Why Is Paint Matching On RVs So Difficult!?!

Yup, All Mine!

    My RV was built in 1991. Yes, I know that's a long time ago. But still, I have the paint codes for the color that was used and it shouldn't be that difficult to match. In fact, it was a Toyota pickup truck color for several years! It's kind of an off-white/beige, so a close match isn't ever close enough. When I purchased the RV it had a bunch of miscellaneous items in the storage compartment, including one can of Duplicolor brand automotive spray paint for touching up where needed. So, now I find myself wanting to purchase some additional cans, just to have. Well, that has proved to be much more difficult to do than I ever thought possible. If you are "in the same boat" read on -- I might just save you a lot of time and frustrating effort!

Typical Automotive Touch-Up Paint

First, you have to be able to find out what the existing color is! Most times, it's a stock color from a large paint manufacturer. There are a few of these around: PPG, DuPont, US Paint and a few others. Sometimes you will have the paint code in your RV manual (rarely) or on a sticker someplace on the body or frame. Take a look in door jambs (especially the driver's side door, if you have one), under the dash, in the engine compartment...anyplace you've seen a plate or sticker pertaining to technical info for the RV itself. If that doesn't work (like in my case!) try calling your manufacturer, armed with the year, make, model and maybe even the exterior color name. This could also be part of an option package...don't get fooled!  They could have exactly what you need, or, like me, they could be out of business entirely. If your RV manufacturer is gone, sometimes its products and records are purchased by another manufacturer.....try that one, you may get lucky. If they are gone completely, try online forums. Often there are old postings that might have just the information you are looking for.

This Works!

What do you do if NONE of that works? Well, many body shops have high tech color matching equipment. It can get VERY close. Just be aware, if the paint is old and been in the sun, the original color and the current color may be a bit different. Have them make you a sample to put on an inconspicuous place (inside a storage compartment door?) and when it dries, you can make a decision about how close the match is. If it works for you, have them mix up a pint or quart to have on hand. There are various application methods that take liquid paint and allow you to spray it, even a special can that will allow you to add a bit of paint, then some compressed air, and use it like any other "rattle" can. Around $25.00. Very useful!


So, let's believe (never assume!) that you were able to find the paint code and need a can or two, what now? Easy, go to the search engine of your choice and enter the code. If it's still around, you'll find a way to order it. In my case, the Duplicolor #5708 wasn't available anywhere, so I had to find out the custom mix code from PPG Deltron (DBU 90157, 033 white). With a little perseverance, you can find anything! It may take a while, depending on the age of your RV, but it is possible to have paint on hand to touch up any unforeseen chips and scratches.

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com

Security For Your RV - Is It Really Needed??

By Its Lonesome

    Like all of you, I REALLY like my RV. I've spent countless hours modifying it, adding personal touches and keeping it up and running. And, ugh...cleaning it too. I've heard horror stories about RVs being stolen from storage lots and even from people's driveways. Then there is all the stuff we bring along. You can read all about theft of property from RVs if you look online. Generators, property from basement storage, even full-on break-ins with many things taken from inside your RV. It's all possible. But how likely? Just like preventive maintenance, an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Or more to the point, "Better to have it and NOT need it, than to NEED it and not have it." So, what to do?

Doors, Windows Locked, Vents Open

First off, is simply modifying your own behavior and that of your traveling companions/family. If you are leaving the RV unattended, LOCK IT! Seems simple enough, but lots of people leave storage compartments unlocked and even the main door! Yes, I know that the keys are often very common and easy to come by, but it's common or "opportunistic" theft we are looking at here. If you have a trailer without a built-in generator, get a chain or heavy cable and a strong lock to keep it attached to the chassis. Close the windows! You can always have a roof vent open for ventilation, but an open RV sliding window (not the "mail slot" type) is an invitation for bad things to happen.

Typical RV Alarm

I have seen burglar-type alarms for RVs that you can install, some wired, some wireless. All requiring some installation and battery power to operate. They range from ones that sound a loud noise to ones that will call 911 or your cell phone in an emergency. I guess, if you are parked at a campground or in a public place the noise will alert a passerby, but will they do anything? Maybe the loud noise is enough to dissuade someone from entering??? It could work, but most of the theft from RVs is "casual." "Oh look...an open door, let's see what we can make off with!" Of course, parking in isolated or "bad" locations will likely increase your chances of a theft occurring. Be smart! Look around, see what's there, how much risk there could be. Then make an informed decision about whether to stay or move on.

Once you park and set up camp, be smart about leaving your RV unattended...LOCK UP! Even if it's only for a few minutes. If you have compartments that cannot lock, install locks! It's Easy!! You can also refurbish your main door locks if they aren't working well. Remember, we're mobile in our RVs..if a place looks bad....MOVE!

Be Seeing You... Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com

To Plug Or Not To Plug, That Is The Question - Are Tire Plugs OK?

Only Four Tires!

    Because my RV only has 4 tires, I am very sensitive to all things tire related. Obviously, temperature and pressure are very important. As is the age of your tires. When you only have four, losing one can be pretty dangerous and lead to a possibly nasty accident. What I'm saying is, check your tires! If you've ever had a puncture in your tires and wondered whether it was OK to plug the puncture and continue using the tire, you are not alone. I was wondering that same thing. After a lot of research and after contacting several tire manufacturers for their opinions I have come to a conclusion for myself.

Check The Date Code!

When you get a puncture in the tread of your tire, it's usually a nail or screw that's found itself on the road somehow. I've seen long pieces of stiff wire (like from a coat hangar) also embedded in car/truck/RV tires. What are the rules for repairing an RV tire puncture? Well, the most important thing to remember is to NEVER, EVER try and repair a puncture to the sidewall. It isn't at all safe and will not hold for very long or at all. So, if you have a sidewall puncture, GET ANOTHER TIRE! Let's say that your puncture is limited to the tire tread. These you CAN fix, but there are specific guidelines on just HOW they get repaired.

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), a government agency, says you must remove the tire from the wheel, inspect the tire for problems internally, plug the hole and and patch the area around it on the inside of the tire. If the tire has been run any distance when flat, much damage can be done to the tire itself and it may not be safe to use, even if patched properly. The government isn't alone in this advice. Pretty much ALL the major manufacturers suggest following these guidelines. The ones that don't, suggest you buy a new tire. Hmm, I wonder why?

Most tire repair places won't dismount the tire and inspect, patch, and then plug. They'll simply plug the hole from the outside and fill with air. As far as I am concerned, that's too much of a risk. If you cannot see the damage inside, how do you know what's going on in there? That being said, I have NO problem plugging/patching a tire if it's done correctly. Especially if I JUST bought 4 new tires!

As with any decision involving risk, only you can determine what risk you are willing to undertake. How much is your life and/or property worth?? YMMV!

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com

Are You Getting The Best Gas Mileage You Can? - How To Find Out!

The Long Road Home

    I admit it, I am obsessed with getting the best mileage I can on my RV trips. With fuel prices going up (again!) this season, I want to eke out as much as I can from each and every gallon. Now that's not to say I'll be traveling in the slow lane at 50 MPH on the highway...I'm not THAT guy! But I will be dialing it back to an efficient cruise speed. When I first purchased my RV, 3 hours North of San Fransisco, and drove it back to New York heavily loaded, I averaged 14.2 miles per gallon over the entire trip. On shorter trips, especially in hilly terrain, I average between 10.5 and 12.5 MPG. I was pretty sure it could do better. The question was, "why wasn't I?" The answer was to gather more information about how my RV's engine is performing in real time. Here's how I did it...you can too!

The $3000 Chrysler Tool

First off, my RV is an older model. It was built in 1991, so predates most of the OBD2 electronic engine management computing power that anything past 1996 would likely have. If you are lucky enough to have an regular OBD2 connector under your dash, figuring out what's going on under the hood will be MUCH simpler! There are any number of diagnostic tools that plug right in. In my case, it wasn't. While I do have a single board engine computer, it's rudimentary at best. I have a Chrysler V8 with Throttle Body Fuel injection (TBI) that's not so efficient and is sluggish to respond to changes ordered by the computer. That just means, when it calls for more (or less) fuel, it take a bit of time to happen. So there is a good chance I am running too rich at any given moment. That just means I am using up more fuel than I need to get down the road.

Bosch O2 Sensor

How do I prove that and perhaps make it better? Anyone who has a late model automobile these days has heard the dreaded words, your O2 sensor(s) need to be replaced. That usually means a few hundred dollars out of the travel budget. What the heck is an O2 sensor anyway? In the simplest system it just reads the amount of Oxygen left in the exhaust stream. You know, the stuff coming out of the tailpipe. If there is extra Oxygen then the combustion process wasn't complete. The goal is to put in just enough fuel for the amount of oxygen and have no oxygen or unburnt fuel left. There's a fancy scientific word for this, "stoichiometric." In modern cars, the computers vary the ratios of fuel and air to get as close as possible to perfect, therefore getting you the best gas mileage you can have.

The Kit!

Sometimes O2 sensors go bad and the computer has no idea what the right mixture is, so defaults to a very rich condition, lest your engine go very lean, overheat and burn up things inside. Very expensive things. So, all this explanation just to get to what I did to monitor my Air/Fuel ratio. In post-1996 vehicles, you can buy a plug-in dash display that will read out all sorts of information (in real time) about your engine performance and all the numbers from all the sensors it's looking at. That is way cool. My system is too simple (and old) for that. While I do have a diagnostic port, it's pre-OBD1 (not 2...but 1) that reads rudimentary data and figures out what to do based on hard coded data. Not the best, but better than a old school carburetor. Since I wanted to monitor the Air/Fuel mixture in real time, I purchased a Wideband Digital/Analog display gauge with an included Bosch O2 Sensor. It was around $157.00 shipped. It was a kit with all the wiring harnesses  and sensor included.

The Bung, Installed

I had to drill a hole in my exhaust and install a "bung" which is a weird term for a collar with threads inside so you can screw in the sensor. You could also use a clamp-on version, but I worried about exhaust leaks. Once done, I ran the wiring up front, zip tied it away from hot areas and spinning mechanical bits and connected the gauge. It was pretty easy. Only two wires to connect, 12 Volt power and Ground at the gauge. A snap to do under the dash. The sensor has a built in pre-heater that gets it ready to read your exhaust gases and it takes about 10 seconds to warm up. I started up the engine, let everything warm up and began watching the gauge. It will read from about 6.0 to 22.0 AFR (Air Fuel Ratio) you'll see different numbers at different engine loads. Lower numbers mean MORE Fuel and Higher numbers mean LESS Fuel. The goal is to stay as close to 14.6 which is complete combustion. This will likely never happen since performance will vary the amount of fuel all the time.

Colored Lights Around The Edge Too!

At idle, I was seeing 13.7 which is a bit rich, but about right for an idling engine with no load. A bit lower would be better, perhaps 13.5. Once in gear and moving forward slowly, I saw around 14.5, which is pretty close to perfect. Though there is some room for improvement. Once running at around 60 MPH, on a flat surface at top gear overdrive, I saw 14.8. That's OK, but we could lean it out a but, using less fuel and tune it to about 15.1 (just a little less fuel) to get better MPG. Depending upon your engine, it's cooling system and normal efficiency you may be able to go even leaner for best economy cruising, but I would get an exhaust gas temperature gauge and sensor to make sure I wasn't going too lean and burning a piston up. You would be sacrificing instant performance, but we're not drag racing!

When I am cruising steadily and gently press the accelerator, you can see the effect of more fuel introduced into the engine as the gauge will drop to 12-12.5 as the onboard computer senses the need for more fuel (or your carburetor simply adds it). Releasing the throttle back to steady cruise should get it back to where you were before. Wide open throttle, something I don't usually do, will run extremely rich, around 11.5 for best torque. Great for hills, not so great for mileage! Gathering data to be able to modify the mixture for your terrain and driving style would be invaluable. Bear in mind, it's not always possible to change the value in your computer or adjust your fuel system at all. Proper maintenance goes a long way towards efficient running.

My Engine Bay

So, now that we have all this information, what can we do with it? The simplest use is to modify your right foot behavior to keep the AFR at the most economical number you can. In my case, I started looking for issues with my fuel system and found a bunch of small air/vacuum leaks that were confusing my computer into thinking I was leaner than I actually was. It was dumping more fuel in to compensate and that wasn't doing my mileage any favors. Easily fixed. There are many fuel injection systems that can be modified. Some by simply adjusting some screws (potentiometers or physical) and some you will need to purchase or program a chip to modify how the computer thinks. That's a completely different story!

So, how did I do? On the surface, it appears that I have made my engine a bit more efficient. I'll have to wait until my next longer trip to see if that's true. It didn't take too long to add the AFR gauge and sensor and it will give you more information to work with. If it gets my mileage up..it's worth it!

Be Seeing You...Down the Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com