[Archived]

Jeff is absolutely on the money when it comes to these little bits of information that more experienced owners learn through experience, forums such as this one, and conversations with other owners.

While new owners are the most affected by a lack of knowledge about little things we all need to know, everry one of us, regardless of how long we have owned coaches is still learning stuff. If you are a relatively new owner you have the ability to help everyone on forums like this by asking questions. To you they may seem “dumb” but the reality is every single one of our almost 1900 members was a newbie and by asking questions every body participating in or reading the forums benefits from the question being asked and the answers provided.

[AL]

Being one of those new owners, I have a bunch of “dumb” questions. Fortunately when I bought the coach the owner gave me his phone # and told me to call anytime with any question, he’s been great!

As an example we took a short jaunt last weekend, the OTR air wasn’t cooling the way it should. I could keep the bus cool going down the road with the roof airs, but have to run the gen to run them. Gave Harley a call, he reminded me that the coolant valve from the engine had to be closed so I wouldn’t be heating the dash. I remember him showing me this when we picked up the bus but had forgot. Duh!

Just one of many things that come up, reading this forum has answered many other questions and brought things to light that I would never have thought of. Really looking forward to July at Jeff’s to learn much more!

[Archived]

Dan …no dumb questions here on PC. With all the members on PC its pretty rare when someone post a question that hasn’t been addressed before.

We all learn from each other giving each some comfort owning and driving these monster machines.

One comment on the 1/4 tank remaining fuel post. After having our generator quit on a hot hay in July many years ago I have my own personal driving rule.

I’am driving our bus on the quarter tank rule based on A) you never know what’s ahead around the next turn.

B) You never want to run out of fuel either having lower fuel then the generator can pick up. It happened to me years ago on a hot day in July with family and dog in our Country Coach Affinity.

I operate on the quarter tank rule. When I’am seeing fuel tank level approaching 1/4 I’am stopping for fuel…no exceptions.

[Archived]

My problem is I’m starting to forget old Prevost knowledge faster than I’m learning new Prevost knowledge!

[Davy]

Joel, that means your mental file cabinet is full, so as you add new information to your brain, it dumps some to make room.

[Brian]

Damn John how do you get your brain to do that. My brain is full, however I have a malfunction. A lot of information is going in but it gets lost in the filing process. Complicated by the fact that the delete button is inoperable. It appears to be a total cluster. Any suggestions?

[AL]

I believe we all have ample file storage in our brain, however the storage and retrieval process sometimes malfuncts……….just ask anyone that can’t remember where they put their keys or wonders why they just came into a room. They knew they came into the room for a reason, but then forgot why.

But I can still remember it used to take a 9/16 wrench to adjust my slack adjusters.

[Andre]

I definitely learned the low fuel lesson on the generator. Almost always happens to a new owner.

I actually once ran out of fuel entirely. An incline going into the fuel station pushed all the fuel to the back of the tank and BAM, bus died in the line of truckers waiting to get some fuel.

After a few verbal beat downs I fueled it up 5 gallons at a time until it would start. Great lesson learned for sure.

Never a dull moment.

[Dick]

HOw many five gallons jugs did it take?

[Rick]

When I ren my bus out of fuel backing up my driveway which caused the 100 gallons on board to flow forward into the aux fuel tank I had to add 35 gallons to get it to start and run, plus about a gallon I ran through it to prime it.

If the bus is on level ground I suspect much less would be needed.

[Davy]

I had to add 8 – 10, 5-gallon fills. It took forever and the worst of it was the truckers staring me down. In the end they helped me get the bus re-started and in a fuel bay. Turned out to be a great learning experience and changed my view of the trucking community for the better.

Now, I view my fuel gauge in a whole new light. Keep it as full as possible at all times.

[Dick]

I am that new coach owner who ran the bus down to 1/4 of a tank. The Gen shut down going down the road and I could not get it to start after I pulled over at a rest stop. I called my only life line Jeff…….. It is at least 8-8:30 in the evening. I didn’t get an answer. Cold chill ran through me since I was planning on spending the night in a rest stop, Walmart or Flying J. It was a very hot Florida night and I knew momma and I would not like the fact of no air. Then the phone rang and it was Jeff Rowe on the other end. I was very happy to hear his voice. I told him what had happened and he started walking me through the manual start on the Liberty coach. Still won’t start… checked other things still no luck. Then he said, “Steve, how much fuel do you have in the coach” I said Ohhh 1/4 of a tank.

Crickets……………………………………….

Jeff says. “Son, your fuel level is two low to fuel your generator” I am like… Really??? I then I pictured Jeff looking at the ceiling where ever he was and rolling his eyes thinking, “Dang…… another green moron”. He explained why this was and the fact that the engine was first in line for the fuel and the wabasto and the gen would not be getting any after 1/4 of a tank or so. He also explained I would have to prime the system with the electric pump, remove the two fuel filters and fill them up and pray we could get her to pick up. Cutting those power wires to the pump and trying to get them over to the starter was the last thing I wanted to do because I was going to have to cut into peices a new extension I had just bought. So after finding a place to fuel and getting a gallon of diesel in a milk jug, I was ready to put Jeff’s instructions to the test. I removed the two filters, primed them and screwed them back on. (in the dark mind you with Shari holding the light) hit the manual start and prayed. She picked up and ran! Disaster averted!!!

So why the long story, the reason for the story is, finding someone like Jeff Rowe who really cares for his customers enough to answer the phone at night and walk a greenhorn through a situation like that… Well boys and girls there ain’t many let me tell you. When I need work done, and I have already and will in the future, Jeff Rowe will have my business… Thank you Jeff we appreciate you and your willingness to help us in our time of need.

Steve

[John]

Steve should get special credit for admitting the errors of his ways. I know a allotta guys who would have stayed anonymous after doing something like this.

“There but for the grace of God goes I”

[Chris]

If all of us were to start listing and describing our “newbie” mistakes PC would have to get a new server. It wouldn’t have the capacity to handle all the posts.

What Steve has done however is to highlight why PC is here in the first place. Almost 1950 members are going to read his post and those who are relatively new owners are somehow going to have that piece of knowledge stored in their minds and they will not run into that problem. We are in the business of all of us helping all others whether we realize it or not. Steve did a good job, and Jeff needs to take a bow for starting the conversation.

[Peter]

I agree 100% with Jon.

Another year of free membership for both Jeff and Steve! Drinks all around!