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[uPDATE]; VENT HOSE, darn vent hose was lower than fill hose in places, fills with gas, RAISE THE VENT HOSE ABOVE FILLER HOSE.

KI4NCO checking in. from east TN.

your right I'm spoiled, but i have found that after traveling a long day and finely gotten settled in a CG, with a cold breeze blowing, dark, tired, pilot blowing out before i can get it lit, it sure would be nice to just plug in and get some HW especially if it is also raining. i do see though Maineah has answered my question, so tonight i will order me one. thanks guys. Phil

try NAPA

Hey i agree with all above first, probably gas with what your describing, and dropping the tank is not that hard to do, by the way i have always added gas stabilizer to all my gas users that sit for 3 months or more, never let me down yet. but if it turns out that gas is not the culprit check the catalytic converter had one do just as you described on a 7.3 liter diesel 800 miles from home while pulling my 12000 lb. TT and i had to run at 45 miles per on i95 for 500 of those miles until i found someone open on a Sunday to work on it, little old ladies giving me the finger as they passed and truck drivers cutting in front of me real close, any ways just food for though. Phil

purchased 86 Dolphin new and from the get go no matter what i used including Mobil 1 interstate running 65 or 70 i always had to add a quart every 500 miles now at 94000 miles still the same mobile 1, a quart every 500 miles, BUT when i run the back roads (no interstates) 55 or less i didn't have to add anything between changes 3 to 4k, i also get better gas mileage back roads 15 vs 12.

my 86 Dolphin 22re had this same problem, cable from tranny to throttle linkage had rusted and was not moving smoothly, replaced cable and housing no more problem's shifting.

well tlava did you ever figure it out, don't leave us hanging, i think i have always had a problem with my 22re running high temp (just below the red line) usually when climbing in mountains, not so bad on level roads, but my last trip a couple of weeks ago from east TN to FL and back seemed to be the worst so far, i had replaced the fan clutch some time back, but something Davidadro had said got me to thinking, i did have a manifold leak i noticed on this last trip and fixed that when i got home but haven't check for over heating yet, still waiting for your fix so i don't just throw money at it trying to figure it out, of course i don't mind you doing it. thanks Phil

Derek, i don't think a water heater can be less than completely full due to being under pressure, unless you drain it through the drain petcock, but being that the hot rod would be at same height as hot water outlet I'm just wondering since heat rises will it even heat the water at that level or do they make one that would be bent in a 90 to reach the bottom of tank but thanks for your input. Phil: Karincorbin, if mine needed to be replaced or even given me trouble i would do exactly the same, my other RV, TT, has a multi WH and i love it, actually i keep it on elect. but when need quick heat just hit the button for gas, kicks in and wallah i have hot water in seconds, i don't like leaving on gas all the time though. Phil

1986 Dolphin 900 with 93000 mi., i have done some towing that i wouldn't do again, my receiver hitch is mounted between the frame and in 1992 I towed a 1973 VW wheels down from East Tennessee to Tampa FL. 750 miles I-75 at 65 miles per, not proud of that just young and dumb, also carried a 12 foot fiberglass sailboat on top from Marblehead Mass. to Tampa 1500 miles, then towed a small utility trailer with 350 lb. motor scooter from East TN. to Atlanta GA and back and that one i would probably do again although i think i would install breaks on anything i might try to tow again, so far i haven't had any major mechanical problems yet, of course look out now, I've had mine since new and do keep up with all maint.

i know the post on this was back in March but maybe others will have to do this also, 86 dolphin 900, no need to drop tank but you do need to be a contortionist , first remove screws from filler neck (just under the cap) then losing the clamp at the tank, this is were you have to be a contortionist, the new hose from NAPA auto parts only comes in 3ft length but you can also get a 90 elbow then you need a 2 foot piece of 2inc ID pipe (i used electrical conduit) to join the 90 to 3 ft piece , when reinstalling make sure vent hose is above filler hose or it will get gas in it and fuel won't go to the tank. do not use water hose! it will disintegrate in very short order.

i agree gas is more efficient, but when I'm plugged into 110 at a campground and the wind is blowing a cold breeze it sure would be nice not to have to go outside to try to light it then back out after a shower to shut it down, what i was wondering though is will it be at all effective if the heat element is so high (near the top) of the tank. thanks Phil

my match light gas water heater anode fitting were i would install a 110v heating element is near the top of the heater, right next to the hot water outlet and i would think i would have to find a heat unit that goes down towards the bottom of the tank to be in water, anyone else run across this yet? any suggestions? thanks Phil

well I'm confused, will it do any good to adjust the bar shackle as in twoblock's top picture, or just wasting time, during panic breaking the front wheels lockup, and if its raining out forget about it, can't stop period, new shoes, turned drums rear, new pads rotors front, the only way i can lock up rears is with e-brake, not looking for lockup but would like to feel like I'm getting a little help from the rear, one thing i did notice last week on 1400 mile trip, i have always run with air bags full 90psi and tried this trip at 60psi just to feel the diff. in ride and i think the rears held a little better, could be my imagination, i was paying specif attention to breaks due to just having them done, anyways back to my original question, is the consensus here that i should or should not adjust the bar shackle to the proportioning valve?

my filler hose rotted on my 86 dolphin but could not find a exact replacement, 6 foot stiff hose with a couple of bends to go from filler neck to tank, from the time my unit was new (I'm the org. owner) it took gas very slow, when i replaced it the only thing i could find was a 3 foot filler hose and a 90 elbow both made for gas, then added a 2 inch by 24 inch long piece of electrical conduit (metal) to fill the gap and it worked better than the original, at first until last week when i took a 1400 mile trip, first fill up was fine but after that it would take me up to an hour to put gas in it and sometimes just after a gal. or so it just wouldn't take any more, scary when your several hundred miles from home, when i reached my destination i pulled the hose down and noticed it was very soft so i beleive it was kinking in areas i really couldn't see so i stuffed some stiff screen (rolled up aluminum vent for house gable) into the 3 foot section to keep it from collapsing and put it back but didn't tie it up to the frame quite so tight, first time filling worked good then fought with it all the way home, when i got home i raised the hose up as close to the frame as i could using wire ties took it to the gas station and was able to pump full throttle for the 7 gal. i needed to fill it up, havent had a chance to try it again yet and unless i still don't have a fix you can assume i am a happy camper once again. PS the hose was available at NAPA auto parts only. the screen from Lowe's.

Hi all; bought our 1986 toy dolphin new summer of 86 cost $25000. it's a 900 equipped with air, gen, 4cyl and automatic, it's garage kept and still runs and looks fairly new, the only things i have had to replace over the years was the roof air, "new one has a heat strip", tires, batteries and breaks other than that it's like the ever ready bunny, just keeps going and going, it has 93000 mi on it and we like to take the back roads to travel so it stays under 60 most of the time, we live in east Tennessee and have traveled from Quebec to key west and west to the Rockies, come to think of it we did have to change the fan clutch about 10 yr agoo.

i have towed a stock 72 vw super beetle from east TN to Tampa FL and back with no problems at all, used a tow bar so all 4 wheels were on the ground with my 86, 22r 4cyl. auto, pulled it at 60mph got 12mpg forget it was back there one time and had to back it up not fun, but other than that it was OK. in saying all that if i were to consider doing it on a regular basis i would go the cut down with fiberglass body version, less weight would be better. my hitch is a standard 2inch receiver hitch i also have a carrier that mounts into the hitch to carry light weight items like extra fuel and portable camping shelter but total weight should never exceed 200lbs due front end traction being effected. also have pulled my 4x8 open utility trailer all over with a 350lbs motor scooter on it works great. i see no reason why you couldn't pull a Harley on a light trailer. Phil