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Engine Retarder NOT Activating & headed 2Mountains
Good Morning,
2006 Prevost Chassis with Engine Retarder – and, it suddenly stopped engaging – the dash switch is ON.
We are currently located 50 miles East of Columbia, SC on I-26 and the plan is to drive into Lake Toxaway, NC and stay at Mountain Falls Resort yet with the retarder no longer activating, do not think it would be wise to proceed into the mountains.
Anything I can check here in a Pilot Truck Stop Parking Lot? This is first instance of it not working. Again, the dash panel rocker switch which allows the retarder to work is switched on and is illuminated. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!
I will obviously check back here, but here is cell number if easier to describe checks to make. 832-741-7802
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16 Replies
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UPDATE: It is working again and appears it was operator error!
I now believe my oversized floor mat was pressing against the accelerator pedal just enough that it was not in the FULL return position, hence, the retarder would not activate. Floor mat removed and now the retarder works!
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Jeff, Good to hear you got it fixed. I was thinking the same thing when you first posted problem. Must have got my mental telepathy. I won’t charge you but half my normal diagnostic rate.
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Jeff and Sandy,
Also glad to hear that it is not broken.
But, if it does happen and you are caught in the mountains, I would use the transmission selector religiously to keep my speed down by downshifting.
We are also thinking of going to Mountain Falls this summer and I would definitely want my retarder working.
Safe travels,
Mark
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There is no reason to not drive in the mountains, with or without a jake or retarder. Whether you have a jake or retarder you still have to drive with care, not exceed target speeds, use the manual shifting of the transmission to assist, use caution to not over rev the engine and definitely learn the proper way of using air brakes on steep and long down hill runs.
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If there were a test track for buses and drivers – it would be I-81 to Mountain Falls.
Stress test for cooling and brakes on the mountain – and pucker factor when road construction trucks speed at you rounding the last 5 miles of curves. If not going in or out on a Sunday, I send the Jeep first to warn me.
Worth the trip though.
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I-81 to Mountain Falls?
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This Jeff guy of Jeff&Sandy sounds like a really nice, stand up fella. There aren’t many of us who have the self-confidence in ourselves to call a MAYDAY! MAYDAY! on 121.5 and squawk 7700 when it turns out the floor mat was resting on his accelerator peddle and then follow-up on the Forum and admit the problem was the floor mat. (I don’t think this is the only venue he posted his predicament to.)
But Jeff&Sandy own and drive a Liberty Coach. Owning a Liberty Coach gives its owners that additional level of self-confidence that we’re traveling in the finest luxury motor coach on the planet.
I hope that someday I’ll be able to meet both Jeff and Sandy and we can talk confidently about our Liberty Coaches and the extra confidence that they give us.
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Jeez Dick, tall boots aren’t going to be enough to wade through this, I’m going to have to go break out some chest waders.
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Hey Dick, you should apply to sell liberty buses so you can spread the BS to unsuspecting folks. No one here buying it.
Just saying!
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I think the Karth’s post looks totally correct. I kept reading and re-reading their post to see if their were any discrepancies and couldn’t find any.
Safe travels,
Mark
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Dick must have bumped his head on his slide. No wait, he doesn’t have a slide, so it must be the cheese.
Either way, wish I wouldn’t have left my hip boots at home.
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Please children. No fighting or I will double your dues.
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Heading down 26 from 81. Biggest hills I have found on the east coast.
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You want a hill Liam? Come visit my driveway.
Jeff and Lindsay
91 Marathon XL -
Jon, I will take that as an invite! The 1-way dirt road up to the Asheville campground was pretty scary especially on my first trip with the bus.
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