Fun / Projects / with my 1997 America Dream

So while working on the A/C fan problem it was pointed out that the compressor belt was flapping around and appeared to be loose.



I thought this would be an easy fix so I thought I would take it on before our trip today.

You know the story about best laid plans, right?

All that needed to be done was to tight up the belt by moving the tensioner correct?



Turns out the tensioner is adjusted all the way out and the belt cannot be tightened any more.

Understand this belt was installed by "professionals" at Conway Truck and Bus. Yet another example of really poor service at a service center.

When looking at that problem I found another, take a look at this bolt.



Note that the treads do not come out of the nut. here is a different view.



When the bolt was removed these were the threads sticking out.



And the bolts are hardware store grade. How can anyone do work like this???????? It also turns out they were install backwards, I will explain that a little further down.



So the first order of business was to remove all those bolts and replace them with grade 8 Lawson quality bolts so the compressor does not fall off.



So why did I say they were in backwards? The faceplate of the compressor is threaded and the bolts should screw in from the back side (the bracket on the engine just has a hole in it and the faceplate is threaded so when you put the bolt in through the back side it goes through the hole and then into the threaded face place and then when you tighten the bolt it pulled the faceplate to the bracket on the engine). So the "professionals used hardware store bolts and installed them incorrectly.

This is what it should look like. Now the bolts are threaded in correctly and the nuts are "jam" nuts to keep the bolts from working loose.





So now on to the belt.

As I mentioned above the tensioner is adjusted all the way out and the belt is still loose. Because the pulleys run in "deep" "V" pulleys the belt cannot be much longer or you cannot put it on.



I thought about moving the tensioner to the other side and then I would have plenty of adjustment, but you do not want the tensioner on the tension side of the belt because the tensioner pulley is carrying the torsion load.



I thought what the heck I'll take a trip to the parts store and see if I can get a belt just a little smaller (the correct size belt).

I was knocked on my back side when they had the correct belt in stock. I am really beginning to hate the "Professional" technicians at these service centers.



It was a bit of a struggle to get the belt over the pulley, but once I did there is now lots of adjustment in the tensioner.



No mot flapping around.

Ok...here we go.

You have seen the earlier diagnostics that I did.

Fleetwood was unable to get me the correct diagram, but the customer service at Gillig came through.

With the correct diagram in hand, I found the correct circuit breaker for the A/C circuit and found it had been replaced with an aftermarket one with no indication if it was tripped. I tested it and found it was good. The correct one has been ordered from Gillig.



The relay labeled HVAC on the Motor Home is the A/C fan relay in the print. I found that the HVAC relay had been "played" with and the case was broken. I removed the relay and checked the hot lead and coil lead and found them to be hot. I jumpier the two contact leads and the fan ran.



I ran to the parts store an picked up a universal A/C relay and plugged it in and all works as it should fan on when A/C is on, fan off when A/C is off.



The correct one has been ordered from Gillig.

The spot that the relay goes is tight.



I snapped the relay into place and this will work for now, until I get the correct parts.

You didn't say what the problem is (not that I will be able to help). Is it the fan does not run?

Ok...This is what this morning revealed.

The A/C indicator light comes on when the dash A/C is turned on.

The A/C compressor comes on when the A/C is turned on and goes off when the A/C is turned off.



The fan over the A/C condenser will run when connected to a separate battery.





The test light does not light when connected to the terminals running to the fan.



The wires from the fan run into the engine compartment, across the rear frame then forward to the electronics compartment.



I find no fuses or relays marked as A/C fan, I do find one relay marked HVAC relay (which I have not tested). I also find one fuse marked RAD PWR AUX which does test good.









Can you help me locate both the fan relay and fuse?

Vehicle Vin 46GED1814T1052706

Fleetwood # 720AV5202890

MFD ID # 02890

Chassis sate 7/96

Vehicle date 1997

So...another incomplete project because no one carries parts any more.

The Central vacuum stopped working awhile back, turned out the rear bearing was shot in the motor. The bearing was an integral part of the rear housing, and even if it wasn't how far gone would the brushes be. The motor is the only moving part in the vacuum, and after looking at replacement vacuums;

Dirt Devil CV950
6.25 x 7 x 14.5
11.3 amps
water lift is 105"
cost, hard to find but found $289.99

Dirt Devil CV1500
7.5 x 7 x 14.25
11.7 amps
water lift 120"
Cost $344.98

CV140 Yellow Jacket
14.5 X 7
10 amps
water lift 86"
Cost 139.95

Beam Model 35
11.2 amps
water lift is not specified
Cost $454.00

I decided it was worth the $103 for a New Motor

So the project starts



Note how the hoses come in from the side, and in the picture the name is straight across. I wanted the name to be straight across but that is not how it was mounted in the Motor Home. If you look at the picture below you will see the latches on the body of the vacuum are not straight up and down and the catches are inline with the name. So currently if the cover is latched the name is at a 30 degree angle.



The Model 33S is no longer made, the closest I could come was the 35, the motor fits both.

This unit was designed for high end marine use, note the UL listing, and google the name.



The unit was removed from the motor home, who ever installed it originally glued it to the rear wall with silicone, it was a pain to get down. I had to remove the tiny screws that held the back cover onto the unit while the unit was screwed to the wall to get it out.



Got the unit down stairs and on the work bench.



Removed the old motor, here are the new and old motors sitting side by side.



Swapped all the parts from the old motor to the new motor including the gasket, that was the only casualty, glued it together with some gasket sealer.



and then found a new gasket had been included in the box with the new motor.



Put everything back together, and of course cleaned everything up.



and mounted it back into the motor home. I first mounted it so the name was straight across, but then the hoses come out of the bottom of the unit. I remounted the unit so the name is perpendicular, and no matches the labeling on the inverter. I can live with that. The hoses now come out of the side of the unit so they do not interfere with the storage space below the unit.

I cannot complete the project as no one carries the size hose (ID) this unit uses, and no one has the OD PVC pipe this unit uses.

I want the exhaust hose to exit the compartment to the outside air so that dust is not blown around inside the compartment with the inverter, and so the compartment door does not need to be opened to run the vacuum (The compartment is sealed and the exhaust would build pressure in the compartment with the door open).

So... without the materials to complete that task this is yet another project oh so close, but not yet complete.



The wife is happy though as the new unit sucks so hard it picks the wall to wall carpeting up off the floor. It sucks up and sand or dirt off the tile.

So while working on the vacuum project (I will post pictures later) I found another example of shoddy workmanship.

I paid Caledonia RV $1,800 to replace all the old rope lights in the Motor Home.

They original plugged one of the lights into the hot water heater electrical outlet. This outlet was not hot when the inverter was on and you would obviously want the lights to work when camping on the generator or inverter.

Directly below that compartment is the compartment which contains the inverter.

So their solution was to drill a hole between the two compartment and then run the 110 volt line through the hole.

The problem is they used no rubber grommet and the wire is rubbing against the sharp metal on the edge of the hole. I will have to fix this along with many other problems with their workmanship.

It will be detailed here as I correct the workmanship problems.

The thing I have learned is you have to do it yourself if you want it done right. It is truly a shame the RV world is pledged with this type of workmanship.

It seems that I am having problems completing projects due to lack of materials. (Dometic cannot seem to get me the right thermocouple for the refrigerator (old one does still work, but the end is burnt off), no one has parts for the plumbing of the central vacuum, I need a new two to one tail light module for LEDs (there is a difference)).

No one stocks stuff any more, everything has to be ordered.

We are leaving next week for the finial NDRL race of the season and I do not want the exhaust blowing back on the rear valance. A temporary repair was needed so this is what I did.

This is what the tip coming out of the rear valance used to look like.



It was a four inch tip, and I'm thinking that when I do the finial repair it may get enlarged to a five inch tip.

On the way back from our last race the tip fell off, and it became apparent that the muffler extension pipe needed to be replaced.



If the tip is to be enlarged to a five inch tip the hole in the rear valance will also have to be enlarged. We will look into what needs to be done to do this and then make a decision as to if we will enlarge it of keep the original size. Your input on this topic is welcome.

So...the first thing that needs to happen is to get the old extension pipe out of the muffler without hurting the muffler.

The clamp is soaked with PB Blaster



The clamp came right off and I was able to reuse it for the temporary fix.



I cut the extension pipe off leaving about an inch sticking out of the muffler and with a air chisel started to knock the pipe inward on the inside of the outlet of the muffler.



I was able to get the cut off piece out of the outlet of the muffler without damage to the muffler!



So I have a model to make a new tail pipe extension from.



I went shopping and was not able to get the pieces necessary to fabricate a new tail pipe extension.

Cook Brothers has ordered all the pieces I will need (two four inch 90 degree bends, one five to four inch reduction, and one chrome tip).

The parts will not be here for a week and a half, and I have no obligation to buy them. The larger tip extension may still happen, and Gillig is still trying to fine the correct part from a vender.

As stated earlier, I have a trip next week so a temporary fix is needed. To that end one five inch 90 degree bend was purchased.



The temporary fix looks like this (I was able to save the new clamp for the finial fix and reuse the old clamp for this temporary fix).



Boy the Motor Home is dirty, I will stop at a Blue Bacon on the way to the race next week.



There is a HUGE difference in the sound, if you are standing by the exhaust the ground feels like it is vibrating. You can hear the difference in the Motor Home, but it is not bad. I do want it quite like it was. You would not think that just that rear pipe would make a difference, but it does.

New shocks went onto the front axle today.

We have been experiencing a bouncy ride (up and down).

Gillig part number 53-35885-000N which is Koni part number 881458SP2

This is an adjustable shock

How to adjust Koni shock



The problem is neither Koni or Gillig could tell me what the adjustment should be. Koni suggested it should be full soft and then go from there, (if not happy take it back off and adjust it firmer).

When the old shocks were removed I was unable to find what they were adjusted at, the adjustment mechanizem seem broken (these were stock replacement shocks). The old ones were shot! Next to no damping of movement.

I took a stab at it and went full firm and then backed off on full rotation and then enough to line the mounts up. (firm is clockwise) There are about five full rotations of adjustment.

I have been on a short highway test drive and the ride seems much better.

I have add a Junior Dragster Category to the forum.

Next project, let's, move inside.

The bedroom has a ceiling fan in it. The brackets that hold the fan blades are cracking and breaking.





I called Fleetwood, and they said they did not put fans into motor homes until 2001, well that leaves me out as this is a 1997.

I could find no manufacture or model on the outside of the fan any where, so let's take it apart and see what we can find.



Look at that, there is a customer service number!



I called them up and what a present experience, they sent me the parts fro free!



So off come the fan blades.



Time to swap over the new brackets, the old ones are literally falling apart.





All Done.



So...if Fleetwood did install this fan they did a really bad job. Note how the wires are being crushed under the mounting bracket. I am truly amazed at the terrible quality of work I fine done in Motor Homes. Once again I have found that if you want it done right you have to do it yourself.



Note how the wires have been crushed. The insulation has not been compromised so I will reuse the feed line.



I'm not happy with the mount either. What was done is these bolts were feed through the ceiling, the 1/8 inch lauan, and the A/C chase, and this is what was holding the fan up.



So...time to make a backing plate to spread the stress of the hanging fan and the motion it produces, both going down the road and when it is running.



I upgraded the bolts to 1/4 inch grade 8 bolts, and will put washers on the fan bracket side, run the bolts up through the original holes in the lauan and the metal A/C chase, then through the backing plate and double nut it so the nuts do not work loose.



Now we need to move the hole for the wire so it does not come out underneath the mounting bracket.



I used a box cutter to cut the carpet on the ceiling away from the area where the hole needed to be drilled, and of course it slipped and I cut my thumb pretty good, I should have gone for stiches, but I have three buttery fly stripes holding the cut together.

As the wire is going through the metal A/C chase a gourmet is needed.



So now the wire is protected from the sharp metal edge of the A/C chase and has been moved out from under the mounting bracket, the way it should have been done in the first place.



Now the mounting bracket is back up in place and I could probably hang from it. The wire is in the clear.



The fan motor is hung off the bracket and new wire nuts were used to connect the wires, who ever did the original install did not strip enough insulation of the wires and the original wire nuts were tightened on the insulation, not the wire.



The outside housing is put back up.



The fan blades are attached and the fan is tested, all works as it should again.

Bucky1320 wrote:
A racing website I was unaware of!! Thanks!
I raced altereds for years in brackets. Lots of fun and always popular. The RED is boring but I have won more in it. 406 SBC with old 23 degree heads. 7.90's usually. 7.85 in perfect weather and the wind blowing down the track.
I'm afraid I don't race as much as I used to. My son's jr gets raced all the time now.

That is a category I do not have on the forum but could add if you are interested (Junior Dragster). It might take awhile for people to start using it.

I run a 462 Blown mechanical injection Pontiac, run 8.000 index at 165 MPH