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

[Leeann]

We use Castrol 20w50. We never drive it in the winter, but if we had to I'd change to Castrol 10w30.

[DRTDEVL]

I run 10w30. That's what Dodge suggested for the 360, so that's what it gets.

Just the cheap stuff. Supertech from WalMart is usually what goes in, but then I find a quality filter. No Fram, ever.

I change the oil when it looks like it needs it or if it begins smelling like fuel. That means the oil was changed by my grandfather in the 90s, then I changed it last month. In the meantime, it was started a few times in 2010 after sitting for over a decade, then started a few times in 2015, then started and driven 60 miles this year. As I have not really used it, I kept the old oil and filter.

This year will be different, though... I'll probably change it again in the fall, as I am actually driving it weekly (not much, just 3 miles from storage to the house, and another 3 miles back every weekend), but we'll be taking it to White Sands next week (55 miles each way), and a couple short-ish trips to work out the bugs (100 miles each way or so), before using it on a medium distance (150 miles), 2 week boondocking trip in the mountains in July. After that, we'll try to get out in it about once per month for the remainder of the year.

[VintageMopar]

Don’ t go from 2 bbl to 4 bbl without a camshaft change, it will be very laggy, hesitant and poor drive ability . Tried this when I was 16 with a 1965 Plymouth 383. Would rather lean pop and die than acceler

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Sorry, in terms of oil I was thinking about the 28 year old 300/6 in my van, with around 600,000 miles on it. For anything else, I'd follow what StingrayL82 says.

Zinc additive -- absolutely, new or old engine, if you have flat tappets, for the reason StingrayL82 stated. (Most of us have flat tappets in our beasts.) Also increases camshaft lifespan.

Better sealing valves usually means increased piston ring blow-by, unless you hone and re-ring. Do a dry/wet compression test and a leak-down compression test. Those will tell you what you actually need to do, versus just throwing dollars at it. (On these older Dodge engines, excess oil consumption is usually due to valve stem seals. These can be replaced without removing the heads.)

These older motorhome engines are often good-to-go, due to being low milage.

RvFNG76 -- absent bad results from compression tests, I'd just look at replacing broken studs. If on the rocker arm shafts, it can be done without removing the heads. If block to head studs, I'd consider removing the heads, replacing the broken studs, using new head gaskets, and torquing in the right order and specifications -- WITHOUT rebuilding the heads.

[RvFNG76]

StingrayL82 wrote:

RvFNG76 wrote:
Right on i was curious about that as well.

Is your engine rebuilt?

That i have no idea on honestly probably wouldnt hurt to have it done might do top end this winter while shes parked and sitting along with a new intake and efi setup. Thought about going to aluminum heads since PO snapped off two stud in one and 2 in the other.

[RvFNG76]

Talked to a "local" speed shop thats huge in my area they recommended i used it along with other updates to my ol girl.

[StingrayL82]

RvFNG76 wrote:
Right on i was curious about that as well.

Is your engine rebuilt?

[RvFNG76]

Right on i was curious about that as well.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

RvFNG76 wrote:
Any ideas on a Zinc additive for the flat tappet??

From what I understand, I'd use it, especially on a new engine. (That's what I plan when I get MLP's engine rebuilt.)

[StingrayL82]

RvFNG76 wrote:
Ok less thought of question. What kinds grades of oil does everyone run in their rigs??

My machinist friend in Monterey (built two engines for me) told me to only use Castrol, Valvoline or Kendall, 20W50 in the summer and 10W40 in the winter. He went so far as to tell me that he would void my warranty, if I ran Quaker State or Pennzoil (same company), because they gum up engines. Keep in mind he told me this 25 years ago, and oil technology has come a long way since then. There was a recent article written that quotes Blackstone Labs saying that there really is no difference between the brands. Personally, I run Mobil 1 5W30 in my Z06 and my wife’s BMW 740iL. In my AMC/Jeep CJ-5 I use Castrol 10W30. Whichever route you go, I would make sure to add a good zinc additive, if your engine hasn’t been rebuilt, because older engines need it and newer oils just don’t have the amount needed.

[RvFNG76]

Any ideas on a Zinc additive for the flat tappet??

[Griff_in_Fairba]

RvFNG76 wrote:
Ok less thought of question. What kinds grades of oil does everyone run in their rigs??

10W40 for warmer nine months, 10W30 during Alaska winters.

10W40 makes engine last longer but results in a slight decrease in gas mileage. (EPA/government regulations and slightly better mileage is why manufacturers specify 10W30.) 10W30 because 10W40 makes it harder to start the engine in severely subzero temperatures.

I change oil and filter every three months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. Will skip a change if vehicle has been sitting idle and oil was changed after the last use.

Because I change so often, I use whatever is cheapest or convenient.

[RvFNG76]

Ok less thought of question. What kinds grades of oil does everyone run in their rigs??

[Griff_in_Fairba]

VintageMopar wrote:
There are 3 options for vacuum advance sources. Ported, manifold and Venturi.
Ported is zero at idle and goes up as engine rpm increases so dist advance increases with rpm, usually desired as long as detention /pinging doesn’t occur.
Manifold vacuum is high at idle, drops with rpm so all your advance is at idle and drops with speed. Better launch and low speed performance but not at highway speeds. A lot of cars we’re plumbed this way.
Venturi vacuum is similar to ported but slightly different rise. The thing with it is you have to use a vacuum amplifier as it is too weak a vacuum to actuate advance directly.

Thank you, I was really hoping you'd chime in.

As you implied, really depends on how you're going to use the vehicle. For mostly around town, one way is best. Mostly highway? Another way is best.

Thank you also for mentioning venturi vacuum ... I overlooked that, in part because most vacuum ports originate below the throttle butterfly.

I try repeatedly to warn people: Pay attention to the context of what you're reading and advice you're getting. If you're using race car advice, you're probably (strike that, definitely) going to be dissatisfied when you're cruising the strip, profiling for spectators. Likewise, if you're following daily driver sedan advice, you may be less than satisfied when it comes to your heavy truck. (Hint, hint -- motorhome.)

[VintageMopar]

There are 3 options for vacuum advance sources. Ported, manifold and Venturi.
Ported is zero at idle and goes up as engine rpm increases so dist advance increases with rpm, usually desired as long as detention /pinging doesn’t occur.
Manifold vacuum is high at idle, drops with rpm so all your advance is at idle and drops with speed. Better launch and low speed performance but not at highway speeds. A lot of cars we’re plumbed this way.
Venturi vacuum is similar to ported but slightly different rise. The thing with it is you have to use a vacuum amplifier as it is too weak a vacuum to actuate advance directly.