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Topic: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX (Read 1034 times) previous topic - next topic

seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

So, this is a little humbling for me but I'm trying to adapt to my changed reality. I had an accident a while ago which has left me unable to live as I once did. I'm a bit handicapped and there's a lot I can't physically do at the moment. I'm recovering from a few surgeries and have some long term restrictions that probably won't change, and some that will.

I have a whole lot to learn and I'm picking up lots from the boards here, but I would really like to find someone who has a little time on their hands to help me out. Preferably local to my area who can help to educate me and help me with some physical repairs too.
Examples:
Right now, I have an air leak somewhere under the front of the coach, but I can't reach it to investigate it.
I have an E-10 error on the inverter/Heart interface, which I believe is an open circuit, but I can't find it.
I think I have some weird draw on my genset but can't figure it out, it's fine for a while then while under load it 'sags' for a few moments and recovers. I have searched on this but not found anything definitive, there's a lot of stuff on generators so perhaps I missed some things.
The cruise control will sometimes slow down for no apparent reason, turning it off and pumping the pedal a few times restored acceleration but have not yet found the source of this issue.
Without saying anything specifically negative about the PO, I'm confident he told me some exaggerations & fabrications at least.
So figuring things out is going to be fun, but it was always going to be a learning journey so no real big difference there.
1998 U295 36'
If anyone has any offers, suggestions or ideas I'm all ears.
Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Kiwi Mike
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #1 –
If you wish to have a very good RV fixer come to your location and solve these issues, I have the folks that work on my motorhome.  But that will cost some money.  There are others that are very good hands on owners that might be able to asssist you in repairs.  I can solve Aqua Hot issues.  Let me know.
Rudy Legett
2003 U320 4010 ISM 450 hp
2001 U320 4220 ISM 450 hp
1995 U320 M11 400 hp
1990 Granvilla 300 hp 3208T
Aqua Hot Service Houston and Southeast Texas

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #2 –
on your cruse control. Make sure your retard it turned off or that the lever is all the forward.  It may be all the way back on some coaches. That should solve your cruse problem.

On your generator it could be when a AC compressor kicks in the generator may hesitate for a moment which is normal.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #3 –
[moved to Discussions for better visibility - Michelle]
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

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #4 –
Quote from: turbojack –
on your cruse control. Make sure your retard it turned off or that the lever is all the forward.  It may be all the way back on some coaches. That should solve your cruse problem.

On your generator it could be when a AC compressor kicks in the generator may hesitate for a moment which is normal.
Re: the cruise control issue
I can confirm the retard is off, and stick forward when it has happened, but also doing about 67 on a flat road, no hills.
It just changed down and slowed down for no apparent reason. I turned off the cruise, pumped the pedal a couple of times and it sped up again. (Depressing the pedal only once did nothing, no change at all) This happened 3 times in one day. Since then I haven't used the cruise control.

Re: the generator, not for A/C, but for a vacuum cleaner while stationary. Cleaning the coach with nothing on but the genset and a couple of lights, suddenly you can hear the vacuum and the genset slowdown (together) and a minute or two later it returned to normal. It's happened twice now.
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Rudy –
If you wish to have a very good RV fixer come to your location and solve these issues, I have the folks that work on my motorhome.  But that will cost some money.  There are others that are very good hands on owners that might be able to assist you in repairs.  I can solve Aqua Hot issues.  Let me know.
Hi Rudy,
Thanks for the idea, I will happily take a good reference for mobile repairs, please send in a PM. I'm happy to pay for good work, especially if I can't do it myself.
My primary goal is to learn more myself and do as much as I can, I've worked on my own stuff most of my life and while I'm forced to do less now, I don't want to give up completely just yet. (yes, I'm stubborn)  I'm not looking for free labor, but a knowledgeable local who can lend a hand on occasion and educate when needed.
I don't have AquaHot on my coach, not sure if that's a good thing or not? But at least the water heater works.

1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Kiwitex –
Re: the cruise control issue
I can confirm the retard is off, and stick forward when it has happened, but also doing about 67 on a flat road, no hills.
It just changed down and slowed down for no apparent reason. I turned off the cruise, pumped the pedal a couple of times and it sped up again. (Depressing the pedal only once did nothing, no change at all) This happened 3 times in one day. Since then I haven't used the cruise control.

Take a look at these 2 3 topics which discuss cruise dropping out without the retarder on:

Cruise Control Drops and Now Not Working

Retarder drops coast position

Cruise disengagement
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

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Michelle –
Take a look at these 2 3 topics which discuss cruise dropping out without the retarder on:
Cruise Control Drops and Now Not Working
Retarder drops coast position
Cruise disengagement
Thanks Michelle, all good reading but none of those mention the changing down before slowing down I experienced so I'm not sure if it applies directly? I am assuming that the cruise is still operating at that point, but for some reason thinks it is under load and needs to change down?
Then about 30-45 seconds later it started to slow, but it also doesn't respond to the accelerator pedal until cruise is manually turned off and pedal depressed 2-3 times.
I'm planning to pull the assembly out and try cleaning the connectors but I doubt I will be that lucky to solve it.
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #8 –
Kiwitex

First off I haven't lost my mind but you may have a ABS wheel sensor problem.  Like one has been pushed back from the tone ring, a wire that has worked loose at a connection and the air turbulence is sending a bad signal, or one could be failing. If this happens the ABS thinks that wheel is in a skid  I was tinkering on a coach this age and it was having the trans. hunt between gears, the torque converter locking and unlocking, and the cruse to not function properly and it was found that there was a bad wheel sensor.  There may be a Wabco manual in the media section explaining this phenomenon but I need help to look/find it and the IT department is still in bed.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Kiwitex –
Thanks Michelle, all good reading but none of those mention the changing down before slowing down I experienced so I'm not sure if it applies directly?


Are you saying it acts like it's downshifting or the torque converter is dropping out of lock, as Mike describes below?  If so, I missed that part:


Quote from: Pamela & Mike –
First off I haven't lost my mind but you may have a ABS wheel sensor problem.  Like one has been pushed back from the tone ring, a wire that has worked loose at a connection and the air turbulence is sending a bad signal, or one could be failing. If this happens the ABS thinks that wheel is in a skid  I was tinkering on a coach this age and it was having the trans. hunt between gears, the torque converter locking and unlocking, and the cruse to not function properly and it was found that there was a bad wheel sensor. 


If this is what you're describing, we had similar symptoms some years back (at least the torque converter drop out; I don't recall the cruise behavior), diagnosed as an ABS sensor with Mike's help:

Transmission seems to be hunting, 2003 U320, need help

and some forum searching Torque converter locking up and then unlocking at highway speeds.
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

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #10 –

That hadn't even crossed my mind so thank you.

Quote from: Pamela & Mike –
Kiwitex
First off I haven't lost my mind but you may have a ABS wheel sensor problem.  Like one has been pushed back from the tone ring, a wire that has worked loose at a connection and the air turbulence is sending a bad signal, or one could be failing. If this happens the ABS thinks that wheel is in a skid  I was tinkering on a coach this age and it was having the trans. hunt between gears, the torque converter locking and unlocking, and the cruse to not function properly and it was found that there was a bad wheel sensor.  There may be a Wabco manual in the media section explaining this phenomenon but I need help to look/find it and the IT department is still in bed.
Mike
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Michelle –

Are you saying it acts like it's downshifting or the torque converter is dropping out of lock, as Mike describes below?  If so, I missed that part:

If this is what you're describing, we had similar symptoms some years back (at least the torque converter drop out; I don't recall the cruise behavior), diagnosed as an ABS sensor with Mike's help:

Yes that's correct, it seems to downshift (certainly sounds like it), revs increase a little, then a minute or so later it starts to slow down. It does not seem to be hunting for a gear, no incline that I can detect, although I did notice it happened once after a bump in the road. I have no way to tell if that made any difference, only that it happened about the same time.
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #12 –
I can maybe come down and look for that air leak.. I'm not far away in Pasadena.


Keith
The selected media item is not currently available.Keith & Jo
2003 U320T 4025 PBBS Designer series
Build 6203    Cummins 500hp
2000 U320 4010 WTFE / Build 5762 —Sold—
Motorcade #18070   
Pasadena, Texas
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara-Sunset Orange pearl coat
Don't argue with a fool, people watching might not be able to tell the difference.
 

Re: seeking a FT mentor local to Clear Lake TX

Reply #13 –
Quote from: hdff –
I can maybe come down and look for that air leak.. I'm not far away in Pasadena.


Keith
PM sent
1998 U295 36'
Build# 5358

SMILE!....it makes people wonder what you have been doing.