[Bryan]

Rick,

We don’t have a vacuum sealer but if you provide a link we will get one as well as the supplies. We often go to wholesalers when we are near the coast to buy fish or shrimp so we will always have use for one.

We’ll get some brown paper.

[Bryan]

I don’t believe the tranny temp is what held you in 4th at the bottom of the hill. As long as the bus is pushing the engine the transmission does not automatically upshift. As soon as the road levels and the cruise control or your foot calls for power the tranny upshifts. If a lot of power is required it will hang in the lower gear, but usually the bottom of a descent has a long transition before an upslope.

[Bryan]

We’re bringing a big lobster pot, burner and 20# propane bottle.

[Bryan]

Wow! Thank you all for your responses. I didn’t expect so many so fast… This is better than the Porsche site I frequent 🙂

So, if I can summarize what I read… pretty much everyone warned and some said stay away from a coach of this age with 13k miles. I understand the logic… I own a boat, and while not nearly as complicated, the same lessons apply… It must be used or things start to deteriorate quickly.

At this point, I have inquiries out for quotes on storage, insurance, etc. If those don’t come back satisfactory, the deal ends there. If there are reasonable rates, I think it warrants more research into this particular coach. While we want to spend a lot of time (if not most) on the road, we will not do that for probably another 3-5 years.

I intend to take the recommendations here and have a thorough PDI done… investigate the records. If there is evidence that the coach was used lightly but run 50-100 miles down the road every month, and the maintenance looks recurrent and thorough, I can’t say that I will run away. However, I agree, if things looks spotty or if the dealer can’t prove things that need replacing have been replaced we will walk and keep looking.

To answer a couple of questions: Yes, I am comfortable with some DIY work and actually have shop space to do it, but I imagine I lack the tools to do some of the bigger jobs… Are 3/8″ and 1/2″ drive sockets big enough? 😉 Also, we are located in Tampa, FL. I think that is in my profile but realize that it didn’t translate to my sig.

I will post back when I learn more and keep everyone updated on what we find and how we choose to proceed…

Thanks!

Jeremy

[Bryan]

CHECKS IN THE MAIL.

That was my last check to so if the post office, (you know how they are) lost it, I’ll have to do it next year.

[Bryan]

Thanks for your insight, Fred. That is an informative but depressing post, as we are often in hot climes and will want all four Cruiseairs running while plugged in. I was not aware of an issue running them all from campground power, and I wonder if others on the board have had the same experience. There are certainly a lot of Prevosts out there with 4 Cruiseairs installed, and I would expect a lot of complaining if owners frequently had to resort to running just three. On my old Prevost we always ran all three Cruiseairs on campground 50 amp power and we never tripped a pedestal breaker in the 7 years I had that bus, so already my experience is slightly different than yours. Can anyone else share their experience?

Jon, I will have to experiment with the changeovers once I get the new Cruiseair installed and the inverter back online. Thanks.

[Bryan]

Unless your converter made specific provisions for switching from power sources I think what is typically happening is this.

When no 120 volt power is coming into the coach inverters are handling 120 volt loads drawing from the batteries. When shore power is connected there is likely a time delay before the coach transfer switch defaults to that power source. Ditto when the generator is turned on. If I had to guess why that happens it is probably to avoid phase issues.

My Cruiseairs shut down when power is interrupted and have to be turned on again manually on my 97 coach. I have not had a power disruption on the current coach which uses Crestron to turn them on so I can’t say the same thing will happen, I do need to know what happens, but I am having a hard time convincing myself I want to intentionaly screw with my shore power to see what happens. The difference between the 2 coaches is the 97 would not run the CA through inverters, whereas my current coach will allow a couple of CAs to run through the inverters.

[Bryan]

As you can see I did not clean or pick up tools. Was more concerned with figuring out pic posting problem. Tomorrow is work on cooling system day.! Then trip to jobber for 9 gal antifreeze plus distilled water. Bob

[Bryan]

[Bryan]

Our air systems are set up to prevent the passage of oil or moisture from the engine driven compressor. We do not have good protection against either downstream from the first tank (wet tank). I have never seen other than an oiless compressor installed by a converter. I would only use an oiless compressor and I would make sure there was a water trap or separator because that is the greatest problem with aux compressors.

The noise level is going to depend on where you locate the compressor and how. I have had an aux compressor located in the steer compartment, in the center of the coach in a sound box right ahead of the steer axle, and in the center of the coach immediately behind the first bay with an open mesh below it.

The first 2 were reasonably quiet both inside and out. The current one is the one in the center with an open mesh below it. It is very quiet in the coach, not so quiet outside. I do not know the brand or size of any of my compressors.

Since our coaches make all sorts of noises, both inside and outside I don’t think aux compressor noise is really an issue unless if runs long and often, and then the problem is not the compressor, but a coach that is leaking a lot of air.

[Bryan]

Thank you Jon, good to know.

[Bryan]

Yes, Jon, I had that same question about towing. The operator manual warns that ignition must be “on” during towing for the computer leveling to function and it also warns that the battery will run down quickly unless engine is running at high idle. There is no mention of how to solve the conundrum if the engine is broke. Can you say “Landoll”?

I understand that the aux compressor inlet was plumbed correctly as you describe, but will confirm that before connecting anything. Right now my challenge is finding a compressor. Thanks as always.

[Bryan]

Tom and I spent some time together in Nashville Monday evening and yesterday. I actually had my flip phone with the roatary dial with me and IT WAS TURNED ON. That amazed Tom. He of course had is latest and greatest technologically advanced cell phone and to show off he decided to track a check he had sent.

I admit to knowing little about the technical side of things but I do know when a log-in on a web site has failed. For about 15 minutes while waiting for a table I watch Tom enter his user name and passowrd. I now have them memorized I saw him enter them so often. Of course they did not work. So after we were seated at the restaurant Tom continued to work his smart phone. After another 15 minutes he turned the phone over to me so I could see he got access to the status of the check. I don’t know this for sure, but I think he was so excited he was able to use a phone to go on the internet that he peed his pants.

No wonder he makes fun of my flip phone. Unlike all the other phones people now use, mine appears to be the only one that cannot be called an adult toy.

[Bryan]

Change of plans: I will not need my trailer in Dunseith so I would love to drop it in Fargo. I will be going right back through there in 9-10 days. I have searched online and eliminated several storage facilities. One looks promising but can not know for sure with out stopping in.

Any suggestions or ideas? Keep in mind I will be parking it and picking it up with the bus so I need a little room. I will be going through there tomorrow, Wednesday.

May be a stab in the dark but worth a try.

DKO

[Bryan]

I’m dredging up this old post because the aux compressor has been removed from my bus and I am looking for the right one to replace it. Our entry door is air operated and we have the HWH air leveling, so the aux is really necessary. According to the scant documentation I have, the bus originally had a Jun-Air so based on the helpful posts here, I will just get one of those to replace it. Anyway, in reading all these posts I was intrigued by Jon’s comment that when the engine is shut off, the air suspension is locked, keeping the bus level. However, we have all seen old buses parked at the repair shop leaning in various directions and mine starts to lean at the front left after being parked for a few days (a problem I never had on my other coaches). I want to fix it. Am I correct that the lean indicates a leak either at the Norgren valve for that corner, the airbag for that corner, or the line connecting them? Thanks.