Exercising your RV while at campsite

[ricelake922]

Hello. Numerous people on this site say that a RV (class A Diesel) should not sit for a long period of time. How long is long? What if you are at a park and not planning to go out of the park in the immediate future. Is running the RV in the park enough exercise and if yes for how long? If no how long does one need to drive it out of the park to give it the required exercise? Thank you in advance.

[Mile_High]

I hear similar debates between the mechanics and the code authorities on diesel fire pumps and and generators. The code authorities require the fire pumps to operate 30 minutes weekly and generators 30 minutes monthly to ensure readiness, and the mechanics think it is absolutely absurd and think it causes premature wear and tear.

From that debate, I would think leaving a motorhome to sit until its ready to be used is the better option for the engine. Diesel fire pumps do have 10-20 year life span which is pretty short.

[Mile_High]

msmith1199 wrote:

Mile High wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

My motorhome is a 2004 with a Cat diesel and currently has about 50,000 miles on it. I have had it since new. In 13 years I have never had to repair a single thing related to the drive train. Nothing has ever broke. I do live in California so I can easily take my motorhome for a drive anytime I want so if you live in a place you have to winterize it then you have to deal with that. Whether I'm doing it right or wrong all I can tell you is 13 years with zero mechanical repair bills tells me I must be doing something right.

I guess we all have our success stories based on diverse experiences - Bought our new 2003 5th wheel with Onan 5500 generator and we transferred it into 2 other 5th wheels over 13 years until we sold it last May in our last 5er. Sat 9 months every single winter for 13 years - never touched it. Temperatures down to -20. Changed oil 3 times in 13 years. Every spring it started and never missed a beat. It's still running today with the new owner. If it were up to Onan, I would be out there with a portable heater under it trying to start it every month to spin the armature.

You're comparing a generator to a motorhome????

It's a closer comparison than your Chevy pickup!

[bfast54]

msmith1199 wrote:

ricelake922 wrote:
Hello. Numerous people on this site say that a RV (class A Diesel) should not sit for a long period of time. How long is long? What if you are at a park and not planning to go out of the park in the immediate future. Is running the RV in the park enough exercise and if yes for how long? If no how long does one need to drive it out of the park to give it the required exercise? Thank you in advance.

I'm no expert like all the others on here, but I'll tell you I once bought a Chev pickup many years ago. I think it was about 8 years old at the time I bought it and it had less than 20,000 miles on it. The guy I bought it from told me he only used it in the summer to pull his trailer and 7 to 8 months out of the year it would sit in his driveway complete unused. He would take the battery out and not put it back in until camping season. I thought I was getting a good deal on such a low mileage vehicle. And it ran great for about two months, then the problems started. I can't even remember most of them but I remember the big items. Like a new transmission, a 8valve job, new rear brake drums, and a list of other things. And every single problem was related to letting it sit too long without running it according to the mechanics.

Now it was a gas engine versus a diesel and it wasn't a motorhome, but it taught me a lesson. I rarely go longer than a month without taking the motorhome out for a drive. I don't drive 100 miles or for several hours, but I do take it out to the freeway and down to the next ramp and then back around. Probably a 10 mile circle and I let the engine run for at least 30 minutes. The reason I drive it is more than just to put a load on the engine. It's to make sure everything else spins and distributes the lube too. The drive axels, tranny, wheel bearings, etc.

My motorhome is a 2004 with a Cat diesel and currently has about 50,000 miles on it. I have had it since new. In 13 years I have never had to repair a single thing related to the drive train. Nothing has ever broke. I do live in California so I can easily take my motorhome for a drive anytime I want so if you live in a place you have to winterize it then you have to deal with that. Whether I'm doing it right or wrong all I can tell you is 13 years with zero mechanical repair bills tells me I must be doing something right.

Moral....Dont buy a " brand he bought"

I live in the Frozen North I do not drive my truck in the winter at all I pull the battery out and it SITS.....I've done this with two different trucks for about the past 10 years ---zero problems ....it sits from November till May usually

it's all in maintenance on the vehicle overall.

Did you go over the vehicle...after you bought it???...or just assume it was good to go.....

[Matt_Colie]

Please listen to me when I talk about this subject.

Nothing Good happens to an engine that is running at no load.

If you are worried about the main engine, talk to boat people that put boats up for storage. If it is gas, they will drain the fuel and "fog" it. If it is diesel, care must be taken as it will run on the fogging oil but the process is largely the same.

Some people will tell you that you should run a service generator (genset, genny, APU) to keep the windings dry. That has not been the case since about WWII. The varnish used since then is not hydroscopic and it does not absorb moisture. Just like the main engine, store it properly and it will be just fine.

Matt

[msmith1199]

Mile High wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:

My motorhome is a 2004 with a Cat diesel and currently has about 50,000 miles on it. I have had it since new. In 13 years I have never had to repair a single thing related to the drive train. Nothing has ever broke. I do live in California so I can easily take my motorhome for a drive anytime I want so if you live in a place you have to winterize it then you have to deal with that. Whether I'm doing it right or wrong all I can tell you is 13 years with zero mechanical repair bills tells me I must be doing something right.

I guess we all have our success stories based on diverse experiences - Bought our new 2003 5th wheel with Onan 5500 generator and we transferred it into 2 other 5th wheels over 13 years until we sold it last May in our last 5er. Sat 9 months every single winter for 13 years - never touched it. Temperatures down to -20. Changed oil 3 times in 13 years. Every spring it started and never missed a beat. It's still running today with the new owner. If it were up to Onan, I would be out there with a portable heater under it trying to start it every month to spin the armature.

You're comparing a generator to a motorhome????

[Mile_High]

msmith1199 wrote:

My motorhome is a 2004 with a Cat diesel and currently has about 50,000 miles on it. I have had it since new. In 13 years I have never had to repair a single thing related to the drive train. Nothing has ever broke. I do live in California so I can easily take my motorhome for a drive anytime I want so if you live in a place you have to winterize it then you have to deal with that. Whether I'm doing it right or wrong all I can tell you is 13 years with zero mechanical repair bills tells me I must be doing something right.

I guess we all have our success stories based on diverse experiences - Bought our new 2003 5th wheel with Onan 5500 generator and we transferred it into 2 other 5th wheels over 13 years until we sold it last May in our last 5er. Sat 9 months every single winter for 13 years - never touched it. Temperatures down to -20. Changed oil 3 times in 13 years. Every spring it started and never missed a beat. It's still running today with the new owner. If it were up to Onan, I would be out there with a portable heater under it trying to start it every month to spin the armature.

[msmith1199]

ricelake922 wrote:
Hello. Numerous people on this site say that a RV (class A Diesel) should not sit for a long period of time. How long is long? What if you are at a park and not planning to go out of the park in the immediate future. Is running the RV in the park enough exercise and if yes for how long? If no how long does one need to drive it out of the park to give it the required exercise? Thank you in advance.

I'm no expert like all the others on here, but I'll tell you I once bought a Chev pickup many years ago. I think it was about 8 years old at the time I bought it and it had less than 20,000 miles on it. The guy I bought it from told me he only used it in the summer to pull his trailer and 7 to 8 months out of the year it would sit in his driveway complete unused. He would take the battery out and not put it back in until camping season. I thought I was getting a good deal on such a low mileage vehicle. And it ran great for about two months, then the problems started. I can't even remember most of them but I remember the big items. Like a new transmission, a valve job, new rear brake drums, and a list of other things. And every single problem was related to letting it sit too long without running it according to the mechanics.

Now it was a gas engine versus a diesel and it wasn't a motorhome, but it taught me a lesson. I rarely go longer than a month without taking the motorhome out for a drive. I don't drive 100 miles or for several hours, but I do take it out to the freeway and down to the next ramp and then back around. Probably a 10 mile circle and I let the engine run for at least 30 minutes. The reason I drive it is more than just to put a load on the engine. It's to make sure everything else spins and distributes the lube too. The drive axels, tranny, wheel bearings, etc.

My motorhome is a 2004 with a Cat diesel and currently has about 50,000 miles on it. I have had it since new. In 13 years I have never had to repair a single thing related to the drive train. Nothing has ever broke. I do live in California so I can easily take my motorhome for a drive anytime I want so if you live in a place you have to winterize it then you have to deal with that. Whether I'm doing it right or wrong all I can tell you is 13 years with zero mechanical repair bills tells me I must be doing something right.

[Mile_High]

After my due diligence to exercise equipment came back and bit me, I made my own rule that when the temps are down below 50, it stays stored. At least here in CO, trying to exercise equipment in the winter just leads to things breaking.

[msmith1199]

Bill.Satellite wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
There's some advice that's all over the board!!

While this ^^^^ is not helpful ^^^^^, the reality is that you should NOT "exercise" (start) your engine while parked. You need to drive the RV 25+ miles if you plan to start it. If that's not in the plan then there is no reason to start the engine.
It's likely also not necessary to run the genset while parked but if you do then you should load it up to about a 50 percent load and let it run for an hour or so. Unload it, let it cool down for a few minutes and then shut the generator down with no load.

Mine is not helpful but getting advice that is everything from let it sit for 5 years and don't worry about it, to start it every 30 days and drive it 100 miles, is helpful?

[mike_brez]

X2 on what lvylog said.

[AllegroD]

Every 30 days: If you have wet cells, I would check water levels. As another said, I would run slides in and if hydrolic jacks, I would bring them up and put em back down. Cleans and lubes.

[tatest]

Starting and engine and idling it is not exercise. Exercise would involve leaving the campsite and driving it for a few hours at highway speeds.

I am not convinced that exercise is necessary. The only chassis component that might significantly deteriorate from non-use would be your tires, and for those "a long period of time" would be measured in years.

Folks who use their motorhomes as seasonal homes will have them sit idle several months at a time, then drive them halfway across the country to let them sit several months at the other location. They do this year after year.

[Bill_Satellite]

msmith1199 wrote:
There's some advice that's all over the board!!

While this ^^^^ is not helpful ^^^^^, the reality is that you should NOT "exercise" (start) your engine while parked. You need to drive the RV 25+ miles if you plan to start it. If that's not in the plan then there is no reason to start the engine.
It's likely also not necessary to run the genset while parked but if you do then you should load it up to about a 50 percent load and let it run for an hour or so. Unload it, let it cool down for a few minutes and then shut the generator down with no load.

[msmith1199]

There's some advice that's all over the board!!