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

[new_v_er]

Hi all it's been awhile.
Over 600 pages and ten years sounds just like my journey with my Midas Mini. Congratulations on the milestone.

Weird summer. Bought, sold and moved principle residence. No camping. 😞 Now have a condo and logistics for storage, repairing, and loading unloading are way different.

I am hoping to get in a few fall weekends.

Batt and Carb issues are still start issues. Better with manual choke. Gasohol is a problem in everything from gens to boat motors to snowboards. Hate the stuff. Carter 2bbl now what would be the best upgrade?

[Tmmltn]

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:
LED lights are better than flourescent ... brighter, far less power consumption (batteries last longer), and last longer. Downside is more expensive.

A couple of years ago, I hooked up a small LED light to a 9 v. battery and left it running continuously ... 1 year later, it was still putting out light, although much dimmer. Replace the battery, just to make sure the LED wasn't wearing out, and it came back up to original brightness.

I was telling DH I wanted to swap for LEDs, the previous owner bought, and left, some xenon lights i may swap with the flourescents for now. I already checked out amazon for ideas on LEDs for the bunk area ("girls' area"),and the entry stair light (possibly self installed by an owner).

At this point we are just super excited that it really does work on shore power! Lol. I love when we find truth in the previous owners word.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Tmmltn wrote:
In the last week we changed the PCV valve and grommet (just for precaution in the emission system, cheap replacement), and the thermostat. I bought a 10g extention cord today to verify the rig works on shore power, so next we will replace the deep cycle battery to see if we can get coach power without plug in. We have 3 or 4 lights to reinstall, a bulb (or all 3 flourescent fixtures, because i am picky) to replace, but otherwise everything works so far. We still have not checked our oven/stove.

We are refraining from doing any valve work yet. We aren't sure if we will need to move to an rv park in the next month or so, so we are trying to keep the engine intact until that point.

LED lights are better than flourescent ... brighter, far less power consumption (batteries last longer), and last longer. Downside is more expensive.

A couple of years ago, I hooked up a small LED light to a 9 v. battery and left it running continuously ... 1 year later, it was still putting out light, although much dimmer. Replace the battery, just to make sure the LED wasn't wearing out, and it came back up to original brightness.

[Tmmltn]

In the last week we changed the PCV valve and grommet (just for precaution in the emission system, cheap replacement), and the thermostat. I bought a 10g extention cord today to verify the rig works on shore power, so next we will replace the deep cycle battery to see if we can get coach power without plug in. We have 3 or 4 lights to reinstall, a bulb (or all 3 flourescent fixtures, because i am picky) to replace, but otherwise everything works so far. We still have not checked our oven/stove.

We are refraining from doing any valve work yet. We aren't sure if we will need to move to an rv park in the next month or so, so we are trying to keep the engine intact until that point.

[whiteknight001]

Leeann wrote:
Mark, I don't own and Pradas. I have cowboy boots; do those count?
Maybe I should put on the Timberland work boots instead...

🙂

ooooooohhh... would you?! lol.... cowboy boots- they "lift and separate" like no 18 hour job can... har...

At the end of this day, Leeann, I'm just amazed at it all.
How something as simple as one question, actually snowballed
into this- a resource of information for folk who choose to
buy a time-proven vehicle, rather than a new, fancy rig, and
actually enjoy the camraderie with others doing the same thing.

One of the things that does linger in the back of my mind is how
to keep this thread a continuing presence for others to come to,
learn from and contribute to. If it were possible to have this
thread coincide with a website that would carry it forward as well-
kinda like archiving something in two places, that would work real
great.

I would welcome ideas on how to make that happen. Not only from
you, but from all the folk here in this thread. I doubt that RV.net
will vanish into the thin air of Cyberspace any time soon, but I
think, after 10 years and 600+ pages, this thing really needs a Bat-cave of its own... but that's just me... think about it and post here. I'm like Winnie the Pooh these days- "a bear of very little brain" lol

In the meantime, I've kicked field goals, but have never been one... lol...

waiting with bated breath (does Listerine work on that?!?)

Mark/whiteknight001

[Leeann]

Yup, looks like someone already put epoxy on yours. Now to dig into the manual 😉

[Tmmltn]

whiteknight001 wrote:

Leeann wrote:
I'll kick you, Mark 😉

Just kidding…pretty awesome, isn't it?

Hey Leeann

I'll even keep one eye open for "in-flight video" lol!

I mean... I joined this forum and asked the question that
started this thread on 15 Aug. 2004, so it's ten years in,
and with 600 pages, it averages out to 60 pages a year. That's
an active thread...

I would shudder to think how many folk have viewed these
pages, and how many people like you, Griff, and others continue
to keep it rolling...

Just one request- please pick a good "broken-in" pair of boots...
them fancy pointy toed Pradas might hurt... lol!

your mentally ill friend in OK

Mark/whiteknight001

This thread is the reason I joined this forum. Thank you for starting this 10(!) Years ago! Now I just need to keep in mind it is public when I ramble on lol.



I have no fancy shoes. If I have my way, i am barefoot. When the ground is hot, flip flops.
Once i had fancy nails... i still tore into my motor. 😄

[Tmmltn]

Leeann wrote:
You really need to check the t-stat. If it's taking a long time to warm up, that totally screws up proper operation of your engine and you'll get nasty emissions.

Also, the idle is way high. Our 440 idles about 610 RPM; your 360 should idle about 700 RPM when warm.

The 2210/2245 are the series of carbs I was talking about from my '75 with 360. Give me a minute; I have the service manual around here somewhere.

In the meantime, I have a service note on those carbs. For proper operation, you need to put a dab of epoxy on them. Something about air or gas leaking…I can't remember now, it's been so long, but here's the pic:


Found the manual - here's the download link:
http://www.datafilehost.com/d/767c0c16

I am drooling over the 65 pages of info in that thing. Omg.

After seeing this this afternoon i took a pic of the ca carb, the point it shows to fix is evidently sealed off? In this one.


I am certainly going to spend tomorrow (technically today) analyzing/comparing vacuum diagrams.

[Leeann]

Mark, I don't own and Pradas. I have cowboy boots; do those count? Maybe I should put on the Timberland work boots instead...

🙂

[whiteknight001]

Leeann wrote:
I'll kick you, Mark 😉

Just kidding…pretty awesome, isn't it?

Hey Leeann

I'll even keep one eye open for "in-flight video" lol!

I mean... I joined this forum and asked the question that
started this thread on 15 Aug. 2004, so it's ten years in,
and with 600 pages, it averages out to 60 pages a year. That's
an active thread...

I would shudder to think how many folk have viewed these
pages, and how many people like you, Griff, and others continue
to keep it rolling...

Just one request- please pick a good "broken-in" pair of boots...
them fancy pointy toed Pradas might hurt... lol!

your mentally ill friend in OK

Mark/whiteknight001

[Leeann]

Found an exploded diagram in my stash, too:

[Leeann]

You really need to check the t-stat. If it's taking a long time to warm up, that totally screws up proper operation of your engine and you'll get nasty emissions.

Also, the idle is way high. Our 440 idles about 610 RPM; your 360 should idle about 700 RPM when warm.

The 2210/2245 are the series of carbs I was talking about from my '75 with 360. Give me a minute; I have the service manual around here somewhere.

In the meantime, I have a service note on those carbs. For proper operation, you need to put a dab of epoxy on them. Something about air or gas leaking…I can't remember now, it's been so long, but here's the pic:


Found the manual - here's the download link:
http://www.datafilehost.com/d/767c0c16

[Tmmltn]

I am not sure on the "lean burn" carb, we think it is the 2210 or 2245 style. Here is the pic i got from the non compliant carb:



It is super clean, being installed 9/12 (68,262 mi) in NV... to remedy an overheating issue ("overheated, then died, then ran fine" per paperwork); at 68,513mi, 4 days later in CA, it was smogged and failed hardcore with: modified (visual) egr, disconnected vacuum lines, fuel cap was not functional (replaced, as DH left it at the gas station when we bought it... i wanted to anyway, forced hand.), "other emission related", functional egr, and ignition timing "24 btdc". Idle RPM was 919, yesterday was fluctuating 1300-1400. Hydrocarbon ppm was 2934 (no current data yet), co% was under 1.0 at idle (.35) and under load (.60). Handwritten note saying "blue smoke at SNAP test".

When we inspected it, we found, as mentioned, a non CA carb, luckily the old carb was still onboard and looked functional. DH swapped them out, I did the vacuum hoses, while disconnecting the vacuum tree installed for the "speed control" system we are removing (oh my... that was horrid looking:
)
Also found a broken "ccegr valve", or as napa called it, a "port vacuum switch" (obviously fixed), that had been capped and re-routed.

Since yesterday we have:
Put seafoam in the gas tank and crankcase, and replenished coolant in the radiator system. Spark plugs checked - likely carbon deposits on new-ish plugs but not horrible, will be replaced (suggestions on type?), I had DH pull the EGR off and check it, it seemed ok. Today it was left running curbside for a minimum of 1hr, idle and rev, DH adjusted idle down.

Current mileage is 68,986.
I really want to get it CA smog compliant before leaving because we have such strict laws, i am a "tree hugging hippie" so the better this ol' girl is for the air, the better I feel taking her all over.
DH did notice the temp gauge took a long time to respond while on for so long today, i have been prodding him to check the thermostat but he has been reluctant, he agrees now that it needs checking, i suspect that is part of our issue.

Rehoppe, thanks for the compliment, we fell in love when we saw her (vintage lime green!) and know she will be worth the investments.

~Windy

[rehoppe]

Tmmltn wrote:
We have a 360. This is our very first V type engine, we are used to 4cyl vehicles. But none of those can haul a home with them. Lol.

Thx Beniam;;;; I thought Tx was cheaper.


Tmmltn;
How many miles on the engine? Reason I ask is my PU (1976), with a 360 in it, needed a timing set at 75,000 miles or so. It also punched / wore through 2 rockers at the end of the push rods. It'd be good to do the timing set and check the rockers for wear while you are doing the valve stem seals.

Nice looking rig... by th way.

[Griff_in_Fairba]

Leeann wrote:

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

Leeann wrote:
So,you have the lean-burn carb, yes?

More likely a two-barrel BBD. That's what my '77 B200 318 had. Float adjustment is tricky and they have a tendency to leak and sink.

Valve stem seal is a definite starting point for solving oil consumption/burning issue.

The '75 El Dorado with 360 we started with came from CA and had the lean-burn carb. That thing was a total POS.

True, the lean burn carb (and system) was a failed experiment. Best bet is to chuck it and put a different non-lean-burn carb on.

BTW, some types of alcohol, such as that used in 'gasahol' and some gasline antifreeze, eats up the seals in older carb, especially the BBD. I rebuilt my BBD four times before I found out the yellow HEET I was using religiously was the cause.

Also, the seals in some older carbs tend to dry out and crack if they haven't been used in a while. (That's why I always rebuild donor carbs before using them.)