|
|
Veteran
 
Location: Houston, Texas | Hello my friend hope everyone is staying healthy,
how’s is it going with the project ? any updates ?
This forum has been very quiet for a while.
Rico & Carmen |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Hola mi amigo!
Good to hear from you.
I'm re-insulating a small section of the bellypan before patching it over with sheet metal. No mi favorito trabajo. (?)
Then she gets her drive-shaft put back in and lowered back onto terra-firma.
I think I have brakes and steering again so I'm really looking forward to NO surprises.
Been a long haul on this project... I want to go camping.
Stay well mi amigo!
Terry
#846
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Got my belly-pan repair done last week and today - FINALLY - after 3 yrs & 5 months her front wheels are back on the ground!
No time to get the ass-end down today but should get to it tomorrow I hope.
Can't wait to find out what's what and take her for a spin.
Terry
#846 |
|
| |
|
Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | Terry, that is super good news! That’s about how long it took me as well to put my Duramax into my coach. I was nervous when it was on the ground, wheel chocks pulled, engine running and time to slip it into gear! I slipped it into gear, lifted my foot from the brake, nudged the throttle and got a huge grin as I rolled forward!!
Happy travels! |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Location: Soquel, CA. | Fantastic! I have been a lurker here following your progress for the duration. Congrats!! Can't wait to hear about the test drive. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | #846 has had all four paws back on the ground for over a week now.
I have forward and reverse gears proven with but a measly 3 or so feet in either direction I can move it where it sits. Got a tent and some work benches behind it that need to be moved before I can back it out in front of the house where there's a good 80ft or so strip I can jostle it back and forth on to see if there's any surprises I need to discover before it hits the pavement.
Also tested the Avco brake-lock and am relieved it, too, is doing its job. Locks the rear wheels and holds the coach even if I slip it into gear and give it some fuel.
Been stupid busy with life and work but hope to get it out this weekend for more serious brake testing etc.
Will follow up with good news when it happens.
Terry
#846 |
|
| |
|
Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | I am anxious for your report! |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Howdy,
Quote from Nov. 10th. 2018: "This will take a while as it will unfold as time and resources permit, so please be patient."
Well... 3 yrs - 5 months & 19 days later - TODAY IS ROLLOUT!
The first 'forward-reverse - see if it stops or steers test' is about to happen in my front yard.
Will try to take a couple of pics (maybe a video) and post them later.
Long time comin'...
Terry
#846 |
|
| |
|
Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | Yay! I knew you could do it. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | ROLLOUT.
Long time comin'... 3yrs, 5 months & 19 days to be precise.
Available time to work on it, resources & covid all conspired to stretch this out way longer than I'd wished.
Sorry this video drags a bit but it took forever to 'armstrong' that bitch out of there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yqrAR7QH7M
Still have steering issues (puking foamy fluid out of the pump reservoir) and may also have a brake dragging (notice the rear-right wheel catching in the video). Didn't help I backed her into the embankment either. Sure to be some bugs to iron out and I'm hoping the steering is the worst of it.
Count your victories... even the small ones.
Terry
#846
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Location: Scottsdale, Aridzona | . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . BLAST OFF !
Well Done !
Lou #120 |
|
| |
|
Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | Beautiful video Terry! You did you did good and the video is good and yeah that right rear was hanging up a little bit but you broke her free so that’s good. That means all is good. Now you need to fix those brake lights so they come on and then head on down here to Oregon. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | Terry, you’re amongst a group of few people. In that you started a project and you have completed it. There are many projects that get started and are never finished. You are amongst the elite! |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Location: Houston, Texas | It’s alive!!!!!! It’s alive!!!!!! |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Few more steps forward today as I got a couple more gremlins ironed-out. Got a dozen or so miles on her now.
Last test drive (5-miles) a few days back, I discovered that I couldn't start out in 'D' (3rd) and had to manually downshift into 1st or 2nd to roll ahead with any authority. Reverse was fine. Backed up the steep gravel hill by our place for 40 yds or so without incident. On the test drive I headed up the hill right out of our driveway and gave her shit while shifting manually up the hill. Took off like a scared rabbit and my better angel slapped me good to slow down some. The trans wasn't downshifting on its own so my first suspect was the TV cable on my 47RH trans. Does the same thing basically as the kick-down linkage on the stock 727 set up. I've got both my lock-up converter and overdrive wired to manual switches on the dash. Neither of those appeared to be working either. The other issue was the trans got pretty hot on the couple of steeper grades I pulled, so I suspected my lock-up wasn't engaging. Steering was good and after stepping into her a couple of times I was hitting 22-23 psi on the boost gauge which answered some lingering intake air system questions.
This morning I adjusted the TV cable and also solved the OD & lock-up mystery. The fuse for the 12V + to the LU & OD solenoids was missing, ie. no circuit. Brilliant I thought. Replaced the fuse then fired her up for a quick back & forth in front of the house. Reverse was fine but soon as I put her in 'D' she'd stall out immediately. Freaky. So I left it to do some other shit and thought about it for a bit. Then it dawned on me: I recalled reading on the Cummins Forum about guy's who'd wired their 47RH LU & OD solenoids same as I did and remembered being cautioned about remembering to unlock the converter before you come to a stop - or it would STALL. I had my switches wired backwards! Next test drive went way better. I got overdrive now and lock-up in 3rd and 4th. The trans is also gearing up & down (1 to 3) as it should AND with the trans locked on a good portion of the test-drive I didn't see over 180 deg on the trans temps, vs 207' I was seeing the other day. Trans runs way cooler when it's locked. Only mechanical biggy left is my exhaust brake, which (in 3rd & locked) ain't slowing it down much if any. Will check function.
Little steps...
Terry
#846 |
|
| |
|
Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | Your doing good! Just keep working it! |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Well I finally got #846 back on the ground and running today after a 7-month hiatus up on jack stands thanks to limited time and resources to work on her.
But I am HAPPY! Yep, one-happy-hippy!
Will update the album soon.
- New water to air intercooler system up and running.
- Honda EV4000 genset (circa: early 80's) now living where the old Onan once did. Brings about the same amp-output as the Onan did and 180/lbs less weight to the party.
Now it's on to the plastic welding up of a new forward 40 gal water tank.
Then... new fridge... new hot water heater... OMG when does it end?
Terry
#846 |
|
| |
|
Regular
| Good on you Terry, it is always an uphill journey-but usually fun when you get there.  |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Hope so, otherwise the old lady's gonna' ditch me for someone without a 'motorcoach addiction'. Better than booze & drugs I figure. Just retired from pounding nails for a living (started in 75' as the arthritis in my left ankle is a little too hard to reckon with these days. So, will find something else to do to make a buck and keep a roof over our heads.
#846 is running like a top!
Will provide more updates soon as I'd like to do what I can to try and build more traffic on here again. IMHO: with the demise of the Yahoo site and the rise of the Fbook site, that great sense of community that was built here over the decades is all but gone. I don't even get notifications of new posts any more. Otta check my notifications settings I guess.
Terry |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Medford, OR | Yeah Terry...It's about time you worked on it....lol. I haven't touched 324 since the last October rally.....ugg. Probably should go on the chopping block this Spring. We'll see. Hi Hal! |
|
| |
|
Regular
| Hi back to you Dan. Hope you don't sell, you will most likely regret it if you do.
The June rally is just around the corner-you will be there of course??? |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Surprised to hear that Dan-O... after the 'FMC withdrawal' you suffered through when you sold the last one.
Ya gotta' hang in there buddy... just another three or four years or so till I finish my swap and can get to another rally to meet up again! LOL |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | UPDATE: (finally)
Will be uploading more photos on my soon-to-be-finished build thread over the next couple of days. I can hear you laughing all the way up here in Canada, Lenny!
Will also post separate new threads on my forward water-tank addition and 12 volt DC fridge install for any who may be interested.
For now, I've added some rear air-spring mounting arm revamp photos if anyone's interested. The updates will go forward from pg. #18 in my build thread album.
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid...
Happy Motoring,
Terry
#846 |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | On Intercoolers: (grab a coffee, I'm rambling some here...)
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid... |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Weekend at the lake - Finally!
Got her rollin' again for 3-days at Lk. Cowichan here on the Island. These short trips are crucial to discovering any post-swap issues that need to be ironed-out.
This will be one of my last posts on the #846 Cummins Swap thread as I'm nearly where I wanted to be with this project and I've got an old B20 Bertram in my yard that's begging for attention.
#846 has spent the last year languishing under the tarp-shed letting me poke & prod her after being shamefully towed home on the hook of a Kenworth from her inaugural camping trip up Island.
Pics of her latest foray are here:
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=191&p...
Here's the skinny on the ups & downs so far on my execution of this project:
Handling:
#846 steers & corners better than it ever has and I have yet to service any of the front end suspension or steering assemblies. I suspect the addition of rear air-spings and the forward 35-gal water tank contributed to this improvement.
Power:
1) I don't feel the 12-valve has reached its potential yet in my application.
I'm not overly concerned about this as performance issues are easily diagnosed and resolvable with the Cummins. As well these engines are 'stupid-simple' and cheap to make more power with if needed. My goal all along was to leave the 12-valve as close to stock-tuning levels as possible, while significantly improving hill-climbing torque, fuel economy and overall reliability.
I'm nearly there, but here's what I've learning thus far.
Good:
- fuel economy seems outstanding and I'll report after she's stretched her legs through a couple more tank fulls. Only 600 miles on it so far.
- The 47RH is performing as I expected with no surprises thus far. Initial concerns about 1st. & reverse gearing being perhaps 'too tall' have pretty much evaporated. My lock-up and overdrive toggle switches - situated about 5" off my right knee - are exactly where they need to be and regardless that while underway the pilot needs to be more attentive to what the trans is doing - remembering to always 'unlock' before shifting in or out of OD - IMHO, I find it a blast to drive now while being more engaged in the shifting process; okay, not quite like yanking on the old 'Hurst' while chirping up though the gears in the old Camaro - but still a bunch more fun and engaging.
- My choice to install a new Pacbrake (MaxFlow 4" and increase the exhaust to 4" was maybe the smartest thing I did on this project. The larger exhaust is a tried & true easy power upgrade for a diesel (keeps EGT's low) and the throttle pedal actuated exhaust brake switch is as simple as it gets. When approaching a hilltop, or, needing to add more stopping/slowing assist in 3rd or 4th gear, with the torque converter locked and the Pacbrake switch activated, simply let your foot off the gas and engine-braking takes over. We have a pretty steep (and somewhat infamous) hill over here called the 'Malahat' and though it's only a mile or so up and down the two sections worth talking about, with the Pacbrake engaged I can now descend either side in both directions without touching the service brakes. To me - this is huge!
The not-so-good:
- I blew a silicone intercooler coupling-hose off once on the way up to the lake and again on the way home. What's a trip in an FMC without having to crawl under the bitch at the side of the road? I now know why it's important to make sure you BEAD-ROLL all piping ends on your charge air system. I saw 20-psi boost on my turbo gauge for the first time. Not sure yet if this is sufficient as she's not climbing hills as well as I'd like (sub-40mph) but this could be that there's charge-air leaks in the system still. Easy fix.
Rolling on...
Terry
#846
|
|
| |
#846 Cummins Swap.
