Clint
Forum Replies Created
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Easiest way for chassis batteries is using the 24v jump lug and a 24v charger. Battery Tender has a 24v trickle that works well.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Coming from the Bluebird world, supply side PS hose replacement is a common 20 year maintenance item. And it’s a PIA job to do. That said, I was having a Prevost (XL) inspected recently and the inspector (well known in this crowd) said he hardly ever hears about PS hose issues?
Not sure if he meant replacing them is a non-issue or they never need replacing.
Anyway, thought that was a little odd.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
24vdc cable to Vanners is to charge house batteries when the engine is running, hence the need for the Vanner to decrease voltage.
so I still need them even if I switch to LFP batts. Assuming I can still charge LFP batts with Vanners.Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Still looking for a ‘Top Shelf’ S60 XL. Slim pickens these days.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
NAPA has a very large selection of mud flaps. Buy un-logo and cut to size with heavy duty cutter.
They are not expensive through NAPA
AL
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Thanks for the responses.
Pretty sure I found the problem…I’m taking it apart today. The rheostat on the dash has been a little loose for a while and I think it got twisted in the mounting too far and messed something up. The blower started working when I attempted to put the switch back in it’s correct position.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Your Royale should have one. Look in your main breaker box in the coach. Is there a breaker labeled”Block Heater” or “Engine heat”? If so, it should be located on the engine bay ceiling. Open the engine doors and look straight up. This plug would only operate while the coach is plugged in or running generator.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Walt,
Do you have your SMX pads set on I or C for the roof airs?
If it’s C continuous that could bring in a problem with fans running.
You should be set on I so the AC’s shut off when reaching temp.
I got nothing else.
Later
bv
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
So ….there is a 2000 Marathon on Prevost Stuff Website…..
https://www.prevost-stuff.com/2000PrevostMarathonXL_Bruce050721.html
The seller is Bruce at AutoNetwork in Bend, Oregon……..I bought my Marathon coach #632 from him. My coach was wholesale’d to him by Marathon ….I suspect this coach was as well. This listed price is pricey …. considering this is coach #599 and I paid way south of that in 2018 for #632. He is a good guy to do business with …..don’t be afraid to make an offer.
I had Coachworks, TEC Equipment, and FreightLiner all in Eugene,OR go through and inspect the bus on a pre-buy. It’s the bus side of the coach you should but the money into. After purchase and inspections…..I made a deal with TEC Equipment on labor rate and got a very road worthy coach.
If the interior is in good shape like mine was all the do dad’s can be worked on later. TEC has two Prevost mechanics in Eugene as they do a lot of work for Marathon which is right next door on their fence line.
Coachworks can save you some money of interior stuff. Here is the real key to a older Marathon and is hidden from view. The Techon Cabin Management in a Marathon is it’s heart. It is a robust system …. however it can loose it’s mind. It requires a reset on a 20 year old coach to go another 10 years. The Marathon has two boards which are the brains ..one is the waterbay board and the other is the generator board. These boards control everything that Marathon installed electrically. The folks at EDSI who designed the system for Marathon and still support it … will send you their trouble shooting laptop. They can review the system for errors and help you correct them.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Hey George! I bought a new dryer also, When they evacuate the freon we will install,leak test and charge. I gave Truck ac .com old part # and matched it to a new one.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
You may not have meant to start a debate, but………….IMO, when buying that old of a bus you need to be $rich$, handy, or both.
Our bus has 3 CA from 3 different manufactures, Taylor Made Development, Marine Development, and AAP/Dometic. They are what came in it when we bought it 7-8 yrs ago. I’m definitely NOT rich, but I am a DIYer (by necessity). I’ve learned and managed to keep them going. Mine aren’t maintenance free, but they’re paid for, and I work cheap. One leaks a pound or two of R22 per yr. The other two leak a little every few yrs. I’ve had capacitors fail twice. The CA condensers are difficult to work on due to their location.
I love our Liberty, but I would prefer roof airs. You can buy 3 or 4 new roof airs for the price on one rebuilt CA. It would free up space too.Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
My new to me 1998 CC apparently has a bad card related to the Websato heat system. Jeff at ETLC was able to diagnose it but said the card would need to be sent out for repairs. I am not sure who or where but Jeff should be a good place to start.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
I have a 95 CC. There is circuit board in the front left compartment that needed repaired many years ago. Miles Circo graciously fixed it for me. When I first bought the coach in 2013, I repaired the OTR CC air conditioning. When it quit shortly after fixing it, I decided to simply run the roof airs with the generator when needed. I have never had a problem repairing or replacing anything else. I’m sure the biggest difficulty would be fixing the ECC that controls the electrical systems, but so far I’ve never had an issue.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN -
Talk about thread creep … I mean really creepy thread creep!
Just to reinforce what Jon says about the PC Forum being open, not being subject to personal animosities, and suggesting the administrators are not (too) thin skinned … I’m going to disagree with Jon. Watch closely what happens!
Jon said: “There is nobody better qualified to do a pre-purchase inspection than the buyer”
I strongly disagree with that. Especially if you’re a first time Prevost buyer and doubly especially if you’re a first time RV buyer.
I’ve been around GA airplanes, small boats, and race cars over the years. But NONE of that prepared me for a Prevost purchase and ownership like the PC Forum and previous to Geo Prentice telling me about the PC Forum another online Forum that is focused on the care and feeding of Prevosts. And even then, with all the preparation and knowledge base I was awfully “green” when it came to a Prevost coach.
I was fortunate that when we found “our coach” it was only 18 miles from Jeff Rowe at East Tennessee Luxury Coach and he inspected it for us. Jeff’s inspection saved me some money and allowed my to negotiate much harder with the seller who was in denial about deficiencies with the coach which was “impeccably maintained”.
Through Facebook I’ve watched Gil Johnson write about anything related to a Prevost coach and even have had Gil compliment me on the insightfulness of some (but certainly not all) of my thoughts, observations, and posts. (In fairness to Jon and Tom … both of them have also complimented me.)
There is NO substitution for what NASCAR driver Darrel Waltrip calls “sperience”. Whether its driving a race car, flying an airplane, making good decisions at work, or inspecting a Prevost motorcoach … the more one pulls the trigger, the more likely that person is going to be his or her craft. And I think that goes for Gil. He appears to inspect many coaches and apparently is in contact with the buyer after the sale which enhances he experiences.
Mr. YellowJacket comes to Prevost inspection from another direction … converting them. I’m anxious for him to share what he sees in the marketplace.
If we were to buy another coach, I would try to get Gil or Jeff Rowe or YellowJacket or even Tom or Jon or one of the handful of Prevost focused shops around the country to inspect it with me. But absent all those options not being available to me, I’d probably get out I think its Jon’s checklist and go it on my own. But on my own after seven years and many Benjamin’s paying my Prevost tuition bills; a luxury a new to Prevost buyer just doesn’t have.
A first time Prevost or RV buyer just isn’t aware of what he or she doesn’t know. There is lots of stuff to know and understand about a Prevost motorhome. Some things can be readily apparent … like switches that don’t do anything or A/C units that won’t start or put out cold air. But those are just the start. I don’t see it too much on the PC Forum but on the Facebook Prevost pages there appears to be people buying Prevost coaches from private owners (and owners who don’t much about the the caoches either!) and don’t get much training and indoctrination to their coach. I can only speculate what their “pre-purchase inspection” was like.
I strongly recommend a thorough inspection by a good inspector. If that’s not available to you, another Prevost owner is better than going it on your own. I’ve offered to look at coaches for prospective buyers in my neighborhood and I think other current and past owners would do the same.
Good luck to Dr. Gary in his search.
Clint & Tammy Summers
2000 XL 45 Country Coach (rivets)
1977 FC31 Bluebird Wanderlodge (more rivets)
Vonore TN