sparky60
-
Posts
31 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Events
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Posts posted by sparky60
-
-
Check this RV very carefully for leaks. Looks for any water staining however slight on ceiling and around windows. Also look closely around bottom of chassis in front of door and behind rear wheels for rotten wood. I bought a 1983 Dolphin 3 yrs. ago that I also thought looked pretty good. 55,000 miles on engine. Paid $3,500. Since then I think I've put at least $7,000 into the darn thing! Complete engine rebuild, new tires,new shocks, rip out and replace all the rotted wood inside and out,new hot water tank, new paint job etc. etc. I'm not trying to scare you but trying to say look very close at the details and expect to put some money into it. $7,000 seems pretty steep. If he's done a lot of work on it, maybe so. With everything I've done on mine I probably would ask around $9,000 but I doubt anyone would give that much. Good luck.......
-
Get a heater bypass kit, and an antifreeze tap kit. I can winterize my RV with just 1 gallon of the pink stuff.
Hello, I have a heater bypass kit on my 1983 Dolphin. I used it when I first started using my RV because I didn't need hot water at that time. Now I use hot water. I know the bypass is used to take the hot water tank out of the loop but as far as winterizing why would I need to use the bypass ? Is it wrong to get the RV antifreeze in the tank ? I just put a bit of air pressure in the lines to blow them out. Tomorrow I'll try to figure out how to drain the hot water tank. I think it's just the large plug near the bottom ?! Should I use a bit of antifreeze in the toilet to keep the seal moist? Also , what is an antifreeze tap kit ? As you can see I'm a fairly new owner.....Tks.
-
My guess the little sensor was an after market cruse control and it probably had a magnet on the drive shaft once upon a time. Wonder if there is still such a thing as a speedometer shop any more now that they have become so complex and digital? Yep...it did have an aftermarket cruise control..bet ur right Maineh, must be the sensor for that...thanks
-
Well...I removed the gauge cluster today. Bit of a hassle but not impossible. Removed the odometer and put a small square drive in my drill and spun the speedometer while exerting a bit of pressure to the other wheels on the odometer and Voila ! it now works ...at least untill it gets to the next 1000 mile point ..we'll see then. Now I just have 2 figure what that 2 wire senor thingy is for? Thanks again.........
-
Thanks so much 4 the tech. info Bodybagger and Turtle......looks like I got my work cut out 4 me ......cul.....
-
Hi all, been using my '83 Dolphin a bit recently after fixing it up . Runs great, although the odometer just quit on me. It's now at 56,999 and now just cycles thru the 10ths of a mile. I'm sure one of the little gogs is hung up. Banged on it a bit but no luck. Has any one had this happen to them ? Do I have to remove the whole dashboard to get at the little sucker? The speedometer works fine. Also there a small twisted 2 wire sensor that runs down from the engine to the drive shaft. It dosen't touch the drive shaft but is positioned about an inch away from it. I'm just courious as to what this puppy is for? Would this have anything to do with my odometer? Any one know ?........Thanks.....
-
Many shock manufactures no longer make shocks for the early Toyota trucks so your choices will be very limited for front shocks.
Since your rear axle has been replaced with a later model you would need to look under to see if they changed the mounting brackets to a later style or if they still use the early style.
The difference is easy to spot.
The early trucks (made before 1984) had the shocks that went from the spring holders directly up to a round cross bar.
The later trucks have one shock going forward of the axle and one shock going after the axle.
Here is a pic of my 1981 (early style) that I converted to a later style.
http://www.toymike.com/diesel/pics/dieselUnder.jpg
If you look closely as the round cross bar (just below the tire mounting bar) you will see the old shock attachments.
If you truck has been changed to the later style mount you would use 1984 - 1988 1 ton truck.
You can always update the shock mounts by purchasing 2 upper shock mounts and having them welded onto the frame.
thanks for the info....nice pics........guess I'll have to keep looking around.....
-
Hi all, I,ve been looking all over for info on new ft. and rear shocks for my 1983 Toy Dolphin. Alot of mfg. have them for 1984 and newer but I can't seem to find ones for 1983. Has any one replaced shocks for there 1983 Dolphin ? What part number and shock did u use ? Also I have the 6 lug 1 ton axle so when a parts guy asks "do you have a 1 ton chassis" do I say yes or do I say I have a 1 ton axle but a 1/2 ton pick up chassis ( which I think is what the think this puppy is ) ? I a bit confused here. I do know a little about mech. things but I'm lost when it comes the the suspension.......thks for any help....
-
1979-1983 are a different model design then 1984-1988 and not interchangable.
Bilstein no longer makes shocks for Toyota trucks made before 1984 so you are stuck with using another manufacturer shocks. Luckily I purchased Bilsteins for my 1981 fourteen years ago. I just had both of the fronts rebuilt by Bilstein under warranty. They could not "replace" them because they were no longer made but they rebuilt them. As long as the tubes do not give out they will continue to rebuild shocks that are no longer made. I don't think that there is another company that would do this.
Thanks for the info turtle.........nice pics...sure wish I could get those Bilsteins......oh well...I'll keep checking around...cul..
-
email addy
anyone: I'm about to buy a 1987 Toyota Dolphin with 114,000 miles on the engine. the fridge cools but doesn't make ice, and the owner has removed the A/C belt for better gas mileage (so he says).. there's slight evidence of a leak over the cab area which he says has been patched. Should I keep looking or are these things easily fixed without mortgaging the house. I'm about to offer $4500 for the rig which is close to his asking price. any comments are welcome. Hello Glenn, For what it's worth...I bought a 1983 Toyota dolphin 3 years ago and have been fixing it up ever since, in between work that is. Paid 3200.00..55,000 miles on it. Had engine rebuilt, new paint job on front cab , new hot water tank, tons of work on inside, all new tires, lots of time and effort to be sure but I am finally semi confident to take it out for a long drive. It seems to be a solid little RV. If ur willing to put a bit of money into these puppies I think you'll be happy. I do wish I'd looked a bit closer at mine before I bought it tho. Lots of rotten wood inside. Look carefully under the cab over bed along the front and both sides , If it ever leaked or still does you'll notice these areas will be wet and spongy. In fact mine had rotten wood all along both top edges of the roof . The sealant they used originally was not the greatest so check carefully. If u see any water stains up around there then probably it leaked and someone slopped a little caulk on the roof edges outside. Also check around the windows on the outside and see if anyone chaulked them too recently. Check around the outside bottom edges of the unit. Mine looked OK but when I laid down and REALLY looked the wood there too was all rotted and I had to replace it with 3/4" treated wood. If any of these checks show up on yours I think due to the high mileage you might get him down to $4000 or less. Good luck...............
-
My 89 Winnie Warrior was riding rough when I had 65 psi in the tires. Now with 40 in front and 50 in the back, the ride is quite a bit softer. But there is still a shake around 60 mph so I am going to replace the shock and see if it'd help. Someone on this website said he replaced his shocks with Gariel ProGuard #61509 for the front and Monroe Gas-matic #59541 for the back. He got the shocks from Auto Zone. I'm planning to do the same. Michael
Thanks to all..........I checked on the Pro Guard and the Monroe shocks and it said there for 1985 -- models but I have a 1983 Toy Dolphin and I don't know if they'll work or not. Guess I just gotta go down to Autozone and check this out...thks again...
-
Hi all, Just returned from my first trip with my 83' Dolphin. Got around 24 mpg ( better than I thought I'd get). Unfortunately the water pump blew out after the first 150 miles or so. What a nightmare that turned out to be. Luckily a very nice fellow helped helped me locate a nearby garage for repairs so it wasn't to awful painful. I did notice my rig road a bit rough tho so I believe I need a new set of shocks. My question is ,,what type is best ( air shocks..regular gas type shocks..load leveler type(with the spring wound around the upper part) and where would you suggest I find them. I think they need to be suited for a 1 ton chassis ?........Has anyone ever replaced them themselves ...it doesn't look to difficult ........ not really sure about any of this........Thanks.....Oh yeah, the steering wheel is a bit sloppy ,not much, still a bit. Isn't there a way to stiffin this up somewhat ? At the steering gear box maybe ?.......thanks for any help......
-
Plan on ripping roof off, well whats left. Then frame ceiling,lay sealed plywood, Lay fiberglass on ply and have it overlap existing wall panels , epoxy resin fiberglass. Where can i get some new molding to cover seam? Just grabbed some 3/4 a/c ply at lowes.only 2$ more than b/c
Thanks
I put up fiberglass dippled sheet (white) on my Dolphin ceiling..glued with PL construction adhesive (works great) and a few aluminium button-head screws here and there. Lowes sells vinyl white T-moulding for the seams. I used treated lumber for the exposed skirting underneath. Boy ..I thought I did alot on mine....you got me beat partner...good luck tho..you seem to have it under control. When you get to sealing the roof if needed , check out the post on here about using spray truck bed liner. I wish I'd have done that on mine........later..
-
Three years ago I actually got a hard time for having passports!
I took two of my boys fishing in Northern MN and thought it would be fun to go into
Canada for lunch, mainly for the boys to be able to say they were in Canada. I had
recent passports for the boys due to some past work travel so I took their passports.
As usual, no problems getting into Canada, but when we were leaving I was asked for
identification and I handed over three passports. The Customs guy looked at them and
stated "You have passports for your sons". I replied yes. Then after about 30 seconds
of silence he stated again "You have passports for your sons". I then stated is there
a problem with the passports and he replied no. There was need about 60 seconds of silence
before he handed the passports back to us.
No idea what the issue was.
Dennis...
Sounds like you got a real goofball Denis. Believe me I've worked with many over the years up there on the border. Used to be the only qualifications you need to work for Customs are " Can you walk and breathe at the same time". Pretty bad hugh ? Unfortunately, now the only qualifications you need are "none" ! There are a few decent fellas still working up there though..........a very few.......better luck next time........
-
Can you post some pics of your tank? It should fill the same way its mounted. Mine is bolted in and is refilled in-place but its a 92. My previous 86 was the same. How many gallons is it?
Don'y know how many gallons it is..but its probably 10 gals or so , not big but a bit larger than the bar-b-q ones. I'm gonna figure out how to post pics here someday.....when I can get the time...thks to alll,,,,,,
-
Sparky, the tanks fill vertically! Also if you have trouble getting them filled because they dont have OPD valves point out that they are exempt, there are no OPD valves available for these tanks. But they do have to be certified (every 10 yrs i think). The tanks are a bit tricky because in effect you are filling them from the side, in the US the tanks get vented and filled until the propane liquid vents, not so in Canada or Mexico. Venting may leave a bit of propane liquid in the tube leading to the top of the tank, this liquid propane can cause serious trouble. When I reinstall a fresh tank, I set it on its side on the ground and crack the valve for maybe 1/2 second, this clears the liquid and leaves you good to go. One tip that I just learned is that you should open the propane valve all the way when you are using it, there is an O ring that seats to seal the valve stem......Cheers Tony
Thanks nibs...great info...
-
Hi all. getting my 1983 toy/dolphin back from paint shop soon. Gonna finally use it soon too. Been rebuilding it ...seems forever now. Anyway..my question is when I take out the horizontal propane tank to get it refilled ..do I transport it horizontally ? Does it get refilled horizontally ? I know this sounds dumb, I've only ever used upright tanks in the past. Not sure about these ones...Thks
-
I forgot to ask about pets. Do dogs need documentation now also?
I forgot..have the dogs shot paper with you just in case. Thats all you need for the dog/cat. Never seen anyone ask for it but you never no with some of these new monkeys up there....puppies need nothing....
-
Does anyone have information about the new regulations about crossing the Canadian border and back. We want to take our RV to Canada this summer, any tips would be appreciated. Yes, we have passports.
Hello Wen, I recently retired from Customs and all you need to get back into the U.S. from canada is your passport. I know theirs a bunch of new jazz you can get and use also ( enhanced drivers license, nexus card etc. etc. ) but believe me the guy at the booth never has a problem with a U.S. passport. He'll just swipe it in his trusty passport reader, ask you a few questions ( where do you live?..why did you go to canada?..do you have anything to declare? or in other words did you buy anything in canada?, blah, blah, blah). If you did buy something in canada or if someone gave you something while you where up there you MUST declare it. The inspector will determine whether the items are admissable (95% will be ok) and whether or not there is any duty on the items. I believe U.S. citizens have a $300 or more exemption, its been awhile for me....most things made in canada and the U.S. are duty free anyway. Also agricultural jazz ( fruit, nuts, meat etc.) brought in from foreign soil must be declared. I forget whats not admissable, used to be clemintines, mangos, palm fronds, ackees etc. but I sure alot has changed since last year. Alot depends on politics believe it or not. As for tips..as a fella that worked for 20+ years on the border, the number one thing that can tick an inspector off more than anything is when someone lies to them. Never make false statements at the border. Lots of trouble! Big fines! Delays,Delays.Delays! I've seen it many times. But the worst part is they put you in the computer and your there for life, so when you cross again no matter where you'll more than likely be sent in for a closer inspection. So basically have your passports ready and declare EVERYTHING.
Hope I didn't scare you ....I used to clear thousands of honest people in 1 or 2 minutes flat . I have a feeling your going to fall into this category.....good luck...have a nice trip....
-
Here is some thing that maybe of interest to any one with the old battery isolators the type that looks like a Ford starter relay. It is a direct replacement no new wiring no dealing with your alternator or adding an isolator. It has a lot of pluses over the diode type isolators at about the same cost. This type is a “smart” relay it senses battery voltage unlike the other types of isolating devices. There is more then one manufacturer of this type they are also call ACR (automatic charge relay) or battery combiners. The Colehersse pdf gives a good description of their operation. www.colehersee.com/pdf/hot_feed/d-617_SmartBatteryIso.pdf
Tried ur link ..but it dosen't seem to work ? I went to www.colehersee.com and they show 10 different isolators. Which one is the Smart Battery Isolator ?..........seems like a good idea ..tks
-
Nice renovation i like the black carpet. Thanks for the photos its givin me hope and inspiration.hey sparky i was thinking of using that stuff from lowes about 32$ 4x8.I like that its fiberglass,NO ROT! I was thinking of using that paneling with a bead on it for the walls. It comes in two shades of white. Plan on backpriming as well. Go renovators!
85mirage...I think you'll like the wht. fiberglass jazz. It can be cut with a pair of straight type metal shears and is easy to work with. Not cheap but then again u don't need much. I used PL400 heavy duty construction adhesive ( I think it's polyurethane) sticks like crazy and also some white button head square drive screws here and there. Where the sheets butt together , I used this t-shaped like channel (wht. vinyl) also from Lowes. that covers the edges nicely....good luck...
-
Hi all. I too am intersested in a set of air bags for my 1983 Toy/ Dolphin. I checked a few of the links montioned here but its a bit confusing. The micro mino's on Ebay are listed for 1984 thru 1994 , so I guess there no help for me. The Firestone Ride Rite ones are listed for 1965 thru 1995 for Toyota PICK-UPS. ( Model 1130), but it dosen't say for RV's just pick-ups. So would these work for 84' Toy/Dolphin ? Also would you have to adjust the air pressure in them constantly or just when you install them ?.......thks...
-
Mr Chris, I would only use my fridge on 12 volt after my house batt is fully charged. Even then on 12 volt you dont get much cooling.
Sparky Pacific Northwest RV supply has a top for your stove (we think its cream colored) they had 2 but we bought the black one, a month ago. They charged us $15.
Toll Free (866) 6RV-SHOP (866-678-7467)
Fax (541) 736-5573
Email mail@nwrvsupply.com
Address 86325 College View Drive
Eugene, OR 97405
Open Monday-Friday 9-5 Saturday 10-4
Thanks...I'll give them a shot......
-
Boy..that looks really good, very professional job. Can u just use regular rustoleum or similar type spray can spray paint for the white right over the bed liner stuff ?
anyone: I'm about to buy a 1987 Toyota Dolphin with 114,000 miles on the engine. the fridge cools but doesn't make ice, and the owner has removed the A/C belt for better gas mileage (so he says).. there's slight evidence of a leak over the cab area which he says has been patched. Should I keep looking or are these things easily fixed without mortgaging the house. I'm about to offer $4500 for the rig which is close to his asking price. any comments are welcome. 
winterizing?
in General Discussion
Posted