GMCMI Magazine Article(s)

[Ken H.]

I've been asked to help prepare an article for the Spring issue of the
GMCMI magazine. A proposed topic is the "unwrapping" of winterized coaches
-- which sounds like a good topic for the Spring -- or whenever we get the
opportunity to break out of our isolation. But I have a problem: I've
never winterized a coach -- I don't believe in trying to exist again in
that kind of weather (having spent 4 years in "Purgatory" -- Dayton, OH).

So, I'm looking for someone to be the author of such an article. Failing
that -- or to help that author -- if you have a checklist for
"de-mothballing" or some such, please send me a copy.

Please, if you have other articles to offer, or ideas for them, speak up!

TIA,

Ken H.

 

[LQQKatJon]

Ken- I read your first paragraph and was perplexed as to why of all people they would ask you- from Georgia? Then I read the rest of the story!

This is kinda like asking what kind of oil to use, it is a pretty open ended subject, and depends on your you winterized it. Blowing out the lines?
pumped in antifreeze? where and what drains you might have.

I parked my coach last november with a full tank of fuel, and charged up batteries, and all lines had pink antifreeze in them. I backed it in,
disconnected the negative cables on the batteries, set up some mouse traps and left. Last monday I went down there, hooked up the batteries, turned
the key, the EFI fired off and drove it home. this weekend I will close the dump valve on the black tank, and flip my waterheater shut off valves
and close the drain on my fresh water tank, and just start using it as if winter never happened. I suppose I will also stock up the cupboards a
little bit with non-perishables I like to keep on hand. I do clear the food out for the winter.

I think that you probably are better suited to describe yearly maintenance that maybe done at this time such as greasing, change oil(I don't do it
seasonally- I just change every 3000 miles). walk around and check things over such as tire pressure, oil check, tranny level check, ect... things
that i generally do constantly all year.

My friend Ed on the other hand, we have to go out and take a floor jack, and pull out the cribbing he sets his frame on. He removed the batteries,
and keeps those on a bench all winter near a charger, so we have to go put the batteries. His is a carb, with an aux fuel pump, so I believe just
switching to the aux for 30 seconds before we crank it up, and it should start. He also has covers over the tires that need to be removed. picking
his up from where it sits will be a 1/2 ordeal as compared to the 30 minutes it took to get mine back in the driveway.

I will see about some photos this weekend maybe when I am getting the plumbing system back operational. The only other thing that comes to mind, is
it tends to take a trip or two to rid all remnents of the pink antifreeze out. I always use bottle water for coffee and drinking, so I suppose one
could spend some time flushing out the fresh water quicker.


--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

 

[LarryW]

> Ken- I read your first paragraph and was perplexed as to why of all people they would ask you- from Georgia? Then I read the rest of the
> story!
>
>
> This is kinda like asking what kind of oil to use, it is a pretty open ended subject, and depends on your you winterized it. Blowing out the
> lines? pumped in antifreeze? where and what drains you might have.
>
> I parked my coach last november with a full tank of fuel, and charged up batteries, and all lines had pink antifreeze in them. I backed it in,
> disconnected the negative cables on the batteries, set up some mouse traps and left. Last monday I went down there, hooked up the batteries,
> turned the key, the EFI fired off and drove it home. this weekend I will close the dump valve on the black tank, and flip my waterheater shut
> off valves and close the drain on my fresh water tank, and just start using it as if winter never happened. I suppose I will also stock up the
> cupboards a little bit with non-perishables I like to keep on hand. I do clear the food out for the winter.
>
> I think that you probably are better suited to describe yearly maintenance that maybe done at this time such as greasing, change oil(I don't do it
> seasonally- I just change every 3000 miles). walk around and check things over such as tire pressure, oil check, tranny level check, ect...
> things that i generally do constantly all year.
>
> My friend Ed on the other hand, we have to go out and take a floor jack, and pull out the cribbing he sets his frame on. He removed the
> batteries, and keeps those on a bench all winter near a charger, so we have to go put the batteries. His is a carb, with an aux fuel pump, so I
> believe just switching to the aux for 30 seconds before we crank it up, and it should start. He also has covers over the tires that need to be
> removed. picking his up from where it sits will be a 1/2 ordeal as compared to the 30 minutes it took to get mine back in the driveway.
>
> I will see about some photos this weekend maybe when I am getting the plumbing system back operational. The only other thing that comes to mind,
> is it tends to take a trip or two to rid all remnents of the pink antifreeze out. I always use bottle water for coffee and drinking, so I suppose
> one could spend some time flushing out the fresh water quicker.

--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.

 

[LarryW]

Ken,
Email sent.
--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.

 

[Ken B]

Good luck on your article. How to you write a generic "undo" article unless you know what was done in the first place? There are too many variables.


Good Luck
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[Ken H.]

Being less than a novice at the practice, that's why I asked for Y'All's
help. Maybe a "covers everything" checklist for the Fall, with a Spring
"Undo all the above that you checked off" is most appropriate?

Ken H.

On Tue, Mar 31, 2020 at 11:51 PM Ken Burton via Gmclist <

> Good luck on your article. How to you write a generic "undo" article
> unless you know what was done in the first place? There are too many
> variables.
>
>
> Good Luck
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[Matt Colie]

> Being less than a novice at the practice, that's why I asked for Y'All's help. Maybe a "covers everything" checklist for the Fall, with a Spring
> "Undo all the above that you checked off" is most appropriate?
>
> Ken H.

Ken and Y'all,
As I have participated in the lay-up and fit-out of a number of lake ships, I have confidence that a set of check lists can be created.

For the ships I worked at those times, these were always multiple lists by both system and location. Some were old and hand copied others were
obviously fleet -wide mimeograph things delivered to the crew in binders and nicely organized. (Yes, some were done in berry juice and written on
parchment and had to be handled carefully.) Those that were done as a single ship and so by specific vessel were the easiest to follow.

I think we could come very close to the later if we were to split off by the differences that we know exist. (i.e. a 73-23 is different than most
anything else.) So, there will have to be some places where the owner is advised to locate the part where it is in his coach.

I am currently still embroiled in making the repairs that are required after the return from Tallahassee, but as soon as I am able to commit the time
I would help as long as the circulated documents are not *.doc or docx.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[Ken B]

It all depends on the system. How many bypass valves? How many check valves? in the system are the first questions. I have 3 of each. Were the
lines just blown out or was anti-freeze added also? Was the water tank and water heater tank and Black tank left open?

An example of my procedure in the spring is:
1. Transfer all 3 bypass valves
2. Close the hot water tank drain.
3. Close main water tank drain
4. Fill the main water tank with water and 1/2 cup of bleach.
5. Turn on the water pump and start flushing at all faucets, and shower head, and toilet until I have run the main water tank dry.
6. Refill the water tank.
7. Drain the Black tank.
8. END of article.

--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[Bill Bryant]

Ken,

May not of great use but FYI there is a "Dealer Service Information Bulletin"
#73-IM-16

Subject: Winterization proceedure for living area water system for winter use of motor home

Group 24-Misc-1

Date Dec 14 1973

Good luck,
Bill
--
Bill Bryant
PO 1976~PB (owned 34 years)
1914 Ford (owned 70 years)
1965 Corvette (owned 39 years)
GMC Motorhome History

 

[Ken H.]

Thanks, Bill. I'll take a look at it.

Hope Y'All are staying isolated without problems. We are -- not really
much of a change for us except we'll not visiting with our kids who live 85
and 125 miles away.

Ken

On Fri, Apr 3, 2020 at 5:26 PM Bill Bryant via Gmclist <

> Ken,
>
> May not of great use but FYI there is a "Dealer Service Information
> Bulletin"
> #73-IM-16
>
> Subject: Winterization proceedure for living area water system for winter
> use of motor home
>
> Group 24-Misc-1
>
> Date Dec 14 1973
>
> Good luck,
> Bill
> --
> Bill Bryant
> PO 1976~PB (owned 34 years)
> 1914 Ford (owned 70 years)
> 1965 Corvette (owned 39 years)
> GMC Motorhome History
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[d c *mac* macdonald]

Is that service bulletin one that's generally available?

D C "Mac" Macdonald
Amateur Radio K2GKK
Since 30 November '53
USAF and FAA, Retired
Member GMCMI & Classics
Oklahoma City, OK
"The Money Pit"
TZE166V101966
'76 ex-Palm Beach
k2gkk + hotmail dot com

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Bill Bryant via Gmclist
Sent: Friday, April 3, 2020 16:25
To: gmclist
Cc: Bill Bryant
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] GMCMI Magazine Article(s)

Ken,

May not of great use but FYI there is a "Dealer Service Information Bulletin"
#73-IM-16

Subject: Winterization procedure for living area water system for winter use of motor home

Group 24-Misc-1

Date Dec 14 1973

Good luck,
Bill
--
Bill Bryant
PO 1976~PB (owned 34 years)
1914 Ford (owned 70 years)
1965 Corvette (owned 39 years)
GMC Motorhome History

 

[Bill Bryant]

Go to bdub manuals
GMC Motorhome Documents
GMC Factory Manuals scroll to bottom, X-0021 its there in section #24

Bill
--
Bill Bryant
PO 1976~PB (owned 34 years)
1914 Ford (owned 70 years)
1965 Corvette (owned 39 years)
GMC Motorhome History