Breakdown Information
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Just picked up motorhome from local generator repair place. Another generator breakdown. Ever tried to find service for a generator while on the road? Good luck!
This year while on vacation, after day 1 the Generac Generator (3 years ago it was the generator fuel pump that went out) would run but wasn't putting out any electricity to the coach. Turns out the drive belt from the generator motor to whatever it is that makes the electricity had broken. The kind of repair you hate as the belt was $23.80 but the generator had to be removed to change it. 6 hours labor total so the bill was over $500 to replace a $23 belt! Ouch.
Also on day 2, the water pump quits working. Switches won't activate the pump. RV repair place in Minnesota manages to spend 5 hours discovering he couldn't figure out what was wrong. Runs jury rigged wiring under the bed to the pump and installs a switch on the bed frame. In spite of the exposed wires, at least we now have water.
Last year it was a chasis problem - '97 460 Ford just quit running while going down the interstate. Towed to Iowa small town repair facility who diagnosed the problem as a fuel pump. Had what I thought was plenty of fuel pressure, but not according to the mechanic. Being Saturday, no pump to be had. Sat in parking lot of repair facility until pump arrived on Monday. Didn't send adaptor needed for fuel pump retrofit. So, that arrives on Tuesday. Puts everything back together and unit still won't run - just cranks and cranks. Then figures out it is a bad coil. Replaced the coil and it starts right up. Most likely the problem all along.
Mechanic managed to turn what should have been a 2 hour / $200 repair into 4 vacation days and $1,000 plus! Oh yes, and all the cranking of the motor with a bad coil filled the cylinders with gas that drained into the crankcase thinning out the oil and triggering a check engine light when we did finally get on the way. Returned for diagnosis and he said I needed the oil and filter changed which he did for $65 (the Ford dealer had just done it for $29)!
Some vacation. Ah, the joys of motorhoming and being at someone's mercy when you break down on the road a thousand miles from home. Wife informed me today she has taken her last vacation in this motorhome. She says: "Sell it if you want to celebrate a 42nd anniversary with me and next year we are renting a cabin!"
4 major breakdowns on the last 6 vacations has put her at the end of her rope. Told her I'd put it up for sale as soon as I had the electric steps and hydraulic jacks that also quit working this trip repaired - though it may take a while before I can accumulate the money to have it done! You'd never know I am a "preventative maintenance" kind of guy would you?
Planocat
This year while on vacation, after day 1 the Generac Generator (3 years ago it was the generator fuel pump that went out) would run but wasn't putting out any electricity to the coach. Turns out the drive belt from the generator motor to whatever it is that makes the electricity had broken. The kind of repair you hate as the belt was $23.80 but the generator had to be removed to change it. 6 hours labor total so the bill was over $500 to replace a $23 belt! Ouch.
Also on day 2, the water pump quits working. Switches won't activate the pump. RV repair place in Minnesota manages to spend 5 hours discovering he couldn't figure out what was wrong. Runs jury rigged wiring under the bed to the pump and installs a switch on the bed frame. In spite of the exposed wires, at least we now have water.
Last year it was a chasis problem - '97 460 Ford just quit running while going down the interstate. Towed to Iowa small town repair facility who diagnosed the problem as a fuel pump. Had what I thought was plenty of fuel pressure, but not according to the mechanic. Being Saturday, no pump to be had. Sat in parking lot of repair facility until pump arrived on Monday. Didn't send adaptor needed for fuel pump retrofit. So, that arrives on Tuesday. Puts everything back together and unit still won't run - just cranks and cranks. Then figures out it is a bad coil. Replaced the coil and it starts right up. Most likely the problem all along.
Mechanic managed to turn what should have been a 2 hour / $200 repair into 4 vacation days and $1,000 plus! Oh yes, and all the cranking of the motor with a bad coil filled the cylinders with gas that drained into the crankcase thinning out the oil and triggering a check engine light when we did finally get on the way. Returned for diagnosis and he said I needed the oil and filter changed which he did for $65 (the Ford dealer had just done it for $29)!
Some vacation. Ah, the joys of motorhoming and being at someone's mercy when you break down on the road a thousand miles from home. Wife informed me today she has taken her last vacation in this motorhome. She says: "Sell it if you want to celebrate a 42nd anniversary with me and next year we are renting a cabin!"
4 major breakdowns on the last 6 vacations has put her at the end of her rope. Told her I'd put it up for sale as soon as I had the electric steps and hydraulic jacks that also quit working this trip repaired - though it may take a while before I can accumulate the money to have it done! You'd never know I am a "preventative maintenance" kind of guy would you?
Planocat
