Results for "slow rise"

Looked forward to our two-week cross-country trip starting tomorrow until I discovered my RV water heater that used to produce scalding hot water now barely gets lukewarm. Both the electric and gas functions appear to be working - I can hear the gas igniting and see the electric indicator light - but the water temperature just won't get hot enough for a decent shower.

I've been dealing with this for weeks now and it's driving me crazy. The water gets warm, but nowhere near the hot temperatures I used to get. Is this a common problem with RV water heaters? What are the most likely culprits when you're getting lukewarm water instead of hot? I really need to figure out what's causing this and how to fix it before my next camping trip. …more

Nobody can seem to agree on whether I should winterize my RV sewer hose system now or wait until temperatures actually threaten my specific setup. Current setup involves a dual-hose configuration with approximately 30 feet total length running to septic connection point.

Critical issue: The final two feet of hose rises approximately two inches above the main run elevation before connecting to the septic inlet. This creates a low point where effluent can accumulate rather than draining completely. Overnight temperatures are forecast to drop to 25°F for the next 48 hours.

What is the precise freezing temperature for RV sewer hoses, and does the uphill section with potential standing water create additional freeze risk at this temperature threshold? …more

Standing here looking at my first RV with a Cummins 400 that loses power whenever I hit the throttle, leaving me crawling up hills at 35mph while everyone flies past! My Cummins 400 has developed this charming habit of suddenly losing all throttle response. One minute I'm cruising along just fine, the next minute the pedal might as well be connected to my hopes and dreams - completely useless.

It just sits there maintaining 50mph no matter how much I stomp on it. Occasionally the RPMs will jump to 2000 and I get a brief taste of actual power before it drops back down like my expectations for this rig. The worst was climbing out of Death Valley at a blazing 15mph - I'm pretty sure I saw a tortoise give me a dirty look as it passed.

My kid thinks it might be the ECM, but honestly at this point I'm open to suggestions that don't involve selling a kidney. Anyone dealt with similar power loss and throttle issues on a Cummins 400? …more

Walked out to my 2018 Newmar Dutch Star this morning and the air suspension is taking 4-5 minutes to reach ride height on startup. Just wondering if that's normal or if I've got something going on that needs attention?

Not sure if this is just how these systems work or if I should be looking at the compressor or checking for leaks somewhere. What's the typical time frame for air suspension to get up to proper height? …more

Halfway through climbing a steep grade yesterday, my Ford F53 motorhome engine started making a violent rattling sound under acceleration and now it's completely seized up. My Ford F53 motorhome experienced gradual performance decline over two years - fuel economy dropped from 5.5 MPG to 4.3 MPG near Mobile, Alabama, with increasing transmission downshifting under load. Using Forscan, I checked for diagnostic codes and replaced plugs and coils while in Gulf Shores, but issues persisted.

During a hill climb near Meridian, Mississippi, the catalytic converter catastrophically failed, creating severe exhaust backpressure. I drove approximately 500 miles home, including a challenging stretch on I24/I69 where I was reduced to 30 mph uphill, with the engine running against significant backpressure and likely experiencing oil starvation conditions.

The repair shop confirmed extensive damage and offered two options: rebuild the existing motor or replace with a remanufactured engine. The total cost difference was relatively minor - around $18,500 for comprehensive repair versus $3,500 for catalytic converter replacement.

The question is whether I made the correct technical decision to replace the entire engine rather than attempt a rebuild. Given the extended operation under these conditions, was complete engine replacement justified from a mechanical standpoint? …more

Already driving myself crazy — my RV's power steering fluid only leaks when it hits 80+ degrees but works perfectly in cooler weather. A few months back, I noticed my power steering reservoir was doing its best impression of a leaky faucet - not enough to actually drip on the ground (because that would be too obvious), just enough seepage around the hose connection to make me paranoid.

Being the procrastination champion that I am, I figured I'd deal with it 'later' and just made sure I had extra fluid on hand. Well, 'later' finally arrived, and now I'm scratching my head because the leak has completely vanished! Poof! Gone! Like it never happened. But here's the kicker - when I actually checked the fluid level for the first time in three years, it's overfull by a decent margin.

So what gives? Did my RV just perform some kind of self-healing miracle, or is there actually a logical explanation for why a power steering leak would start and then mysteriously stop on its own? And more importantly, could that overfull reservoir be connected to this whole disappearing act? …more