Keep Cool!! - What A Difference A New Water Pump Makes!

BAD Water Pump! Bad!

    Engine Water Pumps are important. A failed one can leave you on the side of the road with almost no choice other than a long (and expensive!) tow. Changing one "in the wild" is possible, but not really a viable option. Well, a couple of weeks ago I heard strange sounds emanating from my engine doghouse. It sounded like someone rattling small rocks in a coffee can (Really!) After doing some research, I thought I had found the answer...it could be one or more of the hydraulic lifters in the engine sticking. A common issue with Chrysler engines, or so I am led to believe. I decided to get a second opinion (as mine really doesn't count!)

As soon as the "old school" mechanic listened, he said, "water pump is dying." OK. He went on to show me that the bearing could be moved left and right, up and down quite a bit and that was where the rattling was coming from. It also explained the elevated engine temperatures I had been seeing! No flow (or weak flow) of coolant through the radiator and engine means very reduced thermal efficiency. I caught it early. Thankfully! One new High Performance water pump was only $25.00! Including 2 Day shipping! I ordered it and figured I'd let someone else install it. Sounded completely reasonable. Of course, now the adventure REALLY began.

A few weeks ago, I installed a brand new, "severe duty." fan clutch since my old one wasn't engaging and turning the fan properly. The new one worked GREAT. However, since it was putting a lot more strain on the water pump bearing (it's mounted to the front of the water pump) it forced a failure of the bearing. To be honest, it was already on its last legs and would have failed soon anyway. The extra pressure and stress from the new fan clutch just sped up the process. Anyway, after a bit of a mix up with the supplier and shipping, I received the correct new pump and went over to have it installed...

At 9AM on a Monday. Had to take a day off from work do get it done, but I have a long, trailer towing trip this upcoming weekend, so it was important to get everything working. I am VERY glad I didn't tackle this myself. Every belt and all the engine accessories (alternator, power steering pump, hydraulic pump, smog pump, all hoses, pulleys and brackets had to be removed to even GET to the old water pump for removal. So after 4.5 hours the old one is off and the new one ready to be installed. It gets put on and then everything goes back together. The parts fought us the whole way. While we were in there, I figured I should change all the belts. Why not?

While I Was Already There...

Once assembled and adjusted...we added coolant back into the system. Which promptly leaked out the bottom of the brand new pump! Well at least at the seal between the pump and the engine. It's now 6PM. Everything has to come back out!! Removed MUCH faster than the first time. At 8PM we see what happened, the gasket had shifted when the new water pump was put in place. Just enough to break the seal at the bottom edge. New gasket, re-apply and put it all back together....again. Now it's 10:30PM and we put coolant back in......No Leaks! Heated up the engine so the thermostat opened, then turn on the heat and waited until the air was purged. Did I mention it required a long flexible hose AND a long funnel to get the coolant into the radiator?

Sheesh! Why don't designers and engineers EVER speak with technicians and mechanics? Maybe they assume nothing ever breaks?? Not.

Filling The Radiator.

Finally the system is filled, purged of all air and was ready to go at 11:45PM. And then we noticed the loud squeal from the power steering pump belt when the wheel was turned. Back underneath to tighten the loose belt. I was done at 12:12AM. It took a LONG time to get all the air out of the system. Much longer than I ever suspected it would take. Quite the odyssey. 

To the credit of the honest mechanics and the business owner, they didn't give up or ask to finish the following day. They stuck with it and completed the job. Kudos to them!!

I am awfully glad I didn't tackle this in my driveway. While it's likely I could have done it, it was better to have it done. Less work...not much money (around $250) and everything works. My temps are right where they should be again...even on long hill climbs. MUCH better flow even than a new standard pump would have given me.

It pays to know some competent help. I enjoy doing my own work. But sometimes it's better to have help. Clint Eastwood said it best, "A Man's got to know his limitations."

Be Seeing You...Down the Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"

www.thewanderman.com

Even The Simple Repairs - New Shore Power AC Cord End

It's Been A Long Hard Life

    Like almost every RV'er out there, I had a 25 foot shore power cord. You know, the one you plug in at campgrounds or at home to supply 120V AC power to you rig. It gets used a lot! So much so that the plug end detaches itself from the heavy rubber around the wires. I could SEE the color coded wires inside. It seems that the cables are made as one piece designs. That's a great idea to keep the water out, but not so great when you have to replace it! Since it's one piece,  the idea is....you have to replace the entire cord. OK...I thought, I wanted a longer one anyway. Yikes, with the price of copper up so high, a 50 foot cable was prohibitively expensive. Now what. Well, for less than $20.00 and a bit of labor you can replace JUST the end while maintaining it's water resistant nature AND adding a trick new feature. How?

First, you have to pick a style of plug end. Make sure you buy the right one. My coach has 30 AMP service, yours may as well, but if you have 50 AMP service it WILL NOT FIT! In fact putting the wrong one on will cause disaster.

Once you figure that out, you will have several options. I liked the one where the wire comes out at a 90 degree angle to the cord. It would let me hang the cord straight down from my outlet so it wouldn't be under undue stress and perhaps last longer. It will also allow water to flow around the weakest point in its water tight "armor." The handle to pull it out was a nice addition.

You Can See The Green, White and Black Wires

Next, the scariest part! You have to unplug your shore power cord from the outlet and CUT off the end. Once this is done, there is no going back! I tried to keep as much cord as I could, so I cut VERY close to the molded end. Since it had already detached itself from the outer cable, it was easy to snip each wire individually. Once that was over the next bit was much easier. You have to strip away about 3 inches of the outside insulation to expose the three internal wires. They will be White, Black and Green. There will likely be some insulation inside that can be snipped away once you've uncovered the interior.

Once you have 3 inches exposed of the three internal wires you will have to strip the insulation on each of these wires back about 2 inches. Once the copper is exposed, twist the ends to make a tight wrap, Next, take apart the new plug end. This is very easily done as it's just three small Phillips screws holding it together. Now loosen the 2 screws on the wire clamp at the base of your new plug end. Slide the cable into the new housing clamp until the wires can easily reach the terminals. The Green one is the toughest! Bend the, now bare, wire into a "U" shape so it will fit around the screws on each terminal. Make sure you place the wire so the  "U" goes from left to right. This way, when you tighten the screw clockwise, it will pull on the wire not push it out from under the terminal! Make sure each wire goes to its appropriately labeled terminal. Tighten all the screws!

Now tighten the wire clamp at the base so the cable cannot pull out of the new plug end. Reassemble the 2 halves and tighten the three screws.  Now is the moment of truth. Shut down the main breaker and all the other 120V AC breakers in your coach. Plug the new end into the outlet. No sparks? GOOD! Flip on the main breaker. All still OK? Now turn on the least important 120V breaker. Which one? I used the one connected to my left side outlets. Had a lamp plugged in there. Turn it on. In my case, the lamp turned on and there was NO smoke! Done! Turn on the rest of the breakers one at a time and make sure everything works.

Now go back and unplug your new shore power cord end from the outlet. Take the 2 halves apart and apply small amounts of silicone sealant to the screw holes, terminals and around the edges of the housing itself. Put it all back together (don't forget the handle!). After you tighten the screws, wipe away the excess from the edges and put silicone in each screw hole. Wipe clean with a paper towel until the silicone is level with the case. This should minimize long-term water intrusion and make the installation more vibration resistant.


I know this SOUNDS complicated; it isn't. It will save you some big dollars (likely around $250) I am all for saving money and getting the most out of what I already have!

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com

Weird Spaces, Odd Places - Finding A Use For Every Storage Nook And Cranny

Looking Toward The Back

    I'll say it again, "My RV is small, real small." I have no problem adapting to the living space. It serves my needs admirably. After all the research into what RV to buy, it should be exactly what I wanted! My only complaint after  5 years of ownership? Not enough storage space. This is a lament any RV'er, no matter the size of their rig, can identify with. It really doesn't help that I am a bit of a pack-rat. So far, I've done pretty well downsizing items and paring down what I carry with me. At this point I have run out of actual, bona-fide storage places and have been getting more and more creative when stashing stuff. In every RV there are many unused spaces that can become storage. Finding them is the trick.

The Tiny Cubby

Let's look at a simple example of unused, usually wasted space. Under my Lavatory sink is a cabinet, inside that is the hot water heater. Above the heater is a shelf that spans the full width of the cabinet itself. The problem? There is a water pipe that goes THROUGH the shelf, right in the middle. I could remove the pipe, replace it with a flexible one and re-route it...but it's not leaking! Why mess with something that isn't broke? Knowing me, it would leak the minute I finished the replacement. So what to do? Get creative! I found a small plastic mesh bin (3 for $1) at a dollar store and cut out a notch! It's not big storage, but now I can store a few bars of soap where they are needed. Not only that, since it spanned most of the pipe, and they stack nicely, I have a whole plastic basket to fill as well!. Bonus Result!

What other spaces lurk in seemingly impossible spaces within your RV. In my Wardrobe converted to Pantry closet is a drawer, under that, lying within the dark recesses of that space, is a 45 degree angled piece of wood that supports the structure. A great place to stash valuables when you aren't in the RV. Of course, cover it with a scrap piece of wood or paneling on a hinge and you have a hidey-hole. Not likely a burglar would take the time to look there!

When I converted my old style 13" CRT TV to an LCD Monitor there was a HUGE amount of wasted and unused space behind the new TV. I am still working on some kind of hinge-and-latch affair that will allow easy access, but it is essentially the same size as 2 of my overhead cabinets combined!

Look around, closely. I'll wager you can find any number of spaces that can be converted to some additional storage. RV'ing is always a trade-off. Face it, most of us have a lot of "stuff." If you've ever heard the late comedian George Carlin's riff on STUFF, you know it is highly likely he traveled in an RV (or at the very least a VW van!). As your available space decreases, you have to winnow down your stuff. It's tough (believe me, I know!) but a necessary trade-off for traveling in style and comfort.

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com