Hey guys! Now that the elections are over and I can stop politicking...its Winter Vacation time, 2016-2017!!! :)clap
We drove from North Carolina to my sister's driveway in St Marys, GA to visit for a couple of weeks and to make use of her driveway for our yearly maintenance. Yesterday I replaced all the brake pads after buying a really awesome Kobalt corded electric 1/2 impact driver that was on sale at Lowes for 90 bucks! Where has this thing been all my life? It sure made getting those lugs off and on a cinch!
I checked my air pressures leaving NC, but somewhere between there and GA the inner duelly on the passenger side went flat and I didn't notice until I was doing the brakes yesterday. The tire didn't look damaged, so I took it down to the local tire place to have it seated on the rim (they had to use the blast can). When they started to inflate the tire you could hear belts in the tire snap/crackle/pop and big bulges starting to form, so I must have damaged the belts when it went flat and kept driving on it. Turns out it was leaking from the ancient braided valve extension. I decided to throw my good Michelin spare on in its place and put the questionable tire in the spare tire holder. I'll get another one as soon as a can on the way out West.
Today I'm doing the tune up on the RV, which will entail changing out the spark plugs with R44Ts gapped at .045 (although O'Reilly's insists that the gap is supposed to be .035), and replacing the cap and rotor with an Accel performance cap and rotor. I am also changing out the coil with an Accel high voltage performance coil that sits right on top of the cap like the stock one, just a tad bigger. Since it is an HEI ignition system I'm thinking that .045 would be the more appropriate gap, which tends to be what is being recommended on the Chevy hotrod sites. Any thoughts? I'm also replacing the ignition control module with a new one.
After that I'll be cleaning the washable air filter and letting it dry to reoil it...and then changing out the fuel filters.
And then top off the batteries with distilled water.
And then I'll change the oil using Mobile One synthetic (which is what I used last year and it still looks clean!), and replace the Napa Gold oil filter.
I'm going to try to get all of this done today so that tomorrow I can replace the screen in the screen door and then cover it completely with some type of perforated metal to keeps the dogs from destroying it again.
Tomorrow I also want to wash the rig from the solar panels down and do whatever other little repairs I can fit in...which will leave me the weekend to recover and finish everything, visit with my sis and her family some more...and then hit the road on Monday morning bright and early!
I replaced the wiper motor already and it works great...and I have a spare as well..lol!
Glad to be back guys!
Kev
Hey Kevin nice to see you again. :)clap
Wow! Lucky you!!! Sounds like some excessive heat damage to that tire, and it has now become a true spare,.. nothing you'll wanna depend on for any distance with typical speeds. But it'll will get ya outa trouble when necessary.
And again, that .045 spark gap is gonna be quite a difference that will simply delight ya. The differences in spark gap changes has ALWAYS surprised me!!!
Need one of them screen guards myself,... grandkids are pretty tough on 'em too!!!
Don't you just love when simple projects like changing your spark plugs turns into an all-day nightmare and spills over into the next day? Well...that was my day. I put brand new "high heat" Belden wires on all the spark plugs in Nov, 2011. They supposedly have a lifetime warranty but I don't have the receipt anymore. They kept breaking off at the boot! So as I go along I'm replacing them one at a time with Accel high performance 8mm wires. I've got 5 out of 8 spark plugs and wires changed, but to get to the last three on the driver's side, I have to jack up the RV and remove the front tire. It was around 4:30 when I realized this, so almost out of daylight!
I cleaned up and shelved it until tomorrow.
First thing in the morning Patti and I have to run down to the Florida DMV to renew our RV and truck registrations...then back to my sis's house to keep plugging away at the tune up, etc.
Kev
Hey Kev also consider that you have severly overloaded the R/R Outer tire also as it carried the full load for ?? Juat a thought . I installed those expensive wires also but also added asbestos covers from Advance speed section they have protected the wires from header heat for quite a wile now many thousands of miles ! I also have to remove my L/F tire to change plugs or to tighten header bolts Aint Trucks fun ? Frank
I'm guessing the valve extension failed right after leaving NC, and then riding on it flat was enough to damage the belts in the tire. I checked the air in NC and it was fine, and then when we got here it was flat and not on the rim. Didn't appear damaged until they started filling it.
Kev
Kev, Do you use dielectric grease in the plug boots when you put them on? That will keep them from adhering to the plugs and breaking off. Won't help if they are crispy though. W%
I had one of those braided lines fail on me too, luckily it was at home and found it before leaving for a trip. I use solid extensions now. I will soon be changing to the Cats Eyes.
More trials and tribulations...but the spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, super coil, and ignition control module are all replaced! But there were gremlins! And it took all day of course! To get to the last 3 wires on the driver's side I jacked up the RV and removed the front tire...Thank you Kobalt for making such an awesome 1/2 drive electric impact wrench!!! Once everything was in place and the wires properly loomed and not touching anything hot, I installed the ignition control module with the heat grease it came with, installed the cap, rotor, and the Accel Super Coil, and fired it up!
Vroom! And nice and smooth at idle. But this where the gremlins came in. At RPMs higher than around 2200 it would sputter and backfire and act crazy!!! I checked my wires again and they were all going to the correct cylinder. Did I build one or more wires wrong? What was going on? Off to O'Reilly's and they explained that I had forgotten to add the ground connection on the coil. So I thought that was it. Back home, installed the ground, still acting crazy!!!
So I figured, with those symptoms, they must have sold me a bad ignition control module...so I pulled it and went back to O'Reilly's. It tested fine on their machine! What in the world?
I stopped at an Advance Auto on the way back home and they had this neat tool that looks like a pen that you hold next to your spark plug wires and it shows if they are firing or not using induction current. I reinstalled the new ignition control module and fired up the engine. Still acting crazy, but the tool was showing me that every single wire was indeed firing as they should.
Hmmmmmm. I decided to figure it out by process of elimination and got lucky on the first try. First I put my old ignition control module in...and it ran like a champ! Perfect!!! So the one they sold me WAS bad! I brought it back and they exchanged it for me, I installed it, and we are good to go!
I managed to get a couple of other things done while I was at it: I replaced the fuel filter at the carb, cleaned the air filter and reoiled it after it dried, repaired the intake hose for the cold air system since it had a split in it near the plenum (It was long enough to just cut off the bad end), and that was pretty much it until it got too dark!
Tomorrow it will be the last fuel filter on the frame rail, and then the oil and filter change (Napa Gold filter and Mobile One synthetic)...and then I have to replace the screen in the door...again...and find something to put over it to keep the pups from damaging it. And then wash the RV from the top down, especially the solar panels. And top off the battery water. We want to hit the road on Monday, but the list is shrinking and definitely doable in 2 days.
Kev
Quote from: Rickf1985 on December 08, 2016, 07:31 PM
Kev, Do you use dielectric grease in the plug boots when you put them on? That will keep them from adhering to the plugs and breaking off. Won't help if they are crispy though. W%
I had one of those braided lines fail on me too, luckily it was at home and found it before leaving for a trip. I use solid extensions now. I will soon be changing to the Cats Eyes.
What are Cats Eyes?
Kev
Tire pressure monitoring system is my guess i??
Fenn is correct. Pricey though. http://www.stengelbros.com/truck-and-wheel-parts4
I was considering the Crossfire system. http://www.dualdynamics.com/products/cross-fire/
Kev Home Depot etc In the ? section I dont remember which one same one as screen doors etc they have panel that will do the job . You were right to suspect the new part ! Sudden problems always look at whatever was just replaced . Esp Electrical components Did you miss the point on the R/R outer tire may be damaged from severe overload ? Frank
Yep. Checked it and the outer rear tire looks fine. Now back to work! I have to do the oil change and oil filter today, the last fuel filter on the frame rail, top off the batteries, pack up all my tools, and then wash the rig from the top down. That will leave just the screen door project for tomorrow. I picked up all the supplies I need for the screen door project this morning and mailed out some more catapults. Fun fun fun!
Kev
Good time to check the timing as well, after new cap and rotor.
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The replacement ignition control module they gave me was ALSO bad...dammit! I shelled out an extra 22 bucks for the Accel ignition control module, and all is good in Denmark! Or anywhere else we are going. Westward ho! We'll be ready to go this Monday morning!
Kev
Not much left on the agenda. Today I am replacing the screen in the door and in the window next to the door, and then screwing down some "hardware cloth" wire screening over them to protect them both from puppy damage. After that I'll be washing the RV from the roof down. And that's it! We'll be back on the road tomorrow and on our way out to Arizona!
Kev
I put in new screens on our screen door and the side window near the door, and then covered them with heavy wire mesh. So far they seem to be shedding the puppy claws with no screen damage! (https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p526x296/15391000_1498123216882594_7278991003473875170_n.jpg?oh=421d08fc77104fa4734e41bf8e82729e&oe=58EE01BA)
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Hopefully this will do the trick! It is the only screens they damage. I also washed off the roof and solar panels, and then rinsed off the rest of the rig.
We'll be back on the road by early tomorrow afternoon!
Kev
Safe travels,, Good luck with the tires , Merry Christmas ! Frank & Louie
That should keep the screens safe and the puppy nails trimmed at the same time. :D
Awesome idea to battle puppy claws,... but I'll need something more for grandkid paws!
Also noted that NICE door handle/latch lever,..... does ANYONE know where a handle/lever replacement like this, can be found????
And you can grate cheese!
Quote from recent election.
"Ban pre-shredded cheese! Make America grate again!"
Quote from: CapnDirk on December 12, 2016, 03:51 PM
And you can grate cheese!
Quote from recent election.
"Ban pre-shredded cheese! Make America grate again!"
LOL!
So we stayed one last day. Right after we finish a cup of coffee we'll be on the road! I-95 South to I-295 South to I-10 West. And its a LONG drive on I-10 West. We'll be meandering our way out to Arizona, taking our time as always. I doubt we'll go much farther than 250 miles in any given day...with days of rest in between.
Kev
Have a safe trip.
Thanks Rick!
It was a couple of hundred mile trip today and the rig is running great! Tires are all good too.
We drove until almost 4 and are staying the night at the Flying J just to the west of Tallahassee. We already fueled up and parked the rig, and took the pups out...and grabbed dinner (I love their bacon double cheeseburgers and Patti loves their chicken wings).
About 196 miles of Florida panhandle to go!
Kev
May warm weather, fair winds, light traffic, short hills, no mechanical issues, good food and pleasant drivers on the road accompany you.
Any detours from this summers floods or from Andrew ?
Not that I know of Frank. I-10 is clear sailing.
Kev
It was a smooth and uneventful trip today, around 250 miles or so, from the Flying J in Tallahassee, FL, to the Flying J in Gulfport, Mississippi. Everything is running perfectly and all systems are a go! When we got here we filled up the rig, pulled into an RV slip, took the pups out...and then I took Patti to dinner at Denny's! Yum! WAY too much food, so we needed to-go boxes. We'll be staying here the night and leaving in the morning, back on I-10 West. We might even make the border of Texas tomorrow, but we aren't in a hurry.
Kev
Wishing you a safe trip with no surprises. Give the pups a scratch for me. :)
Will do Joan!
Kev
Traffic was so light, relatively speaking, that we had smooth sailing right through Houston, and ended up staying the night at the Flying J in Brookshire, TX. They don't have RV slips at this one, but they had plenty of pull-through parking in between the semi trucks. Sure was a hot and humid night for sleeping though! I ran my little 12 volt turbo fan all night long.
First thing I have to do this morning is check my carburetor high idle drop down screw, or whatever you call it. I noticed on this last leg of the journey that it kept hanging up at high idle, even when driving, so I kept having to kick it down. I'll check the vacuum lines as well, but there aren't too many of those left on this rig.
After I get that settled and check everything for travel, we'll gas up...and then drive the 100 miles or so to San Antonio's Flying J and gas up again...and then drive a few more hours and stay in an RV park. Sure makes showers and whatnot more convenient!
Oh...and on a funny note. I bought one of those tire thumpers at the Flying J a couple of days ago for quick morning tire checks. Patti took one look at that minature baseball bat, grabbed it and said "Mine! I'm gonna name you Lucille!" I told her she was not allowed to wrap the end in barbed wire....lol!!!
Kev
You do know they are not really "tire thumpers" don't you? W% You "can" use them for that but I prefer a steel rod to get better feel. The bat is going to bounce off of any tire with more than 50 lbs. of air in it.
Check to make sure your choke is coming all the way off, that may be what is holding the high idle on. Electric choke wire may be loose or shorting out somewhere.
LOL Rick! I think you might have hit the nail on the head, and not with the tire thumper! Details below!
Kev
So it looks like we will be staying in Brookshire, TX until Wednesday morning! Almost had an engine fire with some serious electrical damage!
I opened up the doghouse to adjust the carburetor and look for anything unusual since it was acting funny...and CRAP!!! One of the AIR tubes on the driver's side of the engine that I knew was broken at the manifold decided to ALMOST give up the ghost at the big tube that joins all for of the rest of the tubes, and it pivoted down and the open end that WAS pointing at the manifold plug was RIGHT in front of two of my new sparkplug wires, and the big cluster of wires right behind it! It acted like a blow torch! It pretty much severed those 2 plug wires, and made the rest of that wire cluster pretty toasty and melty (and also froze up my parking brake cable). DAMMIT!!! I took the plug out of the manifold and it came out surprisingly easily, although it was definitely tight. I disconnected the Blazer and drove down to the auto parts store (leaving the rig and Patti and the pups and cat still at the Flying J parking lot). They had ONE Dorman 65384 M22-1.50 oil pan plug in stock, and said the warehouse had 3 more in stock. Which he can have here either Monday, or more likely on Tuesday morning since it is the weekend. So I bought that one plug, another new sparkplug wire set (since this shop doesn't have individual ones) and some muffler repair putty, ordered the other 3 manifold plugs, and then drove back to the Flying J. I installed the one plug and stuffed the end of the pipe as best I could with the muffler putty, replaced the two wires, and started the engine...and of course the putty didn't hold and shot out of the end. But I had zip tied the wires and the melty wire harness out of harms way, enough to limp us to the Houston West RV Park one exit down (still in Brookshire, TX). Choke was still acting up so I'm thinking that over the next 2 days I will be repairing that wiring harness!!! On the off chance that it was necessary, I got on Amazon to order 4 more manifold plugs, and they only had 3 in stock that would get here on Monday and not after Christmas! I figured that worst case scenario I could take one of the old plugs down to a welding shop and have them plug it up with a big fat weld and then use it as the last one.
So...when I take off the AIR tubes on the driver's side and plug them up, is there anything wrong with leaving the passenger side the way it is until we reach Arizona? Would it cause some sort of imbalance that could damage the engine in any way? Not a big deal since the passenger side is WAY easier to work on that the driver's side...but if it isn't necessary I was thinking of waiting.
Any thoughts?
And all of this might have happened for a reason. It was extremely windy today and while today was hot and humid, there is a cold spell coming down tonight that is supposed to carry with it wind chills of around 15 degrees.
Kev
In case you do not see the other thread you can leave the other manifold alone. Better off that way so you don't open a can of worms there! All those tubes do is inject air into the exhaust so there is no detriment to the engine, it does not even know what is going on that far down the line. I can't believe you were still using the A.I.R. system! That is the longest surviving RV system around! You are still going to be blowing air out of the tubes unless you have already disabled the pumps, it is only air and will do no harm either. The air coming from the pump will be cool air. If you have dual air pumps then that one will be the one with the alternator on it, you can go with a shorter belt without taking the pump out but you do have to remove the pump pulley for belt clearance. If you want to disconnect the other pump just cut the belt, it is it's own belt.
Mines still connected and operating Rick. On an 87.
BRRRRRRRRR!!! Who turned on the AC? Yesterday it was warm and humid...and the weather forecasters weren't kidding about the cold front that came in! High winds rocking the rig, and its around 32 degrees outside. Kind of glad my parts aren't going to be here until Tuesday because that's when it warms us...lol! I think I'll tackle that wiring harness tomorrow.
Kev
Definitely fix the harness! You never know when a slightly crisp harness will decide to let out all the magic smoke, usually with a bad ending.
Okay!!!
After going down to the post office to mail out some last minute Christmas catapult orders, and after going down to get some groceries...I came back to get to work on removing the driver's side AIR tubes and manifold plugs.
First thing I did was remove the hose and get the wiring out of the way, and then purposely broke off the hose nipple from the airbox on top of the AIR tubes. That way I would have clearance to bend it up and down and side to side to break it off the tubes (once I removed the bracket bolt). It took quite a few bends back and forth, but finally it broke free.
Next step was to remove the spark plug wires from that side of the manifold to keep them out of harm's way and the metal heat shields that protect the spark plug wire boots.
Now...how to break off or saw off the AIR tubes? Not enough room to get in my grinder wheel. So I grabbed my hack saw and while I was at it I grabbed my Lennex PVC saw since the teeth are the same as a hack saw, but it way longer and doesn't have a carrier in the way. Bam! Cut through the tubes like butter! Didn't even seem to damage the teeth. SWEET!
Next step was the last three AIR plugs. I couldn't get enough leverage, and someone sometime had borrowed my 1/2 breaker bar and U-joint and never returned them. So back to the hardware store, and then back to the RV. It did the trick! It took a while, but all 3 of the remaining plugs are removed.
Next step was to tackle that fried wiring harness. Fortunately it was only 6 wires, so I replaced them one at a time to make sure I didn't mix any up, and then taped them all up with electrical tape to protect them.
Lastly, I checked all the fuses. And sure enough! The choke fuse was blown! So I replaced that as well.
All I have to do tomorrow is go to the auto parts store to pick up the block off plugs and then come back to camp and install them with high temp RTV sealer. Then put the spark plug protectors and wires back on, zip tie the rest of the wires out of the way, ensure that I am getting 12 volts to the choke, and we'll be ready to hit the road first thing Wednesday morning!
I want to make sure we get to Tombstone, AZ by Christmas Eve!!!
Kev
Christmas in Tombstone again? Are you expecting snow?
I'll bet your gas mileage was a bit brutal with the choke half closed!!!!
Yep Dan! We skipped Tombstone last year...and I really missed it. We'll arrive there Christmas Eve and stay at the Wells Fargo RV Park...and then depart the day after New Years Day. Patti wants to go see Old Tucson after the holidays.
And no idea Rick...this problem started shortly before we arrived at the Flying J in Brookshire, TX.
Kev
I sure am glad I removed all the plugs yesterday and repaired the wiring harness...because today turned into a major adventure getting this repaired!
First thing this morning I went down to the auto parts store and picked up my three remaining Dorman oil pan plugs, and then back to the RV.
I decided to install the first plug at cylinder 1...because it was the hardest to get to. I coated the threads with JB Weld red high temp silicone, and it went in easily and I tightened it down.
The next hardest to reach was cylinder 3...and that went right in.
The final one, cylinder 5, was easy to reach, so I figured, hey! No problem! BIG problem!!! The threads were buggered! When I removed the old plug I noticed that it had originally been cross threaded, but was hoping I could get the new plug to catch. Nope! I tried and tried and tried, and it just wouldn't go in...and I didn't want to damage the new plug threads!
So back to the auto parts store to see if they had a tap that would work with M22-1.50 threading. Nope! Not even close! So they suggested I drive up to Katy, TX to the Grainger store. I took the 12 mile drive and they tried to look up a tap that would work. After about a half hour of searching, they found one! 200+ bucks and it would take a week to get here! No thanks! So they sent me to Fastenal in Old Katy, TX. No luck there either, but they DID have a 7/8 course thread tap that would fit tightly in the hole...but the shortest bolt they had was 3". I bought the tap and they gave me the bolt, and I drove back to Brookshire, TX.
On the way back I stopped in the local hardware store, and they had a 2" 7/8 course thread bolt...so shorter is better in this application, so I bought it.
Back to camp, and time to finish this project!
I soaked the tap in cutting oil, and inserted it in the hole. I couldn't get my tap handle in there, but across the flats I was able to effectively us the open end of a 3/4" wrench. It worked! It cut the threads like butter!
So I removed the tap and wiped out the hole with paper towels. And then coated the 2" 7/8 bolt threads liberally with JB Weld high temp red sealant. It threaded in easily by hand, and I was able to tighten it down tight with my channel locks (I don't have a wrench that big...lol!).
I then put the spark plug wires back in place, and zip tied everything carefully out of the way. I also took care to make sure the wiring harness and plug wires were out of harm's way in case any of the new plugs rattled loose.
Time to start the engine...VROOM!!! And super quiet! I checked voltage to the choke and it was close to 12 volts.
Repair DONE!!!
Next I decided to change out the peat moss in the toilet, since the peat moss bin was in the back of the truck, and I had to put the tools away. I finished that, and filled 4 one gallon ziplock bags with peat moss so I wouldn't have to access the bin for a while...and then put all the tools away in the back of the truck.
After a garbage run to the dumpster using the truck, I hooked the truck back up to the RV, disconnected the drive shaft, and got it all ready to go first thing in the morning.
And that was today's adventures, and the conclusion of the repair!
Following are some pictures of the project. Yeah, I know that big bolt looks funny...but it works!!!
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And that's it! Runs great and quiet, choke kicks down like it should, everything is put away, truck is hooked back up, and we are ready to hit the road first thing in the morning!!!
Christmas in Tombstone! We can't dilly dally anymore though. We lost a few days to this repair. So we have to make it Fort Stockton tomorrow, and then Anthony, TX the next day, and then Lordsburg, NM the following...which will put us in Tombstone on Christmas Eve.
I might even skip Anthony, TX and drive right through from Fort Stockton to Lordsburg....we'll see how froggy I'm feeling!
Kev
Now I see how you plugged the holes in the manifold where the air tubes were. Others have gotten those huge plugs out and and threaded plugs in. Looks like you threaded yours in to the hole left from the air tubes. Pictures were helpful Thanks again.
Thanks M&J! I'm seriously considering a major upgrade this year in Arizona. I'm thinking of replacing my intake manifold with an Edlebrock intake manifold, and installing good headers and full flow quiet mufflers to improve horsepower and slightly improve MPG. Which is one of the reasons I put off taking out the AIR system in the first place. :D
Kev
When you pulled out the air fittings you did take out the inner pieces that protrude into the manifolds didn't you? They are the air injectors and they put the air right at the valve exit. If you did not take them out they should not do any harm but once you get a chance I would pull the plugs out and do it since they will be rattling around in there and eventually break off. They "Should just blow down the exhaust but they are awful close to those exhaust valves.
The air injectors are a huge exhaust restriction, I couldn't believe it the first time I pulled one of these manifolds off.
No repair to the Em brake cable ? Merry Christmas and safe travels ! Frank
I never use the E-brake...I use rubber chocks. I don't trust that tiny little poorly adjusted parking brake on the drive shaft...lol!
Merry Christmas Frank!
Kev
ARRRGGGGG!!! Today was the day from hell!
First, this morning I started the rig and no matter what I did, I couldn't get a reliable and steady idle. I reset the idle mixture screws to Edlebrock factory specs, reset the fast idle cam, and still the idle was too low.
I checked each spark plug wire and the only 2 remaining vacuum lines and they were all fine.
I used my inductive test pen on every spark plug wire to make sure they were firing...and they were all fine.
I checked every single connection in my simplified engine compartment, and all seems well.
The only thing I can think of is that maybe, because I had to do a lot of leaning on the air intake plenum and inadvertently the distributor itself is that maybe the distributor hold down bolt isn't tight enough and I accidentally retarded the timing? I just can't figure out why I can't get a steady idle when the only adjustment I made on the carburetor before touching down in Brookshire, TX was the high idle kickdown screw...which I readjusted to right back where it was!
I'm going to check the distributor tightness in the morning when the engine is cool. So as a preemptive question...if it is loose, which way do I turn it to advance the timing? Clockwise or counter clockwise?
Also...would a bad ignition control module cause idle stability problems?
AND...that was just the tip of the spear that made this day so crappy!!!
I got it idling well enough, and we hit the road. At highway speeds it is running great, and no problems at all.
So we stopped at the Flying J in San Antonio to gas up...and Chase Bank froze our debit card for "unusual activity across multiple locations". Their whole system must be messed up, because no matter what we told them to prove our identity, they insisted that we must come into an actual Chase bank and couldn't do it over the phone!!!
We spent about an hour arguing with these morons that we were traveling to Arizona like we do EVERY year, and had a motorhome with a tow vehicle...how the heck are we supposed to go find an actual Chase Bank branch to go into and show ID?
They didn't freakin' care! So we found a Chase Bank in downtown freakin' San Antonio in almost rush hour, and there was no way to get into their parking lot. So I blocked off one whole lane with the RV and Patti ran inside to straighten it out.
She withdrew almost every penny...and we'll be switching banks after this...probably Wells Fargo.
What a nightmare!
Needless to say we didn't make it all the way to Fort Stockton!!!
We did manage to fill up at a Love's Travel Stop...and are now spending the night at a rest stop in Kerrville, TX.
Holiday plans aren't completely shattered and we can still make it to Tombstone late afternoon on Christmas Eve...IF nothing else goes wrong.
We'll have to make it to Fort Stockton tomorrow...Anthony, TX the next day....and all the way to Tombstone the following, stopping off to gas up in Lordsburg, NM. That splits the trip up into about an average of 275 miles a day.
What a crap day!
Kev
And in case you are scrolling quickly, I have some questions!
"I'm going to check the distributor tightness in the morning when the engine is cool. So as a preemptive question...if it is loose, which way do I turn it to advance the timing? Clockwise or counter clockwise?
Also...would a bad ignition control module cause idle stability problems?"
Spark plug wires are tight and my inductive tester shows that all spark plugs are firing.
There are only 2 vacuum lines, and both are fine and tight.
Also...at highway speeds everything is running great and smoothly.
Thanks!
Kev
Hoping that the rest of the trip is smooth sailing all the way. Just go carefully and get ready to enjoy your vacation. Merry Christmas to you all. Drive safe :)ThmbUp
When I get to my laptop and off this tablet where i can type faster I'll give you my thoughts.
Kevin: See if you can put a mark on the distributor stem where it meets the engine (like where the clamp is) and onto something stationary (like the clamp) This gives you a reference as to where it is now. Give the distributor a twist to see if it is loose. If it does turn, you know where the problem is, and where to get it back to where it was. IT would have to turn quite a bit on its own to make a big difference at idle (by that I mean several degrees.
I would be surprised if it was the ignition module, unless it might be getting low voltage (compensated for by the higher RPM and in turn higher output of the alternator).
My GUESS is it might be getting loaded down with extra fuel at idle pushing past the float or by some other method. Again, at higher RPM the engine would be able to burn it and run better.
"if it is loose, which way do I turn it to advance the timing?"
Looking down on the engine, you would rotate the distributor counter clockwise to advance the timing. Do you have a timing light? It might not be a bad idea to check the timing anyway b/c you replaced the cap and rotor.
"still the idle was too low"
Is it not responding to changes in the idle speed adjustment screw ?
It is responding to the idle screw adjustment...but the idle drops unexpectedly once in a while and wants to stall out.
I'll check the tightness of the distributor after my morning coffee.
Kev
One of the things I was going to suggest Kevin for the dizzy is to look carefully for any disturbance on the ring where the clamp bites. There probably is at least road grime and you might be able to see it it moved by fresh marks before attempting to change it.
On the carb settings, RickF gave a pretty good process for setting the mixture using a vacuum gauge. IIRC, set base idle to spec, then adjust the mixture for maximum vacuum. Chances are the idle will increase so you need to keep resetting the idle screw while you're going through the mixture. Seems like it was on one of the threads about hooking up or using a vacuum gauge. Another thing is reading the spark plugs. I think you drove a ways after it starting acting up. Read a couple spark plugs. Dark tan to light brown is normal, black and sooty indicates too rich of a mixture. You'll have to look at more than one to get a good idea. Another way that's less quantitative is to run a finger around the inside of the tail pipe. If the engine has been running rich for a while your finger will be very black also.
Someone else answered but it's easy to remember to advance the timing rotate the dizzy opposite of the rotor rotation, to retard the timing rotate the distributor the same direction the rotor turns.
My experience with GM HEI modules is either they work, or they don't. And everyone that I've had fail was due to heat related failure and the housing had a melted spot on it. If you do replace it be sure to use heat transfer compound on the bottom. Without it it will definitely fail. Low voltage may be a possibility especially since you had some crispy wires.
Hey Kev , If it idles properly sometimes and wants to stall at other times It is definatly not timing unless the vacuume advance is changeing it for what ever reason . Most likely fuel or air problem dirt at a float needle or floating around in the carb or fuel pump deviations . Something plugging up air flow , Run with air horn off of carb to eliminate complete air intake syesyem . Good luck , If it remains driveable keep going till you reach destination then look for idle problem Frank Merry Christmas
Thanks for all of your responses! Everything seems to be running great now, so I'm thinking that I must have gotten some bad gasoline, and a couple of tanks later everything is running smoothly and no idle problems at all.
We drove all the way to Fort Stockton yesterday, gassed up at the Flying J, and then pulled into the Walmart parking lot for the night. Took the dogs out, did some shopping, etc.
Today we'll be heading at least all the way to Anthony, TX, 260 miles. But that would leave us a whole 280 miles left on Christmas Eve, which means we would get to the Wells Fargo RV Park in Tombstone until very late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. So I'm thinking that we'll gas up in Anthony, and then keep on driving...making it to at least Deming, NM before pulling in somewhere for the night. The less miles we have to drive on Christmas Eve the better!
Systems are all checked, and we'll be hitting the road shortly after our morning coffee.
Kev
Woo hoo! We definitely had fair winds and following seas on this leg of the journey, and we made great time!
We drove through El Paso (and thankfully all of the bridge and ramp construction is all done...and we sailed right through with no problems around 2pm Mountain Time) and gassed up at the Flying J in Anthony, TX. Then we hit the road again and made it all the way to the Flying J in Lordsburg, NM!
We were extremely fortunate with the winds on this leg of the journey. Usually it is extremely windy and I have to keep my speed way down. This time there was hardly any wind and I was able to drive 55-60 all the way...and coast down hills at 65 or so. Which is way faster than I am usually able to drive this section of the journey.
We arrived in Lordsburg while there was still some daylight, so we pulled in and are resting up for the night. I'll gas up the rig in the morning, do my usual checks, fill the propane...and then we'll be off to Tombstone for the holidays!!!
We are only 25 miles from the Arizona border, and only about 130 miles from Tombstone, so it will be a very short drive indeed for us on Christmas Eve!
And we'll get to wake up on Christmas Eve morning in Lordsburg! Very fitting indeed! :D
Kev
You sure do make a lot of fuel stops!!
Wow! All of the wind that we didn't have yesterday sure did hit us today!!! From the time we left Lordsburg, NM until we arrive in Tombstone, the winds were insane! Average speed was around 40mph. Even on the back roads going into Tombstone the winds were rocking the rig and I had to keep the speed down to around 35! Thank goodness it was only 130 miles!
We are all set up in camp and ready for Santa to arrive for tomorrow morning!!! The wind was so high for a while that the rig was rocking in camp! And then a major torrential downpour came through and the temperatures dropped. So the heater is on.
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
(https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15672785_1520645634630352_2312734425545104408_n.jpg?oh=2cfcc033aaaf66bd686f921a5238e743&oe=58F3BA26)
Kev
OMG!!! This is unbelievable!!! It is snowing! We are going to have a white Christmas again in Tombstone, AZ!!!
Just a little reminder of years past, or more like deja vu. Maybe this is all the snow you will get.
Dan
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FWinter%2520Vacation%25202012-13%2Febaystuff024_zps20797aea.jpg&hash=6a4e536e109ad75d068771befe84d803a5fe97ff)
WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!! You made it! And despite the problems. I remember a quote from a Tim Allen movie "Never give up, never surrender" :D
And SNOW! That's awesome.
Kevin, your storm has finally reached Kansas City. Lots of wind and rain. The KC Chiefs are getting ready to play the Broncos just as the front is going through. Going to make for some wet seats. Hope you are having a great time at Tombstone. Any plans on buying a new hat?
We didn't get as much snow as we did the last time, but it was enough to call it a White Christmas!!!
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15672677_1524164617611787_7074393911864791996_n.jpg?oh=b187759fd21b8332076b63e35db93223&oe=58E38A31)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15781159_1524164404278475_2202272918046275838_n.jpg?oh=0e6e730786ca589ea23833a4926e2e00&oe=58D73256)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15672829_1524164377611811_9211587920635609058_n.jpg?oh=08588b06c7c803b1e55e15b7a65145b0&oe=58EE8248)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15697276_1524164077611841_684988216107464353_n.jpg?oh=d54e048db1966e892786d6091e5f7d5b&oe=5924199D)
Kev
Patti did an amazing job decorating our little Christmas tree!!!
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15726378_1524164220945160_5529895693188124078_n.jpg?oh=8a1ada50303ea814cb5247b0b202b278&oe=58E48227)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15665432_1524164624278453_4146488937365555745_n.jpg?oh=8be15353f75bd0b2d5b05c3749d1a912&oe=58F3E6D5)
Sampson was not amused.
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15726417_1524164007611848_8877535243724920124_n.jpg?oh=ee972134b9620950e2e7f1b1d7f177d3&oe=58D68693)
The pups weren't crazy about the antlers either.
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15726388_1524163344278581_7024765655033075281_n.jpg?oh=3edaf9532357e7945274493daf2aaf55&oe=58E55EAB)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15747601_1524163430945239_4786211972175227012_n.jpg?oh=d738ed8f1583636b588c83ed2808019e&oe=58E449AB)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15727210_1524163564278559_4812126905188821192_n.jpg?oh=b1ba1b07218320699e0d4d4cbe312dc2&oe=58E224D7)
While most of the presents under the tree were for the furry kids, Patti got some bling from Santa!!!
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15781189_1524164214278494_4997459920450644014_n.jpg?oh=12a388339d55620e529a9f9c2c5df72b&oe=58F433DA)
And Patti bought me 4 really nice shirts from Duluth Trading Company...and a new Recoil dripper designed by Grimm Green! SWEET!!!
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15747435_1524163634278552_4327384125494738795_n.jpg?oh=f887643dbb45b811b6dee520508b256b&oe=58E5CCD2)
I hope everyone else also had a great Christmas!!!
Kev
What?? No guns?? :(
Glad to hear that Santa found you. Have fun with the rest of your holidays. :)clap
With the glowing eyes and the flaming mouth, I think the cat went straight past amusement to "don't go to sleep tonight!"
Thanks for the pics, after fighting no high beams or windshield wipers for a week, it helps to remind me why I'm working on this thing, and that I'll be able to do it to in another 4 years.
Best regards.
Beware of pet pay backs... vengence is mine sayith the kitty and pups! ... LOL... Snow in AZ.. and yea its 60 here in MD... though the wind there came through last night... think my wind chimes were blowing sideways from about midnight on... zoicks!
T
We're having a great time so far, and the pups love walking around the streets of Tombstone with us. Sampson wants to go out but we are way too close to the roads for that. Wells Fargo RV Park is literally right in downtown Tombstone.
More pictures to follow.
Kev
Tombstone was a blast! I think it will end up being an annual holiday tradition for us!
We are now at the Western Trails RV Park in Tucson because Patti has her heart set on going to Old Tucson Studios. We arrived here yesterday and are about to go see the old studio where so many westerns were filmed.
And then tomorrow we get back on the road and meander our way toward Gold Canyon, AZ.
Kev
Hey Kev:
Spent part of my first honeymoon at Old Tucson! Can't believe how small that jail was that they filmed John Wayne in.
Have film of the wife on the boardwalk when two gun slingers came up to her, put their arms around her from both sides, drew their guns, waived them at me, and said "take all the time you need" :D
Old Tucson was a blast!
We drove the last 110 miles or so on back roads from Tucson to Gold Canyon, AZ to wait for the Arizona Renaissance Festival to start...and are safe and sound at a nice campground called the Arizonan on Hwy 60, less than 3 miles from the Faire. Although we might be moving along to a cheaper campground in a week! This one is bloody expensive at 277.00 a week!!! Yikes! What makes it worse is that for some reason the Faire postponed opening until February 11th, and since they won't let anyone on site until 2 weekends before the Faire begins, that would mean we would have to pay for 3 weeks at 277.00 a week. Yikes!
Maybe another boondocking adventure is in order while we wait...lol!
Kev
$277 a week!
Jesus, you could buy a motorhome on that kind of money!
CapnDirk who dreams of warm Arizona days from the minus freezing north and a motorhome that now has a dead furnace. $@!#@!
Looks like we'll be staying here until the faire opens (Patti really likes it here), assuming the Arizonian RV Resort will let us upgrade to the monthly rate, which comes out to 657.00 plus electric. Even though we won't be here for quite a month in total, if we pay for 3 more weeks plus the 3 extra days it would come out to 957.00! I would really love to save that 300 bucks...lol!
Lots to do on the cheap around here too. Yesterday we went to some really neat flea markets in Apache Junction...and sometime this week we'll be going shooting right down the road at a BLM land that allows it.
Keep your fingers crossed for us guys, that the office lets us upgrade!
Kev
Change of plans! And it looks like it is going to be a 2 week boondocking adventure!
The Arizonian is BOOKED, as is every single other local RV park in the area (unless you want to spend one day here, 2 days there, etc. at 45 bucks a night and up)! Apparently the snow storms are driving all the snow birds south in record numbers!
The nearest RV parks that have space available are over 60 miles away! And the local national parks and state forests, with one exception, are booked...the nearest Tonto National Park campground being 70 miles away.
I did find a place to stay without moving every couple of days though, at the Lost Dutchman State Park, about 7 miles from where we are. It is beautiful, the sites are paved and level...and it is the most expensive State Park I have ever heard of at 20 bucks a day, no hookups, and absolutely no discounts!
It is still our cheapest option (to stay put without breaking camp every day or so) unless we travel 70 miles or so. So Lost Dutchman it is! We leave here to the state park on Wednesday...which also happens to be Patti's birthday!
Kev
(https://scontent-dft4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s480x480/15965781_194351624371189_3408859012928926476_n.jpg?oh=0746e607caad41c34a8796038e8012f9&oe=58DC054B)
The winter rates and population is only going to get worse over the next years....with all the baby boomers rving. Still looks like fun!!
Solar panels are cleaned, genny checked and started, battery water checked, water tanks filled, drinking water acquired, tires and fluids checked, and the laundry is working as I type this. We'll be able to pull out of here early tomorrow morning, and then drive the short distance to the Lost Dutchman, all ready to boondock!
Kev
Fuel, you forgot fuel. And propane. Snacks, beer....
Quote from: M & J on January 10, 2017, 09:11 PM
Fuel, you forgot fuel. And propane. Snacks, beer....
:)ThmbUp :D
Kev. Any survivalist from someone in the parking lot at Superbowl to someone in the wilderness would know that. We are here to save you! :)clap
Keep em coming Kev. Your posts take the edge off of working on this thing in sub freezing temps when the electrical problems seem endless.
Is there such a thing as RVing vicariously through someone else? ;)
LOL!
We are all settled into our campsite at Lost Dutchman State Park, and the views are amazing!!!
Solar is charging the batteries right now as I type this, and the meter is reading 15.1 volts.
Should be a very pleasant and relaxing 2 weeks!
Kev
It sure is pretty here at the Lost Dutchman State Park! I went hiking with the pups yesterday, and we made it most of the way to the top of the steepest trail. Dang I'm fat and out of shape...lol! We'll keep trying! My goal is to reach the summit before we leave here in 2 weeks!
Solar charging has been going very well...but they are forecasting clouds and rain until Wednesday...and then clouds and rain until Sunday. Looks like I'll be going down to Tractor Supply today to buy at least a 60 amp battery charger. Our Boondocker Powermax converter is rated at 100 amps, but it is way too far away from the battery compartment (about a 20 foot run) and the wires are WAY too small to be efficient (they don't look any larger than 10 gauge, maybe 8 gauge, to me), and it takes hours to charge off the generator the way we are set up right now. While at the Arizona Renaissance Festival I plan on rebuilding our dinette, and while I'm at it I'll build another cabinet under the dinette to house the pure sign inverter we've been hauling around, and then relocate the Powermax Boondocker to the same cabinet...which is pretty much right over the battery compartment. And use the heaviest gauge wires that will fit in the terminals of the converter. But for now, in order to run the genny the least amount of time, I'll actually save time and gas money if I buy a 60amp charger and run it right off the genny and right at the batteries.
Sure is pretty here!
Kev
Sounds like a plan. We are looking forward to an ice storm and could be making use of the generator, too. I hope it isn't as bad as they predict. Have fun looking for the Lost Dutchman. I hear he has a pretty nice gold mine hidden somewhere.
Dan
Well, I couldn't find a charger that I was willing to pay for (cheapest ones that would actually work were around 150 bucks and up)...so I figured that I'd just start the genny if I needed to.
And even with the clouds, the batteries fully charged! Same thing today, even with the rain.
Day number 4 on solar power, and we haven't had to start the genny once! Outstanding!!!
Kev
That's pretty good Kev and has my interest. Have you posted anything on your solar setup I can look at?
DANG IT!!!!
Maybe it's jus my winter doldrums and dreamin',.... but for some reason I got an itch now to get my sluice and pans out and venture to nearby local stream for an hour or two!!!
Here you go Capt. Dirk. I think he posted others but this seems to be the main thread.
http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,6809.msg31156.html#msg31156
Thanks M&J that is a good read.
With all the components involved maybe Kev could do a flowchart/building block kind of layout when he gets bored. :angel: Like panels get input to this gizmo, then branches into these things kind of deal. Just thinking out loud. ;)
Well...it was SO dark and rainy yesterday that at the end to usable sunlight of the day...around 5pm...my volt meter was still only reading around 12.3 volts, which was where it was at at the beginning of the day. Meaning that there was just enough sunlight to keep up with the small amount of power we were using, but not enough to fully charge the batteries.
So on went the generator for 3 hours, which brought us up to a full charge. Once I move the Powermax Boondocker close to the battery compartment and use the thickest gauge wires I can, I should be able to charge the batteries fully from 12.2 volts to 12.7 volts in about an hour instead, since it is rated at 100 amps.
Today me and the pups are going to go hiking again...and maybe we'll hit the summit of that trail!
Kev
I took the pups on a hike today up the Siphon Draw trail. We made it almost to the top, over 4000 feet...but the climb got too technical. I would have had to climb the last bit using my hands as well, and then I wouldn't be able to hold the leashes. They wanted to go though!!! Silly pups!
I took a lot of beautiful pictures of the view, so I'll post them up here when I get a chance.
Kev
In my best Sargent Preston voice.... "On you huskies" :)
I went on a LONG hike with the pups today...over 7 miles. That will teach me not to bring the trail map with me. D:oH!
Kev
And does Patti enjoy all the peace and quiet when you are gone? She needs a break also. :)
Maps???
Oh YA! I remember them!!! I got 'em on this app now, with my compass app!
Uhhh,... oh, oh. :-[
Seven miles ya say, huh,...
I love following this saga, we want more :)clap :)ThmbUp
Well...Friday for us was a celebration, so we sat inside all day, popped the champagne at noon, and watched all the proceedings until midnight.
It was raining most of the day, so we had to run the generator for a few hours in the evening, but that is only the second time we've had to run it since getting here to the state park...and we only had to run it because we made an exception on this glorious day to start watching the television before 6pm. We pretty much started watching the pomp and circumstance as soon as we opened our eyes.
That evening it rained HARD, and the winds were insane! My flagpole started to bend, so I rushed out and took Old Glory down until the morning and the winds passed.
Yesterday was pretty overcast as well with a sprinkle here and there, and the desert was so wet that there was no hiking in the quicksand (which is what the hard packed dirt here turns into after a hard rain)...so we played with the pups indoors and I got some chores done.
Today is pretty nice outside, so Patti and I are going over to the Goldfield Ghost Town, which is pretty much right across the street from the Lost Dutchman State Park.
The Faire sent out a newsletter finally, and we are allowed to go into camp on Saturday the 28th...which means we'll have to find a place to camp for 3 more days as our time here at the state park is limited to 2 weeks, and we have to be out on the 25th. I'm looking into boondocking alternatives locally since the RV parks around here are stupid expensive, and we do very well boondocking with our setup.
Kev
We lucked out!!! I went into the Ranger's Station to ask them if they knew of any boondock camping nearby...and the head ranger said, "Three more days? We can do that." Sweet! So I paid them and we are now all set until the Renfaire camping opens!
Kev
Going hiking is now Paladin and Karli's absolutely favorite thing to do! The looks on their faces when I ask them if they "wanna go hiking?" is priceless!!! My love for my dogs is greater than my love for slothfulness...lol! I call it the furbaby fitness plan. :)
The day before yesterday was dark and rainy with thick cloud cover, so we had to run the genny for 3 hours in the evening. Not too shabby though...we've only had to run it 3 times in the last 15 days, and the forecast for the next few days until we leave for the Renfaire is bright sunshine and no clouds.
And we still have wash water in the freshwater tank. We emptied the 40 gallon one I added under the bed, but so far so good on the main 70 gallon tank! We also still have room in the greywater tanks. I don't know if we'll make it with wash water all the way until Saturday, but we have some collapsible 5 gallon water containers in case I have to add more water to the tanks. The greywater tank should be fine, and they have a dumpstation here to empty it on the way out. We don't drink the tank water unless it is boiled for coffee or cooking, so we keep potable water on hand in those 5 gallon collapsible containers.
Kev
And here are some of the promised pictures of where we are camped at the Lost Dutchman State Park, and some pictures we took hiking.
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16114066_198798907259794_2837610333557120884_n.jpg?oh=da9900401bfb790e38c5d7135f5e00b2&oe=59100A34)
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Enjoy!
Kev
you wer'nt walking the dogs, they were dragging you W% :)clap
Thank you Kevin. 2 thumbs up sir.
WOW! Outstanding. Beautiful canines. The landscape is breath taking. God Bless America.
Those photos made my day.
Love the pics Kev
So today is our last day at the Lost Dutchman State Park, and tomorrow we head over to our campsite at the Renfaire.
I had to add 30 gallons of water to our freshwater tank yesterday...but we made it over 2 weeks and the grey tanks still have room in them!
I have to make a repair today...the solenoid that shuts off the chassis power is stuck in the "off" position, so I'll have to make a heavy jumper wire to jump across the terminals and install it so I can start the RV up tomorrow. I'll replace the solenoid completely once we are in camp and have some income coming in again.
It is cold and windy today, but bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky! I'll be taking the pups for a hike at some point today as well...and going to the market to get some milk and to put some fuel in the truck.
Kev
Hey Kev if you have a set of battery jumper cables just use one of them Till repairs are completed Frank
I keep a set secured right in the engine compartment. Sometimes I need a jump from the house to start up when I've forgotten to shut off something or another. And I've used for solenoids too.
Now to scroll up and drool over these awesome pics again.
"Happy Trails!"
I carry a battery jump start pack and a set of cables , Also carry a 6/12 V battery charger Hmm i have never used the cables in 15 yrs Dont remember exactly where they are now Hm? Hm? Frank
Turns out it was just a VERY low battery, so the solenoid wouldn't actuate. The pups hit the auxiliary cooling fan switch on the dash and it drained out the battery. So I charged it up yesterday with my Schumacher battery charger since we have a beautiful sunny day with full solar capacity (for this time of year), and it is holding the charge this morning. I probably damaged the battery though, since it had drained all the way down to 3.7 volts! Yikes! The solenoid is working perfectly again, so that is good.
It is a short drive though to the Renfaire campground. If the battery seems damaged I'll replace it before our next trip...and I'm probably going to add a manual battery shutoff as well.
Fun fun fun!
Kev
We had a non-eventful short trip to the Renfaire campground and the RV is all set up for the duration of the show. I still have to set up the dog pen and the workshop carport, but I'll tackle that tomorrow. We are supposed to have great weather for the next 2 weeks with no rain. Sweet!
Kev
Hey Kev , If you recharged the battewry slowly (2 Amp) and is was a good battery before it will probably recover The amt of staying power it will have depends on any damage done , Check all the cells with a hydrometer if they are all even you are probably good to go , Add a Bright pilot light visable from all directions to fan operation Good Luck Frank
Hey Kev
living through my Winnebago withdrawal through your righting.... sure wish I was in Arazona...
Ontario is colder then hell and my winnie is wrapped up like a mommy in the barn waiting for spring..
All the best... Hi to P
Thanks Vic!
Kev
ugh! I HATE being wrapped up for winter,.. I peek outside my bubble only to see a "desert" of deep snow!!! I couldn't escape if I had too, and spring is long way off yet.
So,... I come back inside and seek a little inner joy and freedom in this adventure. The pics are great! And,... I'll admit to jus a bit more as I follow with Google Maps jus to see where y'all might be or where your passing by.
btw,... I too doubt ya did much damage to your battery running it down so much. Unless it may have froze or was in old very poor condition, it'll probably be jus fine. If it's not a sealed maintenance free battery, a hydrometer will tell ya more than a guess will or anything else.
Back to sunshine pics,... 11 hours a month jus isn't enough here.
I too love following kevins post from everywhere
Thanks! I got the dog kennel all set up on the porch yesterday, and started putting the workshop carport together. Ran out of steam, so we'll finish setting up the workshop today.
Kev
Booth is all set up, and tomorrow I'll go get materials and build more catapults for the rest of the week. Go Patriots!!! :D
Kev
Kevin, you did some serious walking!! Love the pups, the one at least is a twin of the one I lost back in July, I swore I was not going to have two dogs again but seeing your pics I don't know.
It is hard losing a dog you love, Rick. My condolences brother. I ALWAYS have at least 2 German Shepherds so they can keep each other company and play with each other if either I'm not home, or just too busy working to pay a lot of attention to them.
I ran them in the parking lot here at the Renaissance Festival in Arizona yesterday by throwing tennis balls with a Chuck-It until they were well worn out. And Karli is limping around today, poor thing. Even though its dirt, her little paw pads just aren't used to it yet and she abraded herself.
Other than that, all we did today was finish wiring up the workshop, and I got all my parts cut out for the next two days of building.
Opening weekend is coming right up!
Kev
The booth is all set up, all the catapults are built, and Patti did a wonderful job on the flowers and garlands...making our pavilion the prettiest one at the Arizona Renaissance Festival!
Tomorrow is opening day, and we are so excited!
I'll be wearing my brand new and VERY well made Crusader outfit. SWEET!!!
And thus concludes this chapter! Next chapter coming right up: Arizona 2017!
Kev