Diesel_Aggie

http://www.winnebagoind.com/service/wincd/1994/94t321rb.pdf Just stumbled across this when looking for a regrigerator thermocouple. It appears to be a .pdf of the full parts list for 1994 Winnebago Toyotahomes. Complete with part numbers and diagrams. Seems like a really good resource for people who own one.

Thanks for teaching me about a new tool 5Toyota. Had no idea they existed. http://www.sears.com/search=nut%20splitter should take you to the Sears website showing several nut splitters.

Are you able to get to it from above with a deep socket and either an air or electric impact wrench? They often help with rusty bolts. If that won't work, would a crow's foot wrench give enough clearance to attach the impact to? Never tried but always heard lemon juice can help. Maybe try some other brand of penetrating lubricant such as PB Blaster or Yamaha's Lube-Zall. Maybe the different formulas well help. There is a product call The Inductor http://www.theinductor.com/index.php?m=41 that will heat the bolt in a safe manner. It's not affordable for most of us, me included, but maybe you could find one to rent. What does the upper shock go through? I'm looking at the 90 Toyota truck factory shop manual and it's not real clear. And I don't remember what it looks like under there either. Can what it bolts to be removed from the truck with the shock attached? Had to do that on a VW Passat rear strut once and cut the chrome shaft with a torch to retrieve my upper strut mount that I needed to reuse. Could you destroy the upper shock bushings enough to create a gap where you could try tightening the bolt first? Sometimes that will break enough rust loose. Your bushings may be so worn that you have play now. Beat on the wrench with a hammer both directions to try and free it up. Lube it again. Drink your favorite beverage. Repeat. If you access the bolt with a combination wrench, put the box end on the bolt. Get the longest cheater pipe you can come up with and see what happens. Get a helper too. May need to remove the tire to get clearance for the pipe. If you have some packing foam to wrap the pipe and protect the fender in the direction you are headed that would be a great idea if you slip off or something breaks. In this case, breaking the nut would actually be a good thing. Hope at least of of these helps you. One more thing and this may sound real stupid. Most upper shocks will spin when you try to get the nut off. You often have to hold the shaft at the tip to prevent it from spinning with the nut. Sometimes it is notched where a small wrench will hold it. Other times you need channel locks or vise grips. Does your bolt not budge at all or have you just been spinning the whole assembly and not getting anywhere because the threads are turning with you?

90ToyDolphin: I sold my Toyotahome before putting shocks on it. I have used KYB on other vehicles and they are a quality product. rraabe: At this age you probably need shocks! There are several ways you can tell. There is a chrome piston that goes in and out of the larger part of the shock. If it is oily, scratched or pitted you need shocks. If you see oil leaking on the shock you need new shocks. There are rubber bushings on either end of the shock. If they are cracking or oblong, you need at least new bushings and probably new shocks. Shocks can also wear internally. On a regular vehicle you can do a "bounce test" by pushing each corner up and down repeatedly and seeing if it bounces more that 1-2 times. If it does you definitely need new shocks. This doesn't really worn on Toyotahomes as they are so heavily loaded they don't bounce well. You can also notice if the vehicles bounces or floats over bumps when going down the road, particularly at highway speeds. If it does, shocks could be the issue. At 20-30 years old, Toyotahomes are due for new shocks and new rubber bushings in the suspension (leaf springs in particular). Many will need new leaf springs as well. While I never got to rebuild my Toyotahome suspension I have rebuilt many suspensions on older and/or high mileage vehicles and it makes a world of difference.

I would be most suspect of the starter or starter solenoid. If you can duplicate the problem somewhere that you have a multimeter you can put the meter on the battery and the starter solenoid while someone turns the key to the on position. You can see how much voltage you have at each location and look for a voltage drop. There is probably something worn that is creating a large resistance when hot that is eating up your voltage and causing the no start.

Your overheat situation confuses me. I'm not real clear on what you mean. My definition of overheat is driving down the road the temperature gauge gets dangerously near the red. Was it cranking after you stopped for gas and just not starting? In this case it could be a vapor lock situation especially if your rig is carbureted. If it was not cranking at all, then it could be a weak/overheated starter or starter solenoid. As they age they may work fine in normal temperatures but not as well in very cold or hot temperatures. If this is identified as the cause, replacement with new parts is the solution. You can also have a corroded, loose or damaged battery cable that can cause similar symptoms. in conclusion, a better description is needed.

You don't say how many miles you went during your two quarts of oil burn. The industry guideline is 1 quart every 1000 miles is acceptable. My view is that that 1 quart every 1500 miles is acceptable. The industry has a lower number as their guideline to reduce their warranty claims. Each engine is different and will burn more or less oil. Sometimes changing oil brand or type can change the amount burned. I've found that on all but one vehicle I changed to Mobil 1 or Rotella T synthetic that oil consumption decreased. Changing the cab A/C back to R12 will lower the temp at the vents an average of 5-6 degrees. You must increase system capacity by 19% for R34 to cool as well as R12. The manufacturers were able to do this when they updated. This still won't be enough to cool the back of the RV though. You simply have to many cubic feet to cool. The only solution I know of would be to run the generator and the rooftop A/C. Pretty much all RV refrigerators need a level surface to run. They can be damaged when operated on an unlevel surface. It's nice to know the 3 degree number though.

I'd never seen anything but the silver can with blue lettering. Glad you posted that to prevent confusion. Have you ever used the clearcoat safe product? How do you like it? I'd like to find a good product for restoring clearcoat aging. When you say you used TR3 with blue lettering on your camper, do you mean on the camper shell itself? Are you fiberglass or aluminum? How does it work? It strikes me as a little abrasive for gel coat fiberglass but I'd sure like something more harsh than the 3M product I've been using for the areas I have to do by hand........way too much elbow work in those areas!

Oldiesel: That is a really handy idea! I'm going to add that to my bag of tricks! Just as handy for finding insulation leaks too.

It's important to remember that it's very possible to get lower fuel mileage out of a 5-speed than a 4-speed when dealing with an underpowered vehicle. If you are doing this swap for less rpm and noise on flat ground you'll get what you want. If it is for fuel economy, I doubt you will be satisfied. I have an old reply to someone else's post that has more details. Try searching on my user name and see if you can find it. I'd certainly recommend picking a 5-speed with a lower 1st gear for the reasons stated above. Can't really go wrong there. A lower reverse can be a benefit if backing into a steep area as well. You might want to look at http://www.marlincrawler.com/transmission/rebuilt-complete as it shows pictures of many different transmissions. You need to make sure the bellhousing bolt patterns are the same and that the clutch linkage and starter will attach on the same side of the transmission and in the same manner. The driveshaft and yoke swapping is easy for a competent drvieshaft shop. Yokes are pretty universal (as in you don't need to go to Toyota) most driveshaft shops can order Spicer or similar brand parts that are high quality.

My experience with RV and trailer tires is that 6 years is really the safe limit. Car tires can usually go longer. Many RVs and trailers are heavily loaded which seems to weaken the tire faster. They also often sit for long periods which can also cause weakening. While tires seem expensive, it is MUCH cheaper to replace all 7 than it is to rebuild an RV damaged by a blow out. At least one member in the past has posted blowout damage pics on here in the past. If you have an aluminum sided Toyotahome it can all be rebuitl with enough money and time as wood and aluminum sheeting are available. If you have a fiberglass shelled Toyotahome..........good luck. Not many people rebuild fiberglass and it's very hard to get it shaped exactly like it should. If you do, you still need to gel coat the entire RV to get it to match properly....unless you have a garage kept RV with no fading. I've seen 2 RVs where the wiring, plumbing and tanks were shattered and ripped out from a blowout. Tanks can be custom built, but it's not cheap either. Don't let postponing $700 in tires do thousands in damage to your Toyotahome or worse, total it out. Also keep in mind what it would cost to have a tire service out to the side of I-90 near Spearfish, SD when it's 100 degrees and your factory jacking tools either won't lift the fully loaded RV or you can't get the lugs loose. Your family would prefer getting to Yellowstone.

I used 3M Marine Restorer/Wax. It comes in a white plastic bottle with a green label. When I called 3M they also recommended a particular 3M buffing pad which I also got and an rpm for the buffer. I used this on my Sunrader. I went over it twice and then hand waxed it with an automotive wax. It looked outstanding. I started with a very chalky exterior. If you can pull off vents, lights, etc. that allows you to use the buffer in more areas. No way I would have gotten these results by hand unless I spent 100+ hours polishing by hand. But, my arms would have fallen off long before that. I did have do the places where the buffer would not reach by hand. Some did come out as well as buffed areas, others did not. If sure if I buffed long enough those areas would have come out as good. I spent about 20 hours on the job. Since many of our rigs are NOT a basecoat/clearcoat paint TR3 Resin Glaze is a pretty good product for removing oxidation on the hood, fenders and doors. It has a mild to moderate cutting action that pulls the dead paint off. You need to use a small test area to make sure your paint is not so thin that you rub through. I also had great results on the 1983 Sunrader with this product. Used to use it a lot on the past but don't run into non-clearcoat paint much these days. I highly recommend against using it on clearcoat paint!

Had the exact same problem on the 1983. No parts are available unless you have them custom machined. The striker is adjustable and may help. My striker had a section on it that was worn down. A combination of playing with the adjustment and cleaning/lubing the door side of the mechanism eventually got it to work as designed. Until I solved then I hooked a bungee cord from the inner door latch to the passenger headrest mast. Good luck.

http://www.all-rite.com/screw-covers-trims-c-52.html will show you some of the various styles of the vinyl trim that covers up the screw around the RV. This company can probably tell you how to measure as well. All Rite has many other hard to find RV parts. I've called several times and always spoke with a helpful person. If you click on each trim style it will tell you it's measurement. ....I'm just not sure if that is inner/outer etc.

I've never used a roof rack and wish they were not there. They are a potential leak point and also an added maintenance item to reseal every few years. If I were ever to re-gel coat a fiberglass camper or reroof another style camper I'd remove them, seal the holes (or reroof over them) so they could never leak again. If I were to build my dream Sunrader I'd also eliminate both front windows and one of the side bunk windows to reduce leak points. Just fiberglass the wholes up and gel coat the whole shell to make it look new. I'd leave the ladder though.....too dangerous to get on the roof without it!

If you are talking about putting the insulation on from the outside I don't think that is workable. If you are talking about on the inside then yes, it's a viable option. A spray foam such as Air Tight Spray Foam may work very well but you will have to smooth it out yourself after they spray it. There are two types, a hard and a soft. I believe the hard is what you want in a mobile application but I'd suggest further research. There are several types of foam block insulation. You can get a couple thicknesses and styles at Home Depot or Lowe's. Owens Corning is pink and I forget who makes the white. There is also a brand I can't remember that is blue. It is often used in higher end 4 seasons RVs. I think I read about it on rv.net when did lots of research into this about 3 years ago. You can cut the foam anyway you like and it comes in different thicknesses. If you go thicker than what you have, you lose headroom of course. If you choose to glue this in, make sure you use a type of glue that will not melt the foam. Am I correct that your Winnebago has an aluminum roof? Patching the holes in a manner that would last may be a challenge. You likely have one sheet of aluminum that is one piece front to back. I had an aluminum roof on a 1990 Lance Camper that would be similar in size to yours. I priced aluminum sheeting for a new roof at about $480 in 2008. There are coatings you can paint on to the roof that will reflect heat. I had a white coating on my camper and it made a huge difference touching the coated surface and the places where it had peeled and bare aluminum was showing. You could hold your hand on the coated area on a 100 degree day but the aluminum would burn your hand in a split second. That has to keep some heat out of the RV.

Your best options are probably searching on Ebay and also in salvage yards. Aftermarket cruise controls usually fit a wide variety of models so any vehicle from that era is probably worth a look. You might also see if you or anyone else on here with a similar cruise could possibly identify the manufacturer and model to aid in your search. A machine shop may be able to duplicate the part if there is enough left of it to reverse engineer.

The vehicles manufactured to run E-85 from the factory such as many GM products for the last 5 years can run anything from E-85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) all the way to E-0 (100% gasoline). GM had to make changes to the vehicles in order for this to work. I can't take a non Flex Fuel GM vehicle and run E-85. Since E-85 has less energy content per gallon than E0 I'm going to have to inject more of it into the cylinder for a given power level than E0. This may create a need for a larger capacity fuel injector to maintain max power and full throttle. GM also has to install a Flex Fuel Sensor to tell the computer what blend of fuel is in the tank so the computer can make the necessary adjustments. One plus on E-85 is a higher octane rating. I've learned something from this thread....there are kits available to convert to E-85: http://www.change2e85.com/servlet/StoreFront http://www.change2e85.com/images/store_version1/FFIInstallationManual.pdf It seems to me these kits give you the basics you need to run, but I have strong doubts it does everything needed for your vehicle to live a long, healthy trouble free life. I sure wouldn't want to take an 8000 mile trip with something like until I had several thousand local miles with no issues.

Fuel Tank: It comes down to what you value versus what you are willing to spend. A large tank on any vehicle is a big plus for me. It allows me to pick and choose where to get fuel on my schedule. I don't have to worry about running out in the middle of the night or in a rural area. I like to camp at out of the way places and the stock 17 gallon tank can make that pretty challenging in West Texas, Utah, Colorado mountains, etc. The other reason I like big tanks is I can avoid buying fuel in areas where I know the price is high. California, Chicago, resort areas, etc. It allows me to earn back some of my money. I think the 17 gallon tanks are supplied aftermarket at a good price for all but the earliest Toyotahomes. How long to you plan to keep the vehicle? If you are selling it next year it's probably not worth the expense. If you are keeping it 10 years it very well might be. Ethanol: What makes you want to run on E85? Are you aware of all the drawbacks? Hygroscopic (attracts water), lower energy content reducing fuel mileage/range, much shorter shelf life, attacks rubber and metal unless the full system in properly upgraded, poor availability in many areas and your engine may not like it. As a 1985 you might be fuel injected which would help. I don't know if any of the generator companies offer kits to run E85. What is the effect if you are camping at altitude? You can upgrade your rubber fuel lines to be E-85 resistant. You also have to consider every rubber component in the fuel system such as rubber in the filler neck, rubber o-ring where the fuel sending unit goes in, any rubber on the fuel pump, etc. A carburetor is unlikely to appreciate E85 much at all. I'm not aware of any carb kits that are E-85 tolerant. E-85 also causes corrosion. Will the metal tank be approved for it? The metal sections of the fuel line? The throttle body? The injectors? If I'm not mistaken, GM uses different injectors and different fuel mapping on their E-85 vehicles. Do you have someone who can custom program the computer to run properly on E-85? This sounds like a major disaster waiting to happen unless your vehicle has already successfully run on E-85 for several thousand miles in all types of weather. I see you say your generator will run on E-85. I'd like to learn more about that. If you need E-85 at night but you had to fill up with 100% unleaded on the previous tank, would you be able to burn enough of that fuel before parking for the night? Will it mix together rapidly enough even if you do top off with E-85? One of the problems I've read over and over about E-10 is that it's hard to keep it in suspension.

I wasn't sure what year your rig was so I searched a 1992 V-6. The NAPA Gold filter part number is FIL 2333 and has a suggested retail of $16.99. Many NAPA store are independently owned franchises so prices vary. Figure $20 on the filter so $30 for labor from a shop is not bad at all. Most shops have a minimum of a 1/2 hour labor charge and flat rates of $80-105 in Texas. I've only seen one shop (independent) with a flat rate lower than $80 in Texas. I think $50 out the door is a pretty good deal at a dealer. The NAPA Gold is their high line of filter. They have a Silver which is mid line and Pro Select which is the low line. Most of the Gold filters are made by Wix who is regarded as a quality manufacturer. I run Gold oil and air filters in most of my vehicles. They don't fit my TDI VW properly so I run the VW filter. Toyota brand filters are also high quality and can be ordered cheaply at www.1sttoyotaparts.com It may not make sense for just one filter though as shipping is $9.95 minimum. Assuming your truck has a MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor it could be fouled by the oil. There are some MAF cleaning sprays in aerosol cans that may clean it up. It's important to use the right cleaner as many can damage the sensor. Someone else will have to discuss where the sensor is and how to remove/test it. Most of my Toyotas have been carbureted so I"m not really qualified to help.

While they have a great upside as fuel rises what you will eventually run up against is the Sprinter Chassis RVs. With the right specs, they will see in the low 20mpg range. Since they are still sold new, they will continue to depreciate. They are much nicer inside, pretty maneuverable and you don't have to restore one to have a no hassles RV. A $40,000 Sprinter getting 22mpg starts to look pretty attractive to a $20,000 Toyotahome that gets 14mpg.

I'd consult with 3M as they make many products that may work. They also make striping tape.

Coolant consumption: a gallon every 10,000 miles is probably too much. Most Japanese engines in good condition should consume no coolant. Does this mean your head gasket is bad? Maybe, but not necessarily. You may also have a small leak in the radiator, water pump, heater core or a hose. Pressure testing the cooling system may turn up the leak. Some leaks are too small to pick up or only occur at a certain temperature. Another possbility is a radiator cap that is not holding enough pressure. This may cause boiling in the cooling system and you may lose coolant out of the overflow bottle as steam. A cap is cheap and easy enough to try. I had disappearing coolant a few years ago on a 95 F150 4.9L six that drove me nuts. It needed coolant every few thousand miles, I could smell coolant but I could never find any leaking. Pressure testing turned up no problems. i was convinced it was a head gasket so I bought block tester from NAPA that checks for oil vapors in the coolant. None present. About 2 years later it finally starting dumping coolant on the ground when warm, but not cold or hot. That was enough to trace it to the radiator and replacing it solved the issue. As a another example, the 1993 Civic in my signature is eating coolant. Has been for 60,000 miles. In this case it almost has to be the head gasket as I have oil in the coolant but no coolant in the oil.....which is backwards for a gas engine. Typically happens this way on a diesel. You can try running oil and/or coolant analysis and look for the issue too. I use www.blackstone-labs.com and have for years. It's a good way to get an early warning on potential engine problems and learn if the oil you use is holding up once you have a base line.

Pretty much any Kinkos or office supply stores will let you receive faxes for a rather steep fee. Maybe it could be photo copied and mailed for less.

That's not a bad price for a larger aftermarket fuel tank. If you look at full size pick up trucks that's right in the ball park. If you were local or could arrange your vacation to go by there this is probably a pretty good upgrade. Thanks for reporting back so the data is here for reference.