GMC service Denver Area

[robert m fukumoto]

- ----------
From: Richard Guthart
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 1998 9:14 AM
To: Robert M Fukumoto
Subject: Re: GMC service Denver Area

Bob,

Thanks for the tips on where to go for service in this area.

When we get around to restoring the interior I'd love to talk with you =
about
what you did. Ours needs a lot in the area of interior restoration but =
my
first priorities are the drive train, suspension and brakes.

I was wondering... Why did you replace the converter and battery =
isolator?
(Is there just one?)
I haven't checked out the electrical system yet but will have to soon,
because the batteries are old.

Also, you mentioned installing shutoffs on the heater hose. Would you =
mind
sharing the information on what parts you installed and where you =
inserted
them? Was that necessary because the dash vent air gets warmed a little =
even
with the heater controls set to cool? I've wondered if mine is doing =
that.

Dick Guthart

My converter was throwing off 18 volts and there was no adjustment to =
change the voltage. The company that made the unit was out of business =
so I ended up buying a Magnatex converter which, by the way, I have now =
heard good and bad things about.

I replaced the isolator early on because I was having trouble with the =
original batteries charging. As it turns out, the batteries were bad =
and the isolator was ok but I kept the isolator.

I was told by several GMC Western Staters that the heater hose shutoff =
valves never quite shut off the flow and in hot weather you can feel the =
heat coming out of the vent system. Since it was cheap I just put in a =
ball valve (around $6) with two 5/8" hose barbs in the place of the =
original shutoff valve which was between the two front access doors on =
my coach. I also have an added on heater under the front dining room =
seat that was hot to the touch after driving only a short distance so I =
put a shutoff on that too. Of interest in my coach is there is a device =
under the coach, to the front of the door that looks like an old style =
home steam radiator made of copper pipe. It is hooked up to the heater =
line that flows to the bath water heater. I can only assume that it is =
there to dissipate heat and it seems like a decent idea to me.=20

My water temp gauge runs between 190 and 200 when I have had it out on =
hot days. Does this seem normal to all? By the way, I just put Castrol =
Syntec synthetic oil in both my engine and Onan and Prolong Oil =
treatment in the engine and Prolong transmission treatment in the AT. I =
was pretty convinced (or gullible) by the infomercials on TV. We'll see =
how it works.

Bob Fukumoto
76 Palm Beach newbie =20

 

[bartz paul]

Bob:

I caution you about where you located your ball valve.

Although you may not realize it, the ball valve and hose barbs have
enough unsupported mass to cause stress on the inlet and outlet pipes on
the heater core. I know of instances where because of the vibrations
induced on the unsupported weight by driving down the road, the pipes
have cracked causing a coolant leak.

I mounted my ball valve in the vicinity of the radiator filler opening,
taking advantage of the hose clamps further up the line securing the
coolant hoses to the coach.

My temperature gauge reads similar to yours.

As to your oil additive, regardless of all the hype you read or view and
all peoples beliefs, most are considered "band aid" treatments at best.
In other words, it never fixes the problem.

I don't have anything against synthetic oil per se, but unless you have
a relatively fresh engine, you won't either want to or be able to afford
going synthetic in the coach engine. It will either leak or burn just
as fast, if not quicker, as regular oil will. Here again you'll see all
manor of protestations and testimonials. Reminds me of people who use
premium gasoline vs. unleaded, when the engine does not ping with
unleaded. It's been proven time and again that it is a waste of money
in spite of, again, all the testimonials (runs cooler, get better
mileage, etc., etc.) to the contrary.

Whew!!!!!! Did I say all that??????

Paul Bartz

> From: Robert M Fukumoto [SMTP:fukf19]
> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 1998 12:09 PM
> Subject: RE: GMC: GMC service Denver Area
>
> From: Richard Guthart
> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 1998 9:14 AM
> To: Robert M Fukumoto
> Subject: Re: GMC service Denver Area
>
> Bob,
>
> Thanks for the tips on where to go for service in this area.
>
> When we get around to restoring the interior I'd love to talk with you
> about what you did. Ours needs a lot in the area of interior
> restoration but my first priorities are the drive train, suspension
> and brakes.
>
> I was wondering... Why did you replace the converter and battery
> isolator? (Is there just one?) I haven't checked out the electrical
> system yet but will have to soon, because the batteries are old.
>
> Also, you mentioned installing shutoffs on the heater hose. Would you
> mind sharing the information on what parts you installed and where you
> inserted them? Was that necessary because the dash vent air gets
> warmed a little even with the heater controls set to cool? I've
> wondered if mine is doing that.
>
> Dick Guthart
>
>
> My converter was throwing off 18 volts and there was no adjustment to
> change the voltage. The company that made the unit was out of
> business so I ended up buying a Magnatex converter which, by the way,
> I have now heard good and bad things about.
>
> I replaced the isolator early on because I was having trouble with the
> original batteries charging. As it turns out, the batteries were bad
> and the isolator was ok but I kept the isolator.
>
> I was told by several GMC Western Staters that the heater hose shutoff
> valves never quite shut off the flow and in hot weather you can feel
> the heat coming out of the vent system. Since it was cheap I just put
> in a ball valve (around $6) with two 5/8" hose barbs in the place of
> the original shutoff valve which was between the two front access
> doors on my coach.
>
> I also have an added on heater under the front dining room seat that
> was hot to the touch after driving only a short distance so I put a
> shutoff on that too.
>
> Of interest in my coach is there is a device under the coach, to the
> front of the door that looks like an old style home steam radiator
> made of copper pipe. It is hooked up to the heater line that flows to
> the bath water heater. I can only assume that it is there to
> dissipate heat and it seems like a decent idea to me.
>
> My water temp gauge runs between 190 and 200 when I have had it out on
> hot days. Does this seem normal to all?
>
> By the way, I just put Castrol Syntec synthetic oil in both my engine
> and Onan and Prolong Oil treatment in the engine and Prolong
> transmission treatment in the AT. I was pretty convinced (or
> gullible) by the infomercials on TV. We'll see how it works.
>
> Bob Fukumoto
> 76 Palm Beach newbie