When I drive the motorhome, normally I don't go much faster than 55MPH. But today wasn't a regular operation test. This was a run it hard one. My mechanic and I ran it on the freeway where there would be some hills. We needed to know how the fuel system would hold up over a longer period of time while the motorhome would have to run harder trying to keep up going uphill at higher speeds throughout the trip. Today's route was 125 miles long on mostly limited access highways.
It's a motorhome with a low torque 351 Windsor engine and does 0 to 60 in about 24 seconds on flat land. It's not fast and when I take my foot off of the accelerator pedal, slowing down is the only thing that it does quickly. Also, it's not very aerodynamic and sometimes when I drive it, it's like pushing a wall. I filled it up today and when I logged everything in, it got 7.1MPG in mixed driving. My mechanic still has to change a secondary "coffee can" fuel filter on the downstream line.
Today's trip was a success. My life can now go on. My appearance with the motorhome at Tar Hollow State Park for the Buckeye TrailFest/ North Country Celebration 2018 and this year's calendar for Adventurer's Project are now in full effect. I think I now have to choose what suit to wear for certain social engagements in Marietta/ Parkersburg?
Showing posts with label shakedown cruise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shakedown cruise. Show all posts
2018/03/15
2018/03/03
Final Shakedown Success
My family mechanic friend changed some broken vacuum lines that lead to the throttle body today. He did some testing on the fuel system and found it to be running at 40psi, which is on the higher side of tolerance as per it's specifications. And next week, he'll do some work on the catalytic converter and possibly change the muffler. We took the motorhome on a shakedown cruise today consisting of some hills and freeways. This time, I had him drive and it passes his tests.
Once he gets the exhaust finished, it's on to rebuilding the interior. It's not easy airing up the tires. The motorhome has E series tires designed to take a higher inflation, in this case, it's 85psi. Normally, cars don't go above 47psi and the motorhome's weight is an issue. But I believe that my local Speedway's air pump can do it? While I'm out there, I have to get both marine batteries replaced. One reason is that the auxiliary generator runs off of the house/ chassis/ auxiliary batteries. Right now, those batteries are 5 years old and they won't hold a charge.
Adventurer's Project for the year 2018 is in full effect.
Once he gets the exhaust finished, it's on to rebuilding the interior. It's not easy airing up the tires. The motorhome has E series tires designed to take a higher inflation, in this case, it's 85psi. Normally, cars don't go above 47psi and the motorhome's weight is an issue. But I believe that my local Speedway's air pump can do it? While I'm out there, I have to get both marine batteries replaced. One reason is that the auxiliary generator runs off of the house/ chassis/ auxiliary batteries. Right now, those batteries are 5 years old and they won't hold a charge.
Adventurer's Project for the year 2018 is in full effect.
2018/02/28
Motorhome Shakedown Cruise 02/28/2018
Well, I think that the Internet sucks today and I'm not sure that I'm going to be much better. The problem with the exhaust headers is that when I purchased the motorhome, the previous owners didn't use any gaskets. Gaskets are thin and are what's used on the engine, or exhaust when you bolt something metal to something else that metal.
We're working in a driveway, or in the storage unit. And my mechanic was taking a risk when he did the right bank (during the compression cycle of the engine, the third phase is exhaust and that goes to the header), he was taking a risk that one of the bolts would snap while still in the engine block. After getting that on, we determined that doing the left bank was not worth the risk. If one of the bolts were to snap, working with this part of the engine is tight and he would have to remove the block. That job entails severing every connection and removing the front grill, radiator and everything else in front of it just to pull it out. He'd need to do that in order to drill out the studs that snapped.
We then had a hose from the vacuum compressor to the air filter manifold that was breached. I first went to the local Ford dealer and the employee there said that it was obsolete and no longer manufactured. He recommend that I go to a junk yard. I then went to NAPA and tried to get them to replace it, but they couldn't. So, I got creative and and purchased a piece of hose to go over the vacuum pump one. Then I drove to the hardware store and got some 1 inch wide copper pipe. Then I went to another auto parts store and got some JB Weld in case we needed to interface that piece of rubber hose that I got from NAPA with copper pipe from the hardware store. Well, it turns out that the with pipe and stock hose, he got it together with some hose clamps.
This must be shakedown cruise #3 or #4. He drove it this time and when we got on the freeway, I don't think he liked how it was accelerating, especially when it was already going. He was stating that it could be that the cable from the gas pedal to the throttle body was stretched? Or there could be a some sort of tensioner on the transmission that was causing it not to shift right.
Today was my first opportunity to fill up the gas tank. I don't know what it's consumption was or what it will be until two fill ups from now. All I remember was that it cost over $50 to fill over 33 gallons.
We're working in a driveway, or in the storage unit. And my mechanic was taking a risk when he did the right bank (during the compression cycle of the engine, the third phase is exhaust and that goes to the header), he was taking a risk that one of the bolts would snap while still in the engine block. After getting that on, we determined that doing the left bank was not worth the risk. If one of the bolts were to snap, working with this part of the engine is tight and he would have to remove the block. That job entails severing every connection and removing the front grill, radiator and everything else in front of it just to pull it out. He'd need to do that in order to drill out the studs that snapped.
We then had a hose from the vacuum compressor to the air filter manifold that was breached. I first went to the local Ford dealer and the employee there said that it was obsolete and no longer manufactured. He recommend that I go to a junk yard. I then went to NAPA and tried to get them to replace it, but they couldn't. So, I got creative and and purchased a piece of hose to go over the vacuum pump one. Then I drove to the hardware store and got some 1 inch wide copper pipe. Then I went to another auto parts store and got some JB Weld in case we needed to interface that piece of rubber hose that I got from NAPA with copper pipe from the hardware store. Well, it turns out that the with pipe and stock hose, he got it together with some hose clamps.
This must be shakedown cruise #3 or #4. He drove it this time and when we got on the freeway, I don't think he liked how it was accelerating, especially when it was already going. He was stating that it could be that the cable from the gas pedal to the throttle body was stretched? Or there could be a some sort of tensioner on the transmission that was causing it not to shift right.
Today was my first opportunity to fill up the gas tank. I don't know what it's consumption was or what it will be until two fill ups from now. All I remember was that it cost over $50 to fill over 33 gallons.
2018/02/18
Motorhome Repairs Continued 02/17/2018
The second cab battery was installed, the left rear brake shoes and were readjusted on my motorhome. The transmission has 17 bolts at the filter pan. I was airing up the front left tire with my electric pump that plugs into the lighter port. However, I realized the error of my ways when I forgot to turn the motorhome on and run it off the alternator and I killed the battery.
There was a vacuum tube that was dismounted on the transmission. It's no longer a consideration for something going wrong. My mechanic and I are looking into the tires and suspension. We got it on to the freeway. Yesterday, there was excessive vibrations coming from the right rear side that started at 45MPH. It still vibrates, but we got it up to 63MPH and I could have held the road at faster speeds.
2018/02/17
Motor home Transmission Filter and Shakedown Cruise 02/17/2018
The transmission filter was replaced. Stand by for an odometer reading. I put the motorhome with my mechanic on the freeway today and it had a hard time going above 55MPH. He said that something on the passengers side was vibrating and we're looking into transmission related problems, but I'm braced for replacing the transmission. But the engine sounds good. When I switched from the motorhome to my car to move it, I smelled something. My mechanic said that one of the new brake shoes was rubbing and that he'll have to readjust it later.
There's a ticking noise when it drives. My mechanic said that it's in the exhaust header. And he didn't seem like it absolutely needed replaced, but he said if I want it done that the bolts will likely snap and that he'll have to use a tap and dye set to drill them out.
Meantime, I pulled a bunch of auto parts that I don't need and don't have receipts for. I'm going to put them up for sale or auction on eBay. And I tried tuning the CB, but it has built-in diagnostics and it's antennas came back as failed. Looks like I'll have to replace a couple pieces of hardware or add a ground wire directly to the body?
I'm getting closer to having the interior remodeled and reupholstered. My mechanic said that he's going to mount the wi-fi/ cell signal booster antenna to the outside chassis at the overhead compartment. When it comes to punching bolts through, the remodeling is the right time to do it. It's the right time to replace the brake, reverse lights and side markers.
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