First time owner. Seasoned road junkie.

Glad you have gotten a bunch of stuf fixed.

Diagaro,

You might want to contact the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana.
Their library has a lot of information in it. I don't know if they would be willing to research it for you but anyone can go their and do their own research.

RV/MH Hall of Fame
21565 Executive Parkway
Elkhart Indiana 46514
800-378-8694

Maybe the RV and Motorhome Hall of Fame can give you some information. They may even have one there. They have an extensive research library on RVs. I stopped there and went through the library. It is a fantastic place to visit if you like RVs. Just outside Elkhart, Indiana on Interstate.

Diagaro Enthio wrote:
So been living in it now, got everything hammered out. AC had problems a few weeks into the trailer park life, turned out it was bad connections at the compressor starter solenoid, cleaned the blade connections, applied dielectric grease and it has been working without a hitch ever since.
Wish I hadn't bought the batteries now, I don't use em in the trailer park.
Got 4 brand new tires and two nearly new ones. replaced all my breakers, reconnectred a few disconnected vacuum lines, drove perfectly after that - no chugging, no sputtering no engine death at stop lights. perfect.

At this point I really just wanna see some evidence that this RV existed, a brochure, a manual, a parts catalog; SOMETHING!
If anyone has any information on it, Buzz words: Explorer, 2800, Dodge m300, Dodge m400, Dodge m500, Dodge m600, 10 ton, 440, 440-1, 440-2, 440-3, jensen-wemac.

Congratulations on your diagnosing and fixing problems. Atta boy!! :B

So been living in it now, got everything hammered out. AC had problems a few weeks into the trailer park life, turned out it was bad connections at the compressor starter solenoid, cleaned the blade connections, applied dielectric grease and it has been working without a hitch ever since.
Wish I hadn't bought the batteries now, I don't use em in the trailer park.
Got 4 brand new tires and two nearly new ones. replaced all my breakers, reconnectred a few disconnected vacuum lines, drove perfectly after that - no chugging, no sputtering no engine death at stop lights. perfect.

At this point I really just wanna see some evidence that this RV existed, a brochure, a manual, a parts catalog; SOMETHING!
If anyone has any information on it, Buzz words: Explorer, 2800, Dodge m300, Dodge m400, Dodge m500, Dodge m600, 10 ton, 440, 440-1, 440-2, 440-3, jensen-wemac.

Unless you have an inverter, which is doubtful, you won't have any AC when on battery power.

I would check all AC connections to make sure they are clean and tight.

Ok now I got something that seems to me weird.
Firstly I found my other mystery wire, wire toner/tracer came in handy there, it dead ends right next to the transmission. I think it was for an amplifier, well thats what I'm going to use it for.
So batteries in, genny works had to bench prime the fuel pump, think it was just too dry.

12vDC lights work with batteries, Hot water heater works (hot water and such) Stove, Oven.
120vAC not consistantly working, same with the Genny starter toggle switch (in the MH, hallway wall monitor panel) A few times I have been able to just give the wall near the panel a whack while holding the ON half of the rocker switch in and it fired. 120vAC refuses to work off the batteries, only worked with the genny thrumming away gasoline, witch answered another question; The rooftop air conditioner works and blows COLD! COLD!! COLD!!
Attempted to overload the circuit, turned on all the lights, fridge, air conditioner, nukerwave, even turned on the little 11" TV and plugged my phone's charger in. The genny didn't fold under load.
Charge sentinel on AC breaker panel showed steady red light = charging.

Then as I texted my wife to come out and see, the genny coughed, sputtered and died out, after she came out I showed her the hot water, and tried to start the genny again - it refused to start, also the 120vAC was once again not flowing, No edison plugs, no nukerwave, no AC :( Nothing but the little (what I assume to be) 12vDC lights worked.
Could I be missing a crucial cable in my battery bay? Maybe some breaker I have overlooked? A bad connection?
I mean look I'm in no hurry to drain those $100 batteries or burn up all my gas charging them but I wanna have full confidence in the though dated, presumably stout MH system.

I don't have a safe way to hook external AC power to it as its street parked in front of our apartment, lucky to get away with the garden hose. But I have seen the AC system work without any batteries hooked into the MH system, Seller played a stupid movie on the CRT TV and DVD changer he had installed in it (chuckle) so I know the Shore power works, but why no DC conversion right off the batt?

Jarlaxle wrote:

Does the carb have a heat shield?

There is noting but a elephant trunk style closed edge air filter disk.

Shouldn't be necessary. It isn't on my friend's Dodge class C, with a 440 and ThermoQuad.

Does the carb have a heat shield?

Jarlaxle wrote:

Diagaro Enthio wrote:

recycler wrote:
if it is a 78 it should have electronic ignation look for a ceramic block with wires coming out of it.. it is a resistor and they tend to fall apart over time..always carry spares in my dodge cars/trucks..is carter thremoquad replace it on principal they are junk..you appear to have a 440/727 drive line last year for them

Just to entertain the idea; what are my options for the stock intake manifold?
I mean if I have to modify the 'doghouse' for a taller intake and carb thats fine, I'm just not interested in paying the same as I did for the whole RV just for a fuel delivery system.
I mean if I can find a fuel injected or similar throttlebody injection setup in the junk yard that'd be cool but realistically it seems the only option is a holly? or edelbrock??
Like whats the chances that this would bolt right on to the intake? - reconditioned edelbrock carb

Don't touch the carb! The ThermoQuad is superb, but not forgiving. If you do not know what you are doing, DO NOT TOUCH IT!

Jarlaxle wrote:

Wow, this might actually be simple: it sounds like a textbook case of a serious vacuum leak! Hook up a vacuum gauge & start the engine...if the needle jumps all over the dial (and I suspect it will), you have a leak. If someone removed the carb at some point, it's even money if they cracked it during reassembly, which will cause a vacuum leak.

Also, B/RB Mopars have a little-known design quirk that can make you rip your hair out. Did it sit for a while, and does it...
...run hot on the highway?
...get about 2MPG?
...turn the exhaust manifolds cherry red?
...have weak power?

If so, the distributor advance might be stuck. If so, careful application of a heat gun and penetrating oil will usually free it.

Yea I plan on leaving the carb alone as long as possible. It runs fine on the freeway; provided we don't slow to a crawl/stop and go. then it dies out under load, in gear - hardly idles without surging, sputtering and dying out.
I suspect that the foil coated fibreglass insulation matting the engine cover reflects too much heat down onto the intake and carb and is causing the carb and its respective gaskets to expand and leak vacuum.
I devised a quick fix in case I cannot find anything wrong in the customary manner.
A variable wind tunnel around the carb also feeding it cold air.
My quick MS paint diagram.



If I put a few layers of pantyhoze over the intake I can keep large deposits of dirt, dust, bugs, pine needles and such from getting all over the top of the engine.
The exaust port being a 12vDC 12" radiator fan from the auto junk yard sucking air around the carb from the grille in the front.
With one of these air cleaners I can do away with the bulky stock one.

What ya'll think about that?