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Topic: 1991 U300-- bought it! (Read 7561 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #150
How's it going, LJ?
1993 U300 40ft GV SE
Build # 4344

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #151

2.  This is correct.  Since, in this case, the output terminal is not connected to the battery, the alternator must receive the voltage by some other means.  Hence the requirement for a voltage SENSE wire which is connected (directly or indirectly) to the start battery positive terminal.

No IGN terminal?

Either way, I guess the gold standard test for the solid state isolator's condition is to lift the wire from the center terminal and measure the voltage present with a finger on the probe to dissipate any stray voltage.

Two lifetimes ago I walked into an auto parts store and asked for a pair of brushes for a Leece Neville.  No questions just some thumbing through a catalog until the question was returned "What kind of a car is a Leece Neville?"
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #152
Some DUVAC style alternators are "self exciting" and do not require a "hot with ignition" wire.  The model 25-15 being discussed above falls into that group.

Other models DO require a external excitation wire and they will have a IGN terminal.

The many variations in alternator wiring setups can cause much confusion.  HAS caused much confusion for our Forum members!

Important to read and understand the wiring instructions/requirements for any replacement alternator...preferably before purchase.

They are NOT "one size fits all".
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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #153
Some DUVAC style alternators are "self exciting" and do not require a "hot with ignition" wire.  The model 25-15 being discussed above falls into that group.

Other models DO require a external excitation wire and they will have a IGN terminal.

The many variations in alternator wiring setups can cause much confusion.  HAS caused much confusion for our Forum members!

Important to read and understand the wiring instructions/requirements for any replacement alternator...preferably before purchase.

They are NOT "one size fits all".
Thank you Chuck.  I've enjoyed the discussion, and I think you've left a good trail of bread crumbs* for not only LJ but others.

Me?  I've a Snapper lawnmower clutch to adjust.  Part of the good deed I chose to do for my neighbor in honor of my late sister.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

*GM in their infinite frugality chose to wire the "gen" light to start the alternator, leading to the case where if the bulb burns out the alternator won't start.  The very definition of single point of failure design.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #154
Just  found this topic. Really enjoying it. I have to admire and respect the work your putting into your coach. I have no suggestions from what I've read except that when cleaning the electrical connections, I would be sure to use die electric grease to help prevent future corrosion. Keep the posts coming.

Larry
I am humbled by the kindnesses here in the forum. I can get this far only because the member here.

The knowledge buried in this forum and the members of the forum is unbelievable. 

What I did so far is nothing compare to what others did to their bus. I still can't wrap my head around how @stump can fix the whole bulkhead by himself. That is serious DIY skill.
1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #155
Many alt are exited by a diode and single bulb. Not just GM.  Most cars in the 60s. 

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #156

Alternator changed.

It has been a while since I report back. I am still working on the coach.

As you remember, I was trying to solve the problem of low voltage on the front voltage meter. After few tries, it is clear that the alternator is broken. So I took it out.

@stump mentioned how useful an impact wrench is. So I bought one of the Milwaukee medium torque impact wrench. 600 ft/lb of nut busting torque is enough to handle most scenarios. The big brother has over 1400 ft/lb of torque, but it is too expensive and too big and heavy. I don't think I will ever need that much torque.

With the help of the little impact wrench, taking the alternator out is piece of cake.

After alternator is out, I called to many shops to get a quota to rebuilt. The one @wolfe10 recommended is in Pearland. It is about a hour away from my house. I called them, they are super nice and seems very knowledgeable about power line alternator. They charge minimum $390 to rebuilt the alternator. I mentioned few people on the forum rebuilt their power line alternator for under $300. The owner said that is few years ago. Everything is more expensive now.

I went to another alternator shop that is about 30 minutes away from my house. They are pretty reputable too on alternator rebuild. They bench tested the alternator to confirm that the alternator is broken. The bearing is also need to be replaced. But it seems like they don't want to rebuild the alternator, so they start recommending new units. a KEI heavy duty alternator for $670. A Delco Romey 28SI alternator for $380.

Wait a minutes, If it cost at least $400 to rebuild the alternator, why not buy a new one? If buy a new one, why buy from a local retailer. There are definitely better place to buy online.

So I took my alternator home and start searching options for new alternator or if I can rebuild by myself.

The manufacture of powerline alternator is now HD Power Solutions. They are still in Fort-worth area. I called them few times. They are super nice people. Very helpful. But they said to rebuild the alternator by them, it will be at least $500. They can sell me a newer updated model 25-16 HD alternator for a discounted price of $900 plus tax. That is beyond my budget for a alternator. True it is nice for the alternator to last another 30 years. But I seriously doubt if I am still going to drive the same coach after 30 years. So it is not an economic way for me to invest another $1000 for a 30 years service life.

Their tech support guy is very friendly and helpful. The guy I talked to seems to know everything out of his mind. He has been there for over 25 years. I think he might be the one who build this particular alternator :)) . So he knows inside out the alternator. He even give me his cell phone number so that I can call him any time I want. Absolutely best tech support. With his help, I quickly determined the alternator is broken and it could be as simple as broken brush or a broken rectifier. With it out of the engine bay, I took the voltage regulator off to check the brush. It is pretty obvious that one of the brush has broken metal ribbon. See the picture. So the first step is to find a replacement brush. They seems still have parts available for this model.  Bearing $45 each needs two of them. Brush $15. I might take time to gradually rebuild the alternator by myself later.

So rebuilding alternator might now be an option for the near future. Buying a new one seems to be the better option. My requirement is clear a 200AMP alternator with J-180 mount. Oh boy, there are so many options for the alternator. Price range from $100 all to way to $1200. From 100 AMP to 500 Amp. It is confusing.

Since the alternator shop mentioned Delco Remy 28SI as a replacement, I start looking for this particular model. It seems like this model is very popular for 18 wheeler truck. Nothing too fancy, just a reliable alternator. But finding a geniune Delco Remy online seems to be challenging. There are so many website offering that model, and the price varies greatly.  I think those major auto parts store should have decent price. Autozone, AdvanceAutoParts, Oreilly and NAPA. After looking around on these store website, one particular model on AdvanceAutoParts stands out, it is carquest hd alternator 28SI. Judging form the model no, it is very likely a re-branded Delco Remy 28SI. And most importantly there is a 25% coupon for fathers day. So I places order on Advanced auto parts. It come out at $250 shipped to home. Not bad for a 200AMP alternator from a trusted store. I know I can return to AAP local shop if there is anything wrong.

While waiting for the parts to arrive, I needs to take the pulley out from the old alternator. Again the guy from manufacturer over the phone helped me hand by hand to get the pulley out of the old alternator. Great Tech support. He is surprised that I have an impact wrench. That little boy make things so much easier. As @stump said, it will totally worth the cost if you use it just once. I totally agree with that. With the pulley out, I took the body apart, as you can see from the picture, there are a lot of rust and greasy inside the body. Not sure if it is rebuild-able by DIY.

After few days, the alternator arrived. To my surprise, it is not a Delco Remy 28SI. Instead it is manufactured by WAI.  It seems like WAI is a big auto parts group, they might did the manufacture for or even own the brand of Delco Remy. So it is not a DR 28SI, but it is from the same manufacturer. It should have same quality.

Installed pulley follows Delco Remy 28SI manual. Then installed on the engine. The original cable is too short. I have to cut the zip tie to loose the case to reach the terminal. It pretty tight for the positive and sense wire. I have to pull the wire really hard to get enough to reach to the post. Hope this will not cause any issue in the long run.

Since the tachometer is not reporting accurately. I bought a cheap laser tachometer.. Put tiny reflective tape on the wheel that drives the alternator so that I can use the device to measure the RPM.

After everything is put back, I am super nervous to start the engine. I am afraid I might break something else. But I am glad to see that everything seems to work just fine. The voltage meter show 14V reading now. The tachometer shows 1173 RPM at idle. The Tachometer on the dashboard shows about 860RPM. I think the alternator drive wheel is different from the engine RPM. But both are pretty close. The tachometer might be working fine.

I know it is too long of a post just to change an alternator. Somebody might be able to change it within few minutes. But for people like me who are not very familiar with heavy duty truck, it took some time to get over the initial fear.

Thanks for your reading. Hope it can be helpful to somebody else.
Now I can proudly remove 1 items from my 933 to-do list 8) .









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1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #157
The tachometer pulley is smaller than the crank pulley is why rpm reads different. Put the tape on the crank pulley if you want to compare the dash to what the digital reads.
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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #158
The tachometer pulley is smaller than the crank pulley is why rpm reads different. Put the tape on the crank pulley if you want to compare the dash to what the digital reads.
Where is the crank pulley?

Edit: fix typo crack => crank
1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #159
Not crack pulley, crank pulley. Crankshaft pulley is the pulley at the bottom front of the engine that the belts go to.
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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #160
Your idle speed on that motor should be around 600 RPMs just a FYI good job and good luck 👍
Andy & Eileen
MONTROSE COLORADO
1992 U300  40' 6V92 TA
2016 4 Runner
1998 Jeep Grand cherokee

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee) Build # 4135 Skp# 122921

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #161
Before you spend big bucks for an overpriced shop alternator, check ebay. They are not expensive with a new one about $250. A small electrical shop should be able to rebuild with new bearings, etc for around $100. We have a shop in the next town that rebuilds alternators for $65 unless major parts are needed. This even includes aircraft alternators. 

If you are new to RV ownership, the repair process has a lot of minefields.  Ask source questions on the forum before getting ripped off.

LEECE NEVILLE 160 AMP DUVAC ALTERNATOR MOTORHOMES RV'S 2824LC 2825LC EL-039...

All Detroit 2-cycles in Foretravels should idle almost exactly at 600 RPM as the speed is controlled by the DDEC II ECU. The same for fuel cutoff RPM at 2130 max.

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

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #162
The broken ribbon wire on the brush may have been the main (or perhaps only) cause of your original "low output voltage" problem.

How to Tell If Alternator Brushes Are Bad | It Still Runs
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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #163
Before you spend big bucks for an overpriced shop alternator, check ebay. They are not expensive with a new one about $250. A small electrical shop should be able to rebuild with new bearings, etc for around $100. We have a shop in the next town that rebuilds alternators for $65 unless major parts are needed. This even includes aircraft alternators. 

If you are new to RV ownership, the repair process has a lot of minefields.  Ask source questions on the forum before getting ripped off.

LEECE NEVILLE 160 AMP DUVAC ALTERNATOR MOTORHOMES RV'S 2824LC 2825LC EL-039...

All Detroit 2-cycles in Foretravels should idle almost exactly at 600 RPM as the speed is controlled by the DDEC II ECU. The same for fuel cutoff RPM at 2130 max.

Pierce

I am going to see if any shop nearby can rebuilt for less than $200. If so, I will keep the powerline alternator as back up.

As to the RPM, I have no way to verify the RPM since the Tachometer is not displaying correct value.  As I mentioned in my last post, I bought a cheap laser tachometer to measure the RPM of the wheel that powers the alternator, My reading is about 1170 RPM. Other friends mentioned that I should measure the crank shaft. Where is the crank shaft? Is it the one drives the radiator fan?

I read also, new alternator can also change the RPM reading.  Since some of the Tachometer based on alternator pulse.

Is there anyway I can read those information from the DDECII ECU directly?
1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #164
Yes, buy a ProLink 9000 and your can read out about 45 different values, test injectors and change some operating parameters. But it might be better for you to buy the Bluefire adapter and use a tablet to read out the information. My first choice would be a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 or above as they are the best tablets on the market. iPad are also excellent but more expensive for less.
BlueFire LLC

You need a list of questions and another owner looking over your shoulder. You have an excellent attitude. PM for more information.

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

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #165
The tach is all electronic as is all engine controls (DDEC II) and the cruise control.  My guess is it might just be wiring in the dash area and if not, a new dash gauge should be all that is needed.  In terms of priorities, I would place fixing the tach pretty low on my list;  the engine and tranny computers take care of the RPM for you.

I too would suggest a VMSpc system over a ProLink.  The Bluefire appears to be a new competitor to VMS so I don't have an opinion on them.  The Prolink is a handheld mechanics tool.  The VMS is for a driver who wants more information while driving and it shows multiple items on a tablet simultaneously.  If I didn't already have a system I would get a setup from Roger listed in the Commercial Listing section of the forum; you will get personalized support too.  It's worth it just to have an accurate engine temperature readout.  The dash gauge is just not that accurate and backups to all the dash gauges it great to have and will save you a lot of worry.

John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #166
Both VMS and BlueFire are readers, not tools. One works on almost all platforms, is wireless, costs much less and you don't have to use Windows. If you want to test injectors and have a 1000 rpm fast idle, you have the Prolink as it is a tool, not just a reader. That said, it is not nearly as convenient for driving down the road.

And yet again, the cruise control fast idle that works on some coaches does NOT work on a Detroit U300. You have to DIY the wiring or use a ProLink.

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

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #167
The posted eBay LN alternator does not have the adjustable voltage regulator of the oem one. .2 volts too high on my particular coach and install.  May reinstall my rebuilt oem one.  Mine needed one diode and the bearings which were not an easy install per the Marine company I used.  $300 in Costa Mesa in Orange County, ca. 
"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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #168
Yes, buy a ProLink 9000 and your can read out about 45 different values, test injectors and change some operating parameters. But it might be better for you to buy the Bluefire adapter and use a tablet to read out the information. My first choice would be a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 or above as they are the best tablets on the market. iPad are also excellent but more expensive for less.
BlueFire LLC

You need a list of questions and another owner looking over your shoulder. You have an excellent attitude. PM for more information.

Pierce



I have @stump looking over my shoulder ;D  and all you guys.
1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #169
The tach is all electronic as is all engine controls (DDEC II) and the cruise control.  My guess is it might just be wiring in the dash area and if not, a new dash gauge should be all that is needed.  In terms of priorities, I would place fixing the tach pretty low on my list;  the engine and tranny computers take care of the RPM for you.

I too would suggest a VMSpc system over a ProLink.  The Bluefire appears to be a new competitor to VMS so I don't have an opinion on them.  The Prolink is a handheld mechanics tool.  The VMS is for a driver who wants more information while driving and it shows multiple items on a tablet simultaneously.  If I didn't already have a system I would get a setup from Roger listed in the Commercial Listing section of the forum; you will get personalized support too.  It's worth it just to have an accurate engine temperature readout.  The dash gauge is just not that accurate and backups to all the dash gauges it great to have and will save you a lot of worry.



I thought VMSpec is for newer coach like 2000+. Never thought it can be installed on a 91 coach.
1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #170
The posted eBay LN alternator does not have the adjustable voltage regulator of the oem one. .2 volts too high on my particular coach and install.  May reinstall my rebuilt oem one.  Mine needed one diode and the bearings which were not an easy install per the Marine company I used.  $300 in Costa Mesa in Orange County, ca. 

Is it really necessary to have adjustable voltage regulator?

The old alternator (Powerline 25-15) only have three wires, Positive, Negative and Sense wire. The new alternator (Carquest 28SI) has many more terminals. But I just use the Positive Negative and Sense wire. I don't see how the DUVAC in play with just three wires. I guess time will tell.
1991 Grand Villa U300

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #171
1.  Is it really necessary to have adjustable voltage regulator?
2.  I don't see how the DUVAC in play with just three wires.
1.  No  (My opinion only)
2.  DUVAC will work fine with just the three wires you connected IF the small SENSE wire is connected properly to START battery B+ post.

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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #172
The adjustable voltage allows some compensation in the charging voltage if desired for temp and battery types.

Starting in mid 97 the standard heart freedoms inverter chargers had the ability to adjust the voltage for temperature.

The alternator side normally does not have temp compensation.  Unless you have a marine external voltage regulator.

So the adjustable units allow you to turn down the max voltages. 

Brett mentioned the same number as Foretravel used in production as being 13.6 volts at the battery as a compromise. 

Automotive alternators made for valve regulated lead acid are set for 14.1 or so at the batteries.

My understanding is in later model nice cars like a BMW that are equipped with AGM batteries that the voltage is set lower 13.9? 

Given the multiple reports of over 10 years service life of the Unicoaches oem mk gels and optima red tops the 13.6 seems to be a workable number.

Hot summer the correct voltage might be in the low 13's float.  Deep winter the 14 is more correct.

Hard to do temp compensation on the alternator side as the engine batteries being in the engine bay on the Unicoaches get much hotter and drop the charging voltages excessively.

The unihomes were made for flooded cell batteries in a vented box and can take the higher voltages.

They require more care and feeding and have much shorter lives.

We used to turn up the alternators for a long drive to equalize worn flooded cells.  Helped but not very accurate.




"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: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #173
I thought VMSpec is for newer coach like 2000+. Never thought it can be installed on a 91 coach.
For '91 U300, the VMS only talks to the engine computer; not the transmission.  VMS only started talking the the transmission with the introduction of the "World Transmission" series (i.e 6 speeds).  There are also quite few VMS functions that don't work on the DDEC II (at least for the '91 year): trip MPG and horsepower to name a couple.  But all the real important ones like oil pressure, oil temperature, engine temp, boost pressure and battery voltage are there along with other "interesting" things like throttle position, cruise control speed set, fuel temperature, rolling MPG, instantaneous MPG, fuel burn in gallons per hour and others.  The setting for the VMS list engines to choose from.  There is no DD 6V92, but there is the 8V92 500hp which is what mine is set; so the HP reading is off by that factor.

VMS will also read all the fault codes on the engine.  You can actually do that without any VMS or other reader by using the switch under the dash and reading the "check engine light" flashes.  That process and the definition of each code is in your users manual for the coach.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: 1991 U300-- bought it!

Reply #174
It has been a while because the coach was in the shop for the whole time.

I was testing driving the coach few weeks ago. I was trying to find if the gear can be shifted to the 4th gear. approximately 65 mile/hour. According to @stump this is the best speed for the coach. My speedometer and tachometer is not working properly. The readings are way above real value. For example, when the real speed is 30 MPH, speedo shows 75 Mph. Tacho shows over 2500 RPM. Following @stump suggestion, I used a GPS speedometer on my phone, it display the speed properly. I can confirm that the gear was shifted to the 4th position. Otherwise, the transmission is bad and it is going to cost a fortune to fix transmission. In that scenario, the best solution is just to sell the coach again. I really can't handle it anymore. Luckily the transmission seems fine. In fact, I have watched so many "Can you start" video on youtube about 30~50 years old diesel truck. I never see the host worried about transmission. As long as the engine starts, they just start driving. Nobody seems to worried about transmission. I guess most truck transmissions are super reliable. Rarely become an issue.

Again, it is super lucky for me to return to the storage facility safely. While I was driving, I can hear grinding noise come from the front axle. It is pretty loud under the driver side. Air suspension is supposed to be quiet and smooth. The noise form front axle is definitely not normal. I took the hub cover off, there is no oil in the hub at all. Only water inside. The coach was parked in a place where the front AC condensation water drop right pass the front axle. For the 15 years it parked there, water has come into the hub through the pressure release hole. Talked to @stump, he give me direction on how to change the front axle bearing. It is not easy job, but definitely doable, at least for @stump . Also I read on the forum, Ron the Red Tractor was able to fix somebody's front axle within 3 hour including a trip to the part store. So I thought it is not that big of deal, I might be able to DIY.

I bought box jack, impact socket to try to take off the front wheel. But the wheel nut was fastened using 1 inch air gun by the tire guys. It is way over torqued. My little Milwaukee mid torque impact wrench with 650 lb-ft torque can't take the nuts off. Not even close. The manual ask for 450 lb-ft. I guess those tire guys way over torqued the lug nuts. Consulted with @stump, he think it is better to send to a shop to do it. Since rebuilding front axle is a pretty standard job for any decent heavy duty truck shop. it won't cost too much.


Luckily there is a diesel mechanic shop 15 minutes away from the storage facility. I added some more water to the hub and drive very slowly to the shop. According to the mechanic, as long as the hub is not over heated, water is fine. 20MPH So 15 minutes turn into 30 minutes drive. 

Before I drop the coach to the shop, the shop manager promise me everything I asked. I want to read the DDEC computer, he said no problem. I want them to check the generator, he said no problem. I want them to change the coolant hose, he said no problem. I guess, he probably will say no problem to covert the 6V92 to a Tesla. Of course he can't do everything he promised. He just try to get me in the shop.

So after few weeks and about 1.3 CB( Couch Buck=$1000,right?), I got the following done.
    • Coollant flush. Per @stump suggestion, the coolant was changed from Green to Red. Red is the better version of green
    • Grease the chassis. Not the brake caliper
    • Overall inspection of the airline, brake and other components. Overall seems good
    • Rebuild front axle. new inner outer bearing. Reused the hub cover
    • Replace 5 rusted wheel studs. Those studs are expensive. Around $50 each.
    • Change Engine oil using the Delco 100 straight 40 and filter I provided
    • Change primary fuel filter
    • No engine computer reading

The parts really doesn't cost that much. Most of cost are labor. After watching the mechanic doing it, I think the money is well spent. There is no way I can rebuild the front hub by myself under the Texas summer heat. Some time I have to let the professional do it. And also @stump said the front is the steering axle. It is super important to get it working properly otherwise, bad thing will happen. The mechanic showed me the old racer, due to the age and long parking, there are dents on the racer. The bearing is slightly deformed. That is probably the cause of the noise.

I took a test drive after everything is done. The grinding noise is gone. Still not very smooth, but I don't expect that for a 30 year old coach. I think with this, most of the chassis related work is done. Needs to start work on house related issue. Generator first.

With the expense in the diesel shop, I am close to 10 CB now. Just as I predicted in my previous post. I don't know if tires are counted as coach bucks or not. I think CB are for repairs, not maintenance. Tire are maintenance item. They needs to be changed regardless of the coach condition. I know I am just try to find excuse to justify my purchase of the cheap coach. As @stump said, I still haven't spend the $7K asked by the mobile mechanic to replace air suspension bag.

Thanks for you time! Have a great day!


1991 Grand Villa U300