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Posted by: Jackflash
08-14-2018, 12:23 PM
Forum: Travel Logs
- Replies (50)

The Plan - Pick up the three Granddaughters in Dallas, head up to Michigan to visit Dianna's family for a bit, run up to Petoskey to do some sight-seeing with the girls then swing by Cincinnati to visit with my sister for a couple days on the way home.  Simple, right?

The reality - Everything seems ok as we head out, air pressures don't seem to come up as quickly as usual but they do come up, we get out of the driveway without issue and merrily make our way to Dallas in anticipation of seeing the girls for the first time in 5 or 6 weeks (they spend July with their Dad, they actually live just a few minutes from us).  When we meet up with them it becomes painfully obvious we have a problem, if we shut the engine down for even a couple of minutes we loose air pressure to the point that the doors barely operate, the toilet won't flush and the rear end squats down.  We spend the night at Newell's facility, should have called it good and just left it there to figure out what was going on.  I carry a spare pancake compressor which I had to hook up to the service port to keep pressure up for the facilities, weird thing is the seals don't loose pressure unless you leave everything shut down for a couple of days.  I'm thankful for that as we encountered a lot of really hard rains.

Back the the story though, we got up Sunday morning ready to head for the hinterlands but again had to let the engine run for a bit to achieve working pressures.  Spent the night in beautiful Joliet, IL and again I have to use my back up compressor to keep everything working but the engine brings everything up to snuff in a couple of minutes for travel.  That afternoon we arrived in Cedar Springs, MI and proceed to park the rig in the barn driveway of a friend where we planned to leave it for several days while staying with Dianna's folks and sister.  As a result of our usual stellar communication skills, the right rear wheels dropped off into a very shallow ditch.  Not having realized the situation; I started pulling forward to improve my alignment with the drive, this resulted in the bottom edge of the engine access door (hood if you will) catching on the ground and flexing it enough to create a 6" long crack starting at the curb side of the panel at point of the latch.  It has also jammed the drivers side latch such that I can't raise the panel to access the engine.  Didn't seem to cause any other damage other kinking the air line to the brake quick connect for my tow vehicle which I repaired the next day.

Over the next 5 days I visited the rig daily to run the generator to keep the batteries charged up.  I had the back-up compressor hooked up to keep things working and it cycled on and off as needed.  The coach maintained it's posture, the seals inflated and all air operated equipment worked.  When we are ready to move to Petoskey I notice it takes longer to come up to pressure and I have to fast idle to do it, once under way all is well and looking normal.  When we arrive, we end up idling while we check in and disconnect the Jeep, during which time it looses pressure and the rear end squats.  I have to fast idle for a bit to bring it up so that we can move on to our site.  As we rolled toward our site we were just idling along and again we lost pressure and had to fast idle in order to raise the coach enough to get it into the site and still lightly drug the generator muffler.  By now this was getting really old.  At this point the on board compressor was running continuously and I still had to occasionally supplement it with the back-up to get the toilet to flush.

We were there for 5 days and when preparing to leave I had to idle at about 1500 RPM for several minutes to get the pressures up and this was after spending about 30 minutes trying to get the driver side window awning reeled in.  We headed into Cincinnati, arriving in time to catch rush hour, fortunately we kept moving just enough to keep the pressures up.  Unfortunately we took a wrong turn and ended up driving through some really narrow twisty roads including a one lane bridge barely wide and tall enough to fit through. I had noticed the rig putting out a puff of smoke when transitioning from deceleration to acceleration, something it had never done before. By the time we got to it was loosing more speed going up the hills than normal and after slowing to about 10 MPH to cross that bridge there was a fairly long moderate grade, I couldn't get over 18 MPH and it was putting out a lot of blue/white smoke. I remembered threads on this forum about this and immediately thought "fuel fiter", I was right.   Finally we arrived at the FMCA campground and I use that term loosely.  When we plugged into the post the transfer switch would not trip to engage shore power, I called Newell to see what I could do about it and Mike told me that I could manually trip it then wedge something into it to hold it in place as a temporary fix till I got home and could investigate further.  What I didn't notice was that my volt meters above the drivers seat were only indicating voltage on one leg, something I noticed the two nights later in Nashville.  We experienced more of the same as far as the air system go for our stay there. While there I replaced the filter in the Davco, fixed my power problems.

Sunday afternoon we decide to leave a day early to head home, it takes what seems like 5 minutes of idling at 1500 to get things set this time and apparently they weren't all the way there when we pulled out of the park as the rear skid plate drug as we negotiated the almost full u-turn required to get out of the park and onto the road.  I pulled over to check things out but it appears nothing but the skid plate touched ground.  Outside of Louisville we encountered about a twenty minute backup due to an 18 wheeler catching fire on the shoulder of the highway and every time we came to a stop I had to shift into neutral and raise the RPM to keep my pressures up.  Made the 12 hour drive home without further incident, until we reached my driveway.  I have to turn into the street directly across form my drive, unhook the jeep then back into the drive.  While unhooked of course the coach squatted down and I had to rev the engine to rebuild air but it never really happened.  I turned on the leveling system to raise the coach and Dianna said it looked like it was high enough to clear the hump so I started to slowly back in.  unfortunately it wasn't high enough and the Aquahot exhaust hit ground, I tried to raise the coach more but it wasn't happening so I pulled it back across the street to assess the situation.  when I got out of the coach I noticed an antifreeze looking liquid dripping below the Aquahot and a puddle of it at the entrance to my drive, not good.  with the help of a couple of neighbors we build some ramps that allow me to get into the drive with no further damage.  Oh, did I mention that when we pulled up to stop and unhook the Jeep, I looked in my mirror and noticed what looked like smoke coming from the drivers side rear wheel well?  I immediately walked back there and felt the drive wheel and it wasn't particularly hot nor did it smell hot so I ruled out brakes dragging and looked up between the tires and noticed what looked like oil coating the inner and outer sidewall of the inner tire.  Apparently the bearing seal has gone south, this is a seal that Newell replaced about 16 months ago.  I already knew I had a leaking seal on the right front wheel (replaced by a shop here in town about 2 1/2 years ago) but it isn't nearly as bad, in the 1500 mile drive home it just sent a few very light streaks to the edge of the wheel but nothing reached the tire sidewall.  Fun times!

Got the rig parked in the garage and plugged into the power and still only one leg working so I took pictures of the labels on the panel and start the search for a replacement.  Those things are over $400, luckily I have a tendency to read everything on those labels in case part numbers have been superseded so that I can match specs.  It struck me when I saw a blurb on the label saying that the switch would not work if receiving power from only one leg of a 240v circuit.  The combination of that note and the fact that my volt meters were only registering voltage on one leg made me stop and think about what was happening.  Suddenly a light went on, I remembered just before this trip I was running the shore line back in with the Glendinning and didn't get it stopped quickly enough allowing the plug to slam into the guide.  The subsequent use of the plug over the next few days finished pulling the wire loose form contacts in the plug, an easy fix, everything is once again powered up.  Now for the air and the Aquahot issues, not such an easy fix I'm sure.

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Posted by: Tf175
08-14-2018, 10:33 AM
Forum: Air Conditioning
- Replies (2)

Hello Gurus , hope you are staying cool . I am hoping someone can shed light on my air conditioning adventure .
Our '86 has 3 roof air units , Dometic Duo Therm 15k , appear to be original. 
The front unit works well , ran almost continuously on a trip last month. 
The mid and rear units will freeze up after about 1.5 hrs in 90 degree + outside temp.
I have cleaned the coils , they are not as new , but you can see through the fins .
Current draw , according to analog ammeters above driver : Front ac unit : 14 to 16 amps with compressor running .
Mid and rear ac units : 10 to 12 amps .
Fan motors all turn freely , seem to move plenty of air .
I looked at mid unit this morning , there are two service ports which appear to be original equipment . Information on compressor indicates the system uses R 22 . 
I have read somewhere , either here or elsewhere online , that a lower current draw is an indicator of a low charge situation . 
I don't have a clamp on amp reading meter , but they are available and I can get one for a more accurate way of measuring .
 Any input greatly appreciated !
Thanks , Chris

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Posted by: ccjohnson
08-13-2018, 05:27 PM
Forum: Newell Sightings
- No Replies

I saw a coach headed west on I-40 just west of Grants, NM around sunset yesterday afternoon/evening.  It was towing an enclosed trailer. White with red & blue "swooshes".  Trailer was white.  Looked familiar but can't quite place it.

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Posted by: BobALou
08-13-2018, 04:36 PM
Forum: Other Stuff
- Replies (1)

I'm not sure how to post a link or if this link will even work, but this was in upstate PA, today. Graphic reminder of the power of water...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...16631&_rdr

p.s. If this doesn't work, feel free to delete the thread.

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Anyone familiar with this 39ft Newell? Asking $45K.

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/1993-Ne...5002953409

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Posted by: Little
08-12-2018, 04:41 PM
Forum: Air Conditioning
- Replies (2)

Can someone tell me where the 12/120 relay is for the rear A/C in an '86. Found the front but not mid or back. Back worked fine last nite when shut off, today nothing. Thanks, Mark

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Posted by: Georgeb
08-12-2018, 12:28 PM
Forum: Air Operated Systems and Leaks
- Replies (2)

Our coach is 395
We bought it through MOT. During our first trip I was impressed by how long it would hold
Air pressure. The chassis side (what I think of as brakes/air bags) would hold air for weeks.
The coach side (doors/toilet) for 36+ hours.
Prior to retiring I owned a fleet of trucks and anything that held air that long suprised
Me!

Now the rest of the story
Last winter we made a long swing down to TX to visit grandkids, then on to AZ for winter.
While in TX the air compressor started running about every 30 min. SO I got out the spray
Bottle and started chasing air leaks.....as more info...it got real cold before we got out of KY
I found several leaks, BUT the compressor still ran every 30-40 mins

Remember it had been running once a day before this trip!

On our return from AZ we stopped at Camp Newell. The list of stuff was short, but the air
Leak was on the list. We were in the shop 5-6 hours and the tech found 3 small leaks.
But the compressor still ran to much (compared to before)

We headed back to KY where upon our arrival I order a leak detector.
A medical issue prevented me from using the new detector until hot weather

Guess what I found??
It had healed it’s self!!!

I’m now in Galveston TX and the compressor runs about once a day 

Does anyone have any idea what is going on????
Hot weather effected something??? if so what ??

I love the change BUT wonder what happened

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Posted by: Rongripon
08-11-2018, 05:31 PM
Forum: Air Conditioning
- No Replies

Well, the Saga of Coach 660 continues. Basement air went out last October..Got to Newell and they supposedly replaced a control board. It lasted about 30 minutes. out again. board wasn't correctly soldered. got back the repair shop and I got it back last week. Put it in and sill not right. Changed the start and runs caps. Now, before I go any further, I need to replace the "outdoor" blower motor. 

Anyone had this wonderful experience and took photos..it in the front and it's hot.  

i feel like a farmer, harvesting all this experience. not hardly

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Posted by: CDButsch
08-11-2018, 02:53 PM
Forum: Help, I need help ASAP
- Replies (9)

Hi Guru's

I need information on how to change out the oil pressure gauge  on my 1998 Newell Coach.

It pegs out when key is turned on and engine not running.

I disconnected the gauge from the sending unit and turned on the key again and the oil pressure gauge still pegged out. So it's not the sending unit.

I may be assuming incorrectly but I think it is the gauge.

Any suggestions and can one buy one other than from Newell.

Cool

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Posted by: encantotom
08-10-2018, 07:04 PM
Forum: Parts info
- No Replies

Parker 14F11BB Compressed Air Filter, Removes Particulate, Polycarbonate Bowl, Manual Drain, 5 Micron, 24 scfm, 1/4" NPT

this is the air filter that is 6 inches before the bode air door emergency release valve in the passenger side bay next to the entrance door.  

[Image: 716t9GVnVCL._SL1500_.jpg]

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