Help with a "New" Itasca

[ShadowTAG]

Hi all, I'm new to this board and come seeking wisdom!

I was just given a 1989 19' Toyota Itasca. It hasn't been used for many... many years. I'm planning on spending the weekend getting it all cleaned out and hopefully running.

I need some help finding an equivalent of a Haynes or Chiltons manual for it, and then some general advice about where to go from here (as far as fixing any know safety problems, improving functionality, general advice, etc.)

I'm an engineer and really comfortable with electronics, fixing engines, and doing DIY projects.

Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

- Troy

[Derek up North]

Welcome.

How about Factory Service Manuals? There are a few versions floating around the net. Here's a couple:-

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B_1LbTxQDmlVYTZiZWE5NzgtZmIzYi00Y2YwLTg5YmYtNjNmNTQwMDVkMTA5&hl=en

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-buchanan/93fsm/

I picked up my copy of Chilton's Manual on EBay.

[Diesel_Aggie]

I would second the idea of getting the factory Toyota service manual. It will cover one specific year and be 2-4 times as thick as Chiltons or Haynes which often cover 10-15 years. They can often be found on Ebay.

For appliance info I'd suggest searching Google with the name and model number of each appliance. RV appliances are pretty standard across most RVs and there are many .pdf versions of manuals around.

You didn't really ask anything specific so it's hard to know what kind of help to offer. As you clean it up over the weekend, make sure all the lights, horn, wipers, etc. work. If not bad grounds and corrosion seem to be the most common causes. You seem well prepared to deal with this. Check all the seals on the RV from the roof to the windows, to any penetration thru the unit. Odds are they all need to be resealed. Doing so will prevent any leaks.

When you come up with more specific questions someone probably has an answers. Welcome to the site.

[ShadowTAG]

Thanks for the tips! It looks like the relevant service manual would be for a 1989 Toyota pickup. Since I haven't seen the RV yet, I wasn't sure if this was built with a pickup or a van powertrain/chassis. Sounds like it's a pickup. Derek, that PDF link looks perfect! I'll have to find a physical copy as well.

Diesel_Aggie, it sounds like in addition to the regular old vehicle checks (brakes, lights, horn, wipers, etc) I should check the seals as well. Any other suggestions about things to check? I'm guessing plumbing and general electrical functionality.

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'll see the vehicle for the first time tomorrow afternoon and spend all day Friday cleaning it out. I'm sure I'll have a LOT more questions!

[Derek up North]

Not sure how many the "many, many years" is, but make sure that the rubber brake parts haven't perished. You don't want your maiden voyage to end in a ditch.

Certainly count on changing all the fluids with the possible exception of the automatic transmission fluid. If you don't know it's history, opinions vary.

[Diesel_Aggie]

Any RV needs to at least have the seals checked regularly. You will find many references to resealing it every year on many different RV sites and in owners manuals for newer RVs. This may be overkill if you live in a temperate climate and always keep it in a building away from UV light. Then again, going down the road things are twisting and moving so eventually that can tear a seal. If the seals look bad, the best practice is to remove the old sealant, make sure everything is clean and use a new quality sealant such a Geocell 2300. Some areas may require butyl tape. Roof sealants vary based on whether the roof is fiberglass, TPO, EPDM or aluminum. It's not expensive and you can do it yourself in a couple of weekends. It just hard, boring work.

Certainly look at the plumbing to assure no leaks. You may need to clean the fresh water tank. The black/gray water valves often have the seals dry out of them causing minor leaks. Once again it's typically cheap and easy to fix. It's also critically important to inspect the propane plumbing as well. A squirt bottle with soapy water can aid in spotting leaks. Certainly inspect the roof for damage. TPO and EPDM can be susceptible to small tears and require periodic cleaning. I know EPDM can be easily patched as I've done it myself. I suspect TPO is the same.

As Derek points out, any vehicle that sits for long periods can start to see it's seals dry out. You may get lucky or you may have some oil leaks show up once you get everything warmed up. It sounds like you would be quite competent at doing a valve cover or oil pan gasket or replacing a brake caliper that decided to seize up. It's probably not a bad idea to flush the brake fluid and radiator and change the engine, axle and transmission oils. Basic maintenance easily done at home. Packing and inspecting wheel bearings is not a bad idea either. Gives you a chance to see if they are rusty or flat from sitting in one spot too long.

At the "price" you paid, you can probably put $4-6000 into this RV and still have a good chance of breaking even if it looks and works nice.

Derek: Thanks for the manual links. I added the 88 to my collection for future use.

[shandamac]

Here's chiltons I saw on amazon today.

http://www.amazon.com/Chiltons-Repair-Manual-1989-1991-4-Runners/dp/0801981646/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282233869&sr=8-11

Also, as advised to me by forum members back in 2008, you may want to look for a copy of Bob Livingston's -RV Life.

Here's the most recent edition I found on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Repair-Maintenance-Manual-Trailer-Life/dp/0982489412/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282234688&sr=1-2

Hope this helps.

Shanda and Sadie

[bear]

If the coach is an 89 the chassis is probably an 88, at least mine is. You can down load the Toyota truck manual on line. If you email Winnebago they can email a copy of wiring and plumbing diagrams.

[Gulfstream Greg]

Hi all, I'm new to this board and come seeking wisdom!

I was just given a 1989 19' Toyota Itasca. It hasn't been used for many... many years. I'm planning on spending the weekend getting it all cleaned out and hopefully running.

I need some help finding an equivalent of a Haynes or Chiltons manual for it, and then some general advice about where to go from here (as far as fixing any know safety problems, improving functionality, general advice, etc.)

I'm an engineer and really comfortable with electronics, fixing engines, and doing DIY projects.

Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

- Troy

Chilton's for the truck chassis or the shop manual. Chilton's will give you how to stuff. It will also have a basic wiring diagram for the chassis. Wiring diagrams for the coach are generic from the factories. You can reproduce it yourself by disconnecting fuses in the converter and see what doesn't work anymore. The tail and running lights is usually something you have to figure out on your own. Then there is always the wiring added by previous owners.

Plumbing is also something you have to figure out on your own.

A huge pad of paper in hand, a flashlight in the other, then explore every nook and cranny inside and out.