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

[rehoppe]

You can 'sort of' tell. If the painted bolts have been scarred by wrenches, is a tell. An experienced 'wrench' can pretty much tell if it's been open or at least if gaskets have been replaced.

No idea of mileage?

[swatmo]

Thanks once again rehoppe and trish, and you also oldtrucker63.

I will definitely put a site together once I begin the building of the carriage ! thanks for the idea oldtrucker63.

Hey guys, is this the book I need ? is it even possible to say after the engine has been rebuilt/replaced like this ? if stuff has changed substantially do you think this book would be helpful ?

http://www.autobooksbishko.com/Items/1976-1977%20Dodgetruck%20Shop%20Manual/13988.html

[oldtrucker63]

swatmo wrote:
Hi, I am so glad to have found this topic, and would like to thank everyone who has participated for all the useful information I have already found within.

I recently acquired a quite well used/abused/modified 1976 Dodge Tioga Class C Motorhome. At least, this is what I think I have, and I am hoping to find out more about this machine here. The carriage is only mostly present as the rear half or so of the siding had been removed to work on the frame and was never replaced. The chassis,engine, and electrical systems also show signs of heavy tinkering. The person from whom I purchased the machine knew very little as far as specifics on what has/hasn't been done to the RV.

When I went to pick up the machine, I hopped in turned the key and it started right up with minimal engine noise, but as I rolled it out of the parking lot... it died, then it would start but would die immediately after drive was engaged... then it wouldn't start at all for awhile. eventually I figured out that if jiggled the throttle for the first little bit after getting rolling it would run just fine. So I was able to make the 50 mile trip back home by carefully jiggling the throttle whenever it seemed like it was going to die.

I have some plans for this beast and would appreciate any information or help that anyone has to offer concerning how to successfully complete my dream on a limited budget.

1. First I plan to dismantle the carriage and scrap most of it, I know that some components are likely to have some resale value and I plan to sell those off to add to my budget for fixing up the RV how I want. I would love any information about what I can expect to find when I start taking this thing apart, and which pieces I should be careful to preserve. I plan to rebuild the carriage entirely out of wood and with little to no electrical, gas or otherwise powered appliances. So there is no chance of me requiring any of the current appliances.

2. Second I plan to rebuild the chassis to the point where it is reasonably reliable and able to make long distance trips. Here I would also love any information on where to start, which books i need, which engine I have even !!! any advice would be much appreciated. I am not sure if the engine that is in there now is the original one at all.

I included some pictures in this post that I hope will be helpful in determining where I should start. I originally included each of my images using IMG codes but they weren't showing up for me. So here is a link to the photobucket album containing all the images:

http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad151/walking75/

Thanks ahead-of-time for all the help.

Peace,
Sean

This looks like a 360 engine to me, The photo of the springs, What you can see of them looks like the springs are ok, I would say you need a good set of shocks Front and rear, The master cylinder looks new though, Good luck with the project it should be a lot of fun, You can check my rebuild and see a lot of photos of what tearing one apart looks like, This should make a great RV for what your wanting, Although I would build it back with LP gas/water/stove Fridge/Heat and AC Good luck and when you start the work then start you a page so you can add the photos, And take a lot of photos and post them, There is a lot of Us that love the Picx's, Oh Yeah Welcome the the forum.

[rehoppe]

If you have bad springs it'll sit uneven, and low at the rear. At this age it's not unlikely. Inspect for cracks in the edges of the leaves.

If the shocks are bad it will bounce when you hit a pot hole. If they are really bad, it will continue to bounce 3-4 times from one bump. You might also notice oil caked with dust on the sides of the shock housings... unless of course they are gas filled.

How many miles show on the clock? and of course does the odometer still operate?

If it started right up. Hopefully all it needs to run right is clean up of the fuel system and a carb kit.

After you've done 'due dilligence' IF it seems gutless and still not quite right check the timing and chain. I fought a 360 for too long (I timed it by ear), until I put a light on it. Straightened it out. Hopefully it'll not be needed.

[Trish_Davis]

swatmo wrote:
Awesome pictures ! Thank you so much Griff.

Griff is good with pictures. Always helpful.

swatmo wrote:
Thank you rehoppe for the advice, though I am not sure I completely understand, it sounds like you are suggesting that i might replace the carb. which i might but really I dont know know what CFM means or what the CFM of the stock is, or even if any of the componants in the vehicle are even stock.

No. Rehoppe says "IF you must replace the carburator" not that you should.
Your carb is probably stock.

swatmo wrote:
Seafoam. I plan to do this today, how do i determine how much gas in the tank... the gas gauge isn't working, and we have no idea how much gas was in it when I got it. I don't know how much gas is in it, I won't know how much seafoam to add or is this not so important.

YES, this is important. Seafoam helps clean the "ook" that accumulates in a gas tank. Buy a can, read and follow the directions.

Stick a bendy thing down it and take an educated guess.
Educated guess says probably not full.
Did you put gas in it since you bought it?

Look at your fuel filters. Take them out and look. Buy new ones.
Are they dirty? Replace them, anyhow. Also put new rubber fuel lines on and clamps. Clamps get crappy and are cheap enough to qualify any cost. New rubber fuel lines are a must.

Thing is, dirt accumulates in gas tanks. Water acculumates in gas tanks.
You press on the accelerator pedal to pull gas from the tank, but are also pulling dirt.
Dirty fuel filters mean no more dirt can be stopped from going through the fuel line and into the carb (and down your valves); dirty fuel filters also mean reduced pressure, so your carb receives less gasoline.

Change the fuel filters, the rubber lines, the clamps.
Add Seafoam to the tank. Add gasoline to the tank.

swatmo wrote:
Griff (or anyone) do you know where I can get pictures like that for the whole chassis. It would be a lot of help.

You have a 1-ton Dodge van.
A factory service manual for your year Dodge 1-ton van will have this.
This will cover the drivetrain, NOT the coach.

swatmo wrote:
Shocks. when I drove the machine home it was very bouncy almost the whole way. Weather was windy so there was some concentration involved in keeping the thing going straight, is this what you meant by excess sway? How would i know if i had bad springs.

Class C is a top-heavy thing, heavy wind doesn't help.
You probably need frt shocks. Count on them being original. Mine were 38 years old.
Count on replacing them, a frt-end alignment, new frt tires, etc.

When the shock absorbers lose their ability to bounce, the coil springs work harder to keep the frt end stable. Until you have it on a rack (big rack) you don't know.

"Sway" is when the rr end of the vehicle swishes like a skirt going down the road.

[rehoppe]

IF,,, you find that the baseplate of the current carb is warped. You'll probably want to replace it.

CFM =Cubic Feet per Minute,,, Air flow capacity.

Higher altitude = less oxygen pre Cubic Foot..,, so if you operate at higher levels (as opposed to Sea Level), More air equals more power and a more complete burn. If adjusted properly.

Before you buy a rebuild kit (if you have to rebuild it), check the base plate for straight. Preferably on a piece of glass. Air leaks between the carb and intake manifold are a BAD thing.

AS to the SeaFoam. I've never used it. I use 100% acetone. (make sure you change the gas filter within 3 tanks full AND have it ready to change Immediately)

You'll have to use the SWAG method for volume. Tap the edge of the tank, you can get close. I use 8oz of acetone to 10 gallons of gas. Lots of people swear by SeaFoam, so I'm sure it's a good product. I'm just cheap, and I want it CLEAN now not later. acetone is I think about $15 a Gallon. In grocery store it's more expensive and labeled as FINGER NAIl POLISH remover, and it'll say 100% acetone on the bottle. I've bought it that way in a pinch, or when I'm too lazy to pour it into Small containers.

Caution; Acetone WILL remove your paint! Almost as well as brake fluid.

[swatmo]

Awesome pictures ! Thank you so much Griff. Thank you rehoppe for the advice, though I am not sure I completely understand, it sounds like you are suggesting that i might replace the carb. which i might but really I dont know know what CFM means or what the CFM of the stock is, or even if any of the componants in the vehicle are even stock...

So with the seafoam... I plan to do this today, and was wondering how do i determine how much gas in the tank... the gas gauge isn't working, and we have no idea how much gas was in it when I got it so.... if i don't know how much gas is in it I won't know how much seafoam to add or is this not so important.

Griff (or anyone) do you know where I can get pictures like that for the whole chasis... It would be a lot of help...

As far as the shocks... when I drove the machine home it was very bouncey almost the whole way... the weather was pretty windy so there was some concentration involved in keeping the thing going straight, is this what you meant by excess sway ? and how would i know if i had bad springs.

Thanks again you guys for being so helpful

[rehoppe]

Plus 1 on what Griff said.

Shocks, I like the KYB MONO MAX. Any high quality Heavy Duty Gas shock, that you have available will handle it.

Not sure of the CFM on the stock carb, but if it's less than 500 CFM, AND you have to replace it. The venerable old Holley 500CFM 2barrel, is a good one. Especially if you operate a higher altitudes where you need the extra air flow. If it burns too rich, you can rejet it to burn a bit leaner. I had good success with it here in Colo....

[Griff_in_Fairba]

swatmo -



This is looking at the bottom of the carburetor ... the "throttle valve" arrows point at the throttle plates.



The red arrow points to the choke plate, in the open position. In the closed position, it is pivoted to "choke" off air flow into the carb.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

swatmo wrote:
Thank you very much: Trish, Griff, Leanne, alncory, and rehoppe. I will try things out the way you suggested using the order recommended by Trish. I will let you know how things turn out. Oh yeah... what exactly is a choke plate... is that the main flow regulator inside the carb ? the one that moves back and forth with in depress and release the throttle ? I thought that was the only thing that made any sense, but my friend said the choke is something else entirely. If that is it, could you tell me where to apply the graphite ? around the cylinder or just on the hing part ?

Any thoughts on what I need to do if the shocks on this machine are shot ? Is it something that I could do myself and what its going to end up costing me ? The guy who sold it to me did say that it has some kind of fancy triple core radiator installed and that he had recently replaced the thermostat he said he put a colder one in than whatever was standard I guess he was worried about overheating but the engine seems to never get really warmed up now so, do i need to do something about this ? and one last question sorry, any recommendations on what type of battery I should get for the vehicle ?

Thanks again everyone and sorry i don't get back very quickly I am taking care of 5 kids atm and its about all I can handle.

No, the two plates in the bottom of the carb (one for each of the two barrel bores) are the throttle "valves." These open and close in direct response to the throttle pedal.

The choke plate is located in the top of the carb, directly under the air cleaner. The choke may move some in response to the pedal because it is interconnected with the throttle linkage.

I will post some pictures shortly that should clarify this.

Put the graphite anywhere there are parts moving against each other. Especially where the pivot rods pass through the carb body. A small "puff" of graphite on the outside, while the engine is running, will cause a little bit of graphite to be drawn into the pivot points.

I recommend graphite because it is a dry powder lubricant that won't thicken in cold and won't gum up by collecting dust or oxidizing like most liquid lubricants.

Are you sure the shocks are shot? If the truck bounces more than a few times after going over a bump or pothole, then they probably need replacing. New shocks will not fix problems with bad springs or excess sway.

Having said that, replacing shocks are not difficult but can be somewhat dangerous. (You'll be working under the vehicle, which is always a concern.) Depending upon quality, you can expect to pay somewhere between $100 and $300 for four shocks. (Installation labor would be additional, if you choose to have someone else do it.)

The most difficult part of replacing shocks is getting the nuts off the mounting studs because they're often rusted on. PB Blaster, applied several times a day over several days, will often loosen them.

Yes, it sounds like the thermostat is opening at too low of a temperature and not allowing the engine to come up the full operating temperature. This can cause a lot of problems, including bad fuel economy and rough operation. Replacing the thermostat is not difficult and a 180 or 195 degree thermostat would be much better. (I prefer 195 degree thermostats but I live in cooler/cold/damn cold climates.)

The radiator sounds like a good one that should reduce or eliminate any concerns about overheating, provided the fan is working correctly.

Any good quality battery would be find for the engine battery. Deep cycle batteries are best for the coach batteries.

[swatmo]

Thank you very much: Trish, Griff, Leanne, alncory, and rehoppe. I will try things out the way you suggested using the order recommended by Trish. I will let you know how things turn out. Oh yeah... what exactly is a choke plate... is that the main flow regulator inside the carb ? the one that moves back and forth with in depress and release the throttle ? I thought that was the only thing that made any sense, but my friend said the choke is something else entirely. If that is it, could you tell me where to apply the graphite ? around the cylinder or just on the hing part ?

Any thoughts on what I need to do if the shocks on this machine are shot ? Is it something that I could do myself and what its going to end up costing me ? The guy who sold it to me did say that it has some kind of fancy triple core radiator installed and that he had recently replaced the thermostat he said he put a colder one in than whatever was standard I guess he was worried about overheating but the engine seems to never get really warmed up now so, do i need to do something about this ? and one last question sorry, any recommendations on what type of battery I should get for the vehicle ?

Thanks again everyone and sorry i don't get back very quickly I am taking care of 5 kids atm and its about all I can handle.

[rehoppe]

If anybody needs an engine and tranny for a Dodge, here is a link to CL in Denver. for a 440 and 727. with 52K miles on them. Not mine. Just FYI if anybody needs them.


CLICKY for 440 & 727

[Trish_Davis]

It's quite a jump to changing the timing chain.

Baby steps.

Clean the choke exactly the way Griff said (because it works). Then Seafoam the tank the way Leeann said (because it works).
Then replace the fuel filters and add another. You can't have too many filters.
Also, replace all the rubber fuel lines --one at a time!
Ditto for vacuum lines. I used fuel line in place of vacuum line, it lasts longer.

Do one thing at a time if you want to be certain what your problem is.

[rehoppe]

Yeah, the Timing Set is for PM later. It's probably not the priority problem. It makes the performance erratic when it gets loose though. It'll make you think you forgto how to adjust a carb.

I would set the timing as soon as the carb is spraying good, decent spray from the accelerator pump, and choke set up and working. If the timing mark jumps up and down in the light when you blip the throttle, you might as well not fight it. Just replace it. Cause it'll make you think your motor is tired.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

rehoppe wrote:
Sounds like your automatic choke may be sticking a bit.

Check you timing chain as well. It's done with a timing light. Don't know how many miles are on it, but somewhere between 50 and 70K miles they wear the chain and the sprockets. Use Double roller set to replace.

Yes, a sticky choke is another possibility. Easy enough to check by removing the doghouse and air cleaner and checking the choke plate position when the engine is cold and once it warms up.

A carb cleaner spray should loosen it up. I also like to give it a shot of graphite lube to keep it from sticking.

I'd rule out all other possibilities before looking to the timing chain. Changing the timing chain and gears involves a lot of work.