any one here planning on becoming mobil soon

Jerry Campbell · Post by **Jerry Campbell** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:04 am

Thanks Rudy, The bus enjoyed being a desert rat.
I, ve had the Air-X 400 for 3 or 4 years and have just about decided it doesn't fit in my world. I think I will turn it into an electric bicycle.
Jerry

graydawg · Post by **graydawg** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:34 am

Jerry thats a nice rig you have set up, is there more on it somewhere? how much water are you able to live on and for how long have you lasted in the desert, with out resupplying? It looks like you know what you are doing pretty good, I am especially interested in your solar set up, I am trying to get a GM4106 in similar shape as yours, and know very little about Solar panels and details, inquiring minds are waiting as they say, also what type antenna is on that telescoping pole you are using?
James in da GRAYDAWG

Jerry Campbell · Post by **Jerry Campbell** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:04 am

Hi James,
I have 95 gallons of fresh water, 65 gallons of gray water and 35 gallons of black water. We can last for 10 days without special effort. That's doing two loads of laundry and 4 showers.
We have been spending the winter in the bus for the last 8 years but this was the first time we lived on the road so to speak for the winter this far north with the sun low in the sky and such short days. It became necessary to tilt the panels. We got a lot more power than I expected.
The taller antenna is an Shakespeare 393 HF vertical. It works great, we talked to Oregon almost every day.
Jerry

http://crowncoach.clanteam.com

splummer · Post by **splummer** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:45 pm

getting ready to bus up to pei, on the other side of lois s country ,its great to be free , no more real job,

Dennis The Bus Dweller · Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:25 pm

This bus has 100 fresh and 100 black and gray combo but im gonna do a small gray ( maybe 30 gals ) and reroute the sink and shower and just leave it open whenever I can. My big bus I have 2 / 125 fresh, 1/125 black and a 45/ gray that I will leave open whenever I can

Jones'n4chrome · Post by **Jones'n4chrome** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:58 am

splummer wrote:getting ready to bus up to pei, on the other side of lois s country ,its great to be free , no more real job,

Can't you just pei outside on a tree?

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:20 pm

T-minus 5 weeks. I am getting nervous.

I got a lot done today. I bought 4 gas cans (diesel cans) and filled them up. I brought them to the bus and put the 20 gallons in the tank. I have 3/4 of a tank now. I have a 60 gallon tank (I think).

I got three running light fixtures that matched the old ones. I found them at the local co-op.

I had to trace the feed wire for the lower rear running lights. I found it and reconnected the wires to the lower rear running lights. They now work. ALL the running lights work.

My rear parking lights were intermittent. I took the dashboard apart again and discovered a loose connection on the headlight switch. I fixed it.

All good so far.

Now here's a bummer thing. I have always had to pump the accelerator pedal to start my motor. I thought that was strange for a diesel.

I started my bus today to check out some electrical problems. It started up and sounded good. There is a missing bolt on the driver's side exhaust manifold gasket. That's an easy fix because I can use a nut and bolt and there is good access to the job.

Getting back to the bummer thing. Later this afternoon, I couldn't get the motor started. I had noticed that the last few times I ran the motor, I smelled diesel fuel after I shut it off. I didn't think much of it.

I was alarmed that I couldn't start the motor. I pumped and pumped the accelerator pedal and finally it started.

I crawled under the bus when it was running and noticed a big drip. It was diesel fuel. I opened the dog house and looked at the motor while it was running.

It appears that the fuel pump housing may be cracked and is leaking.

This is a problem that I don't need.

It will be tricky wrenching it out of there. I hope the new fuel pump is not excessive.

I will email our resident mechanical guru to see how to do this operation.

Aside from not having the funds yet to pull this move off, I am maintaining a "must do it" attitude.

Gotta email Mark Obtinario now about the fuel pump.

More later.

Jones'n4chrome · Post by **Jones'n4chrome** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:15 pm

That sucks Rudy.

Any word from Mark yet?

rlaggren · Post by **rlaggren** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:24 pm

Make sure you do the right diagnosis - fixing the wrong thing often won't fix the problem. If it's a mechanical lift pump, maybe you can cut it out of the circuit and use an electric. I hear they don't last _that_ long (opinion seems divided) but usually should give you a year or so anyway and aren't too hard to install. Use hoses etc. spec'd for diesel, of course.

FWIW. Rufus

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:07 pm

Hopefully it will be a simple and inexpensive fix. I know you will get er done just fine.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:55 pm

I have heard the term "lift pump" before. I presume that that is the fuel pump. It is located on top of the motor close to the air filter assembly. It looks like a mechanical fuel pump that you would see on the side of a Chevy gas engine.

It has two lines attached to it. They are both metal lines. One comes from a fuel filter (which looks like an oil filter) and the other line must go to the motor.

When the motor is running, you can see fuel spitting out of this unit. there is a cap on this unit which I believe has a rubber diaphragm. the cap is held on by about 6 or 8 screws. It's not leaking from that area.

It looks like the bottom of the unit is where it is spitting out. I will look at it with a mirror today.

I went to bed early last night so I will email Mark this morning.

Jones'n4chrome · Post by **Jones'n4chrome** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:40 am

I know it's a long shot, but did you check to see if the lines are tight?

If that is a diaphragm pump, there will most likely be a vent hole to allow the diaphragm to work.
If the diaphragm goes bad the fuel could leak out of the vent hole.
Are the fuel lines on the top? Above the diaphragm?

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:56 am

Chuckles, the fuel lines are below the diaphragm. They are not loose.

I will give a report on my findings shortly.

Jones'n4chrome · Post by **Jones'n4chrome** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:17 am

Is this it? I gleeped it from the bottom of page 19 in your thread.
This line looks like it's between two diaphragms.

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:26 am

That IS it. I just looked at it and you are correct about where the lines are.

Gonna inspect with a mirror right now.

I may have to remove this pump. I hope I can just put another one in without any weird process.

I'll give you a report soon. My hands are all greasy now.

NOMADICISTA

any one here planning on becoming mobil soon

Who is online