[Chester Stone]

I hope to have my valves adjusted somewhere in Arizona in early October. Access to the top of the engine seems to be the important issue. My Newell, #579, has the three mirrored closets in the back, not a walk-in or bath model. I would appreciate any information on how to access the top of the engine. Perhaps if I am able to open it up, it will be easier to take it to a Detroit service shop the adjust the valves. Miami, Oklahoma, is a long way to travel for a simple valve adjustment.

[rheavn]

Chester,
Go to the adjust/repair/maintain section & read where I posted how mine came apart. While yours is a different floor plan the basic access will be similar.
Start in the engine bay & look for the center section that comes apart. There must be a floor panel that is similar to mine, just not granite covered, that is in a closet or somewhere at the rear of the coach. Search those two areas and let us know what you find.

[encantotom]

hi chester, i am going to have my bus shop do mine this winter likely. i will take the floor and such out myself as well. though mine is different we can all learn from each other.

if you chose to have leo do it, then you are welcome to come to my house first i would be willing to help you get it apart.

i plan on polishing my valve cover like steve did when they have it off. they estimated 4-5 hours labor to do the actual valve adjustment if they had clear access to it.

i agree with you on not needing to go to newell. but the one thing they can do is to do the floor removal and installation without damage. any other shop will likely break something since they are not familiar with it. and or cost an absolute fortune to do it as they figured out the puzzle.

tom

[Chester Stone]

Steve and Tom, sorry but I just realized I posted this question in early August, and you gave good answers then also. I will try to figure out where the access is located in the bedroom and will post pictures when I sort this out. Perhaps I will be lucky and find it under the carpet. Tom, you are so correct in saying that it will cost a fortune to have a service shop locate the hatch and it is impractical to go all the way to Miami. Yes, I also want to polish my valve cover. I may be knocking on your door in October.

[rheavn]

Chester,
I think the starting point will be the same as mine and that is the three piece firewall that sits just above the valve cover. Behind the center cover will be a hole cover. I will be surprised if you just find a bolted down hatch under the carpet. If you get to a point you are stumped, I'd just call Newell and get a hint. It truly is a Chinese puzzle. It makes sense once you get it apart. Just remember it took a tech who had done one before four hours to get it apart & three hours to put it back together. Good luck.................

[rheavn]

Chester,
Here is a valve adjust report from a Newell owner with a 1995. "We had our valves done a few weeks ago. Our 95 is a rear closet also. Our floor is easy to remove. Just lift the carpet from the back and there are a few screws on the hatch. The back deckwall carpet can be pulled up and a small hatch opened there. Not a big deal at all. The folks with rear baths have a lot more issues."

[Chester Stone]

Steve, that is very good information. The measurements I have taken seem to indicate that the hatch is just in front of the closets under the carpets. I will be more certain towards the end of the month when I will remove the center metal cover above the engine, take an accurate measurement and, hopefully, peal the carpet back. Thanks.

[rheavn]

Sounds like yours will not be half the work to access as mine. Sounds like there is an access plate behind the center metal cover and the rest is accessed from inside the coach. Good Luck & let us know how it works.

[rheavn]

To give you further idea of what you are looking for, my floor hatch is 23 1/2" X 38 1/2". The access hole behind the center firewall section was approx 23 1/2" X 10" tall.

[ron skeen]

To give you further idea of what you are looking for, my floor hatch is 23 1/2" X 38 1/2". The access hole behind the center firewall section was approx 23 1/2" X 10" tall.

Had the top end tune up done and transmission service at a Detroit allusion dealer for a total of $1350. Labor was 700 and the rest was parts and tax, Have not really got to drive much but the valves were out some. Had about 100K miles since this had been done. I remove the floor and thought that they would do the tune up for 400 but they had to charge 200 more for a guy to help turn the engine over from the outside. They would not let me out of the coach in the shop. The Transmission was leaking at the internal filter so I just went ahead had a complete serviced. Hope this hold for a while.