacement for that because the present one is analog. The current outdoor covers have a layer between them and the outer hull of the chassis. When I go to replace those coaxial cables, I'm not sure that I can save the shims. If not, I have squares of 1/16ths rubber and I can make a replacement for, but I'd rather have something that was manufactured for it just to be absolutely sure.
Looks like I'm going to have ascend to their level? And my mechanical upbringing was cut short when my family and I made like The Jeffersons and we "moved on up." Mechanical aptitude was where I was my weakest subject in the Armed Forces Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). But, I started repairing my own car in the Hobby Shop on post afterwards. And with the hands on experience since then and with this motorhome, I'm improving.
For the last 5 months, the motorhome's engine has been the priority. I've been almost single minded about it. The chassis is planned for the spring because it needs the entire cost to do it at once. So, I've really stayed away from it lately. Q: Will I become more experienced??? A: When I start working on it.
One of the reasons that I purchased the antenna is that I believe that there's a way to mount two TV's in it. I might just do the one in the bedroom. If I can get to mount to the cabinetry with a 3ft swing arm, I can watch it in front of the bedroom curtains and then lock it by the overhead cabinetry near it's passenger side window during transport.
It might be possible to use something like 2x6's to build a brace across the interior side of the overhead cab area, I think I can wedge and temporary mount it? But the size of the television will depend on what the new between the seats center console for the cab will look like? I might want to add steps to the overhead cab there?
There's a big area between the drivers and passengers seats that's built so that the occupants can move to the chassis without going outside. But I usually drive with the overhead bed folded out because I'm 6'6 and it's not very easy for me to get back there. Meanwhile, there's storage potential there.
I went to another RV store today. I can tell that they're very knowledgeable and deal with mostly men. The ladder I can tell because when I don't know something, they keep trying to drive the hell out of it. And they don't know how deal with DIY'ers. Well, I was after covers for my outdoor electrical sockets and cable ports and didn't get them. But I did get a hand crank for the outdoor antenna and a retrofit replacement for that because the present one is analog. The current outdoor covers have a layer between them and the outer hull of the chassis. When I go to replace those coaxial cables, I'm not sure that I can save the shims. If not, I have squares of 1/16ths rubber and I can make a replacement for, but I'd rather have something that was manufactured for it just to be absolutely sure.
Looks like I'm going to have ascend to their level? And my mechanical upbringing was cut short when my family and I made like The Jeffersons and we "moved on up." Mechanical aptitude was where I was my weakest subject in the Armed Forces Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). But, I started repairing my own car in the Hobby Shop on post afterwards. And with the hands on experience since then and with this motorhome, I'm improving.
For the last 5 months, the motorhome's engine has been the priority. I've been almost single minded about it. The chassis is planned for the spring because it needs the entire cost to do it at once. So, I've really stayed away from it lately. Q: Will I become more experienced??? A: When I start working on it.
One of the reasons that I purchased the antenna is that I believe that there's a way to mount two TV's in it. I might just do the one in the bedroom. If I can get to mount to the cabinetry with a 3ft swing arm, I can watch it in front of the bedroom curtains and then lock it by the overhead cabinetry near it's passenger side window during transport.
It might be possible to use something like 2x6's to build a brace across the interior side of the overhead cab area, I think I can wedge and temporary mount it? But the size of the television will depend on what the new between the seats center console for the cab will look like? I might want to add steps to the overhead cab there?
There's a big area between the drivers and passengers seats that's built so that the occupants can move to the chassis without going outside. But I usually drive with the overhead bed folded out because I'm 6'6 and it's not very easy for me to get back there. Meanwhile, there's storage potential there.
2016/10/05
Log 2016100501
I was wrong about needing a special fuse from Radio Shack to force a current down to 1 amp. Auto Zone sold me one today that will fit into the nose of my cigarette lighter plug, which in my portable battery jump box will produce a 12V signal. It's positive will be attached to the positive wire of the sending unit starting at a location as close to it as I can get.
The way things look, I should be able to put the duallies on the ramps and lift my motorhome to get the best approach to those wires. But I'll have to watch the public utility wires in doing it because they get low as they attach to the first storey of the house. The way things look, I'll have have to lift the back axle going into the driveway nose first.
Additionally, I purchased a 1/4th" socket driver and extensions today. I was thinking that I might need them for when I go to replace it's old stereo unit. I should now have enough RG6 coax cable to replace the analog ones. An employee at the home improvement store said that they're should be no difference in couplers, so I don't have to replace those. Yesterday, I bought another sewage tube and connector because my previous one wouldn't fit in it's mounted container and I ended up using it to purge the sewage tank. There wasn't anywhere safe to store it. Next time, I need to cut it down to fit the mounted container.
The way things look, I should be able to put the duallies on the ramps and lift my motorhome to get the best approach to those wires. But I'll have to watch the public utility wires in doing it because they get low as they attach to the first storey of the house. The way things look, I'll have have to lift the back axle going into the driveway nose first.
Additionally, I purchased a 1/4th" socket driver and extensions today. I was thinking that I might need them for when I go to replace it's old stereo unit. I should now have enough RG6 coax cable to replace the analog ones. An employee at the home improvement store said that they're should be no difference in couplers, so I don't have to replace those. Yesterday, I bought another sewage tube and connector because my previous one wouldn't fit in it's mounted container and I ended up using it to purge the sewage tank. There wasn't anywhere safe to store it. Next time, I need to cut it down to fit the mounted container.
2016/10/03
Log 2016100301
I just received my 3/8ths pneumatic socket sets for both metric and SAE. Also, I now have two replacements for my plastic Otterbox belt clip plates that fit my anti-shock protector for my Samsung Note 3 smartphone.
I took the motorhome out to camp about 25 miles away. And I noticed that it started a little better when I turned the key into the accessory position and allowed the high pressure fuel pump to come entirely on before turning over the engine. But as I was leaving, I was driving about 15MPH through the campground area and I did not like the way it was running at that speed.
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