Campsite Power Gremlins
April 1, 2005
Campground power is not always as dependable as it could behaving bad power is often worse than having no power at all. At the very least, power quality problems can wreak havoc with the performance and longevity of your motorhome’s appliances. Of more importance is the fact that they can also be hazardous... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Dec 2003
December 1, 2003
Q. Please explain the difference, if there is any, between winterized diesel fuel and No. 1 diesel fuel. I have been under the impression that there is no difference, but others say I’’m wrong. –Hal Leroy, Bend, Oregon A. As temperatures drop, diesel fuel thickens and begins to ... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Nov 2003
November 1, 2003
Q. We have a 34-foot 1984 Fleetwood Southwind, which has been a great motorhome. I don’t want to ruin it while it is sitting in a storage lot. The coach has been stored for the first time in years, and it may be two to three years before I will be driving it at all. I have drained all the water... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Oct 2003
October 1, 2003
Q. I’m having trouble starting the Cummins 260-hp diesel engine in my 2001 Holiday Rambler Ambassador. I turn on the key and wait until all the lights on the dash go out, including the WAIT TO START light. Turning the key over to the START position, nothing happens; no clicking, no starter noise,... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Sep 2003
September 1, 2003
Q. We bought a pre-owned 1987 34-foot Class A coach on a GM P-chassis with a carbureted Chevrolet 454-cid engine. Our trips are infrequent, one or two a year, but we drive some 15 to 20 hours straight. Usually after three or four hours, the engine starts stumbling or backfiring when going uphill. The... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Aug 2003
August 1, 2003
Q. Thank you for your great column. How do you determine the mileage point during the break-in period of a new engine as to when synthetic oil can be used? I was told that mineral based oil is needed due to break-in and seating of the new rings and other engine components. –Leo Brabec, Bonney... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Jul 2003
July 1, 2003
Q. I own a 1984 Winnebago Class A on a Chevy chassis. Its 454-cid engine runs like a dream and has lots of power for the 22-foot design. The coach only has 40,000 miles on it, and after three years of ownership, I have driven it only about 400 miles because I cannot keep V belts on it. The air-conditioning... Read more »
Powertrain Q & A: Jun 2003
June 1, 2003
Q. We own a 1986 Journey motorhome with a 454-cid Chevrolet engine in it, purchased in March 1992. I was a full-timer for about three years, but due to health reasons I was forced to give it up. I made only short trips until November 1999, when I parked the coach in a campground. I have gasoline in... Read more »
Class A motorhome
May 12, 2003
Identified by the body, which looks like it’s all one design from front to back. A Class A is built on a stripped chassis bearing nothing but the axles, powertrain, steering column and vehicle controls. Class A’s are at the top of the heap, as far as RVs go.
Class C motorhome
May 12, 2003
This type was once known as a minimotorhome, but some are larger than small Class A units. A Class C looks as though it has a van front end attached to a motorhome body, usually with an overhanging (cabover) area that holds a bed. The Class C is built on a so-called “cutaway” chassis, which... Read more »
