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Topic: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA) (Read 2963 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #50
I have just a few comments that might help:
1.  Oil burn:  I saw this too when I once put multi-grade in and didn't know better.  It now burns none to very little.  Also, never overfill crank case- engine will just burn it off.  I fill mine to the mid point of "add" and "full" on the stick and check once every drive day.
2.  I figure generator burns about a gallon per hour - you can keep track for your mileage by using the generator hour meter.
3.  Level air leak:  most likely the "ride height valves" - originals have plastic housing that eventually crack - I just replaced mine with all metal versions - about $150/ea (1 on front axle in middle, 1 on right rear axle, 1 on left rear axle): the rears are visible from the access door right behind the rear wheels.
4.  Coach leveling is not automatic, but manual.  There are 3 levers on the floor to the left of the drivers seat.  The levers are connected to cables that connect the the ride height valves mentioned in #3.  They "trick" the valves into adding or exhausting air out of the air bags by rotating the valve.  Middle lever is for front axle, left is for the left rear, right is for the right rear - think of the coach as a 3 legged stool.  Owners manual has procedure but once you understand what they do it's quite simple.  The the most part it's:
move the lever forward = lowers air bag
lever back = raises air bag
(Levers stay at the position you moved them to)
Travel position is all levers in the center (detent) position and dash light "air level" will go out.  You do need to watch that the front air bags don't go to the extreme high or low position such that the whole coach gets twisted.  Can cause the windshield to break it's seal or pop a corner out.  On my coach I can hear the front start to twist by the creaking sounds around the dash.
5. Cruise control hunting:  mine does that too.  I just put some peddle into for a little while to help it decide.
6.  Sudden engine shut down:  red light on tranny control is a result of "engine stop" condition.  Tranny is telling you it's not getting lubrication while the coach is still rolling.  The DDEC will store what errors caused the shut down.  My guess is it's the coolant level.  There's a sensor in the top of the radiator (single wire attached) that's a little too high in my opinion so just a little bit low in the sight glass and it can trigger an engine shut down - especially if coach is tilted and level changes at sensor.  Lift top of dash (padded top hinges up) and there are two toggle switches: "trans" and "engine".  Flip "engine" one and then turn ignition on.  The dash "check engine" light will flash a code.  You have count the flashes to get the two digit code.  Owners manual should have this information what each code is.
Hope this helps.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #51
Congrats!
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #52
I just ordered Delo 100 in straight 40 weight at O'Reilly Auto Parts. They don't have it in stock but they can get it delivered from their warehouse the same day. You have to pay for it in advance when you order it because they don't normally stock it in the store... They do have some straight 40 and straight 30 Delo 400 in stock however, but I doubt it's intended for 2 stroke diesels so I didn't buy it.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #53
...I forgot to mention that the Allison transmission hunts up and down between 3rd and 4th gear on some hills when on cruise control. If I step on the accelerator it will choose a gear and stay in that gear though. It seems to be a problem that only happens when it's on cruise control, which was most of this trip. It never happens when I'm using the accelerator pedal.

Our U300 does the same thing at speeds between 55 and 60 mph when it encounters a hill. We therefore try to stay over 60 or under 55 in third gear, usually over 60. Hope that helps.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #54
Our U300 does the same thing at speeds between 55 and 60 mph when it encounters a hill. We therefore try to stay over 60 or under 55 in third gear, usually over 60. Hope that helps.

Not a cure for yours but as everyone complained about this Allison made a 700 series trans with a five speed to stop the hunting that drove everyone crazy.

First seen in a bluebird back then...

Shame Allison did not release the six speed earlier as the design was done.  But the Allison man told me that they had just redone to tooling to make the 600 and 700 series trans so they put the World class trans introduction back many years as they had no competition so no hurry.  Late 80's

Bob
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #55
Quote
Allison man told me that they had just redone to tooling to make the 600 and 700 series trans so they put the World class trans introduction back many years as they had no competition so no hurry.  Late 80's
I always had a theory they came out with the 6 speeds because the national 55 mph speed limit was lifted...now I know otherwise.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #56
Not a cure for yours but as everyone complained about this Allison made a 700 series trans with a five speed to stop the hunting that drove everyone crazy.

First seen in a bluebird back then...

Shame Allison did not release the six speed earlier as the design was done.  But the Allison man told me that they had just redone to tooling to make the 600 and 700 series trans so they put the World class trans introduction back many years as they had no competition so no hurry.  Late 80's

Bob

Bob,

We have the Allison 746 four speed in our U300. I seems as if it were a five speed as it shifts into lockup half way through second gear so you really have two second gears. I looked twice when we bought ours but then noticed the tach and speedo followed each other exactly once it made the second gear change to lockup. Sometimes I stop and then start up again before heading down a really steep switchback type grade so I am exactly sure what gear I have with the Jake brake on.

The only work around is to just back off the throttle and shift to third on the long grades. EZ on the transmission this way and lets me look at the radio or GPS on the way up hill.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

 

Re: Bought! (was WTB Foretravel w/ 350hp 6V92TA)

Reply #57
Even the 4000 will hunt under certain conditions, the simple answer is select a lower gear.  If it is a 4 speed, just select 3rd, on a 6 speed, select 5th. 
Works for me like Pierce stated.
Dave M