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

[goreds2]

Hello,

I got into my 1976 Dodge Travelmate which has been stored with a tarp on the roof for about two months.

I noticed some moisture in the carpet between the passenger and driver seats. I have no idea how that could happen. There are no leaks in the roof above. Should I keep a window cracked open all winter long for some ventilation?

There is no moisture in the carpet from the cabin on back.

Any thoughts? Thanks,

[overdrive75]

^^Same here I am going through the same and want to get mine out and camp.

By the way to tow behind my old girl I am looking for a base plate for a tow bar for our jeep xj if anybody knows of one. Won't that be a sight '78 Mopar towing '99 Mopar down the highway.

[eyeteeth]

I'm going through with drawls. Anyone else? I'm wanting to go camping.... but I've been out of work wince Oct so $$$ is short, and i don't want to wast the gas... or LP... I'm still working on the old girl so trying to keep a little cash on hard for parts once it warms back up...

[timmac]

Did you loose any performance in the hills with the taller tires, was pulling harder on motor or the same, I have figured that with the 215/85/16 tire I should go down about 125-160 rpm's at 60 mph, my currant rpm's are 3000 at 60 mph.
I will be going from a 16.5 tire at 28.45 inch tall to 16 tire at 29.9 inch tall and increasing a extra 3500lbs of safety over the 16.5.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

timmac wrote:
I have finally purchased 7 new 16in coined rims and getting rid of those old 16.5 coined rims, however what tire size would you recommend, LT225/75/16E or the narrow and just a lttle taller LT215/85/16E.
23ft 79 dodge class C 440mtr, how was the lower rpm,s did you still have good hp in the mountains.

And my tire of choice is the bf goodrich commercial t/a all season, any problems with these tires are they quiet and smooth as many say.:C

When I was still planning to use 16" rims, I was planning to use LT235/85R16 tires. The 235 mm width and 85% aspect ratio gave me the maximum tire diameter. (I plan to spend a lot of time 'off-pavement' so extra ground clearance is nice.)

Now that I've switched to 17" rims, I'll be going with LT235/80R17 tires. I'm planning to use Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor tires due to their snow rating. (I'm in Alaska, where the four seasons are June, July, August, and winter.) I'll be getting a little extra tire noise but the gaining 'off-pavement' and winter traction, which suits my needs.

P.S. I've spent enough time in northern climates (Minnesota and Alaska) to be convinced there's no such thing as an 'all season' tire ... I hear the climate differs a bit when you get farther south ...

[timmac]

I have finally purchased 7 new 16in coined rims and getting rid of those old 16.5 coined rims, however what tire size would you recommend, LT225/75/16E or the narrow and just a lttle taller LT215/85/16E.
23ft 79 dodge class C 440mtr, how was the lower rpm,s did you still have good hp in the mountains.

And my tire of choice is the bf goodrich commercial t/a all season, any problems with these tires are they quiet and smooth as many say.:C

[Doug_in_CA]

Great information. The info that passes through this string never ceases to amaze me. Everyone here has something of interest and is always willing to help. Hopefully I never need to pull the engine on my Chinook van but if I do...... Thanks for the post

[Griff_in_Fairba]

steve93101 wrote:
Engine Removal Anyone !>

Hi,
I am trying to keep my class C 20' Dodge Sportsman "Travette" Rv away from the crusher. Engine main seal leak got worse; from an occasional drip to a small stream. Also uses quite a bit of oil ( even before the leak was going through a quart every 200 miles !) It has 135-140 compression all around and no excessive smoke. With that half decent compression I am guessing the valve guides are gone

So I am considering rebuilding the engine, maybe replacing with a "crate" engine. Q. How do you remove the darn thing ! I have spoken to two shops ... one says they will remove the heads, oil pan, etc. and finally walk the block out the passenger door ! Basically remove and reinstall it in pieces . Another shop says you can remove the grill and some front end cross members and take it out the front !?

I have yet to take a close look ... but I think the bottom of the front grill cross member is spot welded. Any one know what the standard, recommended way to do yank the old mill out is !?

Thanks in Advance

135-140 psi is good compression, especially if all cylinders are close to each other. (10% or less difference between highest and lowest reading.)

Not valve guides ... valve stem seals. The valve stem seals are notorious for wearing out on older Mopar engines. (They are usually the first things to cause oil consumption.) The good news is they can be replaced without removing a lot of stuff ... you can even do it without removing the heads.

It's also possible to replace the main seals without removing the engine, which is what I'd recommend in your case.

Both shops are right. The most common approach is to strip the engine down to the short block and hoist it out through the passenger door. This is the approach I've always used because you don't have to dismantle any of the body. On the downside, you run the risk of damaging the cab carpet or upholstery due to wayward fluids.

Taking it out through the front may be possible but, at a minimum, you'll have to remove the hood, grill, and radiator. You may also have to remove the front bumper and crossmember.

A third option is to remove the front axle and drop the engine down through the frame and out the bottom.

You're lucky (??) because you have a Class C. On many Class A's, the coach is built such that dropping the engine out the bottom is the only option.

Like I said, you should consider just replacing the valve stem seals and main seals, without removing the engine. You probably should also replace the seal on the timing chain cover, in which case I'd replace the timing chain and gears while I was at it.

[steve93101]

Engine Removal Anyone !>

Hi,
I am trying to keep my class C 20' Dodge Sportsman "Travette" 360 engine Rv away from the crusher. Engine main seal leak got worse; from an occasional drip to a small stream. Also uses quite a bit of oil ( even before the leak was going through a quart every 200 miles !) It has 135-140 compression all around and no excessive smoke. With that half decent compression I am guessing the valve guides are gone

So I am considering rebuilding the engine, maybe replacing with a "crate" engine. Q. How do you remove the darn thing ! I have spoken to two shops ... one says they will remove the heads, oil pan, etc. and finally walk the block out the passenger door ! Basically remove and reinstall it in pieces . Another shop says you can remove the grill and some front end cross members and take it out the front !?

I have yet to take a close look ... but I think the bottom of the front grill cross member is spot welded. Any one know what the standard, recommended way to do yank the old mill out is !?

Thanks in Advance

[79powerwagon]

Just an FYI- I used pure synthetic in my PW after the engine was about 5000 miles old. When looking at something inside years later (almost 100,000 miles later actually), it was still as clean as the day I built it, and the truck never had any mechanical difficulties (even beating the snot out of it! :B ), and there were no oil leaks beyond the typical valve cover gaskets, etc...

I also bought my Explorer with 80,000 miles and have been using synthetics in it since I bought it. At 123,000 now and no problems or leaks.

Happy Holidays all!!!!!!!!!!!!

[65CrewCabPW]

Spectramac wrote:
Is it just me or did you say 2 different things there?? :B

Why, yes I did. I'm gratified you're sophisticated enough to notice 🙂

1. Synthetic oils are awesome.
2. Using them in old Mopars, without rebuilding the engine will result in headaches you don't want to deal with. Most synthetics will cause the old seals, which have lived in dino oil for years, to either shrink or swell. In the rare "swell" cases, the seals just plain fall apart and it's c atastrophic failure.

In much of the rest of effects, the seals shrink slightly, become extremely brittle and break.

(i have been through more than one episode of this in my own rigs over the years, call me 'experienced'.)

[Leeann]

Spectramac wrote:
Is it just me or did you say 2 different things there?? :B

It's just you :W

He says 2 things:

1- Do not use synthetics in an older engine with older seals, etc.
(the problem is, the synthetics will clean the gunk off the older seals, exposing the leaks)

2- Do use synthetics if you have recently rebuilt your engine and have new seals, etc. installed.

[Spectramac]

Is it just me or did you say 2 different things there?? :B

[65CrewCabPW]

Jer&Ger wrote:
I've have always been a penzoil man too, but this time I put Vavoline Duro-blend 20-50w synthetic blend. I think I'll going with a pure synthetic next time though...Jerry

Just an FYI to anyone considering using synthetics...

They're great. Unless you have just rebuilt your engine, DO NOT USE SYNTHETICS.

YOu'll eventually spring oil leaks, especially the valve seals, which result in oil consumption, fouled plugs, and smoking when you first start it.

Every known synthetic will cause trouble with the "old" seals, gaskets, and rubber parts.

It's safe and infact, a pretty good thing to do, if you used modern parts and just went through the engine.

[Leeann]

That's why we got Caddy mufflers (from a Seville, I think) - we were tired of the noise, the kid most of all. The mufflers that were on there were cheap as hell, smaller in every dimension than the OEM muffler on my '93 Bravada 4.3L (and, come to think of it, smaller than the OEM muffler on my '89 240sx 2.4L). No baffles at all, either.

Just too much noise. It was tiring, really.