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My 91 Beaver Coach Problems
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Harry,
I had a jake brake problem. Jeff had been working on My coach for a couple of months. He did chase the problem of the jake to the proper point. Diagnosinging it to be in the transmission. Ruling out all the other switches and relays that He thought might be the problem. He does not have the software to read the data from the transmission. Jeff did not charge Me for the time that He had worked on the jake. He said because it did not get fixed that He would not charge for His time on it. I asked Him for a recommendation of a shop to take it to. He recommended Clarke in Knoxville. I asked Him if He trusted them. He said Yes. I said that’s good enough for Me. Clarke’s labor rate is quite a bit higher than Jeff’s BTW.
And since You have asked twice what His shop does. I will give You My thoughts and insight from My experience there. He knows coach’s systems and how they work and repairs them. From Suspension to electrical to cosmetic. Water systems, Heat and air systems. General maintenance and safety. Basically everything except major mechanical issues. If Your refridgerator needs replaced, Fresh wate pump , Water heater, Holding tank, Inverters and batteries, Tv , Floors , Toilet, couch changed out or recovered, Etc. For example ; In order to change out Your Refrigerator, The windshield has to be removed. And possibly the dinette and furniture to get the old one out and the new one in. ETLC is a specialty shop that works on conversions that can do these things. So unless You are a jack of all trades and can figure out where the problem lies and how to gain access to it after that. Then how to repair or replace it. You will need a shop in the future. And there are a few others around. But You are pretty close to Jeff. It would be wise to have someone look at Your air bags to see if they are safe. Brake chambers , Tire DOT date codes, House battery dates, Etc. Good luck with Your coach.Safe travels,
Rocky
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Clark=engine. ELC =all control system on prevost coach that tell engine what to do. That rear box alone will give the best engine mechanic fits. I have repaired wiring on prevost coaches and it is not for the faint at heart.
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We can keep this simple. For the moment forget about ETLC because Jeff and his people are unique.
Generally speaking if the problem relates to the chassis go to Prevost. If it is engine or transmission related go to an Allison / Detroit dealer (not a truck sales or repair shop), and if it is related to the house (conversion) go to the converter.
Jeff and Tradwinds are kind of unique because they will work on both the conversion (house) and the chassis. But HJ has issues that are associated with the engine and DDEC and while both Tradewinds and ETLC may be able to chase them and isolate the probem in this particular instance it might be best to go to Clark.
The hourly rate is the worst reason to choose a shop. The shop to work on the coach is chosen because of expertise and it has been proven over and over the lowest shop rate does not mean the lowest cost, especially when the shop with the lowest rate lacks the expertise.
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Hi Rocky, Robert and Jon , Thank you for the information, I understand better now!
I met with my mechanic at the coach this morning with my starter that was rebuilt. We no more than got there when it started sprinkling and after 10 minutes started pouring. So we’re looking at tomorrow where there’s only 20% chance of rain.
I mentioned to him about the 15/55 mph, cruise and Jake brake problem and told him someone here on the Forum said they could all be related? He said it could very well be and put his finger on the left side of the relay that he installed a few days ago. If you remember the other one, I posted pictures, was black. He pointed out all the breakers and electrical stuff to the left of the relay and said the relay controlled all of that! He said the relay may not be the problem but it could be! He also told me he’d checked all the wiring related to this relay inside and outside the box and found nothing amiss! Wow wouldn’t it be something if it fixed everything!
If it does fix everything, I’ll make an appointment with ETLC for a checkup. If it doesn’t I’ll make an appointment with Clark! Thank you one and all for your help with this. You’ve been a great help to a guy struggling to understand!
Harry
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It could all be related, but what concerns me is except for the burned up solenoid he said all is OK.
We’ll see tomorrow.
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As to not add confusion I reread above that Jon said that relay sends power to the starter solenoid. I looked at the pics again and realized that I mistook the group of wires bundled to the single wire to the relay are just passing by. I guess there is only 1 wire on each post.
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Just think once it is figured out you can share what you learn. Little steep in this case. You have by far the best chassi on the market.
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Hi Jeff,As the initiator of this thread I thought it incumbent upon me to poll the posters. You’ll be happy to know that when you say “I’m a bumbling idiot”! No one felt you were bumbling!
Harry
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Harry,
I know nothing about your coach. I to have a Prevost on a 1990 chassis with a 1991 conversion and the old 2 cycle 8V92 engine. I do know that on the way to/from Oklahoma City several years ago I went through a randomly occurring loss of power. I stopped at Prevost Goodlettsville on the way home to get repairs. The tech focused on the turbo tubes as he stated they have a tendency to crack and thus reduce effectiveness of the turbo (loss of power). So after 2-3 hours in the middle of the night the tech and I took a test ride. The wife was asleep in the back. It seemed to run fine. The next morning when departing Goodlettsville I had to go up grade on the access ramp to the interstate. The power loss returned. The true problem turned out to be the fuel filters. I changed them both after getting home and the problem was gone. I now change fuel filters frequently and in fact changed out the factory cartridge filter to a DAVCO – 382 unit that can show me when the filter needs changing. I change the secondary fuel filter at the same time, ALWAYS.
So you might want to go ahead and change the fuel filters while waiting to get the starter installed since you don’t know when they were last changed, or how long the coach sat unused before purchase.
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That would be great step since you do not know the age of the filters. However, when dealing with multiple issues that may or may or may not be connected, do 1 thing at a time and get the findings. For example: If you change electrical components and fuel filters and your power problem goes away you will not know what fixed the issue. This will be vauable data moving forward and when all is said and done. It’s best to finish the starter and relay install and move on to filters (if Deemed prudent)once the electrical system is repaired and tested for proper function. Jeff
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Dang Will! I forgot that one about filters! Few years ago after fueling at a Flying J in Barstow CA, at the RV island pumps (never again) we got a hold of bad fuel on brand new filters from Mira Loma 84 miles back. As we headed home, it was apparent we had loss of power.
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That is great council and it’s just what I’ll do. I hope to get a call to meet the mechanic soon now that the sun is out! I’ll take it step by step like you said. Then I’m going to, at minimum, have the filters changed just so I know when they were done! Then I think it’s up to Jeff’s for a checkup and then go from there.BTW does Jeff have a specific “checkup charge” or is it on the individual basis?
Harry (or maybe I should be called “The Beav”!
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I’m crackiing up, remember Wally, “Hi Mrs Cleaver, how’s the Beav.”
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Other than chasing poor Harry off in another direction going after fuel filters did anyone read where his problems were accompanied by a check engine light, something that usually relates to everything but fuel filters?
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Jon, Jon, Jon, the ultimate Buzz Kill… Always trying to confuse us with the facts! Here we are heavy into “speculation without representation” and what do we get? Facts! It’s just so wrong Jon, why not just say something like “it could be the dipstick”? Sure I’ll run down and make sure its all the way in but it’ll give me something to do!
I’m getting sick and tired of all this rain that keeps me from getting my bus fixed! I should have thought of this before asking the question about having a toad. I can’t imagine having a breakdown and not have a ride! It kind of answerers its own question!
Hey Tom RE, “I’m crackiing up, remember Wally, “Hi Mrs Cleaver, how’s the Beav.”
I loved that show! A time of humor, morals and family… Don’t get much of that on TV anymore!
Harry
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