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

[RobinHoodRV]

65CrewCabPW wrote:
I've seen some Robin Hood M/H's for sale. Are they conventional construction? Or metal frame / fiberglass / other?

They're mainly steel framing with a few wood sub-frame members and then rigid fiberglass sides. Mine has 5 fiberglass panels: top, rear, both sides, and one that continues the sides around the cab.

[Leeann]

tommyj3 wrote:

tommyj3 wrote:
I'm in need of some help from you owners of the older Dodge RV's.
My problem is:
I have a 77 Dodge RV with 440 engine. I am unable to shut engine off with key switch. It starts fine and runs fine, but cann't shut it down. I have replaced the ignition switch with new one and still have the same problem. Any Ideas. Just about got all my hair pulled out on this, what little I have left anyhow.

Just an update to the above problem if anyone is interested.

Turned out to be a bad diode in the alternator. Changed the alternator and all is back to normal.

Great! Glad you got it figured out and fixed :C

[tommyj3]

tommyj3 wrote:
I'm in need of some help from you owners of the older Dodge RV's.
My problem is:
I have a 77 Dodge RV with 440 engine. I am unable to shut engine off with key switch. It starts fine and runs fine, but cann't shut it down. I have replaced the ignition switch with new one and still have the same problem. Any Ideas. Just about got all my hair pulled out on this, what little I have left anyhow.

Just an update to the above problem if anyone is interested.

Turned out to be a bad diode in the alternator. Changed the alternator and all is back to normal.

[munkalido]

65CrewCabPW wrote:

Well, what age is your motorhome? Most anything built after about 71 or 72 has a decent part throttle downshift. It sounds like your kickdown linkage is not properly set.

Of course, you can always just use the shift lever and hold it back to the speed you want and then manually shift.

Oh, and the dipsticks I've seen with a sensor on the end had some lines and holes in it and you had to fill to one of those markings. It has been so long, I no longer recall any of the details.

1976 MB400, 440-(? SN claims a 1 but I've read here that needs to be verified by checking the eng. casting no...) The coach is a C-class Beaver Monterey, 23'.

I'll check the throttle kickdown but If I remember, there wasn't much there and the tranny just jumps straight to 3rd w/in the first 15mph... then again, I think it's a 4.56 rearend with my 3K rpm @ 55mph which doesn't help!!!

I'm checking the tranny levels as I do have a leak and notice the tranny starting to slip off the line. As the dipstick is 'electrical' and I need to pull the DH, I would love to know if there were indeed an idiot light to tell me when the level is low before it began slipping. I really don't think there's anything below the radio but I'll check. I've also taken notes on the trannyleaks and will address these and perhaps the dipstick will then become a moot point.

[65CrewCabPW]

I've seen some Robin Hood M/H's for sale. Are they conventional construction? Or metal frame / fiberglass / other?

[clockwork_oranj]

That's great info, RH. I'll check my panel this evening when it's dark.

dave

[RobinHoodRV]

clockwork oranjaboom wrote:
My '76 w/727 trany has the sensor-type dipstick as well. I can't find an idiot light for it anywhere, but upon close inspection I could make out a 'full' line just above the oval slot at the tip of the dipstick where the sensor is located. Mine also leaks if I park driver's side low.
Hope this helps,

dave

My '78 also has the diptstick with a sensor. I have included info from the Dodge service manual about the system (see below). The light is normally located just below the radio in the center of the dash. On mine there is a very dark red plastic strip that has room for several indicator lights. Only one is the warning light and it is difficult to see in daylight.

Excerpt from service manual:
"Transmission Warning Light
A transmission warning light is located on the instrument panel to alert the driver that the transmission requires servicing. The light indicates the fluid level is low.

Warning Light Operation
Turn the key to the start position. The warning light should come on while cranking the engine and should go out when the key is released to the run position. If the light does not come on while cranking or failes to go out with the key in the run position, the warning system should be checked."

[79powerwagon]

Clock, you can use the dip stick assembly from a later van and do it all from under the hood!

[clockwork_oranj]

65CrewCabPW wrote:

clockwork oranjaboom wrote:
My '76 w/727 trany has the sensor-type dipstick as well. I can't find an idiot light for it anywhere, but upon close inspection I could make out a 'full' line just above the oval slot at the tip of the dipstick where the sensor is located. Mine also leaks if I park driver's side low.
Hope this helps,

dave

The seals around the shafts that are operated by the shift and kickdown levers are leaking.

The job isn't real hard, but you do have to pull the valve body to do it. That leak is common on every old Torqueflight, but unless it gets serious, you can mostly ignore it.

Thanks for the tip- It's mostly a nuisance leak and I just consider it an opportunity to introduce a quart of fresh fluid every couple of months. Now only if the dog house were a little easier to work with...

[65CrewCabPW]

clockwork oranjaboom wrote:
My '76 w/727 trany has the sensor-type dipstick as well. I can't find an idiot light for it anywhere, but upon close inspection I could make out a 'full' line just above the oval slot at the tip of the dipstick where the sensor is located. Mine also leaks if I park driver's side low.
Hope this helps,

dave

The seals around the shafts that are operated by the shift and kickdown levers are leaking.

The job isn't real hard, but you do have to pull the valve body to do it. That leak is common on every old Torqueflight, but unless it gets serious, you can mostly ignore it.

[65CrewCabPW]

clockwork oranjaboom wrote:
My '76 w/727 trany has the sensor-type dipstick as well. I can't find an idiot light for it anywhere, but upon close inspection I could make out a 'full' line just above the oval slot at the tip of the dipstick where the sensor is located. Mine also leaks if I park driver's side low.
Hope this helps,

dave

I recall one particular van I worked on, was a 76 Plymouth Maxivan, and it had an idiot light built into the dash display. We figured out where it was and even got it to come on. We also figured out the sensor didn't actually do anything for oil depth, but seemed to be temperature. It didn't come on, though, until the tranny was smoking ( yeah, learned that by real life experience...same maxivan ).

Not sure what good it was... But the black plastic dipstick made reading the tranny fluid level a bit uncertain.

[clockwork_oranj]

My '76 w/727 trany has the sensor-type dipstick as well. I can't find an idiot light for it anywhere, but upon close inspection I could make out a 'full' line just above the oval slot at the tip of the dipstick where the sensor is located. Mine also leaks if I park driver's side low.
Hope this helps,

dave

[65CrewCabPW]

munkalido wrote:

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

A727 Torqueflite/Loadflite trannys are hard to kill ... I know, I've tried unusual things that'd kill most other automatics. Keep the fluid full and change the filter once in a while and they'll last almost forever. (Kinda like a Dana 70 rear axle ... just about the only way to kill one is to run it dry.)

My tranny dipstick has an electrical sending unit on it and doesn't really show a full/fill line. How do I know if it's working (where would an idiot light be???) or how do I know if I have enough fluid??

Also, is there a way to get my MH to hold the shift? Right now, it can't wait to get into 3rd and often bogs down (lugs) unless I stomp it into the kickdown or manually hold the shifts.

Well, what age is your motorhome? Most anything built after about 71 or 72 has a decent part throttle downshift. It sounds like your kickdown linkage is not properly set.

Of course, you can always just use the shift lever and hold it back to the speed you want and then manually shift.

Oh, and the dipsticks I've seen with a sensor on the end had some lines and holes in it and you had to fill to one of those markings. It has been so long, I no longer recall any of the details.

[munkalido]

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

A727 Torqueflite/Loadflite trannys are hard to kill ... I know, I've tried unusual things that'd kill most other automatics. Keep the fluid full and change the filter once in a while and they'll last almost forever. (Kinda like a Dana 70 rear axle ... just about the only way to kill one is to run it dry.)

My tranny dipstick has an electrical sending unit on it and doesn't really show a full/fill line. How do I know if it's working (where would an idiot light be???) or how do I know if I have enough fluid??

Also, is there a way to get my MH to hold the shift? Right now, it can't wait to get into 3rd and often bogs down (lugs) unless I stomp it into the kickdown or manually hold the shifts.

[65CrewCabPW]

tommyj3 wrote:
Thanks very much for the reply 65CrewCabPW. I've owned said RV for 6 years and no wiring has been changed. I just moved it a couple of days ago, and then I couldn't shut it off. I like the idea of a relay being struck closed. I will be checking this out pronto.
Thanks Very Much
Tom

If this is a van body... Class C RV, the relay should be somewhere not far from the battery, on the driver's side, I would presume.

Generally, these are about 1.5 X 3 inches.

Often looks like this:
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=NIE&MfrPartNumber=RL27181&PartType=421&PTSet=...