Should I run to, or from, this coach?

[ccsmith51]

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

Would be nice to know which engine were talking about ?

Sorry I omitted that. it is a 330 hp Cat C7.

[Betr2Trvl]

"Some company called Ring Power" isn't just some fly by night company, they are "the" major factory authorized CAT dealership for most of FL and as I see on thier web page have some other locations as well these days. Not sure of their expertise on RVs, but you want to buy or service a mega D10 dozer......., but I would sure think they know what they are doing with just about any CAT engine.

Cat Equipment Dealer Fla. | Ring Power Corp.

Good luck with whatever your decision is.

[Mark D]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

You can have every test there is performed and still have something break like it did on our ISX. All tests came back fine, including the oil test, and 2,200 miles later a valve broke, causing $33,000 in engine repairs.

I agree with Mr D, but I think the first place didn't find the problem and just kept charging to explore.

Injectors go bad, they were replaced and all is well. The jacks are new so that is a plus.

We had a 2005 39s that was relatively trouble free so I would have it checked by a good inspector and if all is clear and the price is fair go for it.

Maybe use the past issue as a way to get the price down?

[Quincy]

Originally Posted by ccsmith51

I am considering a 2007 Fleetwood 39V with 47,000 miles. Here is some history ftom the owner...

“When we bought it from camping world they noticed black smoke coming from the exhaust and told us not too worry about that as they would get it seen to before we took the coach .....

They had a company come out to camping world to replace one injector as this guy had said there is only one bad one and if that was replaced the smoke would be fixed.. anyway he changed that one no more codes or faults came up so they thought something else was causing the problem so

They sent the coach to another company to diagnose the black smoke and remedy it.

They replaced the Huey pump first saying this could be causing it and put new sensors in

While there the radiator developed a hole so camping world told them to go ahead and replace it with a brand new one , on trying to diagnose the black smoke they changed all filters inside and out , oil change etc etc we have all paperwork ..

After they had the coach for two weeks changing different parts and not fixing the initial problem they told camping world that the other injectors must be bad ...

Camping world decided after paying them over $18,000 that they wanted the coach back to send it to another company called ring power for a second opinion and find out why this black smoke was still there

Ring power got the coach, it took them 24hrs to say that all six injectors needed replacing , camping world asked them to just replace five as one had been done a couple of weeks ago, ring power refused and said if they want them to change them it would have to be all six and they would put a five year warranty on them as they didn’t want to do just five and still have a problem, once all injectors were replaced black smoke was completely gone !

While the coach was with ring power we asked them to fully service the generator and to put fuel additive into the tank ,

Then we noticed that the jacks were not coming down so camping world sent the coach away again and had all new big foot hydraulic self leveling jacks fitted $5,000

This was all to our advantage as camping world paid for most of the work to be carried out as we were in the process of buying the coach and had not yet taken from there premises ..

There is no damage history at all , we had a report run on the coach to see it was free and clear of any damage or issues

We have every manual you can think of the folder is huge !

There are no issues at all on the coach nothing will require maintenance or repair for a long time , we made sure everything was done and 100% perfect plus updating a few items as in carpet etc ... “

Visually the coach looks almost new. I am impressed with what I have seen, and we really like the floorplan.

BUT, with the engine history, should I expect more trouble and run, or figure the expensive stuff has been done and move forward?

Thanks!

I just reread your post and you say "engine history" From what I read the history is only black smoke which indicates a rich condition and I have some doubts as to the injectors being the only cause. As I said the drive back and forth between the repair shops would have "cleaned out" the combustion chambers and "possibly" helped clear up the black smoke. A diesel with black smoke is not necessarily a big issue. Considering a 5 year warranty on the injectors and all the other items done, which add up to thousands of dollars I think you have hit the jackpot so to speak. The computer "ECM" could have the mixture too rich, which can be programmed if necessary. Even if you have to replace it, which I doubt. It is not a big enough deal that should chase you away. I dont want to be your deciding influence since I could be wrong but if it were me I would grab it and run with a smile. Who is to say that the next coach would not have a closet full of issues that are not obvious until you are in northern New Mexico.

Good luck and please let us know what you decide

[Crasher]

If you like everything about the coach, and Ring Power gave their approval, get CW to pay for half of an extended service plan for the engine from the company of your choice. Buying used always has the risk of an unknown problem. That's part of why they cost less than new. Be grateful for the issues they have addressed, put your "Stuff" in it and start enjoying it.

edit: I wouldn't be surprised if the black smoke disappeared after a long pull up a mountain grade.

[ccsmith51]

Just for clarification, the majority of my original message was in quotes, and that is an email I got from the seller. The seller is an individual that purchased it from camping world.

[MO Fred]

Wow! Can’t imagine CW spending that much money on a coach before selling it to you. They must have a high mark up to cover their cost.

[RVPioneer]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

You can have every test there is performed and still have something break like it did on our ISX. All tests came back fine, including the oil test, and 2,200 miles later a valve broke, causing $33,000 in engine repairs.

The ISX 650 does tend to explode from time to time. One of the few "not so good" ideas to be offered by Cummins.

I'd run away from that Fleetwood and never give it a second thought.

[Quincy]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

You can have every test there is performed and still have something break like it did on our ISX. All tests came back fine, including the oil test, and 2,200 miles later a valve broke, causing $33,000 in engine repairs.

All engines can loose a valve now and again.. That is why I always land on the side of doing next to nothing in the way of engine maintenance. If we all treated our "babies" the same as we do our daily driver then we would have much more time to go camping and post on this forum. Oil tests are all but useless unless you are a NASCAR crew chief. Same as nitrogen in the tires but if it is what you enjoy then have at it!!!

[Sandy Swede]

Originally Posted by Quincy

All engines can loose a valve now and again.. That is why I always land on the side of doing next to nothing in the way of engine maintenance. If we all treated our "babies" the same as we do our daily driver then we would have much more time to go camping and post on this forum. Oil tests are all but useless unless you are a NASCAR crew chief. Same as nitrogen in the tires but if it is what you enjoy then have at it!!!

Just curious as to what brought you to that conclusion. Could you expand on that? Thanks.

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by Quincy

All engines can loose a valve now and again.. That is why I always land on the side of doing next to nothing in the way of engine maintenance. If we all treated our "babies" the same as we do our daily driver then we would have much more time to go camping and post on this forum. Oil tests are all but useless unless you are a NASCAR crew chief. Same as nitrogen in the tires but if it is what you enjoy then have at it!!!

I don't think loosing a valve is very typical. If the engine is overrevved and the valves go into "float", then sure...

One should do the maintenance that is needed, not "next to nothing"

Oil testing is a very regular part of Fleet maintenance program to replace oil when it's needed, not on a time / miles schedule. And since the testing lab provides the results in plain language, you don't need to be a NASCAR crew chief or even a rocket scientist to understand.

[suzuki-steve]

I wouldn't be afraid, like someone else said your $30,000 ahead of the game. All of those items eventually fail, your good for along time.

[jvalich]

Buying any Coach is a gamble with some assurance, i.e. warranty, for the first year. After that... "only the Shadow knows". Sounds like the coach has had lots of attention and testing so you, IMHO, are ahead of many who bought new in many ways.

If the price is right, you love the floor plan, and are comfortable in your mind with the risk... do the deal, go camping and enjoy.

[Quincy]

Originally Posted by Sandy Swede

Just curious as to what brought you to that conclusion. Could you expand on that? Thanks.

Thanks SS for the respectful question. I was raised buy an old time mechanic who once told me that if you could keep fresh oil running through the motor as it ran it would be the best thing for it. Now I know this is a bit extreme but it serves a point. We wont be able to do that so we come as close as we can, especially with our "babies" Changing the oil more often than needed and more often that we do in our daily drivers in many cases.

I can see why fleet managers would use oil testing and also hi performance crew chiefs. I can also see why they might want nitrogen in their tires. I see oil test for our babies as part of the enjoyment of a sort of hobby vehicle.

Most of the vehicle owners do not even know oil tests are available let alone use them and we operate our vehicles many thousands of miles without them often extending our mileage way beyond recommended numbers with no serious or even noticeable problems. I am currently doing that now with my daily driver.

Lets say the oil test finds metal shavings in a unusually high amount. The one biggie. That might mean a part is failing, going to crumble and damage the motor or maybe whatever happens just has no noticeable result. Do you disassemble the motor and look for what might not even be found. No, you just keep on driving because there is nothing that can be done.

I am not against oil tests, I just look at them as part of the enjoyment of the "RV hobby"

Sorry to be so long winded but thanks for the question.