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Topic: And for the next installment... (Read 1068 times) previous topic - next topic

And for the next installment...

When you last left me, dear reader, I had just pulled into Camp Foretravel after spending 24 hours in the Sears parking lot in Crockett, Tx thanks to a failed air dryer. We thus missed an appointment with Wayne in FOTs alignment shop but were scheduled into Brendt Ramspeck's shop for fluid changes and a valve adjustment.

Oh, what fun it is ...
All went relatively well. The young man felt his arms were long enough to replace the on-engine filter from below. The engine cover gasket (unavailable today) had a tear. A small gasket on the generator would have to be made. FOT called back and said I could get into the alignment shop Friday am.

We had a great visit with Ted and Karen and Joe and Betty LeBlanc.

The plot thickens...
Come Thursday afternoon they have tightened the valve cover so I can get over to FOT. The engine has been running here on the pad for, perhaps, 30 minutes.
I pull out of the drive and start down the hill - engine seems to run a little rough.
I get to the light at the bottom of the hill in the left lane and shortly the light changes.
I note with a little twinge that the oil pressure is 20 but comes up to 70 as I accelerate and the engine dies!

I have enough momentum (and an empty right lane) to turn right into a parking lot in back of a line of stores. Power steering DOES make a difference.

Eventually there are three folks from Brendt's shop (R&B) working on getting fuel flowing. They replace the filters (didn't like the Donaldsons I had brought but the Primary (the big one)  got crushed in its removal in any event). After a couple of what felt like successes the engine continued to run and we cheered. Also decided to replace the lift pump when back in the shop.

I took off down Main toward FOT - right through downtown. Pulled into the campground and backed into one of the spots on the west side.

Or is it "The pot boils over"?...
I step out of the coach to see if I can do a better job of lining up the strips and the engine winds down and DIES.
No Wayne today either.....
But also... This is now Thursday night. We left Georgetown Monday morning. We have been living on the coach and had been expecting to pump out Friday morning.
R&B was aware of our predicament and had a plan. And also schedules of their own.

Just adjust...
Friday evening Bo (from R&B, THE GUY!!) comes with a 5 gallon can of diesel and some fuel hose to rig up a temporary fuel supply. (pictures below)
Hooray!!  We have lines from the input to the lift pump and the return going into the plastic tank of diesel. We drive across the lot and back into one of the handicap spots along the fence.
We spend a relatively uneventful Saturday and Sunday (in a FHU spot) and after Bo brings over a little more diesel and escorts back to R&B.

OBTW.... While at FOT I went over and asked the service writer if he could tell me something about the repair history of my coach. Back in '12 or so I had FOT replace the generator fuel lines. I had asked for all to be replaced but was told the main engine lines had been already. The service writer didn't have any records immediately available but Alton came over and said my engine lines were original.
Thus another item added to the list.

Time to wrap this up...
It is 9:00 am. Just about the start of their normal work day. --Just saw Bo walk by.
We have new fuel lines (did not have to pull the fuel tank) and a new lift pump for the fuel system, a new air dryer and D2 governor for the air system, a replaced gasket for the generator, and as a reward for all my worry and hard work an Aero 5050xl going in as we speak.

Good thing it's Christmas
Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #1 –
Well, it happened in the right town. We are lucky to have Bernd there now too.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #2 –
Elliot:

Glad to hear you are back together again.  Only bad thing is that you lost your "quiet" resonator and now have the Aero.
Too bad I could not hear the difference.  It is a want, not a need for me so maybe down the line...............

Hope the rest of your trip is filled with fun and a little less adventure.

Merry Christmas to you and Mary.

Ted & Karen
Ted & Karen
2001 U270 36' - sold after 12 years full timing

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #3 –
How did they replace the fuel lines without removing the fuel tank?
1998 U270 34'

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #4 –
Some coaches apparently have a wall between the fuel tank and the LP tank.
Mine does not.
I have seen what looked like major destruction to get the tanks out.

I did take out a shelf that hangs from the ceiling and the right side of the bay above the LP tank.
I couple of skinny guys (at different times) could squeeze in.
Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #5 –
They did remove the fuel tank in my case (at Bernd's)

best, paul

Quote
How did they replace the fuel lines without removing the fuel tank?
1999 U320 40' 1200 watts on roof. 12cf AC/DC Cold plate fridge/freezer. VMS 240 CL Honda Element

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #6 –
Quote from: TheBrays –
Some coaches apparently have a wall between the fuel tank and the LP tank.
Mine does not.

Thanks for the pictures. Mine has a wall in between the LP and fuel tank. I still may be able to get to the fittings though.
1998 U270 34'

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #7 –
I thought I'd finish the tale so I can get it out of my mind..

We finished all our repairs, upgrades, etc. including the oft delayed front end alignment at FOT.

But...  I thought the gremlins were after me one last time as we headed back.

I had driven the coach over to the diesel station and then come back to the Foretravel campground to hook up and take off on Hwy 21.
Several times the coach felt like it was trying to shift, a slight jerk, but then it went away for a while, I kept going over in my mind what had been done and it didn't make sense.

I finally stopped in the now familiar Sears parking lot in Crockett and called back to Nacogdoches to the shop for ideas. As I was talking two Police cars and an oil field service pickup pull up. Mary says  "three - a plain cloths policeman drove up as well". I suspect we had a large portion of the Crockett Police department in attendance.

I said I'll call back, hung up, and stepped outside.

The Oil Services driver had observed that the Jeep was weaving from side to side.
I didn't see anything wrong with the tow bar setup but we unhooked and drove the Jeep around the lot. I was envisioning front end problems.
No Problem. Drove just fine.

Hooked back up and drove the whole rig around the parking lot. No Problems. Drove just fine.
The Police were great. Friendly and interested in what was going on. We all smiled, shook hands, and drove away.

No more problems the rest of the trip back to Georgetown b^.^d but I did turn the backup camera on so I could to monitor the toad. 

I think I figured out what had happened.

I think the safety cable was wrapped around the tow bar in such a way that the locking lever on one of the slides could not engage, thus enabling it  to move in and out. Now part of our pre-departure check list!!

Now that I'm home, I think I'll stay put for a few days...

Happy holidays to all


Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #8 –
Howdy Elliott, 
Thanks for the update..Glad your home safe and sound!!!
Happy Holidays to you and Mary!! 
Dave and Nancy A
Dave and Nancy Abel
'00 U320 36' WTFE  Build #5669
'10 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Livingston, TX  SKP's Fulltiming

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #9 –
Glad you got home safe and sound. I think that we all will be having more interesting trips as our coaches get older. IT is why we all are doing preventative maintenance.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #10 –
Glad you and Mary made it home safe Elliot.

It seems our checklist on our SOP grows as we "discover" something else.  I have the same thing on my checklist- wanna guess why???

Merry Christmas

Ted & Karen
Ted & Karen
2001 U270 36' - sold after 12 years full timing
 

Re: And for the next installment...

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Ted & Karen –
I have the same thing on my checklist-

It's part of our hook-up procedure as well.  We always check operation of lights, then if both arms didn't latch in when I backed the car up to extend the arms, I walk alongside while Steve pulls the coach forward until both arms latch.  It also gives me a chance to double check that all 4 wheels on the toad are rolling properly. 
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320