jayemright

I know that there is a big cable running from the negative terminal on the battery to one of the mounting bolts on the starter. The auto electrical folks seemed to be big into grounding things, but I will go in and check again to make sure everything is tight. Part of the problem is that, due to it's intermittent nature, no one has actually ever seen it malfunction. The last time it did it to me was at the pumps at a crowded gas station in Phoenix, so I was in no position to run any diagnostics. I will take at it with my wrench and look for loose ground wires, though. Thanks very much for your advice!!

Hello Everyone! We are on the tail end of a 3 and a half month road trip:8500 miles done, 1500 to go. Our 1985 Sunrader has been plagued by an intermittent starting problem that has dogged it since we first got it 8 years and 25000 miles ago. In that time we have replaced 2 batteries, we are on the third starter, and an auto electrical place went in and replaced every cable in the ignition system. Every time we do something it works well for a while, but it always comes back to the same symptom. When it is warm, occasionally, it will just sit there and "click": It doesn't crank, just a click at the starter (the 85 has the solenoid built in) Then when it goes, it turns over like normal and starts right up. Battery reads 12.6 volts, and doesn't drop much when cranked. About half an hour later it usually goes and takes right off. I have a "power pack" which is essentially a car battery, and that will not start it, but if you jump it from the higher voltage of a running automobile, it takes right off. We have also noticed that it is more likely to happen if you leave the key in the ACC postion and listen to the radio or check the GPS or something like that, even or a minute. New battery a month ago. No problems for a week. New starter 2 weeks ago, no problems for a week, then two instances of non-starting. I am close to the end of the trip and visiting family and friends in Detroit so I would like to deal with it now. Getting tired of being nervous every time we try to start it. I am thinking it might be the ignition switch, as that is the only part of the system I have not replaced yet. Any suggestions that any of you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, James

Wow, that is perfect! And if I can't find it at a local RV store, we drive right through Houston where the supplier is located the day after tomorrow (after the forecast winds let up) Thanks very much!

The tank is about 4 feet wide and runs along the entire width of the sink and cabinets. The cabinet was installed after the tank was. When it comes out, it will be with the assistance of a reciprocating saw. I have thought about placing a small jug under there and routing the piping into it. I think it would pull from the top and would not require an airtight seal from a fitting screwed into the bottom of it. This would enable us to drink the water in there as well. At present, considering that the tank is 30 years old, and I have only had it the last 8, we don't drink the water in there. It would also keep the weight down, carrying 5 gallons instead of 30. I have only ever worked with water pumps on my well at home in Canada. Am I correct in assuming that this type of system just sucks water and is not as sensitive to having airtight connections like a domestic system?

Went through all the connections, dried them with a hair dryer, put some water in and while all of the fittings stayed dry with no leakage, water seems to be coming from the bottom of the tank. I am afraid I have a cracked tank. Any ideas on how to fix that without totally tearing out my cabinets? I never drink the water from the tank anyway, but use it mostly for washing dishes and flushing toilets. Looks like we get a bigger jug. I was wondering if there is something I can put down the tank that would seal up the bottom? When my blackwater tank was leaking I poured some thinned out epoxy down the toilet, and It sealed the crack. Anyone know of a similar substance I could use on the road for one last ditch effort?

Air pressure: Of course! excellent idea! I will see what I can do. Thanks!

Spent a lot of time on this last night and this morning. I only found the one pop drain right by the pump. I took the hot water heater out last year. The plumbing appears to have been re done since original. I have traced everything back from the pump, and can't find anything else leaking. It appears to be right around the pump and where the pump attaches to the tank. I tightened the compression fitting where the pump draws water from the supply line, and thought that might do it, but no such luck. It always leaks out from that area, where the pump is, right in front of the sink. It is hard to pin point it though as it is leaking into the shag carpeting that is still under there. It seems it is either where the supply line to the pump meets the tank, or it is at the bottom of the tank near the front. Kind of feel like Charlie Brown and the football. I find something not a hundred percent, tighten it all up, put some water in and then bingo, soaked carpeting again. As Homer Simpson would say: "Doh" Next time I go past an RV place I will yank all of those lines out, and get them to replicate them.. If it's not that, then it has to be the tank, in which case, we'll have a water jug in the kitchen and a milk jug full of water in the bathroom. I will rip it out when I get home. Hopefully it is just the line...... As always, thanks for your advice. I really appreciate it.

Thanks for the info everyone. I found the pop drain by the tank, where the line runs to the pump, and it was down. I went and tightened all of the fittings, etc, put three gallons of water in it, and same thing: Water leaking through the floor and onto the ground and nicely soaking the rug right in front of the sink. The carpet is wet and nasty in the area around the pump, but we can't seem to see it leaking and it leaks before we ever turn the pump on. The water system looks quite simple, but I'll be darned if I can figure out what is going on there. Have followed all lines coming from the pump as well as the fill tubes, but no luck, everything dry. Other than that, the camper is performing beautifully, getting between 12 and 14 mpg and we get lots of positive comments. Another few days in Cajun country and then we head for Texas.....

Hello again, and thank you to everyone for all of the advice. We are currently in New Orleans, and will be in Louisiana for approximately one more week before heading west to Texas.

Hello, We are in the middle of an extended trip; 2000 miles down, 8000 to go, and I have noticed a green streak forming from the head gasket right by the exhaust manifold on our 85 Sunrader with a 22RE. I am pretty sure that it is coolant, although I have not lost more than 4 or 5 ounces of coolant over in over 2000 miles of driving. I do not want to do the head gasket mid trip in some unfamiliar city or town, but and want to continue the trip uninterrupted. I am thinking of going the Bar's leak ( or some similar substance) route. Any suggestions? Thanks

Hello Everyone, We are 2000 miles into a 3-month, 10000 mile trip to the US South and Southwest. We started from our home in New Brunswick, Canada, and once we got to Mississippi, where it was above freezing, I went to fill the water system, and lo and behold, there was not as much anti freeze as I had added in the fall, and water started leaking out into the carpeting around the sink and from underneath the vehicle. Any ideas on what the source of the leak could be? I am afraid that perhaps some water had frozen in the tank prior to adding the anti-freeze and damaged it, or a fitting that didn't get anti-freeze in it, or what. It is a massive tank, and to take it out would require removing the kitchen cabinets. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem and how they overcame it. Is there something one could add to the tank to seal it up from the inside? Any advice anyone could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

The saga continues.......... Took the camper to my mechanic who replaced the starter. No dice. Still the "click" he went and replaced cables etc. to improve ground and connections-worked several times. Stopped for lunch on the way home, went to re-start it-No dice. Got a boost, and away it goes! Battery is reading 12.5 volts, 450 CCA. As soon as you put cables on it, it goes like nobody's business. It used to only do this once in a while, but has gotten worse this year. Not much left in the starting circuit to replace. Taking it back early next week. I don't know-Could it be the ignition switch? It makes the starter click, but perhaps the contacts have become corroded over the 27 years that this vehicle has been around that not all the juice is making it through to the starter. Getting a bit frustrated with the whole thing, and not sure where to look next. I welcome your suggestions and thank you in advance. James

Thanks to everyone for their input. I ordered a starter from Amazon.com (Rare electrical) and will put it in this coming week when we return from a family vacation in Quebec. . I will keep you posted!! Thanks again for all of your advice.

Hello, We are the proud owners of a 1985 Sunrader with 54K on it. It is a great running vehicle with one exception. It will not start if it is not up to a full charge. If it has been sitting for a while and the battery only has 12.5 volts in it, then it just "clicks" when you turn the key. Sometimes if you hold the key in the start postion for 5 or 10 seconds, the starter will go, and turns over very quickly. Most vehicles, if the battery is down a bit, will crank slowly. This one just doesn't go. I have replaced the engine battery, and that seemed to help for a while, but it is back to its old tricks. Could it be something in the starter or ignition switch? Once started, the alternator show 14 volts, so I know it is charging OK, and once It has started for the day, it seems to be OK for the rest of the day. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Camping season is upon us!!!

Thanks everybody for this discussion. I just got my 85 Sunrader out of storage and couldn't get the heater going. I followed some of your tips and bingo-we are warm and toasty!!; I just retired so we are looking forward to putting a lot of miles on our camper, and the heat will come in very handy!!