sepling

I took the maiden voyage with my Chinook this weekend and made lots of notes for repairs. First on the list is the sliding windows-- The seals for the slider need to be replaced. It looks like there is a "felt" seal that fits into the channel on the inside of the window frame and then a rubber seal that "straddles" the outer edge of the window frame. Has anyone done this? I really need to find where to get parts. The windows are in good shape and the seal between the frame and hole in the coach seems to be in good shape as well, so there is no reason to replace the whole window (plus, let's be honest, it's not worth it). Any ideas? I can add pics tonight. Sean

I've helped two friends replace the TPS on their Toy trucks and solved this type of problem. Before you replace it, test it. Google "toyota tps tests" and use a multimeter. They can also be adjusted which might fix your problem. This can also be done with a multimeter. It seems like the return spring in the TPS goes bad and there is quite a delay between when the throttle actually opens or closes and when the computer THINKS it's opening or closing. In the mean time you are running really rich or really lean and your o2 sensors do their best to accomodate it. Symptoms on my friends trucks included hesitation off idle and bad fuel economy. Open throttle was fine, just going between closed and partially open seemed to be the problem. Of course you always see the fix in things you've fixed before. It could be a totally different problem.

I picked up an Autometer last night. You basically have two wires that go to the light-- those hook up to your dash light circuit. You then have one lead going to positive (presumably off the ignition circuit so it's not sucking juice with the key "off"). One other lead goes to ground. The final lead goes to either side of the ignition coil. Pretty easy.

So my 78 Chinook has no tach and I really don't need to blow up an engine trying to keep up on the freeway. I have a slew of questions: 1. Does the 20r engine have a rev limiter? 2. What is the redline on a 20r engine? 3. What does that mean for approximate shift points? Can these things handle 60 mph in third gear or am I revving the oooo out of it? I will probably install a tach soon-- It'll be interesting to see how hard I'm really working the engine. Sean

So my Chinook finally passed the emissions test after the fourth try. The guys at the shop tactfully hinted that I should probably turn the mixture screw out (richen) 1 turn to get it back to normal after testing. I did a full tune-up this weekend (new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, air filter, fuel filter). When I pulled the plugs they were looking VERY lean (white colored). I timed the engine to 8 btdc and turned the mixture screw one turn out. I then went for a 70 mile drive-- power didn't seem that great at 60-65 mph. Got home, pulled a plug to check it out and it was still looking lean-- better but lean. Should I go another turn out on the mixture screw? Does it adjust the mixture only at idle or all through the range? I'm used to seeing toasted marshmellow brown on all of my plugs when I'm making good power and have the mix right-- will I ever get there on this carb or is it just naturally a bit lean? Any tips? Thanks! Sean

Found a plate on the inner drivers side fender that has some information but no VIN. Any other places?

Just bought a 1978 Chinook Newport and am having issues finding the VIN number for registration. The previous title lists the VIN found on the camper shell from Chinook-- I found that plate by the door. However, there has got to be a toyota VIN somewhere on this beast. It's not on the dash. Any ideas? I need two matching VINs on the vehicle to register it. I'm located in Oregon. Oh, and it failed emissions-- so have to get that sorted out as well. Thanks! Sean

Ok all, this is my first post. I'm looking forward to using this forum frequently as I search for my first Toyota Motorhome! My first question is simply this-- How do these rigs perform in the snow? I live in Portland and plan on spending most of my winter weekends at Mt. Hood skiing. The RV would be used primarily for that. Obviously, a 4x4 model would be ideal, but I'm they are difficult to find and seem to be twice the price of a 2wd equivalent. Can I get away with a 2wd model in mountain pass snow conditions? Just like any rig I take to the mountain, I would definitely have snow tires and chains but is this enough? Should I be saving my money for another year looking for a 4x4 version? So far I'm partial to the Sunraders because I'm looking for something on the shorter side, but I'm open to all models. Any help you can give me is much appreciated. Thanks for putting together such a great forum. Sean