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1)The coach needs to always be as close to level as you can get to keep the fridge from dying. Jim can comment on the technical end of this but a friend of ours who replaced our coil $$$$ told us that the fridge always needs to be level to run properly. This is true on 98% of all rv fridges.

I've learned about the "level" issue. Anyway, the Norcolds are very tolerant to being "unlevel". I do a lot of boondocking, so being level is not always possible. Dometics are NOT tolerant of being unlevel, so if the coach has to be parked on a slope, the Dometics should be left side up.

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The brakes seemed to work fine, although the pedal would not come back, I had to pull it back by hand.

Hi Curtis,
Way back when, when I had a 1975 Cutlass, that was a symptom of a master cylinder nearing its end of life. You should be doubly sure that all is healthy in the braking system.

Dick, your comment about adding a heavier return spring makes me wonder whether this is masking a problem of the Hydroboost pump or its seals wearing out. That pump provides the power for both the brakes and the steering; you don't want to have a system failure here. The story of the Port Angeles crash elsewhere in Barthmobile got me very concerned about this topic.
Happy Motoring,
Matt

Barthbluesmobile, my brake problem is somewhat a moot question at this point, but I will look into this as I get down to the chassis and its components. I quess an answer might be of some use to others.

If the pedal sank to the floor, or continued down when pressed, the master (or one of the wheel cylinders) would be suspect. The HydroBoost is only an assist, and wouldn't affect the operation of the pedal except the force needed.

I confirmed this (involuntarily) by throwing a belt three years ago (no power steering or power brakes), and again two years ago when the master cylinder suddenly gave up.

My recollection is the brakes and steering seemed to be normal, the pedal would just not come back up I would have to pull it up with my foot until is put in te spring.

the last part of that last entry should read, "until I put in the spring"

Good job, Curtis. That's a beautiful rig.

Thank you everyone for all the comments!

Next step is to switch out all the hoses and belts and change the oil, figure out the brakes (I'm thinking the master cylinder), then the tires. Then onto the interior...

Thanks for all the great tips everyone, I really appreciate all the advice

-Curtis

I just got back from working on the Barth for a few days, and looks as though I'll need to replace the starter.

I bought one of the biggest batteries I could find, and the engine just didn't seem to want to turnover. So I hooked my jump starter on it, thinking the battery didn't have a full charge, but that didn't seem to help at all. Checked/cleaned connections at the starter, but still didn't seem to want to turnover.

I then wanted to make sure that the engine would turnover freely, and didn't lockup for some reason since I started it last time (2 months ago), so I pulled the plugs out, and turned it over. The engine spun free, but not fast enough to start, even with all the plugs out.

At the starter, I have 12.5V going in from the battery, but it just doesn't seem to have the power.

I took the starter off, and now I'm trying to find the best option for replacement.

Since I wasn't able to start it, and change the oil like I had planned for, I decided to take the time to clean out the inside really well. Every draw, cabinet, shelf, everything!

Here are a couple pictures

Curtis, I am sure that there are more qualified people on here that can give you sound advice. I would first make sure that the electrical connections are sound. ie ground. from battery to engine and engine ground to starter. The other thing...with GM ( I think this is a 454 Chevy) starters sometimes require to be shimmed properly or they can bind with the fly wheel. Remember this if you need to replace the starter.I would suspect the the electrical connections before I invest in a starter.

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Originally posted by Curtis H.:
I just got back from working on the Barth for a few days, and looks as though I'll need to replace the starter.

Wait a little while on that.

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I bought one of the biggest batteries I could find, and the engine just didn't seem to want to turnover. So I hooked my jump starter on it, thinking the battery didn't have a full charge, but that didn't seem to help at all. Checked/cleaned connections at the starter, but still didn't seem to want to turnover.

Did you check the ground connection, as well? The ideal ground connection is from the starting battery negative to a starter mounting bolt. Really cleaned. Anything else is second-best and can bite you.

I am sure you cleaned the battery cable and the solenoid connection. How about the connection from the solenoid to the starter itself?

If both the ground and the external solenoid connections are good, take a coin and touch it from the top large terminal to the small terminal on the solenoid. The one that has a small wire connected to it. What happens? If the starter spins well, that is telling you that the relay in the start circuit is not passing full current or has bad wiring or connections. That relay, which is up on the right side of the engine top area, can be tested by jumpering the two large terminals with something heavy.

Since the starter is out, you might consider disassembling the solenoid. The contacts inside can get pitted and oxidized. If they are not too bad, they can be cleaned up with a smooth file. That includes the contact disk. A good shop can sell you the new parts, too. Or, you can replace just the solenoid. I don't know if starters come with new solenoids or not. There is a GM high temp solenoid. Search this site for the numbers for it and the terminal hardware. When things heat up, it is important. Heat shield, too.

If you remove the end cap of the starter, you can look the brushes. It is a good idea to replace them. They can wear short and make poor contact. The brush holders have positive stops to prevent the brush tension arms from making contact with the commutator, which is good. The down side is that when the brushes get short, the arm hits the stop, and tension goes away. As a temporary measure, you can bend the tabs, but new brushes are better. Ah, heck, clean up the commutator, and have the armature growled while you're at it. If you wanna get into the starter, PM me and I can send a scan of the manual pages. Save the growler, it can be done with a simple VOM.

Many auto parts stores can test your starter if you bring it in.

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At the starter, I have 12.5V going in from the battery

Was that when it was cranking? It is best to read the voltage when cranking at the out terminal of the solenoid, where it connects to the starter.

Nice pictures!

Hey Curtis. Really cool looking bus! I enjoyed following your posts when you began the "Regal Rebirth" and wondered what was happening lately.
Please continue keeping us posted, (with pics!)and GOOD LUCK!!
Don

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Originally posted by Don in Niagara:
Hey Curtis. Really cool looking bus! I enjoyed following your posts when you began the "Regal Rebirth" and wondered what was happening lately.
Please continue keeping us posted, (with pics!)and GOOD LUCK!!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

Curtis, I had the same problem with my 85 Regal. It was the engine ground connection to the frame. Fixed that, haven't had a problem since.
Jim

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Originally posted by Jim and Tere:
Curtis, I had the same problem with my 85 Regal. It was the engine ground connection to the frame. Fixed that, haven't had a problem since.
Jim

Jim,

Do you know how long this engine ground connection to the frame is?I'd like to just go ahead replace it. Also, where is it located on your frame, so I can know where to look when I go back up to work on the motorhome?