Hi Everyone! I'm new at this but would like to pose a question that probably has been posted before. I purchased a 2008 Coachmen Freedom Express mid-November 2104. It had only 15,000 miles on it. Beautiful rig and looked almost new to me considering I have a 2008 Dodge Caliber with over 102,000 miles on it. Salesman was pretty good but I'm not impressed with the service department. I was promised everything would be looked over and fixed if needed. Oh, btw, I'm a 60 y/o widow. If that makes a difference. A couple of incidents made me start to wonder if my RV had been serviced as promised. I reconciled the other issues but another one has arisen. After an almost 800 mile trip to Philadelphia from NH it appeared that my oil pressure was low and I was to stop the engine. This occurred the morning after I returned home and wanted to move the rig. I immediately checked the oil which was almost empty. I filled it with 1 1/2 quarts of 5W/30 oil. Oh, I forgot, on the way home there was a terrible tapping sound coming from under the hood. I thought it was the result of all the *&@#! potholes I hit to and from my journey. So, after I filled it with oil, I took it for a ride around and the tapping was gone. I am guessing I'm pretty lucky? I was a fool not to check the oil before the trip but I thought everything was ready to go. I am trying to read all I can, watch all the YouTube regarding RVs so that I will be able to handle this new venture. I absolutely LOVE it and love driving it. My dog and I boondocked on the way down in a rest area which was very exciting. And then we stayed at the Timberlane Campground in NJ. That place is awesome and I enjoyed that very much.Do you think the dealer never looked at the oil? If somebody can help me with this and give me advice it would be very much appreciated. Please be kind to this old lady who's trying to live a dream long dreamt!

Have you seen any oil on the ground under the engine area?The noise was probably lifter noise when the oil was low.Have you seen tailpipe smoke or heavy smoke at start up? Blueish smoke.

Did you, yourself, check the oil before you started the trip? If not, then no one knows if it was full before you started the trip and therefore you don't how much oil was used.I would get an oil change, check the oil level before it leaves the shop and then probably every two hundred miles for a while to see what the usage is. If the oil was changed at the dealer, the person doing the oil change and messed up by not checking it (as you should have) and it went out low on oil. If not, you should see / smell it burning oil or see a leak on the ground. Have you seen any oil on the ground since you got home and had the oil filled? After the oil change, I would put a large piece of cardboard under it so that it's easy to check for oil leaks.Bill

Thanks to both of you who answered. Good advice. Did I notice oil on the ground. Well, I remember seeing a yellowish substance on the snow (no laughing now!)when I moved the rig where the engine would be. But I thought leaking oil would have been black. I know now to be much more vigilant. I'll get the oil changed. I haven't smelled or seen any smoke when I start up. no bluish smoke. But I'll double check. It's so cold here in NH lately that I believe it is just normal white mist coming out of the tailpipe. Do you think I ruined the engine?

Check the oil filter to be sure it's tight. If it's quiet now and not knocking loudly you are probably ok. I have seen a lot of loose filters after oil changed.If the oil is clean you dont need to change it again. Be sure it's up on the stick and check that filter. Do you know how to check the oil?

As track rig said, until you get to know your engine you will want to keep an eye on the oil level. If it is using oil or leaking you can nurse an engine along until you can get it to the shop IF you keep filling the oil. No oil and you will eat the bearings out of it possibly blow a rod out the side of the block. $5,000 or so??? Get a few qts of extra oil at walmart to keep in your rig. You can ask folks on here what various items they like to also keep on hand. Do you have towing insurance or flat tire change service?

excessive oil use in my Class C Freedom Express

29 Replies

IAMICHABOD
Explorer III
Jan 13, 2015
First off Welcome to the Forum!

The advice that you have been given by all is pretty sound and comprehensive. I would go with j-d on the valve stems by The Tireman or Borg,I have the Tire man ones, they will make your life a lot easier when it comes to checking the Air Pressure.

I did notice that your Class C is on a Chevy Chassis. Most on here have Fords so you will get a lot of advice based on that fact.

In my signature there is a clicky about Class Cs on a Chevy Chassis that you may find of help,especially the UPDATES. If it is not there then just ask or send me a PM, you can find how to do that in My Profile.

As you have found, if you need anything answered people are here to help, even us Chevy Owners...........:B

Have fun and enjoy.
cstumm
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
To tommykelly: I'll try not to freeze up. Already thinking of where I'll go next. Can't be anywhere warm yet. I think I'm smitten with the RV bug!
Mich_F
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
j-d wrote:
I phoned Borg, and the website works from "their end" so here's a link to their dually kits. Somebody please click it and let me know if it works.

Borg Dually Valves

It's not working for me. This is the only Borg link I can get to work
http://www.borgtiresupply.com/owner/duallyvalve.pdf
tommykelly
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
your welcome...don't freeze up way up there!!
cstumm
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
I have a 2 way fridge. so much knowledge! Thank you again, Connie
tommykelly
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
Removing what they call the beauty rims can be a pain mine have access holes to get to the valve stems. so maybe the service dept.
can give you guidance on that one your covers may be different than mine.

Propane:

now we get into the differing opinions ..so here is mine:

you could have a 3 way or a 2 way fridge..

I have had 3 way in the past but now have a 2 way

3 way...can run on 110 volts..electric heating element..good
can run on propane..a small flame heats element..good
can run on 12 volts another heating element ...not good
the reason is ...110 runs on Generator or shore power..plugged into house

Only if you have 3 way fridge..

12 volt draw on fridge is a lot ..will kill your house batteries and if you are driving .. It will work but the Engine alternator will be working hard..and if you forget about when you shut the engine off
the batteries will be dead pretty quick.

So here is what I do...leave your fridge on "Auto". when you are driving leave your Propane on so your fridge will stay cold.
when you get home or campsite..plug in your shore power and fridge will switch over to the 110 volts.

I think 3 way fridges are getting rare but just in case avoid 12 volt.

so I leave the Propane on...the only time I turn the propane off is to fill it then turn it back on.

If you park your r.v. for 6 months or a year maybe ..then when you turn it back on you will want to turn on your stove top and light it
sometimes it is a little slow to start when you turn your propane back on.
Once a year have the r.v. service check to make sure there are no leaks.
j-d
Explorer II
Jan 13, 2015
This website issue is perplexing. I CAN access it using my old laptop and notebook. They run XP. The clone desktop W7, the transformer tablet W8.1, and notebook W8.1, all get the 403 Forbidden message using Explorer. If I try Chrome of Firefox, I just get a blank screen. Rebooted PC and Router which is AT&T Fast Internet. Also tried with Android phone on Verizon Internet.

Common Denominators are ISP and AVG Internet Security 2015, running all five of these computers.

Variables seem to be the OS. XP is OK, 7 and 8.1 are not OK.

Any Browser (IE, FF, Chrome) that I try does NOT work with 7 and 8.1 but they DO WORK with XP

Help! Need a Guru! Help!

Meanwhile somebody who needs Borg Dually Valves can call 800-300-2674
cstumm
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
The salesman from the dealership just called and I addressed the oil question. He seemed perplexed and said I need to monitor it closely which I already intended to do. About the height: most class C rvs are between 11'3" & 11'6". Ok. Question regarding tire air valves. He said to remove the "chrome" cover on the wheel. We'll see. There was another item that I haven't heard about that was "promised" me and he said he would look into it. Yes, I need to find out the guy who will be doing work on my rv. Oh, btw, what is your feeling about keeping the propane on while driving. I thought the fridge could run off of the coach batteries since they are being recharged while driving. And, thank you for the information on the tire valves, j-d. And here's hoping for nice weather for your time at Lazy Days, tommy Kelly! Thanks!
tommykelly
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
j-d wrote:
I phoned Borg, and the website works from "their end" so here's a link to their dually kits. Somebody please click it and let me know if it works.

Borg Dually Valves

no go..kicked back
tommykelly
Explorer
Jan 13, 2015
j-d wrote:
I phoned Borg, and the website works from "their end" so here's a link to their dually kits. Somebody please click it and let me know if it works.

Borg Dually Valves

getting a HTTP 403 Forbidden