The Adventure Begins!
(Part 1)
Getting her home
I bought my little GMC after I saw it on Jim Bounds website. The coach was being stored at a facility called "Funtime Enterprises", which was located in Leesburg, Florida.
I talked to the prior owners, Mike and Claudia, and they told me all about the GMC. It was obvious that it was very well maintained, and the engine and transmission were both rebuilt by Buskirk-Rush RV (GMC Motorhome Specialists in Michigan, Now defunct, reasons unknown) roughly 9000 miles ago! Can't really beat that!
My son and myself, and a few others booked a flight on Southwest Airlines to Orlando, which was the closest airport to Leesburg. We got in there about 10Pm (night flight) so we booked a room at the Ramada Orlando Airport. Little did I know this would be our home for the next 4 days...
The next morning, I left the room and left everyone else sleep. I figured for sure I could easily pick up the coach and have it back to the hotel before anyone even woke up...HAHA!
I hopped the shuttle back to the airport where I was picked up by Lake Limo. They proceeded to cart me up to Leesburg. I arrived there and looked over the coach. I was happy with it...Until I started it.
I had been told by the prior owners and Jim Bounds that this coach was a runner. But there was a miss and a half on it. Shook pretty bad at idle. I was ready to get my money back and leave, but then the mechanic at Funtime said that it was probably caused by sitting and not moving for months. Kinda Spock logic here, maybe it would be ok. He suggested I "drive the crap out of it" and it would be fine.
I checked over the rest of the coach. It definitely was fine other than the miss...I put the temp tag on her, and proceed to drive out of the lot. Heck, even the dash AC works! I found a gas station and proceeded to fill er up! Left the gas station and everything seemed ok, aside from some pinging like perhaps bad timing.
Through the marvel of GPS, and my trusty Garmin 330 (Lola) I found I-4 and headed my way back to Orlando. Pinging like mad until she got up to speed, and no downshifting, I sat there thinking about what I had done, and wondered if I would ever see Cranberry again. Well I continued anyhow. Time was about 2pm.
I did notice that the further I went, the slower and less power the coach had. Eventually, it would not go over 30 MPH. This was not really a great thing on a interstate highway. About 1/2 mile from the Turkey Hill rest area, she died. I got her off to the side of the road, and sat there.
I restarted the coach and she ran like a top. but no load under power. HMMMM... I was thinking about a fuel filter...so I took the engine cover off and took the air cleaner off. Nice and clean under there, for sure. I then found the problem, or at least I hoped it was...The HUGE vacuum line to the PCV was off at the carb base! Stuck that back on and attempted to go...
Sure...
Almost made it to the rest area...but in the right shoulder...the rest area exits left...This should be a BLAST! After finding a break in traffic, I put her to the floor...and darted across 2 traffic lanes into the rest area ramp...Made it! Found me a spot in the truck area and parked her. Called a few people on the the GMC Black List. No one was home. Placed a call to Jim Bounds and He was away as well. I decided then to use my AAA pus RV coverage. best 62 dollars I ever spent! They said that service would be here shortly, so I went into Burger King for a bite.
AAA sent me a company called Sands towing. The operator, TJ, was very pleasant and knew what he was doing with the GMC. He brought the big Peterbuilt wrecker. Talk about big! My little coach is dwarfed by this rig...
He got her all hooked up, and away we went. I did make it back to the hotel, at about 730 that night.
Woke up the next morning, and decided to make sure of no further issues, so we rented a car to use for a couple days, since I figured the GMC would be down for that long. We drove the coach over to the Co-op. I met Jim Bounds there. Incredible guy, and a fountain of knowledge.
Got the coach there, and proceeded to make a few changes...Things I felt were necessary.
For example...
1, Got rid of the points and condenser. Installed new HEI and plugs and wires.
2, Installed new ladder and rack.
3, Had some frame repair done as needed
4, installed new sunvisor.
After the HEI was installed, We hoped the problem would be gone. It seemed a lot less, but it was still there. Started faster however. Drove it back to the hotel, and started adding the toys I bought for the coach. Jason and I installed the Ramco mirrors, Blaine Merril Windwings, and Peek taillight update, right in the parkinglot of the hotel. We figured we would be leaving the next day, so may as well "get er done".
The four of us left the hotel in the morning, and we were heading up I-4 again. and the coach was running fine. Like it should be. However, about 30 miles from Daytona, the coach died again. Fuel issue again. AAA to the rescue again! Guess who showed up for the second tow...TJ...Back to the Co-op!
We decided that we would have to leave the coach there to be fixed and we would head for home. Budget rent a car had a great deal...A 2007 Uplander minivan, 5 days use, unlimited miles, and drop in Pittsburgh, all for a paltry 98 dollars! Can't beat that! We came home...(with a few stops on the way)
After we arrived at home, I kept in touch with Jim, and he had a interesting thing to share. Apparently, the #1 cylinder was the culprit.(we knew this prior, just didnt know what was causing it) Jim found the culprit. The lifter keeper had come apart and the lifter was shot. The pushrod was bent there as well.
He is taking care of this and a few other little things such as a leaking fuel pump...because I dont want the trip to get it back to be problematic. Now we await the call to come bring her home.
UPDATE 6/26/07
Looking at the daily pose on Jim's site, I see that we have yet another bent pushrod...and Ladies and Gentlemen, I do mean bent...
Apparently, it came from the same exact cylinder as before, namely the number 1 exhaust valve. Jim was correct in his gut feeling that he didn't want me to chance taking her home to PA until he knew what was going on in there.
This is my cylinder head out on the carpet. I hate that exhaust valve already...LOL.
The last time the intake was off, I am guessing that Jim painted it...I dont remember it being silver, but I do like it. I firmly believe that my coach is in the best hands it could be in there.
Jim had mentioned on his site that alot of GMC now are developing cracks in the intake manifold. Mine is apparently no different. He will take care of that issue as well.
Update 6/27/07
Woke up to my usual list of things to do...eat, shower, and read the daily pose on the Co-op website. I discovered this morning that Jims thoughts centered around my coach. I won't retype the whole thing, but I will make it in brief as to what was found.
Here is a valve spring compressor removing my valve...that crazy #1 exhaust... But things didnt come out like planned. Parts flew everwhere! I dont think thats supposed to happen...
Normally, the valve should just fall tight out of the head. This one apparently had other plans. You can see it still hanging around...The big question is why? This is definitely the reason for 2 bent pushrods and a busted lifter. My guess is that the pushrod is the "weakest link".
Houston, we have a problem...Truer words can never have been spoken. This crud looks like tar! It is all over this valve, and probably the others as well. It took a lot of persuasion to convince this valve that it needed to loosen up a bit. Jims theory was correct, I doubt the coach would have made it home in this state. The 64000 dollar question is...Is this the only valve? Apparently not. The rest have this crud on them too. Jim made the decison to simply have them all removed and tank the heads and pretty much rebuild them. then it should be fine. I will have to call Jim later, because i wonder if this crud is in the oil pump? I doubt it, because the time I drove the coach, I had really good oil pressure, and no other noises...Just want to run it by him.
At least at this point in time, we should be good to go when it all gets buttoned up.
I can't wait!
Update 7/12/07
I talked to Jim today, and it is his feeling that the little white bird is ready to fly...In his words, "I truly feel the coach has given up it's finicky ways and is ready to roll! Come on Shawn, bring your saddle cause your steed is ready to run."
Here it is, all buttoned back up. The next picture show the vacuum reading on the engine. Vastly better than it was!
Right at the green level! just what one wants!
Looking much improved!
While He was working on the little coach, I also asked Jim to please check out the Onan (the troll, as they call those) and to see why it stopped running. He took the time to check on it...
The nice thing about these coaches is the generator is on rollers and simply slides out.
The silly thing made a idiot out of me...Jim pulled it out, and in 2 cranks, she fired right over like nothing was wrong. Aside from needing routine maintence, its fine.
So, I guess she is all buttoned up and ready to go...AirTran, it's your turn to take me and jeremey to Orlando to get her...Lets make it a complete trip this time, shall we?
Look for the new page on the the second trip, GMC Trek II, The Journey Home... That saga will be available for your enjoyment after 7/23/07 right here on this page.
more to come...