How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

[whiteknight001]

I'm new here, and curious.

How many of us in Class C own Dodge B300 incomplete
cab/chassis based RV's? I know two others- Steve aka
Ripsaw, with a 1977 Brougham, and Leroy aka 1978_Dodge
_Delta who owns a 440V8 powered sharp looking 1978
Delta RV. I would like to ask, and offer, help, idea
swapping and comparing notes on our particular RV's
which are based on the Dodge B300 van chassis.

Yeah, I know. These are low tech, podgy old RV's that
would be considered "entry level" for folks like me,
but I have a deep and abiding respect for the quality
of these old "monsters of the open road". And anyone
wanting to pick brains, joke about, share notes or just
brag about our old A- Dodge-io's are certainly welcome
to PM or email me. Between all of us we can form a real
good support group, and help each other with problems
we know we'll encounter with an older vehicle.

Sure. I'd love a new RV. But I'd rather have an older
one already paid for, and a lotta great memories. Call
me frugal, an old hippie, or whatever you will. I'm proud
of my old land yacht.

Mopar Madness Manifest in the flesh,

Mark aka White Knight

P.S. Mine's a '72. Is there an older one out there someone's
motorvating in? Maybe even a Travco? W/K

[eyeteeth]

While talking roofs... I have a coating (at least one) from the PO of that aluminum paint type goop. Were I to eternabond the seams... I'm assuming I should get that aluminum******off. Somehow... suggestions?

[ALnCORY]

79powerwagon wrote:
Put the screws back in and seal over them, just like the original install. That's the easiest way...

with eternabond? the metal roof sealer goop?

[79powerwagon]

Put the screws back in and seal over them, just like the original install. That's the easiest way...

[ALnCORY]

A quick question:
I have decided to take off the rear ladder(it's damaged and rickety) and remove the cargo rail from the roof. I will just patch the holes on the back from removing the ladder, but my question is the roof. I assume I will just have some screw holes in the roof but what is the best method for patching them? I have the metal roof. Anyone ever done this before and what did you use? thanks .... A.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Tzvi wrote:
Thanks Griff for the information. I will call Napa on Monday. I hate to appear foolish but what did you mean about staying out of the secondaries in reference the improved gas mileage?

Most four barrel carburetors have two primary barrels (venturis) and two secondary barrels. During normal cruising conditions, the two secondaries are closed and only the primaries are being used. The secondaries are there to provide extra fuel when the engine needs it, such as during hard acceleration or while climbing a steep hill.

It's possible to rely almost exclusively on the primaries, provided you adopt a more leisurely driving pattern. (i.e., no trying to see who can get to the next stoplight fastest.)

Two barrel carburetors require larger barrels to allow for all driving conditions, including heavy loads and hard acceleration. The two primaries on a four barrel carburetor can be sized closer to typical driving conditions because the secondaries provide extra fuel for exceptional situations.

The two primaries on an Edelbrock Performer four barrel carburetor are probably smaller than the two barrels on your existing carburetor. In theory, this should translate into less fuel consumed during cruising conditions.

Four barrel carburetors have an undeserved reputation for high fuel consumption because too many people use all four barrels too much. (i.e., they 'get into the secondaries' a lot instead of relying mostly on the primaries.) Also, some four barrel carburetors are very, very large -- as much as twice the size of the Edelbrock Performer. (Such carburetors are intended for race cars and trucks ... using them on a street vehicle is a waste and serves mostly to puff up the owner's ego.)

BTW - did your uncle also ask you to pull on his finger? Maybe he's talked about a great deal on oceanfront property in Arizona?

[Tzvi]

Thanks Griff for the information. I will call Napa on Monday. I hate to appear foolish but what did you mean about staying out of the secondaries in reference the improved gas mileage?

PS. I had an uncle who would recommend to his customers that they should put bigger tires on the back so they would always be going downhill and save on their gas mileage. He explained that he didn't do it for himself because he was saving so much gas that he had to keep emptying his full gas tank and it had become bother. He said this was probably because he also adjusted his carburetor and with these two improvement he was saving 110% on his gas mileage. It seemed the extra 10% was what was bothering him.
Thanks

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Tzvi wrote:
On a Dodge Delta 1977, I've got Carburator problem, my Mechanic says it might have a damaged float and Idle circuit is not functioning properly. The Vin is F44cF7V which I think translates as 10,001-14,000 Gwvr, 360 2 BBL (carb), 1977. It could be the PO put on a damaged and not proper fitting Carburator. I also have a plate that says: GVWR-10,500 Del-M-1542 Sierra Vista Chevy Dodge Model 100-400. Where would I get a replacement that would fit? Leeann, I hope you can help me with this, Thanks, how about anyone else out there?
Thank you. Tzvi

That would be a Carter BBD carburetor. Rebuilt replacements are readily avaiiable. ($260 at NAPA Online ... you may be able to get a better price elsewhere.) Have the counter people look up the carburetor for a 1977 B-300 Van with a 360 engine.

Kits to rebuild the carburetor yourself are also readily available for $40-60. I've rebuilt Carter BBD's multiple times, especially on my 1977 B-200 with 318 engine. (Too much Heet, used too often, kept eating up the carburetor seals.)

Personally, I'd seriously consider spending some extra money and switch to an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold and Performer carburetor. It should improve your gas mileage slightly, assuming you can stay out of the secondaries. Likewise, it should be more reliable than the Carter BBD.

[Tzvi]

On a Dodge Delta 1977, I've got Carburator problem, my Mechanic says it might have a damaged float and Idle circuit is not functioning properly. The Vin is F44cF7V which I think translates as 10,001-14,000 Gwvr, 360 2 BBL (carb), 1977. It could be the PO put on a damaged and not proper fitting Carburator. I also have a plate that says: GVWR-10,500 Del-M-1542 Sierra Vista Chevy Dodge Model 100-400. Where would I get a replacement that would fit? Leeann, I hope you can help me with this, Thanks, how about anyone else out there?
Thank you. Tzvi

[Trish_Davis]

Mechanical fuel pumps suck. Choke isn't right, the ambient temperature isn't right, the fuel pumps is PMSing, whatever.

Spend $80 on a CarQuest electrical fuel pump and see your mileage improve.

I have an elec fuel pump on the Merc, which is real far from stock and I get --driving sanely-- about 20 out of it.
Leeann's got one on her Concord and she's getting way better mileage than a 440 ought to.
There will be one on the Travco.

[79powerwagon]

Google Cummins 4B and you'll find heaps of info.

Here is one that may be a good place to start By Vehicle

Eric

[timmac]

79powerwagon What is that web site for the 4 cyl diesel conversions, I have a 56 Dodge that is needing motor work, maybe I can start and learn there and move into rv in the future,, maybe..

[79powerwagon]

Diesels are an interesting idea- there is a web site that is dedicated to the retrofitting of the small Cummins diesel engine into everyday trucks. These are the little 4 bangers used in small, snub-nosed straight trucks (bread trucks, etc.) and these guys are getting some impressive mileage results, using mostly junk yard parts!

While these engines aren't power-houses, they are very reliable, readily available in running form from scrap yards, retrofit easily into everyday vehicles, and people with trucks like 2500 series Suburbans are getting about 30mpg with them...

I am curious how they would work in something like my 20' C class. Lord knows with a 360 2V, she ain't fast as it is, I doubt the little 4 banger oil burner can't be much slower, but certainly better torque (which is more important than horsepower anyway).

Set it up right, and you can burn vegetable oil in it in a pinch! Or McDonalds waste oil...

"Food" for thought!

[timmac]

Thanks for the feed back on 360 verse the 440, how ever I was not going to spend or waste money on a new 360 unless it was time to replace 440,"same cost" it has 110,000 miles now but still runs good, was just seeing if a 360 might get better mpg but I guess I was just wishing, did think it might be a problem in the mountains, I have installed a Holley TBI fuel inject system 2 years ago and mpg did go up and it burns a lot cleaner and can run 2 fuels "E-85 or unleaded" will probably stay with 440,,, but if Diesel did not cost so much more than unleaded than I might give that a go, but I know so little about Diesels and the parts always cost twice so that is not a option.. Maybe I will check my gears and look at that direction... Thanks..

[eyeteeth]

Leeann wrote:
I do hope you meant carburetion, not carbonaton :B

Maybe... maybe not. 😛

[79powerwagon]

I'm getting about a million miles to the gallon with my 360 2V powered 20' C class. After-all, it spends most of it's time on the road on the back of a flat bed wrecker... :B

A larger, more powerful engine will yield you better fuel economy because it doesn't have to work as hard.

The 360 in my 1/2 W150 was only 8mpg un-loaded. If I had a 440 in there (everything else being equal), I'd be in the 12-14mpg range, an improvement of 1.75 times.

I find it humorous that we're willing to spend thousands of dollars to perfume a pig! That is, try to get better mileage out of a HOUSE!

That same $5000.00 or whatever for an OD system is still 10,667 miles of driving if you don't do a thing. Money better spent is quality tires properly inflated, a fresh tune-up (with engine tweaking to maximize it's performance), free-flowing exhaust, free-flowing air cleaner, and a really good front-end alignment.

Just my 2 cents.