Results for "1997"

Pulled into the driveway and my husband pointed out that our 1997 Ford F53 motorhome's brake lines look like "spaghetti thrown at a wall" and now I can't unsee it. I'm working on brake lines for my 1997 F53 motorhome chassis, and like a true amateur, I forgot to take a picture before disassembly. Classic mistake, right?

Now I'm staring at this brake line wondering if I've got it routed correctly. It looks awfully cozy with the caliper - maybe too cozy for comfort. I'm pretty sure brake lines aren't supposed to be BFFs with moving parts, but I honestly can't remember the proper routing path from the master cylinder.

What's the correct way to route these lines on an F53 chassis, and how much clearance should I maintain from the caliper and suspension components? I'd rather ask now than explain to my insurance company later why my brakes decided to take an unscheduled vacation! …more

Despite probably being a dumb question, why does my 1997 Ford F53 with the 460ci keep being such a real pain lately? Keeps stalling out when I'm sitting at lights or just idling around. This happens every 400-600 miles like clockwork - runs great for a while, then boom, stalling starts up again.

I'm pretty sure it's the EGR valve getting all carboned up because I've seen this pattern before. The thing is, I'm getting tired of dealing with this over and over. Should I just clean the EGR valve again, or is there a better long-term fix? I've heard people talk about EGR deletes but not sure if that's the way to go with the ECU and all that. …more

Got my third fridge failure this season in my '86 Fleetwood Jamboree with the Ford 460 carbureted engine and I'm done guessing what's wrong. Two main issues:

The fridge isn't working at all. What should I check first for troubleshooting?

Also considering an EFI conversion on the 460 for better fuel economy since gas mileage is brutal. Is this upgrade cost-effective or should I stick with maintaining the carburetor system? …more

Nobody told me my 1997 Ford Rexhall Class A would keep overheating like this, and now I'm terrified of engine damage. I've already flushed the radiator multiple times and added fresh coolant, but the overheating problem persists.

I'm hesitant to start taking things apart without knowing what I'm looking for, and I'm concerned about making the problem worse. What are the most likely culprits I should check next? I've heard it could be the thermostat or water pump, but I want to make sure I'm checking everything systematically before spending money on parts that might not fix the issue. …more

According to every YouTube video I've watched, finding the AC fuse in my 1997 Pace Arrow F53 chassis should be easy, but I'm completely lost staring at this hood fuse box. The AC stopped working completely and I'm pretty sure it's just a blown fuse, but I've been staring at this under-hood fuse box for an hour and can't figure out which one controls the dash AC.

I see tons of fuses in there but none are clearly labeled for AC that I can tell. Is there a specific name I should be looking for? And what amperage should this fuse be? I really hope someone can point me in the right direction because this heat is killing me and I know it's probably something simple I'm missing! …more

Already replaced my 1997 Fleetwood Flair's converter yesterday but something still doesn't seem right — battery shows proper voltage but absolutely zero power to any systems. All lights, pumps, and electrical components are completely dead.

I've verified the battery condition multiple times, so I know that's not the issue. What are the most common causes when you have a good battery but zero power output to the RV systems? I need to systematically check the electrical system but want to focus on the most likely culprits first.

Looking for specific troubleshooting steps to diagnose where the power is being interrupted between a good battery and the rest of the electrical system. …more

Last week I flushed the cooling system on my 1999 Fleetwood Bounder with the Ford F53 Triton V10, and now the heater return hose from the engine to the dash is leaking antifreeze everywhere. The original hose has developed a leak where it connects to the metal heater return tube, and from what I can see, both the rubber hose section and the clamps look pretty deteriorated after 25 years of service.

I've never tackled this particular repair before on an RV with the V10 engine, and I want to make sure I understand the complete process before I start. I know I'll need to drain the coolant system, but I'm not entirely sure about the best approach for accessing both connection points - one at the engine block and the other at the firewall where it enters the cab area. The engine bay is pretty cramped with all the RV-specific components, so I want to be prepared with the right parts and know the proper sequence of steps.

Can someone walk me through the complete replacement procedure for the heater return hose on this Ford F53 V10 setup? I want to make sure I'm using the right type of replacement hose and clamps, and that I'm not missing any important steps in the process. …more

Despite getting my tools ready and being determined to tackle this steering shimmy hitting my 1997 Class A motorhome at 55 mph — where should I start? Based on my troubleshooting, this appears to be a wheel balance issue, though I suspect there could also be tire wear patterns or front end component problems contributing to the vibration.

I need to locate commercial truck tire facilities in the Columbus, Ohio area that can properly handle motorhome wheel balancing services. Standard automotive shops don't have the equipment for larger RV wheels, so I'm specifically looking for commercial-grade tire service centers that can diagnose whether this is purely a balance issue or if there are additional front end problems requiring attention. …more

I'm planning my F53 motorhome maintenance when it started making clunking sounds turning yesterday, and crawling underneath revealed my drag link from steering box to left knuckle completely failed. Classic!

I've been hunting for parts and of course the 1999-2008 drag links seem to have vanished into thin air on sites like RockAuto. But lo and behold, I found a 2009 Motorcraft MDOE35 drag link available. My optimistic side is thinking "close enough, right?" but my wallet (and my safety) are wondering if I'm being too hopeful.

Will this 2009 part actually work on my 1999 F53, or am I setting myself up for another one of those "seemed like a good idea at the time" RV moments? Any wisdom on where to actually find the right part for us pre-2009 folks? …more

Between my wife spotting a mystery cable dangling near our 1997 Newmar Mountain Air's fuel filter and my growing obsession with figuring out what it connects to, I'm losing sleep. The wire seems to have come disconnected from somewhere and I'm not sure where it's supposed to go.

I've been having trouble getting the engine to start lately and I'm wondering if this mystery cable could be related to my starting problems. The wire looks like it might be important but I can't figure out what it connects to or what its purpose might be.

Could someone help me identify what type of cable this might be and whether reconnecting it could solve my starting issues? I'd really appreciate any guidance on how to trace where it should connect. …more

Noticed OBD-II scanners are everywhere but before I drop cash on one for my 1997 Fleetwood Bounder with Ford F53 chassis — where's the diagnostic connector actually hiding? I've been crawling around under the dashboard for what feels like hours with a flashlight, checking every obvious spot I can think of.

I know it has to be somewhere under the driver's side dash area, but I'm just not seeing it. Is it hidden behind a panel or mounted in some weird location? At this point I'm wondering if I should be feeling around for it instead of just looking. Any specific tips on exactly where Ford put these things on the '97 F53 would be incredibly helpful - I really need to get this diagnostic scan done! …more