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This will probably be a multi installment read, so get a cup of joe or whatever. Hopefully you will enjoy. 

For about five years my generator engine would periodically produce black smoke, not grey, not white, black. That is usually a sign of incomplete combustion in a Diesel engine. Because our generators are oversized for most of how we use the coaches, the engine runs at partial load and has a tendency to build up carbon in the cylinders. The carbon build up can interfere with the valves sealing, or the piston rings sealing. Both conditions lead to low compression and black smoke. Also, the injector tips can foul from the carbon build up leading to poor atomization of the fuel. That too will cause black smoke. Other potential causes are air intake restrictions, exhaust restrictions, cold engine, low fuel pressure, and improper fuel injector pump timing. Can you already tell I noodled on this a long time? 

My usual fix was to load the generator as much as possible and “burn off” the carbon deposits. This worked a few times. I also tried every magic fluid out there as a fuel additive, sea foam, marvel mystery oil, acetone, ATF, and pee from an albino raccoon. None of it really helped in the long run. 

Did I say I was smoking and really wanted to stop? Did I say it was embarrassing to enter a campground and have onlookers ask if I was on fire? Did I say that this war on smoke became extremely personal the longer it continued. 

New air filters, fuel filters, turbo, and injectors ($$$$$) did not really help. As the years go by, the black smoke is no longer intermittent, now it’s all the time. The heavier the load on the gennie the worse the smoke is. 

So a deeper dive was on the list for winter projects. Someone is going to ask, how many hours on the gennie, 6000. 

A couple of other important points or clues. The engine did not use oil, not one pint in 100 hours between changes. The engine was quick to crank, even on really cold mornings. The engine did not struggle to make 50 amps on each leg. The engine ran smoothly, well as smoothly as a tractor engine runs. 

Given all that the first diagnostic is a compression test. Well this is interesting because hooking a compression tester up to a spark plug hole is not going to work. It’s even more complicated because none, including the Yanmar, commercially available testers I could find married up to the injector hole. Maybe one is out there, I just didn’t find it. So, I made one. I took one of the old injector bodies, welded ears on it to match the injector hold down screws, and gutted the inside. I hooked that up to a high pressure gauge with a check valve and pressure relief valve in the appropriate places. This first pic is of the home made compression tester. Second pic is of the modified injector to fit the injector hole. I sealed it to the bottom the injector hole with an o ring. 

The compression readings on a cold engine that had been sitting for a couple of months were around 300. Not terrible, but the Yanmar manual says it should be 350 or above. 

The next step was to remove the one way check valve on the compression apparatii, and use air pressure to do a crude leak down test on the cylinders. So I learned a few things here. One the piston of the cylinder you are going to test should be at top dead center. Ok, got that. Two, install a regulator on the air line feed. When you apply air pressure to the top of the cylinder, the crank WILL turn. It’s a 3.5 inch diameter piston, so 100 psig is 960 lbs force. It’s a bit hard to hold the breaker bar on the crankshaft for a wimp like me. Any Hoo, 100 psig was not necessary, for as soon as I applied air to the first cylinder, I heard a lot of air escaping into the exhaust manifold. Only way that happens is if the exhaust valve is not sealing. At this point, I didn’t do any more testing, because I knew the head would have to come off.

what is the first model yeah Newell installed DEF?

Thank you for allowing me into your group. My name is Mike and I live in Lake Havasu City, Az. I’m I looking to purchase a Newell P2000i- 2006/07, quad slide. Budget $300.000. Thank you again and Happy New Year!!!

Hi guys
I need some calming advice
I had a company build me a carport with 14 ft as the lowest
Lots of issues with town council initially would not let me put a door on since had to be a carport
When inspected the inspector said no it is a garage and qualifies
So then I asked if I may install a roll up door
So that was approved
The installation team was clearly informed it mut be 13.5
I also saw a picture of the height on a instrument panel in the coach
This morning I was listening to Bradd Pitts and Andrew and he reiterated that the coaches are 13 feet and 6 inches
So suddenly I start wondering and thinking is this new installed door high enough ( I still have not taken possession of my coach in Humble TX ( still in for paint repair) 
Anyway I drove to my new bus carport and see it is 158 inches so so 13 feet 1 inch
Called the installer and asked can we move the stopper at the top up a few inches… they are going to come and see

So the reason for writing is to ask how much can one lower the coach before driving it into the parking space?

If they can get me 4 inches without totally re installing the door and I lower the coach a few inches I should be able to fit in with theoretically 4 inches of clearance

Would that be doable or can one not lower it down too much ( dumping airbags a bit) and drive slowly in?

Newby at this ?

[video=dailymotion]https://youtu.be/y66AjQUi7Nw

https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/05/bob-th...er-dragon/

Andrew Steele, RVing with Andrew Steele, just bought a Newell. 
  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p3geoUKPb0

Andrew is a great and positive force for the RV industry. I enjoy his YouTube channel. He has interviewed many Newell, Prevost, Lease hold operators of Coaches, and countless other brands, gone thru many factory tours, and interviewed quite a few honorable retail MH sale companies, and after all that he has chosen a Newell. I look forward to his future Video's and smiling interviews.

Email me for pictures and Info [email protected]

So I bought the Bluefire dongle, galaxy tab and DDEC harness adapter. The unit does connect but I get a "Key off" message on the tablet that comes and goes quickly. So although it is connected, it is not reading any vitals. I did "calibrate" the dongle with the tablet. Any ideas I can try? I have the 8v92. 
Thank you!

Mine is kaput. Has been since I bought the rig. You can hear the fan exterior lid motor doing its thing but it doesn't open the roof vent nor does the fan run. Anyone know if this is still made?

In our quest for de-brassification, I took apart the shower door and sent out the brass framework to a local powder coat shop to make it clear coated silver. I had my tile guy come over and tile the shower and vanity area. Turned out really nice so far. I used a hybrid mastic and an epoxy grout. I prepped the shower walls by sanding and priming them with another epoxy type product for maximum adhesion even though it was not necessary. I also added more hardware to secure the upper wiring cover but only after I soldered all wire nutted connections for reliability. Prior to even doing all that, I cut and resealed all corner seams with an 800% flex type caulking. Silicone eventually lets go as it did in my case.