Vanman

When we got my Dolphin back from the Toyota dealer I was sure the alternator belt was too tight. After loosening it up some it developed a squealing sound only when started up cold after sitting for a while. Went away before I could get the hood open. So I tightened the belt up a slight amount and it went away. Yes the dealer had it too tight, but too loose is not good either. Went thru an issue like this with my '71 Dodge van, the cooling system was totally inadequate and the final mod was replacing the stock "fan" with a big 6 blade fiberglass which pulled a lot of air. Had to tighten up the V belt to keep it from squealing at start up. After a run of new alternator bearings I loosened it up and lived with the occasional squeal. Belts easier to change that bearings. WME said; Newells answer just run the genset. As history has proven Tesla was right and edison was wrong

Happy happy the site is back missed you all...

Whoops, I forgot to mention I was told the Dodge 318 came in 2 versions. Cars and Sportvans had same engines. Truck, (Tradesman), got more torque less HP in cams and slightly lower compression ratio. The 140 HP was on the drivers side door pillar dataplate, Auto and 3.55 rear end and 2 barrel carb. I think the car V-8's got a 4 barrel carb.

Is that why the Dodge '71 Tradesman Van I got new in '70 was rated at 140 HP?? on a 318 V-8 !! Wish I had that in my Toy

I would like to wish for everyone a great new year and a big thank you to you all for the info, without this board I would have never gotten the Toyota restored. John & Mary

Great set-up. How many amps does that fan draw??? My Subaru has 2 fans and the second one almost never comes on, I thought it was broken till a real hot sunny day I saw it come on.

Boy, when the fan kicks on in mine I can really hear it, but it's not that often.

I have never sold any vechile without doing that my self. Great advice IMOP

Thanks for the Opel info, it is different than what I expected. I seem to remember that the '69 and' 70 had higher compression and ran a lot stronger than the '71 - '73's, which was the end of the line as far as imports to USA.

Uhmmm "On the other hand the drag coefficient of the Vixen was recorded by Bendix as .29. Lower than most cars on the road at that time. The smaller more streamlined Cadillac Allante had a drag cd of .34 so the taller, wider Mark was certainly more than that. Helps to make then look like a bullet." By any chance do you know the drag coefficient of the Opel GT, from '69 to '73 ??? I had many of those years back, best streamlined car I ever drove. Not a lot of power, just Ok around town, till they were breathed on but super freeway preformance even stock. I remember on a flat road with steady throttle at 70 MPH simply popping up the headlights wouk drop you almost 5 MPH, dropping them back down and rite back to 70. Loved them cars, but that was a long time ago.

Woundn't it be easier to put a different pulley on the stock alternator? How much could you change the size without screwing something else up and still get more idle charging amps? I ask because I think someone here has already done that on a 6, which has a ribbed flat belt.

Started the clean-up from latest storm and drove it around for 6 or 7 miles, finished charging up the house battery. Gets run down from age and the alarm system.

"The whiter the light (higher degrees K) the more light you will get from them (there is an age factor involved here too old guys need higher color temp) but the higher the degrees K the bluer the light 3500 to 4500 is more what you would expect from house hold lights. Sun light is around 7500 to11,000K" Yeah I know about that from long ago when we had our first energy troubles here and I converted over to compact fluorescent lamps that looked crummy !!! Found out about color temperature and where to get the (expensive then) CF's at the kind of white light I prefer. Have also found the xxxxxK rating does not always match what you get . Latest was I replaced one of the tubes in the center top of the RV fixture. Read the label as a "cool white" but when I plugged it in it was that familiar sickly yellow. The fine print says 4100K which isn't cool white at all, even for the incandescent bulbs I used to get. It's going back. Lately I have found with the cameras it's sometimes better to guess at a xxxxK temp set manually in the DSLR's than to trust the autowhitebalance, Another reason to shoot in RAW.

JD, did you get the 6000K or 3000K and have you checked the amps in the RV? Mine these: http://www.amazon.com/Amico-BA15S-68-SMD-Brake-Backup/dp/B007VLFENE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366145356&sr=8-1&keywords=Amico+10+Pcs+Car+1156+BA15S+1206+68-SMD+LED , are 6000K to 5000K, a guess from past experience, and draw .6 to .66 Amps each one varies a bit.

I got a pack of these, http://www.amazon.com/Amico-BA15S-68-SMD-Brake-Backup/dp/B007VLFENE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366145356&sr=8-1&keywords=Amico+10+Pcs+Car+1156+BA15S+1206+68-SMD+LED . They work sooo good I got 10 more and replaced my Toyota turn and back-up lites as well as all the lamps in the RV. Especially like the color of the light, much better than the yellow of the bulbs. I have also switched some of my home CFL's with LED's. After years in the RV and turn and back-up lites in the Toyota , no failures as of yet

OHH 90K plus, that's the rig a friend got new and the propane regulator blew up the first time he turned it on. vanman

I have a friend who has a Ranger, lots of 'em around here, and has been waiting for years to replace it. He is on the waiting list for a Colorado. vanman

Don't the 6 lug fronts also have bigger brakes??? If so how much difference is there?? vanman

Yes, it's for the house. This thing would run several RV's I would guess. My Dolphin has an Onan 2800. Will check out the Champion 2.6K if it's too much to repair/update the Onan. vanman

OOPS !! missed this in the reviews http://www.amazon.com/Smarter-Tools-ST-GP9500EB-Generator-9500-watt/product-reviews/B009453CWK/ref=cm_cr_dp_text/187-3402064-6417544?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending#RID4VM8R2FIP3 , this seems to be a deal killer, or is this just typical ??? vanman

JD , what do you think of this: http://www.costco.com/Smarter-Tools-7500W-Running--9500W-Peak-Portable-Generator-EPACARB.product.100002821.html , I just got a costco flier for this for gen @ 650$ inc shipping/delivery. They had an equivalent Champion gen last time around for the same price. I was gonna grab one but waited too long. Most reviews seem similar to the Champion, but it is gas only, which is ok by me. vanman

I got a new spare tire cover, white, several years ago and it's already looking tacky and tearing. The original, I think, was thicker and stronger but died after too many years. Can't yet find receipt so don't know which brand I have, but I do not want another one like this. Which one do you prefer ??? vanman

That was what I had thought I was getting-- Good LED marker lights are sealed and weather tight no more fooling with dirty connections you turn them on they work every time.--- But not what I ended up with. Anyway I have gone thru them and they all work now. Sure are much brighter than the originals, and look better too. He did give me a pair of the sockets as spares, but I doubt I'll be needing them. Easier than adjusting my sectional garage door!! vanman

WOW, good to know. I was gonna order another batch for spares and to put in the the Ford. I haven't had one failure of any of mine as of yet. When did you order yours, am thinking there is a quality control problem with the newer ones ??? The only LED problems for me has been the new running lites on the RV top. They are a ckt board with 2 LED's and a wiring harness which ends in a plug. Plug connects to new base plates which have exactly the same socket as the original lamps. The plug/socket connection is the problem, just like it was with the bulbs. Takes some fiddling to make it secure, no problems now. vanman

Yeah, that's what we did and it looks great without the stripes. I do wish I could get some Dolphin logos thou, just for the back and maybe the front. I saw one today at the beach that still had the original rear labeling. vanman EDIT : Forgot to mention that we had fiberglass and other damage repaired so it was all painted except for the Toyota parts. The vinyl bottom trim was painted an almost exact match for what was the original colour.