Life with Jane

[okmunky]

Harvey, you may want to look for a source other than a dead critter. In this climate that stuff dries out and loses it's perfume really quick.

I was getting an odor from my black tank vent whenever I had 2 ceiling vents open and one was in exhaust mode. Installing one of those Cyclone vent caps solved it for $20, some Dicor and an hour on the roof. Walmart sells them in the automotive department.

[Wroughtnharv]

Jane has been a pleasure and we haven't had time to mess with the small projects I wanted to do while out west. There have been some health issues with my dad which has kept us pretty busy. Our three week trip has become more than four but tomorrow we will head back to Dallas from Camp Verde AZ.

Jane was in Camp Verde hopefully behaving herself while we were in Phoenix for four days while dad was having surgery in the heart hospital. We got home yesterday to Camp Verde. Last night we had no hot water in the coach. We had water but it wasn't hot. So being the dedicated IRV2 member I did a quick search. I found out that it's a common problem with Winnebagos and hard water. Jane is a Winnebago and we're in the land of hard water, Arizona. The mineral deposits mess up the check valve and the best remedy is installation of a water softener in the coach.

We got up this morning we had hot water. I guess whatever had the check valve by whatever it grabs the check valve by had got tired and let it go. But besides taxes and death, check valve issues will happen when you least want them to. So if you know any fixes I would sincerely appreciate you sharing them with us.

[ronjhall]

Using a softener has always been high priority with me. I have a On-The-Go portable. After 10 years of use I had it rebuilt last year at the iRV2 rally. Works better than when new. I never let water into MH unless it has gone through filters and softener. This includes fresh water tank.
Winnie is not the only manufacturer with failures of the check valve. Mine has never worked the way it should for winterizing the water system. Installed a 3 valve system several years ago. I can now winterize MH with less than 2 gallons of antifreeze.

[Wroughtnharv]

Ron, you're the man when it comes to doing it right the first time. I'm more of the learn from my mistakes kind.

Last night when we settled in at the RV park in Albuquerque I found some antifreeze on the frame by the lower radiator hose. This morning I was under there and found what I suspected, evidence of leakage lower hose to radiator connection. 1/4" ratchet with extension and the 8mm socket and a couple of twists to tighten things up just a bit more.

We went four hundred miles today with only one stop at a historical marker about half way. That allowed the dog and us to stretch the legs and then get back after it. Jane seems to have a broad sweet spot, 62 to 70 mph and she's happy. The winds coming at us front right corner to full sideways kept us on our toes. It's supposed to be worse tomorrow. Television news is predicting winds up to 55 mph. Checked the frame for antifreeze after supper tonight and zilch, nada, nothing.

[guardrail53]

Glad to hear, Harvey! The radiator hose clamps always need a snugging after being replaced and driving a bit! Jane seems to be happy! Rail!

[Franka548]

Harvey,
Glad that it was just a small issue with the hose clamp. Also, glad that Jane is behaving and allowing you to really enjoy your travels.
Frank

[Wroughtnharv]

I'll be 69 in early July. You would think that by now I would be at that place in my life where I point instead of do. What is really terrible is I think I love the doing a lot more than the pointing.

As you know I went back into mechanicing a bit because Jane called. That turned out where I have bloody knuckles from knocking on wood all of the time about the results.

So last night Best Thing and me took a neighbors 2000 Geo Tracker 4 X 4 4 door out for a spin. We bought it. The rockers under the doors is rusted out. The rear main seal leaks really bad. The gas tank leaks. And the tires have to be replaced. It's all nothing but things I can do. We loved the vehicle and decided it would make the perfect toad. Just a couple of more things on the to do list. Or as someone smarter than me once pointed out, "happy people have a reason for getting out of bed." I'm one of the happiest people you will ever meet.

It's a five speed manual so when I pull the transmission/transfer case for access to the rear main seal I will put in a new clutch. I like the 4 X 4 option and the two speed transfer case makes it even better. And it's weighs 3,000 lbs full of fuel.

[veraken]

Suggest you look at the 2000 Dinghy Guide. There are some limits on the speed/distance/time that you can travel with the Tracker. I'm not saying its good or bad, but something you should be aware of.

[Wroughtnharv]

Originally Posted by veraken

Suggest you look at the 2000 Dinghy Guide. There are some limits on the speed/distance/time that you can travel with the Tracker. I'm not saying its good or bad, but something you should be aware of.

Thanks for the heads up. The unit I'm buying has the manual hubs and the owner used it to commute to an oilfield job 375 miles each way. He said he ran it at 70-75 mph most of the time. So I'm hoping that running in Jane's sweet spot around 65 mph won't be a bother.

[okmunky]

Harvey,

I looked up the 2000 Tracker which they have listed under Chevrolet. It says max speed is 55 and you must stop every 200 miles. "With manual hubs only; after 200 miles, operate engine one minute with manual transmission in second."

Does that mean you must disconnect and drive it in 2nd gear or just try pushing the Moho?

Here's the link

http://webcontent.goodsam.com/DinghyGuide2000.pdf

Maybe fix it up and sell it and buy something easier to tow? I know you love having a project to work on.

Are you going to name your toad Dick? Remember the early reader books titled, Fun With Dick and Jane?

[Wroughtnharv]

Originally Posted by okmunky

Harvey,

I looked up the 2000 Tracker which they have listed under Chevrolet. It says max speed is 55 and you must stop every 200 miles. "With manual hubs only; after 200 miles, operate engine one minute with manual transmission in second."

Does that mean you must disconnect and drive it in 2nd gear or just try pushing the Moho?

Here's the link

http://webcontent.goodsam.com/DinghyGuide2000.pdf

Maybe fix it up and sell it and buy something easier to tow? I know you love having a project to work on.

Are you going to name your toad Dick? Remember the early reader books titled, Fun With Dick and Jane?

Best Thing just about lost it on that one. I agreed that it was funny but suggested that your sense of humor suffers from a little dyslexia. The stories were about Dick and Jane and not vice versa, putting the cart before the horse you might say......

I'm a proud supporter of LGBT rights (gay son) but think my projects should be female and not male, just a comfort level you understand since I have to get pretty intimate with them mechanicing. So the toad will have a girl name, Blue for now because that is her color.

I also looked up the dinghy guide and suspected lawyerized cya. Then I went to the toad forums on IRV2 and did a search for "Tracker". The personal experiences seemed to confirm what I suspected, 4 X 4 with transfer case and manual hubs, tow it like you stole it, works for me.

If you put the transfer case in neutral and the transmission in any gear you can start the motor and release the clutch without power going to the wheels. The idea of starting the toad for a few minutes is always about lubing the transmission. With the two speed transfer case in neutral there should be no reason to lube the transmission because the transfer case isolates it from the differentials/road.

[Gordon Dewald]

Check out the parts availability for the Tracker. Fellow in the park had one (I think?) and had something so wrong in the engine. He managed to fix the issue with some liquid metal. He had the devil of a time finding the part. Said they no longer had parts in US and Canada but was able to get it from Mexico. Was going to install the part when he got home and sell the truck.

[PatStab]

Have a Cadillac 2013 SRX, tows easy, sets up easy.

Pull cover on shifter, make sure all accessories are
turned off, put small screwdriver in hole, push down
put car in drive, push forward one notch to neutral,
that's it.

I searched and checked to find the easiest I could and
this was it, had a stick shift Saturn before that took
more work.

Don't know if the new SRX's are the same.

[Wroughtnharv]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

Check out the parts availability for the Tracker. Fellow in the park had one (I think?) and had something so wrong in the engine. He managed to fix the issue with some liquid metal. He had the devil of a time finding the part. Said they no longer had parts in US and Canada but was able to get it from Mexico. Was going to install the part when he got home and sell the truck.

Interesting. One of the reasons besides the weight and fun factor for the Tracker choice was the enthusiasts for the Samurai, Tracker models guarantee parts availability. And it appears to me the hot spot for enthusiasts is in the Arizona Southern California area. The old boy might find his best place to unload his is in Yuma.

We do the deal on ours this afternoon.