New Guy Need help understanding my Chassis

[southland]

The Autozone web site has a help section that has some good info such as the belts and vacuum hose placement. Sure they would not list the MH but you might get info by entering the engine make/year/size.

[Shore2Shore]

Our 1987 john Deere chassis with 460 came with its owners & parts manual. In there it said that for any engine parts to look at parts for the ford E series of vans from 1986.

Also if its still there look on the drivers side rocker cover on the engine, ours has a factory label with original valve clearances, spark plug gap info and number.

I don't think the original plugs are available but just search at oreillys or autozone for plugs for the E series vans with 7.5 engine.

[rsflight]

1) Air Injector Pump- To meet early emissions requirements this was added to inject fresh air into the exhaust manifold to help meet emission standards of the time. The 460 had two air pumps.

2) Power steering pumps- The FORD powered RV's seemed to have two of them. One was for the power steering and the other was for the power brakes. A car uses the engine vacuum to assist the force you place on the brake pedal. In heavy duty applications (RV) the vacuum is replaced with hydraulic pressure. The pressure is supplied to a hydro-boost unit located under the driver's floor. This pressure is also used to disengage the parking brake.

The parking brake is a brake drum assembly at the end of the transmission. Without the hydraulic pressure from one of the power steering pumps, the parking brake is applied. Its automatically applied when shifted into park.

Other units driven by the belts should be the AC compressor for dash air, an alternator, and water pump.

We often had to tighten the belts, annually, due to belt stretch. The most noticeable one was the power steering belt. It most often squealed at the beginning of the season. Tightening removed the squeal.

The sparkplug size and gap (usually preset) are standard for most 460's of that age. The auto parts store can supply that info. I usually ask for engine parts to a Ford F250 or F350. Asking for motorhome parts will only get you a plank stare because its not in their computer.

[Bilito]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsflight 1) Air Injector Pump- To meet early emissions requirements this was added to inject fresh air into the exhaust manifold to help meet emission standards of the time. The 460 had two air pumps. 2) Power steering pumps- The FORD powered RV's seemed to have two of them. One was for the power steering and the other was for the power brakes. A car uses the engine vacuum to assist the force you place on the brake pedal. In heavy duty applications (RV) the vacuum is replaced with hydraulic pressure. The pressure is supplied to a hydro-boost unit located under the driver's floor. This pressure is also used to disengage the parking brake. The parking brake is a brake drum assembly at the end of the transmission. Without the hydraulic pressure from one of the power steering pumps, the parking brake is applied. Its automatically applied when shifted into park. Other units driven by the belts should be the AC compressor for dash air, an alternator, and water pump. We often had to tighten the belts, annually, due to belt stretch. The most noticeable one was the power steering belt. It most often squealed at the beginning of the season. Tightening removed the squeal. The sparkplug size and gap (usually preset) are standard for most 460's of that age. The auto parts store can supply that info. I usually ask for engine parts to a Ford F250 or F350. Asking for motorhome parts will only get you a plank stare because its not in their computer.

Can I remove those two air pumps and the filter cannisters associated with them? Will it affect the engine in any way doing that.

Thanks to everyone here I figured out which hydraulic pump was which, is there a trick to adjusting the belt tension on the Brake pump, I cannot see anyway to get at it and the belt goes around the crank and the water pump so the adfjustment has to be at the hydraULIC PUMP

ALSO ON MY RV THEY PUT THE MASTER CYLINDER UP UNDER THE DRIVER FEET AREA WITH ABOUT 2 OR THREE INCH CLEARANCE to get to it and there is no access panel in the floor

[Old Wanderer]

I have a 1986 Coachmen Motorhome on a Ford E-350 chassis with a 460 4 barrel. My thermostat went bad in Waycross, GA. I've been a mechanic for about 50 years. To change the thermostat I had to remove the emission pumps. It took me 3-4 hours to change it with the tools I had with me. I didn't put them back on. You have to make sure you have the vacuum hoses hooked up so you have vacuum to the vacuum advance, anything necessary that runs by vacuum like the heater, brakes, cruise control and important stuff like that. Back in the 70's and 80's we hooked them up like that if they needed expensive parts. They ran better and got better gas mileage too.

[Bilito]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Wanderer I have a 1986 Coachmen Motorhome on a Ford E-350 chassis with a 460 4 barrel. My thermostat went bad in Waycross, GA. I've been a mechanic for about 50 years. To change the thermostat I had to remove the emission pumps. It took me 3-4 hours to change it with the tools I had with me. I didn't put them back on. You have to make sure you have the vacuum hoses hooked up so you have vacuum to the vacuum advance, anything necessary that runs by vacuum like the heater, brakes, cruise control and important stuff like that. Back in the 70's and 80's we hooked them up like that if they needed expensive parts. They ran better and got better gas mileage too.

If I understand you correctly you said you removed the air pumps and your engine ran better and you got better gas mileage, is that correct?

[Bilito]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilito This is it coming home, all the batteries were shot, I did jump start the motor and the genset and got the ac units to run before I purchased it. The other day I started the motor and it made a horrible sound, I was wondering what it was when there was a clunk and the motor stopped. Pulled the starter yesterday and took it to a repair shop, it was seized, the bendix did not return the starter gear and the sound I heard was the motor spinning the starter until it perished. It will be ready tomorrow afternoon. I also pulled the alternator which was not working and the repair shop tested it and said it was perfect. What could be keeping that from charging?

I have cleaned and connected all the battery wires, the gen now starts instantly,however I have no power to the chassis, I have not installed the new starter or the alternator yet, would that somehow prevent me getting power to the key switch. I turn to switch to on or access and nothing happens. I have checked all the fuses and they are good. What did I do wrong????

[Senior Chief]

Possibly a bad ignition switch. Not hard or costly to replace.

The generator starts off the house batteries, not the chassis battery, generally. Is the chassis battery charged and properly connected?

[Bilito]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior Chief Possibly a bad ignition switch. Not hard or costly to replace. The generator starts off the house batteries, not the chassis battery, generally. Is the chassis battery charged and properly connected?

The chassis battery was down a volt I am charging it now.
I have something called battery disconnects by the entry door I press a switch that disconnects the coach battery but the steps and ceiling lights all still work??? I thought that disconnected everything 12V in the coach.
there is also a switch to turn the steps on and off, it works, but the yellow light inside the switch does not work.

[big-dan]

Are you sure this is a 1991 model as beginning 1990, all of the 460's in the Oshkosh/Freightliner chassis were fuel injected. Sounds to me like someone may have fried the original engine and put an older engine in it just to get it running. Obviously it is not in California or another state that requires originally injected engines and smog systems be intact and working before it can be registered. Just my two cents worth, but I think that might explain the belts and accessory drives that don't seem to align.

[Bilito]

It's a 1991 with a 4 barrel carb on top. We got the ac belt on today and reinstalled the alternator and got that belt tightened up also. I cannot figure out how that PS or PB pump on the lower left side of the motor is set up, there is no room to do anything much less see anything and then work on it, you would think with something this big there would be enough room to diy basic mainteance. That belt is very loose.

[big-dan]

Yeah, these guys need a lot of patience and coddling when you attempt to do basic maintenance. Wait till you have to replace the valve stem seals or something on that order. Not fun!! Anyway, you will undoubtably suffer through it and be much the wiser and more experienced when you get it on the road. Too bad you aren't closer, I would give you a hand.

[BigJack]

According to the Oshkosh owners manual I have for my 1990 Starcraft class A you could get a 460 with or without EFI. The spark plug no#s for the EFI engine is Motorcraft ASF-42c and without EFI Motorcraft ASF-42. EFI=electronic fuel injection. Hope this is helpful!

[tekrsq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJack According to the Oshkosh owners manual I have for my 1990 Starcraft class A you could get a 460 with or without EFI. The spark plug no#s for the EFI engine is Motorcraft ASF-42c and without EFI Motorcraft ASF-42. EFI=electronic fuel injection. Hope this is helpful!

Interesting. I thought mid 89 was the last carb'd 460.

Yes, you can remove the smog pumps and the engine will run fine. I did it to mine. I didn't notice any increase in mileage, but certainly didn't notice any decrease either. But I haven't replaced the plugs, or done any type of tune-up either. Hopefully a tune-up will help.