Hello,First of all, Im new in the rv thing. I just bought a dogde 1978 sportsman and the thruth is that Im completely lost.I have been trying to turn on the propane furnance. I realiced at first that I dont have any fan for moving the air. Then I tried to turn on the furnance. I was fighting with the pilot for a while until I realised I need power suply for light it. With the pilot lighter I put the termostat high in order to put it warm but nothing happen even the thermo make a sound.I have been searching about that and I read that can be the pilot sensor or the thermocupula but theyalso say that the pilot should turn off by itself but mine stays with the flame. I heard that i can clean it in order to make it work.I tried with a knife but not good results. Any help is welcome.Greetings and thanks.

Your old furnace probably works this way.1. Turn the gas knob to Pilot. Push the knob IN and light the Pilot. Hold for 1 minute and release and the Pilot should stay lit.2. Once the Pilot is lit, you turn the Gas Knob to ON3. You then turn the tstat ON and the furnace burner should then light, after a few minutes, once the Heat chamber gets hot, the Circulation fan should then come ON and blow hot air. 4. When the tstat is satisfied, the burner shuts off, Pilot stays lit, and the Fan shuts down after a few minutes of cool down. That is how the OLD furnaces operated. What Brand and Model furnace? Doug

RV appliances are not like residential appliances at all. They have a lot of switches and valves that get dirt in them over time. They sit for long periods. It is good to get familiar with all of your appliances and to do the maintenance on them to the extent possible. When I get frustrated with some of these odd contraptions, I call a mobile mechanic that comes to the house. They go right to the problem in 20 minutes and can fix everything usually in less than an hour. I have only spent more than $50-75 once to have a guy replace the cable in a pop-up trailer. They are like magicians and can make life easy. Find a guy that specializes in RVs.

Hello,Yes, its a dodg 1978 body model HSCR. The furnance model is "subutban manufacturer company"?I can put a picture that maybe helps.My furnance doent got a gas knob. Got a kind of lever that you have to push and put light on pilot. Then with the pilot lighted nothing happens. If i put thermostater high makds a clack but furnance doesnt work harder, just the pilot. Its need to run the water heating or something( there i got a gas knob, pilot and etc...)Thanks again.

Suburban is the Maker. There is a Plate close to where your finger is maybe on top that states the Model Number. problem is that furnace is so old I doubt they still make parts for it. SF or NT is usually the first part of the model number

I can see that model/serial plate to the left below the fingerIt's sideways.. To the left of the yellow label. on the side.

Heater not heating | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

Santaflow
Explorer
Oct 13, 2020
Old timer Dave wrote:
I have a 1978 dodge MB300, If you want I will take pictures and see if we have a match. I believe mine has instructions on it so will have a peek today.

Hello! Nice!! Maybe you can contact me here or in the other post i did about the problem on the water leak because i need to see how to acces to it.

Thanks!!
Santaflow
Explorer
Oct 13, 2020
Old timer Dave wrote:
I have a 1978 dodge MB300, If you want I will take pictures and see if we have a match. I believe mine has instructions on it so will have a peek today.

Hello! Nice!! Maybe you can contact me here or in the other post i did about the problem on the water leak because i need to see how to acces to it.

Thanks!!
Santaflow
Explorer
Oct 13, 2020
dougrainer wrote:
http://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Suburban-Dyna-Trail-Installation-Operating-and-Service-Instructions-NT-16.pdf

You are going to have to PULL the furnace. There is no other way to troubleshoot. Odds are after 40 years the cast iron burner in clogged with rust. To clean the burner you have to pull it and use a standard Hack Saw blade to clean out the slits in the burner casing and then blow it out. Remove the orifice also and clean it out. Doug

I tried to remove it but the pipe from the heater is long and doesnt enter in the gap. Im gonna have to lose it but is to hard. I think is the thermocupula so i got a new one and as soon as i can loose it and remove the case hopefully i can change it. Thanks. I will tell you.
Old_timer_Dave
Explorer
Aug 11, 2020
I have a 1978 dodge MB300, If you want I will take pictures and see if we have a match. I believe mine has instructions on it so will have a peek today.
dougrainer
Nomad
Aug 10, 2020
http://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Suburban-Dyna-Trail-Installation-Operating-and-Service-Instructions-NT-16.pdf

You are going to have to PULL the furnace. There is no other way to troubleshoot. Odds are after 40 years the cast iron burner in clogged with rust. To clean the burner you have to pull it and use a standard Hack Saw blade to clean out the slits in the burner casing and then blow it out. Remove the orifice also and clean it out. Doug
dougrainer
Nomad
Aug 10, 2020
Are you positive that Reset knob does not turn? I know it pushes, but I think it also turns once the Pilot is lit. Clockwise about 1/2 turn. Doug
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 10, 2020
I can see that model/serial plate to the left below the finger
It's sideways.. To the left of the yellow label. on the side.
dougrainer
Nomad
Aug 09, 2020
Suburban is the Maker. There is a Plate close to where your finger is maybe on top that states the Model Number. problem is that furnace is so old I doubt they still make parts for it. SF or NT is usually the first part of the model number
Santaflow
Explorer
Aug 09, 2020
Hello,

Yes, its a dodg 1978 body model HSCR. The furnance model is "subutban manufacturer company"?

I can put a picture that maybe helps.

My furnance doent got a gas knob. Got a kind of lever that you have to push and put light on pilot. Then with the pilot lighted nothing happens. If i put thermostater high makds a clack but furnance doesnt work harder, just the pilot. Its need to run the water heating or something( there i got a gas knob, pilot and etc...)

Thanks again.
ppine
Explorer III
Aug 09, 2020
RV appliances are not like residential appliances at all. They have a lot of switches and valves that get dirt in them over time. They sit for long periods.

It is good to get familiar with all of your appliances and to do the maintenance on them to the extent possible. When I get frustrated with some of these odd contraptions, I call a mobile mechanic that comes to the house. They go right to the problem in 20 minutes and can fix everything usually in less than an hour. I have only spent more than $50-75 once to have a guy replace the cable in a pop-up trailer. They are like magicians and can make life easy. Find a guy that specializes in RVs.