olywrestle

On my 2006 Ambassador there was a 4 Button panel on top of the passenger console. 2 of the buttons that we frequently used while parked were the Storage Lights and Step Lights. I hated digging through the curtain or having to step up and in to turn those on. So I created a switch panel to relocate them to the front of the console. Since it is curved I could not use a flat panel without it looking awkward. These fit the Carling Contour V switches.

After tracing the cutout needed I cut the leather back, and started using a dremel to cut. I switched up and used an oscillating tool to finish cutting fiberglass as it was much thicker than I expected it to be. I did have to extend the wiring for the panel lits over just because of the way they had it jumpered between the switches. Luckily they left plent of wire that it reaches easily. 

I have put the 3d printer stl file in the downloads section for others that may want it.

So I started this topic awhile back with the designs for the covers. After about a year I noticed I lost a couple along the way. I highly recommend a small dab of black silicone to help hold them in place for the long term. 

In the Northern Utah sun, using PETG they seem to have hold their shape well. 

Wish I had the welding skills like you Mike, since I don't, I opted for the c-low fab one. It was very high quality and quick turn around. 

3 hours ago, Steven P said:

@johncvandoren@gmail.com I have a ScanGauge on my 06 Dip connected to a port at the steering wheel.  When I had transmission issues, the only port the tech could find with transmission data was under the engine hatch.  The 2 or 3 at the front of the coach only had engine data. My Aladdin Jr display does she trans temp for me. ScanGauge will not for me. 

In my 06 ambassador I found a port in the front electrical bay and pulled trans temp from it with my BlueFire. The one under the dash would not. 

I have a 2006 ambassador. Not sure if ecm is the same. How would I be able to provide my programming if it is compatible? 

Thanks all for the replies. I apparently have conflicting info in the guide.

One page says NLGI #2 Lithium

The other page has CBL, which in the manuals decoder is stands for Clay Based

So now I am even more conflicted on which direction to go!

That's lithium based, my guide says Clay based. Has lithium progressed since 2006 that it could be used instead of the clay based? 

Any recommendations on the grease for the slack adjuster? My manual just says clay-based lubricant for them. No idea what was last used... 

I just replaced both of mine. I did not pre fill them.

I did primary first and cycled the key a bunch of times, maybe 10. Fired the engine up. Let it run for 5 minutes or so. Same process for the second one. Did a 500 mile trip right after with no issues.

If you do prefill them, as others say, plug the center hole! 

I decided I would check to see if my fan was working, and it is, but while I had it off I grabbed the part numbers off the snap disk:

PN: 36T22 10847   
It is a Close on Rise with 120°F Cut-In and 90°F Cut-Out

I did find a alternative made NTE that would also work.

PN: NTE-DTC120
Close on Rise and Open at 95°F and Close at 122°F

Edit, looks like the one on the diagram is on at 110°F not 120°F like mine, but haven't found one with those specs yet.

You could use a surface mount box over the hole such as this.

3 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I currently have the Trip Tek ® 3100-5 Message Center, which is very basic and for some reason does not show the odometer reading that I think is supposed to be displayed???  Any suggestions on that would be appreciated.  I've read all the manuals and instructions on it to no avail. 

Anyway, looking at changing to some other monitoring system... most likely BlueFire as Silverleaf is no longer available.

Question:  Does my 03 Executive have a j1708 or a J1939 under the dash?  I took a quick look yesterday, not having read the thread yet and I seem to remember something looking like 9 pins, but they may not all be used? 

Question 2: Assuming it is the j1708 (6 pin) and I have the 3 wire cable under the arm rest... When combining these (as Scotty has done) I assume that the j1708 under the dash is eliminated?  What is the j1708 used for normally?  Do I need it?

Question 3:  If there is a J1939 is in the engine bay or front run box... can't the BlueFire be plugged in there?  Is the bluetooth signal not strong enough for that distance?

 

Sorry if these are stupid questions.  Electrical has never been my strong suit so I would prefer to just plug into something that is already existing rather than re-wiring a plug.  As Dirty Harry says.... "a man's got to know his limitations".

Jim

 

 

 

 

 

Jim, I use BlueFire and my adaptor is in the front run box. Originally I had lots of connectivity issues so I bought an extension cable to move it a little bit closer in that compartment. I still had connectivity issues. I then turned my tablet the other direction and have gone thousands of miles without issues.

3 hours ago, johncvandoren@gmail.com said:

I use ScanGauge D on my ‘06 Knight, but cannot find transmission temp gauge.  Someone @ ScanGauge suggested finding another diagnostic port where the trans temp may reside.  Anybody know where that may be?

On my Ambassador in the driver's front electrical bay I found a nine pin connector for my BlueFire adapter. I get trans temp out of it. 

For those using BlueFire, I was having lots of connectivity issues, and tried everything possible except flip my tablet the opposite direction. Once I did that, I did 3000 miles so far without it dropping. 

6 minutes ago, Gary 05 AMB DST said:

Robert, how are your headlight lenses holding up? I have a broken one and a cracked one. Do you know from which automobile they came from? Been searching for years, but no luck. 

Gary 05 AMB DST

They didn't come from a vehicle that I could find. But I found them on the hella website.

https://myhellalights.com/product/90mm-halogen-headlamp-classic-modules/

Thanks all for chiming in. 

On the ambassador (and likely the knight)the dash is fairly simple with no micro controller as Tom mentions on the higher end coaches, there is not a coolant light or oil pressure light, there is an alternator light. This switch was an audible alert added by Monaco and it's redundant to lights and gauges. I suspect as Bill stated there is a bad sensor tired into this alert system. As such, for myself I feel comfortable unplugging it as I am a gauge watcher consistently. 

In the process of all this, I discovered the audible alert tied into the low air/transmission gear had the ground wire cut. Based on everything out there, I bet my Nason switch on the parking brake is bad. I hooked up the alarm anyways to see what happens on my next trip. Thanks all for the insights. 

49 minutes ago, Bill R said:

@olywrestle I had an additional temp sensor that Monaco installed by the exhaust manifold that did not go to the gauges but does cause an alarm.  Found that this temp sensor was bad.  Here is a pic of it.  Not sure if you have the same thing, but this is Monaco installed.  Is not used for gauges or ECM input on my coach.  Many who have this set up have had the wires disconnected on theirs.  Probably because it was alarming because of a bad sensor.  

 

 

Thanks Bill, I will look. Any idea what it was getting the temp of? Coolant?

I am trying to chase the wiring back to see if the third wire conneciton is just further back in the harness.

1 minute ago, waterskier_1 said:

Ok, based on the wire designations going to this alarm module, it sounds on Oil Pressure Alarm, Water Temperature Alarm, or Alternator Charge Alarm.  So, one of those is likely what's causing the module to sound off.

  -Rick N.

Agree on one of those things being the cause of the alarm going off, but gauges (digital and analog dash gauges) do not coincide with the alarm going off. Wondering if anyone has tracked it down to a wire rubbing somewhere, corrossion, etc.

I am trying to track down a random beeping noise. The picture of the beeper/chime is below. Here is the scenario:

Turn the key on, and this beeper starts beeping. It does not stop until engine is running. Even with low air pressure, and in drive, this beeper does not come back on. That is fine, I watch my gauages very closely (and use BlueFire), so I will track down why low air doesn't beep later (likely issues with the entertech beeper under the column). The problem is, it will randomly start going off when I am driving, sometimes it will start real low, go in and out, sound like it is "static" type noise and then finally get up to full loudness. Then randomly it will stop.

I found it on the wiring diagrams. Looks like it is the extra monaco added alarm. Blue Fire and Gauges report no issues with Pressures, Temp, or voltage.

Thoughts, Ideas?

Here is a pic of the front of the unit. Mine is a 2006 ambassador also. 

I went to a soundbar unit, as the speakers were pretty bad. Moved the unit from above the driver seat to under my new TV, so it was easier to access for vhs/dvd. I left the coax switch above the drivers seat in the cabinet. 

On 6/3/2023 at 6:54 AM, cbr046 said:

One thing I noticed after installing our Boss unit are the control labels are difficult to read from the drivers seat.  The letters are TINY!.  The pop-up touch screen works well but using it as a back up camera is awkward (again, viewing angle). 

The built in coach camera gives an excellent view of what's 5 feet behind the coach but that's about it...... 

- bob

I thought the same thing about my camera, but discovered the up and down buttons on my monitor would tilt the camera. Though, someone had installed it so the down position was incorrect, so I had to cut and remount the bracket and now have the nice horizon view when I pan up and down

31 minutes ago, jacwjames said:

Anyone know why the above link is showing this as a message?

"Sorry, we can't show this content because you do not have permission to see it."

I am signed in????

I don't think it was fully approved yet. Can you try again?

Here is the link to the page directly also: https://www.monacoers.org/files/file/444-bluefire-dashboard-custom/

Dash added to respository! Sorry it took me so long....

13 hours ago, marcbachman said:

I have a problem with not enough light to see when driving at night.  I'm going to see if switching to an LED bulb for my 2005 Ambassador Holiday Rambler that claims to be "600 percent brighter" may actually be a solution. I thought I might need to find a complete upgrade solution to fit, and I think that might be a possibility if this cheap fix doesn't do the trick. 

I have the same issue on my Ambassador. Any idea what bulbs you are going to try?

On 2/21/2023 at 7:58 AM, Scotty Hutto said:

@olywrestle is the dash template something that could be shared in our files section?  Just got a BlueFire and in the process of setting up.  The dash you show above looks great for a motorhome!

Yes. I can share it. Sorry I didn't see this until today. Will let you know once I post it up.