Howdy everyone, new here. Found the site while trying to get repair info for my "new" 1991 Fleetwood Bounder 28T, 1990 Chevy Chassis, 454. Got it free from a cousin, outside looks bad, faded, a few problems with exterior doors, to be expected. Had to replace fuel pump, ended up mainly being hose from pump up had slit in it, and rats got to the wires. As we've been trying to get it ready to try and use, we've found fridge doesn't want to work, seems it's not getting any propane (burners won't light on stove) even though gauges show it at 1/2 tank, won't run on electric either? Water pump leaking, and leak in wall behind galley sink, appears to be at drain, slows down after sink stops running, stops even while under pressure. Did get the coach running after the fuel pump deal, also had to add a ground to it, wire seemed to not be doing it's job, spliced one in to the frame. She also gave us her 1995 Geo Tracker 2x4 to pull around behind it, "if" we can get her to be roadworthy. Tracker is in excellent shape. Any ideas, suggestions? :blackeye:
New User
- Thread starter cdfinn
- Start date
Re: New User
Welcome to the forum Chris. It sounds like you have a job ahead of you but if you can get it going you will have a great time. I don't know anything about your problems with the RV but I am sure there will be others on here that will give you excellent advice. Hope you get it going soon so you can go and enjoy the great outdoors. :laugh:
:approve:
Welcome to the forum Chris. It sounds like you have a job ahead of you but if you can get it going you will have a great time. I don't know anything about your problems with the RV but I am sure there will be others on here that will give you excellent advice. Hope you get it going soon so you can go and enjoy the great outdoors. :laugh:
:approve:
TexasClodhopper
Senior Member
Re: New User
Welcome, Chris!
Break your problems down into single ones. Then ask here about each single problem. You will be more likely to get good solutions that way.
Welcome, Chris!
Break your problems down into single ones. Then ask here about each single problem. You will be more likely to get good solutions that way.
akjimny
Senior Member
Re: New User
Hi Chris and welcome to the forum. If you replaced the fuel pump and diagnosed the electrical problem, sounds like you have a good deal of mechanical knowledge/ability. That will help. It sounds like your MH was parked and not used for a number of years. Things can go bad from just sitting around. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but maybe I can give you a couple of pointers. Here goes:
Fridge and stove both don't work even tho tank gauge shows 1/2 full - you need to start at the tank and work downline to the appliances. It could be either a gauge stuck on 1/2 or propane regulator is inop. To check the gauge, fill the tank until you get vapor at the bleed screw, then check the gauge. It should read Full. If the regulator is inop, it must be replaced.
Once you get propane to the stove, hopefully you will have propane at the fridge. If the fridge burner still won't light, could be a plugged orifice on the burner. And remember the fridge has to be reasonably level to operate in either mode.
Water pump leak - is it the pump itself or the plumbing attached to the pump? If it is the pump, it could have froze and cracked the housing. Replace the pump. Otherwise, you will have to check the water lines everywhere you can see them and hopefully find the leak. Splice or replace water lines as needed.
As for the leak in the drain line behind the wall - good luck. Sounds like a lot of carpentry work to pull and replace whatever cabinets are in the way to get to the leak. Good luck.
Now for the expensive parts. With an older MH like yours, you will probably have to replace the coach batteries and the tires. The batteries will go dead and sulfate up if not used and recharged. Tires go bad just sitting there in the sun and dry-rotting. If they are more than 4 or 5 years old they will have to be replaced, even if they still have good tread showing.
I hope I haven't been too discouraging. An older MH requires work - I know. Also, some of the other, wiser readers will chip in with more advice. This forum really helped me when I first started out on the great adventure. Good luck and let us know how you do.
Hi Chris and welcome to the forum. If you replaced the fuel pump and diagnosed the electrical problem, sounds like you have a good deal of mechanical knowledge/ability. That will help. It sounds like your MH was parked and not used for a number of years. Things can go bad from just sitting around. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but maybe I can give you a couple of pointers. Here goes:
Fridge and stove both don't work even tho tank gauge shows 1/2 full - you need to start at the tank and work downline to the appliances. It could be either a gauge stuck on 1/2 or propane regulator is inop. To check the gauge, fill the tank until you get vapor at the bleed screw, then check the gauge. It should read Full. If the regulator is inop, it must be replaced.
Once you get propane to the stove, hopefully you will have propane at the fridge. If the fridge burner still won't light, could be a plugged orifice on the burner. And remember the fridge has to be reasonably level to operate in either mode.
Water pump leak - is it the pump itself or the plumbing attached to the pump? If it is the pump, it could have froze and cracked the housing. Replace the pump. Otherwise, you will have to check the water lines everywhere you can see them and hopefully find the leak. Splice or replace water lines as needed.
As for the leak in the drain line behind the wall - good luck. Sounds like a lot of carpentry work to pull and replace whatever cabinets are in the way to get to the leak. Good luck.
Now for the expensive parts. With an older MH like yours, you will probably have to replace the coach batteries and the tires. The batteries will go dead and sulfate up if not used and recharged. Tires go bad just sitting there in the sun and dry-rotting. If they are more than 4 or 5 years old they will have to be replaced, even if they still have good tread showing.
I hope I haven't been too discouraging. An older MH requires work - I know. Also, some of the other, wiser readers will chip in with more advice. This forum really helped me when I first started out on the great adventure. Good luck and let us know how you do.
Kirk
Senior Member
Re: New User
You said that the water pump was leaking, or is it the drain? You need to isolate the source of the leak first. If the pump does not run when the faucets are all closed, it is safe to say that the pump or fresh water lines are not leaking. To find where the leak comes from in a drain line, wrap paper towels around each of the joints to pin down where the leak comes from. Do this in any suspected locations, then run water down the drain to see which one gets wet. It may well be just a loose fitting or a rubber seal that needs to be replaced. Once you know where it comes from, we can probably tell you how to fix it. At this point all that we can do is to guess.
On the propane, have you opened thee supply valve that is located on the propane tank? Also, does the RV have a propane detector that shuts off the propane supply if there should be a leak? If it has one of those, the safety valve must have 12V-dc supplied to the solenoid to open the valve to supply propane. Also, permanently mounted propane tanks have a device inside of the tank that is there to prevent the loss of propane in the event that a propane line should ever be severed. The valve inside of the tank will close if the back-pressure from the system is suddenly removed. If the propane has been off for a long time there will be no pressure in the lines. To overcome that safety valve, you must open the supply valve as slowly as you can. Turn it no more than 1/8 turn or even less, then wait for 30 seconds, then about that much again. Do that several times until you get some pressure built up in the lines, then open the valve fully.
To light the propane appliances, once you have propane in the lines there will also be a great deal of air. Start with the stove top, but use one of the butane lighters that are sold for lighting propane barbecues with the long nose. Light it first, then hold the flame next to the largest burner on the stove top and open the valve to the fist position. You should see the flame from the lighter flicker as the air in the line is released. After a minute or two the burner will light. Once it does light, turn it full on and allow it to burn for at least five minutes before trying the other appliances.
You said that the water pump was leaking, or is it the drain? You need to isolate the source of the leak first. If the pump does not run when the faucets are all closed, it is safe to say that the pump or fresh water lines are not leaking. To find where the leak comes from in a drain line, wrap paper towels around each of the joints to pin down where the leak comes from. Do this in any suspected locations, then run water down the drain to see which one gets wet. It may well be just a loose fitting or a rubber seal that needs to be replaced. Once you know where it comes from, we can probably tell you how to fix it. At this point all that we can do is to guess.
On the propane, have you opened thee supply valve that is located on the propane tank? Also, does the RV have a propane detector that shuts off the propane supply if there should be a leak? If it has one of those, the safety valve must have 12V-dc supplied to the solenoid to open the valve to supply propane. Also, permanently mounted propane tanks have a device inside of the tank that is there to prevent the loss of propane in the event that a propane line should ever be severed. The valve inside of the tank will close if the back-pressure from the system is suddenly removed. If the propane has been off for a long time there will be no pressure in the lines. To overcome that safety valve, you must open the supply valve as slowly as you can. Turn it no more than 1/8 turn or even less, then wait for 30 seconds, then about that much again. Do that several times until you get some pressure built up in the lines, then open the valve fully.
To light the propane appliances, once you have propane in the lines there will also be a great deal of air. Start with the stove top, but use one of the butane lighters that are sold for lighting propane barbecues with the long nose. Light it first, then hold the flame next to the largest burner on the stove top and open the valve to the fist position. You should see the flame from the lighter flicker as the air in the line is released. After a minute or two the burner will light. Once it does light, turn it full on and allow it to burn for at least five minutes before trying the other appliances.
Re: New User
Tires are great, batteries seem to be working well, coach lights come on with out being plugged in... As for the carpentry work to get to the drain, UGH! Will do as you all suggest, looks like my Birthday Vacation next week will be spent on this, but that's ok, didn't have anything I needed to do that bad. Could be fun, if it would only cool off a little, and the monsoon wouldn't ruin a good afternoon work time. Thanks everybody.
Tires are great, batteries seem to be working well, coach lights come on with out being plugged in... As for the carpentry work to get to the drain, UGH! Will do as you all suggest, looks like my Birthday Vacation next week will be spent on this, but that's ok, didn't have anything I needed to do that bad. Could be fun, if it would only cool off a little, and the monsoon wouldn't ruin a good afternoon work time. Thanks everybody.