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Ford F53 V10 Bypass Oil Filter Installation: Best Mounting Locations for RV Chassis
Engine Medium 1-2 hours 95 👍

Ford F53 V10 Bypass Oil Filter Installation: Best Mounting Locations for RV Chassis

Walked out to check my oil analysis results and they're showing 15-micron contaminants, but everything says my 2003 F53 V10's factory filter catches down to 25 microns. I've been reading about how these can help extend oil life and keep things cleaner, but I'm honestly not sure where the best place to mount one would be.

I've seen some people mention sandwich adapters at the original filter location, remote mounting blocks, and even tapping directly into the engine block. As someone who's still learning, I don't want to mess this up or create problems down the road. What's considered the best practice for mounting location on the F53 V10? I'd really appreciate some guidance from those who have done this before. …more
How to Winterize RV Dishwasher and Washing Machine with Antifreeze - Complete Guide
Appliances Easy 30-45 minutes 93 👍

How to Winterize RV Dishwasher and Washing Machine with Antifreeze - Complete Guide

During my first walkthrough of this RV I bought last month, I discovered the previous owner never properly winterized the dishwasher and washing machine. I've got a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher and a Contoure front loading washer that I absolutely cannot let freeze up.

I know I need to use RV antifreeze, but I'm honestly confused about the exact process. Do I just pour it in and run a cycle? How much do I use? I've read horror stories about people using the wrong type of antifreeze and ruining everything. I really need someone to walk me through the correct steps before I mess this up! …more
4R100 Transmission Temperature Gauge Sender Location Guide for RV Owners & Mechanics
Engine Medium 1-2 hours 85 👍

4R100 Transmission Temperature Gauge Sender Location Guide for RV Owners & Mechanics

Despite my RV mechanic insisting I need a completely new 4R100 transmission for overheating, shouldn't I install a temperature gauge first to verify what's really going on? I can't seem to find any factory temperature sender on this transmission - am I missing something obvious?

I'm nervous about drilling into the pan or tapping into lines since I don't want to create leaks or cause more problems than I'm trying to solve. Is there a safe, proven way to monitor transmission temperature on a 4R100 without risking damage? I've heard about electronic options too but not sure if they're reliable. …more
Ford F53 460 EGR Valve Cleaning Guide - Fix Motorhome Stalling Issues Now
Engine Medium 2-3 hours 84 👍

Ford F53 460 EGR Valve Cleaning Guide - Fix Motorhome Stalling Issues Now

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
Ford V10 RV Engine: Is Full Synthetic Oil Better Than Synthetic Blend for Performance?
Engine Easy 30 minutes 84 👍

Ford V10 RV Engine: Is Full Synthetic Oil Better Than Synthetic Blend for Performance?

Planning my next oil change but my viscosity readings are hitting breakdown at 3,000 miles when everything says synthetic blend should last 5,000 in my 2008 Ford V10. The owner's manual specifies Motorcraft 5W-20 synthetic blend oil, which I've been using consistently. However, I've identified that Costco's Kirkland brand offers 5W-20 full synthetic at a lower cost point than my current oil.

From a technical standpoint, would transitioning from synthetic blend to full synthetic oil provide any measurable benefits for RV engine protection? I need to verify that the Kirkland full synthetic meets Ford's engine specifications before making this change. What are the performance differences between these oil formulations for heavy-duty RV applications? …more
Coleman Mach AC Leaking Water Inside RV: Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Stop Drips
Ac Refrigeration Medium 1-2 hours 84 👍

Coleman Mach AC Leaking Water Inside RV: Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Stop Drips

I'm planning my weekend getaway when I spotted water dripping from my Coleman Mach air conditioner model 49003A879 that definitely wasn't there yesterday. I'm in Myrtle Beach, with super humid conditions (90s with crazy humidity) and getting pea-sized water drops falling from the ceiling vents at maybe 2 drops per minute, which doesn't sound like much but it's making puddles on my floor.

I've been keeping the main ceiling vents mostly closed to push more air to the back of the coach. Climbed up on the roof expecting to find some fancy drain pump or tubing system, but honestly don't see much of anything obvious.

Is this just how these Coleman units work, or am I missing something? Really hoping this isn't a 'deal with it' situation, but wondering if my closed vents are screwing up the airflow or if there's actually a drainage problem I need to fix. …more

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Ford F53 V10 Engine Surging: Quick Diagnosis & Cheap Fixes for RV Owners
Engine Medium 2-4 hours 83 👍

Ford F53 V10 Engine Surging: Quick Diagnosis & Cheap Fixes for RV Owners

Ford V10 surges between 600 and 1200 RPM at idle and gets worse when the engine is warm. Already replaced the IAC valve and cleaned the throttle body with no improvement. Drives fine on the highway but sitting at a stoplight feels like the engine is about to stall. …more
Onan 7500 QD Code 36 Fix: How to Solve Generator Overfill Oil Shutdown Problems
Engine Easy 45 minutes 82 👍

Onan 7500 QD Code 36 Fix: How to Solve Generator Overfill Oil Shutdown Problems

Woke up this morning to fire up my Onan 7500KW QD for camping season, and that dreaded Code 36 shutdown nightmare is back again. I can restart it after waiting a bit, but this is driving me nuts.

I've been digging around online and came across something weird - apparently these dipsticks are calibrated wrong? Some folks are saying you're supposed to keep the oil level just above the 'ADD 1QT' mark instead of at the full line to avoid overfill shutdowns. That sounds backwards to me, but I'm seeing it mentioned everywhere.

Before I start messing with oil levels or throwing money at fuel pumps and control boards, can anyone confirm if this dipstick thing is actually legit? Really hoping it's something this simple! …more
ISL 8.9 Valve & Jake Brake Adjustment: Specs & Tools
Engine Hard 4-6 hours 80 👍

ISL 8.9 Valve & Jake Brake Adjustment: Specs & Tools

The 2004 Cummins ISL 8.9 in my rig is 20 years old and starting to run rough — time for valve adjustments or a full rebuild? What are the intake and exhaust valve specs? I want to confirm the clearance measurements and also need the tool number to adjust the jake brake. Can anyone help me verify the correct specifications before I start this job? …more
Winnebago EKKO Shore Power & Water Leak Fix - Expert Guide
Electrical Medium 2-3 hours 78 👍

Winnebago EKKO Shore Power & Water Leak Fix - Expert Guide

After discovering shore power and water leak issues in my brand new 2025 Winnebago EKKO, I'm trying to decide between returning it or tackling the repairs myself. First, when I connect to shore power, the batteries aren't charging at all and there's an 'OPEN GRD' warning on the transfer switch. The shore power connection shows a red G light with green L and N lights. Second, there's water dripping right above the driver's seat coming from somewhere in the plastic overhead area between the left storage compartment and the TV mount. We have a cross-country family trip planned next month and I need to know if it's safe to travel with these problems. The battery issue is preventing me from running the generator when the coach battery gets too low. Is this something I can fix myself or do I need to head straight back to the dealer? …more
RV Oil Filter Adapter Plate: Complete Guide to Function & Installation Explained
Engine Medium 45 minutes 77 👍

RV Oil Filter Adapter Plate: Complete Guide to Function & Installation Explained

I turned my simple RV oil filter change into a disaster when I followed a YouTube tutorial and somehow made everything worse with this "adapter plate" confusion. I've seen it mentioned for V6, V8, and V10 engines, but I'm honestly not sure what it actually does or why it's there.

From what I can gather, it might have something to do with using the same oil filter on different engine types? I'm trying to understand if this is some kind of universal mounting thing that RV manufacturers use, but I don't want to guess and mess something up during maintenance. Could someone explain what this component actually is and why RVs seem to use them across different engine configurations? …more
Complete 4x4 RV Transmission Filter Service Guide - Transfer Case & Differential Maintenance
Engine Medium 2-3 hours all services 72 👍

Complete 4x4 RV Transmission Filter Service Guide - Transfer Case & Differential Maintenance

Since this is the third time this season my 4x4 RV's transmission is acting up, I'm done throwing parts at it without proper filter service knowledge. I've got a 4x4 RV with a 4R100 transmission (2003 V10) that's due for service. I'm wondering if there's anything different about servicing the transmission filter on a 4x4 versus a regular 2WD setup?

Also, since I'm getting under there anyway, should I be thinking about servicing other components while I'm at it? Don't want to miss anything important that could bite me later down the road. Thanks for any guidance! …more
Cummins Engine Oil Analysis High Metals: Diagnosis & Next Steps
Engine Medium Ongoing monitoring 69 👍

Cummins Engine Oil Analysis High Metals: Diagnosis & Next Steps

Around 6am yesterday my 2017 Discovery LXE 39g's 360hp Cummins started showing catastrophic metal levels on the oil analysis report. I sent a sample to the lab for analysis, and they reported that aluminum, iron, and copper levels are higher than typical generic Cummins engine averages. The lab suggested this could be due to extended oil change intervals from the previous owner, but without any baseline data or service records, I'm not sure how concerned I should be about these elevated metal readings.

The RV was previously in an accident (shows on CarFax as comprehensive damage) with front-end body work including wheel, steps, fender panel, and front cowling replacement, though a Cummins mechanic spent two hours going over the engine with me and didn't find any obvious mechanical issues. The lab recommended testing again after 2000 miles to see if the numbers improve, but I'm wondering how to properly interpret these initial results when I have no previous data to compare against. What's the best approach for establishing whether these metal levels indicate actual engine wear or just the residual effects of poor maintenance practices? …more

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Best Weatherproof RV Surge Protector Covers: TRC vs Camco Review
Electrical Easy 30 minutes 60 👍

Best Weatherproof RV Surge Protector Covers: TRC vs Camco Review

Left my 50-amp surge protector hanging on the pedestal through a week of thunderstorms and the housing is showing moisture inside the display. Debating between the TRC and Camco weatherproof covers but can't tell from the photos which one actually keeps rain out. Anyone used both? …more
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