Nate's Ride

[jim bounds1]

Justin,

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I've got so many worthwhile posts
to answer it is hard to get it all done.

Yea, they were pretty cool ideas and many of them are still worthwhile but
I will tell you from being involved from the beginning on the mods at
CLASCO that they were very labor intensive.

Everything has to be moved- water, power, plumbing, fixtures, the works.
They were great but you need to hold onto your wallet and the shake down
after having so much altered was a critical portion of the job.

I will do it if you want, but I warn you of the price!

Let me know if you have interest, I have 3 techs. that worked with me at
CLASCO with me now and we can most defenetly do the job!

Se ya,

Jim Bounds
- ----------------------

>In a message dated 10/1/99 10:30:42 PM Central Daylight Time,

>
> history! >>
>Jim, I was looking through my files awhile ago trying to find my notes on
how
>to put the screen door panels back and ran across an old Clasco brochure
>describing how they could change things around and make room for twin beds
in
>the back. Guess I had never noticed it before. Wasn't a bad floor plan.
>Are you doing things like that now?
>Justin
>
>

 

[nate chase]

Arch,
Awhile back you asked if Caspro blocked the crossovers in the aluminum
intake manifold. I don't know for sure as the docs (1 page) says only
roughly what they do and replace (no name brands or anything... same info as
the AJUSA site). I don't notice any discoloration on the manifold though at
all.
Also they use a TOMCO carb (Tomco Auto Products, Vernon, CA.). Looks like
brand new one. Seems to work well for starting and running.
Got all my minor leaks and seeps tightened up here and there. I expected
some and now I can park anywhere and not see a drop! MAJOR improvement over
when I first brought it 6 months ago! Got about 2K miles on the engine now.
Been thinking of Mobile1 but will wait awhile till I get a few more miles on
her.
Only complaint I have left (2 really) is the distributor advance is WAY
too picky (Jim knows) and the lifters still seem pretty noisy. I found a
small header/manifold leak on the passenger side and that took away alot of
the noise but it's still seems pretty noisy there. In F.C. Chuck said to
send him the distrib this winter and he'd bench test it for me to be sure
it's OK.
Didn't ask him about the lifters at that time then since there was so much
noise coming from the modified hatch. All you heard was a ROAR! Now that I
have a nice tight hatch I seem to notice the valve/lifter noise alot. Doubt
their adjustable (don't know for sure). Thought I'd call Chuck on this one.
If I knew of a real good way to check the exhaust manifold for leaks I would
rule that noise out for good but it might just be that... (I'm no pro wrench
and don't claim to be one).
BTW... Do your gears... or you'll regret it like me! Who needs to cruise
at 80+ mph on top 6 tons that's 25 years old??? Speed limits only 55-75. I
can go plenty fast enough on the bike to get those speeding tickets, (82 in
a 55 last year... thank you very much, officer)!

Nate '75GB (Still ridin' the Bad Boy and almost Halloween... gotta love
that!) Omaha

 

[nate chase]

Welp, I just had a local shop look at my coach. He found both exhaust
manifolds leaking pretty bad. He will be changing those out. Told him that
was part of the noise but not the bad part.
Couldn't get it to duplicate the nasty noises John Nepper and I heard that
afternoon a couple of weeks back. He had me slightly power break it to see
if we could get it to shake, rattle or roll. Tried it (pretty easy mind you)
a few times but to no avail. He doubted it was the torque converter. Then
when I went to park it in his lot I started it on an incline, put it in gear
and went to go up this hill and suddenly it did it big time! He grinned at
me through the open passenger window and said "Simple! That's your
muffler!"!!! I was, needless to say, delighted. Told him to shoot me a price
on 3" pipe and new FlowMaster mufflers. He said I would probably be unhappy
with them as they are NOISY. He said he has installed some nice high flow
kind with good luck (can't recall the name) that are nice flow and quite to
boot. Talked to Jim Bounds and he said the samething that the others are TOO
darn noisy. I don't want a hotrod just a good running MH.
So gang, I'll keep my fingers crossed till I get her back this time and
see where we are from here. Sounds promising and I'll be grinin' like a dead
hog in the sunshine if this does the trick!

Nate 75GB (life is better now) Omaha

 

[john nepper jr.]

Hey Nate:
Go over to Mad Hatter and have him replace your exhaust system. DFon't
go to 3" just use what he says. He's done lots of GMC motorhomes
(Chuck's etc.)

John

>
> Welp, I just had a local shop look at my coach. He found both exhaust
> manifolds leaking pretty bad. He will be changing those out. Told him that
> was part of the noise but not the bad part.
> Couldn't get it to duplicate the nasty noises John Nepper and I heard that
> afternoon a couple of weeks back. He had me slightly power break it to see
> if we could get it to shake, rattle or roll. Tried it (pretty easy mind you)
> a few times but to no avail. He doubted it was the torque converter. Then
> when I went to park it in his lot I started it on an incline, put it in gear
> and went to go up this hill and suddenly it did it big time! He grinned at
> me through the open passenger window and said "Simple! That's your
> muffler!"!!! I was, needless to say, delighted. Told him to shoot me a price
> on 3" pipe and new FlowMaster mufflers. He said I would probably be unhappy
> with them as they are NOISY. He said he has installed some nice high flow
> kind with good luck (can't recall the name) that are nice flow and quite to
> boot. Talked to Jim Bounds and he said the samething that the others are TOO
> darn noisy. I don't want a hotrod just a good running MH.
> So gang, I'll keep my fingers crossed till I get her back this time and
> see where we are from here. Sounds promising and I'll be grinin' like a dead
> hog in the sunshine if this does the trick!
>
> Nate 75GB (life is better now) Omaha

 

[nate chase]

Welp, still waiting to get the "Sweat Lodge" back. Seems the wrench I took
to has been "Just too busy to get to it...". I am contemplating doing the
exhaust manifold gasket swap myself. So, here is a good question for those
in the know. What's the best way to seal up the exhaust manifold for the
long haul (w/headers)?

I know there are FelPro gaskets, copper gaskets, no gaskets, etc. I have
older headers and if I have to I will try to find a machine shop that can
somehow clamp these babies up to mill off any irregularities. The more I
think of that the harder I'll bet it will be to find someone to take it on.
Someone mentioned taking the inner fender wells off makes the job much
easier... true?

With that being said, what is the best way to seal 'em up? Seems I have
heard 1/2 dozen different suggestions and everyone has a different one
ranging from no gasket, Felpro dry, Felpro w/red RTV, Copper dry, on headers
don't use copper, etc. I'm starting to get "The Arch Syndrome" here guys (no
offense, Arch)! I wanna do this right... ONCE! All suggestions will be
greatly appreciated.

Nate '75GB (Manifolded in) Omaha
www.tconl.com\~chase

 

[tom warner]

I would def take the fender wells off as it makes everything easier and
takes only a few minutes.

I used the cheapest steel Mr. Gasket and sealed both sides with permatex
copper, let it set a few minutes before putting it all together. It is still
sealed tight. I am going to remove the exhaust manifolds shortly so new
heads and thorley ceramic coated headers can be installed. I hve not seen a
pair of cast iron manifolds stay sealed on the GMC yet.

>Welp, still waiting to get the "Sweat Lodge" back. Seems the wrench I took
>to has been "Just too busy to get to it...". I am contemplating doing the
>exhaust manifold gasket swap myself. So, here is a good question for those
>in the know. What's the best way to seal up the exhaust manifold for the
>long haul (w/headers)?
>
>I know there are FelPro gaskets, copper gaskets, no gaskets, etc. I have
>older headers and if I have to I will try to find a machine shop that can
>somehow clamp these babies up to mill off any irregularities. The more I
>think of that the harder I'll bet it will be to find someone to take it on.
>Someone mentioned taking the inner fender wells off makes the job much
>easier... true?
>
>With that being said, what is the best way to seal 'em up? Seems I have
>heard 1/2 dozen different suggestions and everyone has a different one
>ranging from no gasket, Felpro dry, Felpro w/red RTV, Copper dry, on headers
>don't use copper, etc. I'm starting to get "The Arch Syndrome" here guys (no
>offense, Arch)! I wanna do this right... ONCE! All suggestions will be
>greatly appreciated.
>
>Nate '75GB (Manifolded in) Omaha
>www.tconl.com\~chase
>
>

 

[john wright]

Nate,
Everyone has there own way of sealing the exhaust manifolds. I
personally used the FelPro header gaskets #1439 and the high temp red
RTV. 10k miles and no leaks. It all depends on how much you want to
spend. I can do a lot of gasket changes for the price of a set of
headers and the prep work needed to install them. If I change the
gaskets every 20K to 35K miles its still cheaper.

The wheel well liners come out in about 5 min per side. The bolts along
the edge are taken out and there is one bolt in the inside middle top
that holds it up. Can't believe the difference in room you have to work
on things.

J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
77 Eleganza II
Michigan

>
> Welp, still waiting to get the "Sweat Lodge" back. Seems the wrench I took
> to has been "Just too busy to get to it...". I am contemplating doing the
> exhaust manifold gasket swap myself. So, here is a good question for those
> in the know. What's the best way to seal up the exhaust manifold for the
> long haul (w/headers)?
>
> I know there are FelPro gaskets, copper gaskets, no gaskets, etc. I have
> older headers and if I have to I will try to find a machine shop that can
> somehow clamp these babies up to mill off any irregularities. The more I
> think of that the harder I'll bet it will be to find someone to take it on.
> Someone mentioned taking the inner fender wells off makes the job much
> easier... true?
>
> With that being said, what is the best way to seal 'em up? Seems I have
> heard 1/2 dozen different suggestions and everyone has a different one
> ranging from no gasket, Felpro dry, Felpro w/red RTV, Copper dry, on headers
> don't use copper, etc. I'm starting to get "The Arch Syndrome" here guys (no
> offense, Arch)! I wanna do this right... ONCE! All suggestions will be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Nate '75GB (Manifolded in) Omaha
> www.tconl.com\~chase