Breakdown Information
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RV particulars: 31 ft 1986 Crosscountry by sportscoach, P-30 chassis
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Chevy 454, Turbo 400 transmission
Miles: 48,000 +/-
Year: 1986
Break Down Description: Transmission failure. My wife, grandson and myself left San Diego for our trip to Lake Tahoe, we took hwy 395. I was towing my jeep wrangler and the transmission temperature gauge (that I had installed several years earlier) started to climb a little but it was within operating limits. I noticed that when starting from a stop I had to manually place the transmission in 1st gear to get it to start in first if I did not, it would start in second gear. We decided to stop for the night in a little town called Lone Pine at a RV park. The next morning the transmission would not shift out of first gear at all. the transmission overheated and was disabled in a turnaround on hwy 395. I let it cool off and was able to limp it back to Lone Pine to a auto repair and towing facility. the transmission was toast and I had to order a remanufactured transmission from AC-Delco. 3 days and $2,500 later we were back on the road to Tahoe. We had an unplanned 3 day stay in Lone Pine.
More history about my rig: the transmission that failed had been rebuilt twice already, the first time by the original owner at around 25,000 miles right before I purchased the rig, the second time when I owned the rig at around 37,000 miles, 2 years prior to the failure at Lone Pine. The transmission shop that rebuilt it at 37,000 miles guarantied it for only 12,000 miles or one year, the breakdown in Lone Pine happened 2 years after, so it was already out of warranty. I was very careful taking every measure to keep the transmission running cool. When I first purchased the motorhome I installed an external transmission cooler (I could not believe that it didn't have one) with an electric puller fan mounted to it. Later I installed a second transmission cooler with another electric fan. I changed the transmission fluid and filter much more frequently than recommended.
My opinion is that my rig was just too heavy and pulling my jeep was just too much. Although the transmission failed before even before I started to tow my jeep.
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Chevy 454, Turbo 400 transmission
Miles: 48,000 +/-
Year: 1986
Break Down Description: Transmission failure. My wife, grandson and myself left San Diego for our trip to Lake Tahoe, we took hwy 395. I was towing my jeep wrangler and the transmission temperature gauge (that I had installed several years earlier) started to climb a little but it was within operating limits. I noticed that when starting from a stop I had to manually place the transmission in 1st gear to get it to start in first if I did not, it would start in second gear. We decided to stop for the night in a little town called Lone Pine at a RV park. The next morning the transmission would not shift out of first gear at all. the transmission overheated and was disabled in a turnaround on hwy 395. I let it cool off and was able to limp it back to Lone Pine to a auto repair and towing facility. the transmission was toast and I had to order a remanufactured transmission from AC-Delco. 3 days and $2,500 later we were back on the road to Tahoe. We had an unplanned 3 day stay in Lone Pine.
More history about my rig: the transmission that failed had been rebuilt twice already, the first time by the original owner at around 25,000 miles right before I purchased the rig, the second time when I owned the rig at around 37,000 miles, 2 years prior to the failure at Lone Pine. The transmission shop that rebuilt it at 37,000 miles guarantied it for only 12,000 miles or one year, the breakdown in Lone Pine happened 2 years after, so it was already out of warranty. I was very careful taking every measure to keep the transmission running cool. When I first purchased the motorhome I installed an external transmission cooler (I could not believe that it didn't have one) with an electric puller fan mounted to it. Later I installed a second transmission cooler with another electric fan. I changed the transmission fluid and filter much more frequently than recommended.
My opinion is that my rig was just too heavy and pulling my jeep was just too much. Although the transmission failed before even before I started to tow my jeep.
