# Found out why my RV was so cheap!



## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

:rotflmao1: Well, I got the RV home and started playing around with everything. LP Gas is great although I've got to figure out why the fridge isn't working on propane. I hooked up the water and... it was not good! I'm not sure who worked on the plumbing but it was a mess! Stripped threads and cracked nuts... I had to rebuild the entire assembly from the water heater to the faucet and I'm going to chase the rest of the plumbing in the morning just to make sure there's no more leaks.

I also decided to check under the existing floor to look for any water damage. Here's where I really saved a ton of money! The cabinets are in great shape but the floor "under the cabinets" has had a lot of water damage. I'll walk the entire cab and look for any structural problems and I might get under it and look there too. Any other places I should look at or precautions I should take? 

I'll keep adding to this post as I'm sure I'll have other things to share!:bang:


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## mark (Nov 8, 2008)

Jeff,
Sounds like the "bargain" I got, roof leaked, water damage under kitchen cabinets, ac didn't work, the hot water heater was replaced with an electric 2 gallon water heater, plumbing needed fixed, furnace died the first week we used it, front end damage where some genius jack-knifed it... I'm thankful for the year of my life I spent working as a RV technician, or I would have had to take out a mortgage to fix this thing, lol 
Some of the things I typically do when I got a new camper include, use an air compressor to clean out the exhaust for hot water heater, and while you have the compressor out, clean the coils on the back of the fridge . trace where all the water lines run and carefully examine every inch of them while you have it hooked up to water, even a small drip at a connection can make a huge puddle and rot a floor, a quick-fix for a leaking connection is to dry it off and use a liberal amount of pvc cement over the affected area. That sure does beat tearing the whole darn thing apart and replacing good pipes for one leak (just did that 2 weekends ago).

I'll get "the list" out and post it here for you later


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Well Mark, I sure lucked out in comparison. I would have completely lost my mind if I had all those other problems. I'll blow out the coils on the fridge too. I've got to figure out why the ice maker's not putting out water and not I have a good excuse to pull out the whole thing. PVC cement!?! Brilliant! All my lines are tight "finally" but I'll defiantly remember that one.

Ok; new problem! When I step on the accelerator it takes a very long time to get going. Sometimes it starts off fine "when I have had it level" and sometimes it just doesn't want to get going. Going up hills I loose all my HP and only when I level out does it run better. I'm thinking it's the fuel pump but I'm no mechanic.


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## mark (Nov 8, 2008)

wow Jeff, we could start our own rv repair tricks forum, lol....

I spend a couple years turning wrench for the Pa Army National Guard, but I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn't sound like a fuel pump to me, normally when they start going they stop sending fuel to the engine, it sputters and dies, and you wait till the engine "cools" and it starts up again, or in my case, it just quit working and wouldn't start at all, I'll ask my buddy who is a mechanic for you tomorrow, but sounds like a possible compression problem to me ???? :shrug:


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Oh that's just my luck! I was able to find a good mechanic here so with any luck I can get it fixed without breaking the bank. Thanks


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## mark (Nov 8, 2008)

Maybe you'll get lucky and it will be a O2 sensor ? :shrug:


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Hmm.... I'm actually surprised I know what you're talking about. Is there a handheld sensor I could buy to read the engine errors or would it be a waste of money? I had a mechanic try to tell me that it would cost $300 for them to install a new MAF censor in my truck. It's the same thing right?


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## bobrussell (Jul 13, 2009)

the MAF is the mass air flow sensor, it'll be in the air intake some where (i've cleaned it before on the wife's mazda). black & decker makes a code reader but i'm not sure how good it is (around 100 bucks). usually you can go to autozone and they've check the codes out for you.


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Hey everyone! I wanted to bounce something off all the gear heads here" my mechanic told me that I need to either have my injectors refurbished or replaced because my engine is still not running as well as it should. 

My pops says their full of crap and are just trying to squeeze a few more bucks out of me. He says all I need to do is load the gas tank up with about 4 bottles of fuel injector cleaner and let it clean itself out. The problem is they have already done it so whose advice is better? 

Thanks in advance everyone!


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## mark (Nov 8, 2008)

depending on the miles you put on it, and highway/ vs/city I put in F.I. Cleaner every 4th tank full, but as you and I discussed, I put on average 300 miles a day, 6 days a week. Average use I would probably do it every 3 months, and they should be in good condition for you, hope this helped


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

That helps for maintenance and routine driving. Have you ever heard of replacing the injectors because they won't come clean?


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## ctfortner (Nov 16, 2007)

I havent heard anyone having to replace them because they wouldnt come clean.  I know place have a machine, a motor vac I think its called, that they can clean the injectors on the car. You can also do yourself to, if you were so inclined. You can hook up a bottle to the fuel rail and remove the fuel pump relay and let the bottle you hooked up be the gas for the system while cleaning. Hard to explain, found a vid for you to see what I mean. Just thinking if it was going to cost you much for them to do it, you may do it yourself cheaper and be able to do whenever you wanted to.

YouTube - How to clean fuel injectors in your car.


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Awesome! I'm getting the rv today and I'll buy the injector stuff later on today. Thanks everyone!


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks guys! I did take it home this morning. They charged me a grand for an oil change, replaced the spark plugs, drained the fuel tank and filled it up a 1/4 the way, "208 fuel additive", and replace vent hose. 

Parts $162
Labor $770

Guess who got screwed? Anyone know a good mechanic in Colorado?


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## ctfortner (Nov 16, 2007)

Wow, sorry to hear that. That is a freaking ripoff! They must charge about $350 an hour for labor.


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

I always get screwed whenever I go to the mechanics but this one's by far the worst. I picked up 3 bottles of B-12 Chemtool and ordered one of those Fuel Injection Canisters to hook up to the air tank so I have a good feeling that will take care of the problem.


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Well, I decided to ditch the injector cleaner idea and just replace the injectors. Not a bad job. Now, does anyone know where they put the computer so I can hook up a code reader? It's a 96 but as I'm reading quite a few of them are really 95's that were completed in 96. Make the pain end!


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## ctfortner (Nov 16, 2007)

Not sure about that year but there may/should be a diagnostic port under the dash to plug into. I think some have 2, one for ABS and one for engine. May have a cap on it you need to pull off to expose it. Look around the gas pedal area and steering column.


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks ctfortner!

I just found it! Off to the auto store! The damn thing is under the doghouse on the left side parallel to the gas pedal. 

First test: Engine Diagnostics
I ran the diagnostics test and the code it's throwing is 543 (fuel pump circuit open connection - ECA to battery) I started chasing things and found the EEC had been disconnected for some reason and connected to the EEC wiring was this: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4794681676_ce1ae69838_b.jpg

So the big question is why this was done? Is the EEC faulty and someone just made a temporary bypass or what?

Second test: Fuel Pressure
I ran this twice because the first time I shut the engine off and depressurized the gauge air "not fuel" came out. The first reading was 25psi

The second reading was 20psi and just out of curiosity, because it's a fuel line and not an O2 line, I depressurized the gauge (while the engine was running) and watched a whole lot of air bubbles pass through the line for about a minute. 

I'm thinking this isn't supposed to be happening.


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

I finally found out what's wrong with the Rambler! "Ford had a problem with the in-tank fuel pump failing when the gas in the tank gets hot." 

'96 Ford 460 Fuel inj. engine VAPOR LOCK PROBLEM - General - RVAmerica.com


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## ctfortner (Nov 16, 2007)

Good deal, glad you found it. Whats the next step, replace it, or go for an auxiliary style pump external? I had to replace a fuel pump in a mustang years ago, dropping the tank getting to it was a PAIN. May not be so bad in your case, not sure how hard it is to get to. Keep us posted!


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

I can't do this one on my own. Every DIY project I've read about ended up with secondary pump and no inline filter. I've also read that the tank is a beast to work with "all the wires an connections" and I don't have all the equipment / balls to tackle this one. 

I called the several of the local Ford dealerships and found one with a big enough lift to do the job. The mechanic knew what I was talking about right away and has done several repairs. "Could have used that information a month ago but live-and-learn!" 

Anyway, that's where we stand. I'm starting to realize the pride of pain we feel for our rigs! LOL! Maturity's overrated! :rotflmao1:


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## jeffmue (Apr 22, 2010)

I took it to the Ford dealership, they put in a new fuel pump, and now the RV drives like it should! I wish I had taken it to them the first time but, live and learn!


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