So just having purchased this 1987 Grand Villa out of a barn last week, I'm now working my way through the basics. Engine - good. Tires - replaced. Chassis and body - excellent. Interior - still nice. Generator - runs nice. I've replaced the ATS and the coach batteries, but still trying to figure out why some of the courtesy lights won't work. If anyone has some advice on that, please let me know.
The big questions now have to to do with how to work the LP, refrigerator and water systems. If anyone would like to volunteer to mentor me on this, I would be grateful - I don't know where to start. (The local RV shop said they would NOT help me since I didn't buy it there). The owner said he had winterized everything a long time ago and didn't remember how to work anything. I'd like to get the refrigerator going this weekend if possible - IT is a Dometic RM 3801 - can anyone help me get started with this?
If you'd post your location area, you may find you have help nearby.
We are located in Muncie, Indiana (45 miles NE of Indianapolis).
I owned an '87 for 9 years. What are courtesy lights?
Are you talking about the floor lights? if you are might have bad bulbs. to get the refrigerator start with cleaning the burner and flue tube. Before trying any propane, would be good idea to do a propane leak check and check if the pressure is right. The refer should work on 120 volts, just supply the 120 and turn on the switch to electric operation
It would also help to know what model 87 grand villa you have as it makes a difference with where the water fill valves are located
Thanks for your replies! I will try to post some pics of the courtesy lights and other areas tomorrow. The title lists the model as a 9NA - it is a a 36 ft. OREG.
Ah. 55 and below these worked ok. I'm partially responsible for these.
That RV shop must be run by knuckleheads. What an opportunity for a new customer who may have a lot of business for them, especially with an older RV. The best bet is to connect with someone who has a FT of the same vintage and knows your coach.
Have fun with it.
So today I continue to try and get acquainted with the 87 GV. Can someone tell me where the water fill is on this thing? I've found the water heater, Frig. service, sewer dump, propane area, but where the heck is the water fill?
FT seems have changed things whenever they felt like it from year/model. Here's our's in a compartment below & between the front seats on the riser. Left ball vave is incoming when hooked up to shore water. Right is a drain/overflow. Hope this helps.
Have you checked the wet bay? Mine is there along with the sewer and electric connections. To fill the tank there is a valve under the bathroom sink in my 93 GV. If you deploy this valve when shore water is connected and on it fills the tank. If the valve is not deployed shore water bypasses the tank and feeds the sink, shower, etc, directly using shore water pressure.
You should also have a water pump switch in the bathroom. If using direct shore pressure make sure the pump is off.
I've updated my wet bay but you can see the water fill under the faucet.
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi57.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fg221%2Fjyarchin%2FIMG_1560_zpsr55tphl4.jpg&hash=9acf71c4e5cf1fec6a930205527535cb" rel="cached" data-hash="9acf71c4e5cf1fec6a930205527535cb" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g221/jyarchin/IMG_1560_zpsr55tphl4.jpg)
Mike,
That is your fill valve, but where do you actually connect the city water hose? I
think that is what the OP is looking for...?
We need a '87 GV OREG owner to chime in - they might be totally different than later models.
Whoops! I thought he wanted fill storage tank. :-[ Ours is in the roadside bay where the power, sewer + cable hook-in.
Unfortunately, the sewer hookup is alone. The shore power and cable in in the engine compartment. There appears to be what I hope is a breather pipe with a screen on it in the bay in front of the dashboard. Any other ideas?
There is another thread going where the member (nitehawk) is trying to fill his water tanks on a '89 GV ORED. It sounds like his normal water fill hose connection is in the
engine compartment.
Getting fresh water into our GV (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28760.msg240884;topicseen#new)
Found it! There was, what looked like to me, a hydraulic fitting on the end (remember, I'm a newbie) so I assumed it would not be water - but actually it looks like some quick connect end - And yes, it was by the shore power connection in the engine compartment access door. Thanks to all who responded!
Well done, I like brass quick couples. Before you get carried away, I'd replace the rubber gaskets everywhere, cheap insurance. If you're staying on the forum (hopefully) add your coach specs to the lower sig, it will help should you be locked in the bathroom! ^.^d
In the compartment where the tank is.....between driver and passenger seats.......is a valve like you have on your outdoor faucet at your home that actually lets the water INTO the tank. Unless someone has changed it. Close it after fill up or the water pump will continuously run.
Unless one is grabbing water from storage, both pump switches should be off. I never travel with a full tank, being a cheapskate, and considering fuel mileage.
Mike, with a motorhome that weighs 26K to 28K lbs you think another 800 lbs really matters?
I told you, I'm a cheapskate, I've already convinced the DW to pass her rock collection on to the kids. Every pound lost counts! :))
Mike,
If your coach weighs over 23,000 pounds, you REALLY need to go on a "coach diet".
Sorry, only one fresh water tank in our '89 GV. It is up under the dash (partly) with fill valve and dump valve on the "hump" housing.
The fill connection for a hose is back on the driver's side in the engine compartment, accessible thru the louvered door on the driver's side. Our coach is a rear radiator model. Other than that there is no other way to add water unless you "Rube Goldberg" it like I did.
I know what our coach weighs, on all four corners, but, geez, some areas don't have Pacifico beer, so I might have overstocked. :))
Thank you, besowers, for asking your questions. I have a '92 and a lot of my wonderings have been cleared u[ here. I understand the valve on the right being the drain hose - but how is it also the overflow since it appears to come out the bottom of the tank?
I keep the fresh water full of fresh water always, prepper plus harder to maneuver a 40' to fill
O.K., when I posted that I thought, "Have I screwed this post up?" I did, thanks for :facepalm: There SHOULD be a overflow, but not that I know of. We're supposed to depend on our fancy sensors for that, I'd guess. :-[
I'm thinkin' that if the tank is full and no more water can get in - it 's gotta run out the drain....Does this make sense??
Jim
Mike,
Open the "nose" compartments above the grill. You will see a 1.5" overflow/vent hose. Should still have nylon insect screen on it.
Brett
Thanks, Brett - gonna go check mine now....
Jim
It was a rhetorical question. I never go anywhere without a full tank of water. I don't drain all but 1 gallon of gas out of my tow vehicle while towing, either. Or leave the propane tank empty and carry a 5 gallon bottle instead. All things you can do to get better mileage.
I see it this way......... Having been broken down in the desert for 3 days, I was glad I had it. Surely it could never happen you (the rhetorical you).
I also use water only from my tank for couple reasons. It keeps it clean and if some plumbing breaks my flood will only be as bad as how much water is in the tank as compared to using the city hookup.
How'd you know that? I never would have found it since I KNEW I had it figured out....
Jim
If I'd bought the coach from Brett, in person, he'd have explained what the deal was, rather than the PO after Brett sold her, not having a clue what was what. He just wanted to dump the coach, as I'm learning, the hard way. >:D
I have found that the coach drives better with the water tank full as this weight is over the front axle and tends to better balance the coach, at least was true on all the ored vehicles I drove and this also includes the oreg coaches
Sure seems weird (to me) that the engineers at Foretravel would put the water tank in the front end of the coach, and the water fill point way back in the engine compartment. I mean, how the heck did that make any sense to anyone! A real head scratcher...
Yes my Foretravel sales manager experience matches your experience exactly.
I filled every tank in the coach to make the 26,500 GVW coaches ride as well as the 22,500's
A big thanks to all of you for providing this new owner of an old FT with your valuable information. All the water and sewer seems to working great! ....now on the the LP systems.
If you want to add fresh water and are in a CG where there is no tap water (with pressure to overcome the check valve at the normal fill hookup) you can open the front compartment door, pull off the black overflow hose from the elbow protruding from the firewall and then hook up a 12V water pump and hoses to draw water from jugs and then push it into the fresh water tank.
Or just pour what water you can thru a hose or long funnel, altho lifting a six gallon full water jug weights about 8#/gallon, so 6x8=48# which might be stressful to hold over one's head for any length of time--so this is why I use a pump & hoses.
(should have qualified my statements with the fact that the information applies to GVs with front fresh water tank)
Thanks for that advice - hopefully, I won't be an that situation too much.