Community Forums

Cavecanum3 · 05-02-2015, 06:28 PM

I bought a 1989 Fleetwood Bounder last June of 2014, it had only 11,000 miles on a new factory 454, direct from Chevrolet. It had 65,000 on the chassis, I used it from June of last year until January of this year, without any issues. I noticed on the last trip coming home, that when I would try to accelerate going up a hill, ( I live in Colorado) that I could be at say 60 mph, going up a slight incline on the highway, when I would start to lose acceleration, not necessarily power, but acceleration. Not because I was going up a SMALL incline, I had done far worse climbs than this previously, on the same trip, but it would struggle to stay between 55-60. Is it a fuel filter problem? Or worse, that I don't want to think about, a transmission problem. Also, I have a squeaky belt, I believe going to the air compressor unit, how in the heck do you change belts by yourself in these things, without trying to take the whole front end apart. I am a short person, with short arms, help!! LOL

Skip426 · 05-02-2015, 10:57 PM

Fuel filter would be the first ; and least expensive ; thing to try.

Belt changes can be a bear, the coach manufacturer , isn't concerned with any kind of maintenance when they put the coach together.

Steady_Rest · 05-02-2015, 11:25 PM

I change the belts from the dog house and from underneath on my '93 454 Bounder, it is really not that bad of a job. Check belt condition, add some belt dressing, readjust the tension and you should be fine. I have replaced the belts one time in 200k miles for preventative maintenance, with one additional change of the alternator belt. This belt failed after I replaced the alternator and the alt froze up after a few hours of use on the very day it was installed.
Just yesterday readjusted the tension on the ac belt from the doghouse. Very easy to get at this belt. I keep the old belts in the rv in case the need of an emergency repair.

Kevin

mbridinger · 05-05-2015, 07:00 AM

If you feel you have a lack of power or acceleration you should start with the basics. fuel delivery and tune. The above post is a good place to start (Fuel Filter), A failing fuel pump can also cause this issue as well as about 100 other thing. Start the process and be methodical. I however would not be trying to go uphill in my 454 at 60mph.