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Notes from the Gathering Roundtable


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The annual Roundtable was held at Bill D’s Monacoers Gathering today at Lazydays RV Resort in Seffner, FL.

Planning has already started for the 2021 Gathering, which will be the 10th Annual Gathering .  It will be held in mid-February 2021.   Look for more info later this spring  

Here are highlights of the notes I took...

  • Coach has ISC400, really slow start from stoplight.  Is there a problem?
    • No, time for turbo to spool up
    • Lag set by electronics to give turbo time to supply sufficient air
    • “Mode” button on transmission
      • Programmed for “performance”
      • Changes shift patterns.  Economy shifts to higher gear quicker for better fuel economy
  • 2003 Dynasty - Solenoid that operates hydraulic fan.
    • Seal between hydraulic fan and PTO was leaking, allowing transmission fluid to leak into hydraulic system. Sauer-Danfoss fan controller - difficult to find a replacement. New controller has an “extra” plug - what to do with plug??  Several members reported newer units have an extra plug — not a problem.
    • Is the electronic used in place of the wax valve?  Yes.  Wax valves don’t have many failures - if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.  If you have problems you can convert from wax to electronic.
    • Hydraulic pump - difficult to impossible to find.  About $6k to replace.
    • After 2004, Monaco changed the design so there would be no leakage between PTO and hydraulic system.
    • Rob has a non-Danfoss pump that was about $500.

 

  • Van Williams - Does anyone have an exhaust gas temp (EGT) gage?  Yes.  Temp peaks out about 1340F.

 

  • 2002 Windsor - Where are the service points for the dash air system?
    • Typically close to the compressor
    • 134a refrigerant
    • 2006 Dip (rear radiator) has service points up front at evaporator
    • Common issue - vacuum pump dies - you only have windshield defrost (default mode).  Vac pump is mounted vertically on left side of genny  below round vacuum accumulator.
    • Dash AC originally made by SCS/Frigette, bought out by Victory Climate Systems.  They still support old systems.  Http://www.victoryclimatesystems.com

 

  • Can you recharge roof AC systems?  Technically yes, but typically not worth it. Most do NOT have service ports.  You can put line taps to recharge and possible get another year or two.

 

  • Any way to get more heat out of dash heat?  Check heater valve. Check heater taps on engine; some were attached backwards.?

 

  • What tools do you carry?
    • Good flashlight
    • IR temperature gage
    • Clamp-on multimeter
    • Eternabond tape, Flex-seal tape, Gorilla waterproof tape.
    • Tube of JB Weld
    • Tube of ProFlex & cheap caulking gun
    • Signal tracer
    • Spare filters & filter wrench
    • Fuses
    • Endoscope
    • Fluid transfer pump
    • Electrical connector kit - assortment of crimp connections and crimped
    • 12v test light
    • Small battery charger*
    • If your coach uses DEF - Carry a container of DEF for emergencies
    • Good long jumper cables (can they reach from coach batteries to toad batteries??)
    • Antifreeze *
    • Hydraulic fluid*
    • Oil*
    • Good cordless drill
    • Small portable air compressor and air gauge 
    • Emergency road hazard markers
    • Milwaukee Impact wrench (M14).  Harbor Freight Earthquake wrench - for lug nuts
    • Heat gun and/or small torch’s
    • PEX tools (cutter & crimp tool plus fittings and a few lengths of pipe)
    • 6ga jumper wire to go between house and chassis batteries in case alternator goes out.
    • Spare water pump

 

  • Chris Throgmartin comments
    • If you need any rubber seals, Steele Rubber is the best vendor for rubber seals on your coach. Alternate supplier is Trimline
    • Check for inverted slide seals - He’s seeing a lot.  Wiper slide around slides - always check once you’re set up to make sure seals are flipped out.  If they are flipped in, that’s incorrect and will leak. If a seal is inverted, it will likely invert every time, so you need to check it.
    • BEST FIX - Use Grip tape (Valterra Non-skid tape 2” x 10’ roll A10-2210VP; 60’ roll A10-2260).  Be careful you don’t pick a grip tape that will wear the seals out.  Doesn’t always work, but does sometime. Position of tape on slide - if you have a piece of black tape just put it over that.  Tape should be placed 1/2” outside of seal when slide is all the way out.
    • If you have a small tear in a slide seal.  Repair with black RTV (permeates 821880 Ultra Black is one brand)
    • Replacing slide seals, two sided tape doesn’t work.  3M trim adhesive - in a tube. (03601 is the 1 oz size)
    • Popped belt lines very common. PLEASE inspect regularly!!  Popped belt lines do a lot of damage via water intrusion!!
    • Rivets for beltline: 304 Stainless 3/16” with a 7/8” grip, small flange.  Buy direct from Albany Fasteners https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/POP-Rivets-3-16-304-Stainless-Steel-p/11950000.htm

 

  • Gas props for bed - Lee Perry
    • 150# strut for the bed
    • Guden gas springs & hinges is supplier.  Can order any strut on your coach from them.  You will need: total length, extended length, pressure rating. Also have associated hardware
    • https://www.guden.com/Control/Gas-Springs

 

  • Use water tank for coach supply instead of directly using campground water.  Keep a full or partially full water tank when traveling 
    • Fill tank with known-quality water (i.e., home!)
    • Upper end Monacos with full Aladdin system have auto fill, but may not have the solenoid.  You can add the solenoid and program the auto-fill.

 

  • Ground connections for dash - Scotty
    • One or two attach points.  Look all the way forward near the access panel.

 

  • Refrigerator replacement options - Ron
    • Samsung RF-18 - pros, cons, but still most popular
    • GE, counter-depth with ice maker will also fit, but $1k more.
    • Fisher & Paykel also a popular option.  More expensive, but high satisfaction
    • Lots of white papers and instruction manuals on https://www.monacoers.org/files/category/5-refrigerators/

 

  • Flooring - removed tiles, what adhesive/thin set should be used to replace tile on OSB.
    • Suggested contacting Ernie Eckberg
    • No one really had an answer

 

  • Mobile Internet
    • TOGO
    • OTR Mobile - Requires a ASUS Nighthawk router - $60/mo
    • FMCA - Verizon (or Sprint) - $50/mo - 20/25GB data cap
    • Pluto, Philo, YouTube TV, and Locast are options for streaming options

 

 

  • Tank Sensors
    • Monaco tank sensors (Catcon) are not installed correctly (most are mounted upside down in Monaco coaches). Catcon is used on higher-end coaches
    • SeeLevel II system seems to be most folks choice for replacement.  Can integrate into the Aladdin system
    • https://www.garnetinstruments.com/rv-shop/

 

 

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1 hour ago, Bobbyboy said:

Scotty:  I was not able to attend the Gathering so educate me;  what is meant by the "Ugly Fix" now available for cummins.

Bob L, 08 dynasty

Bob L

The "Ugly Fix": https://www.theuglyfix.com/EGR-Performance-Module-for-C-ISX-p/pro-338225-386104-.htm

See also: https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-dcola-017&hsimp=yhs-017&hspart=dcola&p="Ugly+Fix"+cummins#id=2&vid=aeb76736863b13c1b9dd8eef67eaefac&action=view . . . .

And more importantly, (?), this BEWARE video: https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-dcola-017&hsimp=yhs-017&hspart=dcola&p="Ugly+Fix"+cummins#id=4&vid=2222c4c4ca8c834ed013ff3eca978126&action=view

 

 

Edited by Mel S - '96 Safari
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3 hours ago, Mike H said:

Scotty,  Is the description of the 3/16" rivets correct?

Here is the link to the exact page with those rivets:

https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/POP-Rivets-3-16-304-Stainless-Steel-p/11950000.htm

(I also edited the link in my original post)

12 hours ago, Bobbyboy said:

Scotty:  I was not able to attend the Gathering so educate me;  what is meant by the "Ugly Fix" now available for cummins.

 

Bob L, 08 dynasty

The Ugly Fix is an “EGR Valve performance module”. It supposedly improves performance of your 2002-2010 Cummins diesel engine by keeping the EGR valve closed at all times. 
 

This isn’t an endorsement; I have no personal experience.  Research it well before buying - reviews vary all over the map. I was relaying info shared at the Roundtable. There is a ton of info available on it on the web. 

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19 hours ago, Mel S - '96 Safari said:

I use Cummins Insite alongside of Silverleaf when driving.  I put the Ugly Fix on and Insite showed the EGR valve still operated normally.  I called Ugly Fix and tested the module which checked OK.  They say the EGR valve is not closing all the way on startup.  I ran the Insite EGR valve test which shows it is opening and closing 100%.  My opinion is that there are Ugly Fix users that have no idea that it is doing nothing as there is no way to tell without using Insite.

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  • 1 month later...
On 2/17/2020 at 5:26 AM, Hypoxia said:

I use Cummins Insite alongside of Silverleaf when driving.  I put the Ugly Fix on and Insite showed the EGR valve still operated normally.  I called Ugly Fix and tested the module which checked OK.  They say the EGR valve is not closing all the way on startup.  I ran the Insite EGR valve test which shows it is opening and closing 100%.  My opinion is that there are Ugly Fix users that have no idea that it is doing nothing as there is no way to tell without using Insite.

So, what was the fix?

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16 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

So, what was the fix?

I do not think there is a fix.  I have friends who have been in the trucking industry for many years.  They say the ugly fix sometimes works on one engine and not on another engine for no particular rhyme or reason. 

On 2/15/2020 at 9:21 PM, Scotty Hutto said:

Chris Throgmartin comments

  • If you need any rubber seals, Steele Rubber is the best vendor for rubber seals on your coach. Alternate supplier is Trimline

Trimline?  I cannot find them.

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