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Topic: Six Pack Manifold (Read 755 times) previous topic - next topic

Six Pack Manifold

I was inspecting both manifolds to prepare for an eventual solenoid rebuild. Anyhow, the aluminum block is eaten up right where one of the air lines threads into the block. More damage on that side but also damage on the other. I'm thinking that this might be a show stopper for that manifold. Wonder if I could get one from Visone. The back manifold (last photo) looks OK, just real dirty.
jor

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Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #1 –
Jor,
Wonder what a new one cost from HWH?
Also there have been a few Fortravels burned or wrecked. Should be one on one of those.
John Duld
1995 U320C SE 40'

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #2 –
I would remove it and clean it up before buying one. It might just be surface corrosion.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #3 –
Quote from: craneman –
I would remove it and clean it up before buying one. It might just be surface corrosion.
X2.  A wire wheel on a bench grinder works great to clean up all the brass and aluminum parts.  Be very careful when cleaning the round "seats" where the valves screw in.  This area must be flat, with no radial scratches, in order for the valve to seal.  See link below for some ideas.

Those air fittings have a good amount of thread.  As long as the threads in the manifold are intact, I think you will be OK.  Be sure to use a good quality thread dope on all fittings, and don't get too rough when you tighten them down.  The aluminum is relatively soft, and excessive torque will pull the threads out.

The inevitable oil/grease coating on the rear manifold actually acts as a excellent preservative coating.  Once you clean it off, you may find it is in really good condition.

If you were to go looking for a (used) replacement manifold, you have to be very careful to get the correct one.  HWH made many different styles of manifolds, for different applications.  Even those that appear to be identical may not have the same internal air passage design.

Working On My Six Pack
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #4 –
The flaking metal is intergranular corrosion and will likely go fairly deep.  I recommend not using steel wire brushes to clean it up as you will be setting yourself up for dissimilar metal corrosion in the future.  Use brass brushes, sanding disks or craytex Dremel tips for corrosion removal on any aluminum.  Next use some acid etch followed by a water rinse to kill any corrosion in minor pits.  If you really want to do it by the "book" next would be an Alodine solution, but a good epoxy primer alone will likely protect it for many years.  Any black "slits" or lines in the metal after sanding indicates corrosion still present.  Be sure to wear some breathing protection when grinding anything, especially aluminum. 
Mike and Mari
'98  36 270 WTFE
Build #5272
Club #17504

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #5 –
I don't think HWH sells anything but the entire manifold assembly with solenoids. About $1200 I've been told. Colaw salvage in Missouri might be a source. They had a 99 Foretravel that I got my spare King controller from.
Steve & Ginny Hill
96 U295 36'/Wrangler
Tampa

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #6 –
Quote
intergranular corrosion
That's very interesting. I had not seen aluminum do that before. When I get around to that project I think I will clean it up as recommended and see what I end up with. As Chuck pointed out the threads go fairly deep so it might not be a problem after all. Nevertheless, I think I'll give Visone and Colaw a call to see what they are asking. Could be that my solenoids are in bad shape too. Take a look at this one which I had replaced on our last trip.
jor
 
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #7 –
John, thats just rust and the valve face (important part) looks ok  along with o rings (but change them out)
Clean that rust up and away you go.
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #8 –
Jor,

I see signs of corrosion in many of the photos you have posted of your coach.  Don't know the history, but I would suspect it has seen a lot of wet operating conditions, possibly on roads near a beach, or up North where deicing fluids are used.  The rust you see on the metal cover over the coil, and on the big washer, are purely cosmetic damage.  It will not effect the function of the solenoid valve.  The critical parts of the valve are the coil, the moving armature inside the brass body, and the rubber seals.

You can test the coil on your work bench.  Put the valve back together, and apply 12 volt power to one of the plug pins.  Ground the other side of the plug - you should hear the armature moving inside the valve.  Or, just test the coil for continuity with a multimeter.  Zero ohms means a dead short - infinity is a broken wire - either way, coil is bad.  Something around 5 ohms resistance means the wiring inside the coil is good. 

The metal cover and the washer just need to be cleaned up.  The washer is simply a spacer - has no function otherwise.  I wire brushed mine, and painted them with Rust-Oleum.

Other than that, all that valve needs is the parts contained in the rebuild kit.  Be sure to coat all the rubber seals with lube (I like Super Lube)

Super Lube 3 oz. Tube Synthetic Grease with Syncolon PTFE-21030 - The Home Depot
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #9 –
Quote
I see signs of corrosion in many of the photos you have posted of your coach.
Northern exposure and benign neglect. I'm gainin' on it though.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #10 –
Jor,not sure where you live but if you could get that part glass beaded it would not take any metal off and would look good,
would still give it a coat of paint.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #11 –
Quote
you could get that part glass beaded
Good idea. I think I'll do jetdoc's recommended process on the sealing surface. I can do the cans and washers myself as I have a cabinet blaster. I use a media called Black Magic which is not too abrasive. thanks.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320
 

Re: Six Pack Manifold

Reply #12 –
Cheap Chuck here. I rebuilt my solenoids by replacing o-rings only.  The plungers I chucked into a vise and drill and using a sharpened bit of metal, refaced, eliminating the indention from contacting seat.  Put a couple of new complete units in, old ones had bad coils.  Sourced on Ebay ,some $20.00 generic solenoid operated valves with similar operating current, removed the coils and used them to fix my old valves.  So, if the rebuild kits are not available, there's always the po-boy way.  I suspect some searching would yield complete solenoid valve assemblies that are not gold plated.  Actually, as I recall I  found complete manifold assys that would possibly work. Didn't look into it too deeply.
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS