campergal

It's campergal here. I have a similar problem. I have a 1988 toyota dolphin and the outside of the fill line is quite rusty and missing one of it's screws to hold it in place. I just came home from a trip out of state and went to a gas station. It is absolutely on fumes, just about out of gas and they could not get any gas in. He even stuck his finger down to the metal stop and pushed it open but the gas would not go down. I'll look into the vent pipe, also check the fill pipe (since the exhaust system was completely rusted out) but what to do about the rusted part you put the gas cap on? Any help would be appreciated! I am afraid to drive it to a mechanic for fear of running out of fumes and then being stranded with no way to get gas into it. Thanks!

Thanks to all of you, we actually drove off after our wedding in the arms of our new/old "Mrs. Putter" ( pun intended) I'll also get photos of bath, did the same procedure, all new. was sopping wet down to floor. Then while hubby installed air conditioner (sans waiter's) I repainted exterior stripes and logos. Our little 88 looks great! Homey and inviting now...no longer smells like rot! We're off to many many more adventures

Great Idea! I cut out the cabinet today while waiting for the roof and side wall to dry out. How did you fish your power plug through the refer cabinet, seems pretty tight? When you drilled the hole for the air conditioner drain, did you take the factory bottom off the air conditioner? I'm still learning how to navigate this site and I can't find your pics of installing the air conditioner again. Thanks for all your help!

Great idea to pull side back in. Well do that. In terms of the air conditioner, would it work for us to install in the cabinet above the fridge? Is there enough air flow over the refer? Thanks much

Hi Bajadulce, The problem seems to be that the roof has warped up away from the side wall by about 1/2 inch. then the metal has separated from the wood but is still laying flat. If we stand on the roof at the edge, it goes down a little, hopefully enough to screw in the side wall. I was thinking of putting self drilling metal screws with rubber gaskets from the top screwed down through the new metal flashing and into the 1 1/2 plywood of the roof top and then pressing the side walls in enough to screw them in through the trim, flashing and into the roof plywood side. Do you think that would work and if we cover the gasketed screws with roof seal wouldn't that mitigate teh problem with the screws? The other problem is that it is still damp in the seam and under the roof metal.

Hi waiter, while we try and let the side wall and roof dry out before attempting to reconnect I saw your pics of the small air conditioner. We found one at home depot only 18 inches across and 15 inches high. We'd like to install over the refer like I think you did. Would the airflow from the refer "chimney" be enough for a small air conditioner too. What did you do to keep the condensation from running down your refer vent area? thanks in advance for your response. campergal.

Hi there, Campergal here. We really love your camper carport. Since we just bought our new/old gal where could we find that nifty little rv tent? We're sinking all our money into fixing the unit for our honeymoon in July but would like something to cover our toy home when we are working on it. Also we're up here in the northwest with incessant rain. Thanks for your time.

Hi John, The roof wood seems to be fairly solid. Was thinking about getting a 4 ft. peice of 90 degree roof flashing and sliding one side between metal and wood of roof and securing through metal to roof wood, maybe four 1 1/4 inch hex rubber washer screws with liguid nails under the flashing and then pre-drilling holes on other side of flashing to screw side wall back in. What do you think? We've already torn out all rot on the inside side wall and bed base. Putting new framing in bed base and new 1/2 plywood on side wall.

Thanks for your and Waiter's assistance, we'll try to get more pics of all angles today so we can give you and others a better view. We're a couple of 50 somethings getting married in July and this is our honeymoon vehicle so we'd like some kind of a temporary fix until we can find a place to work on it and the time to do it right. This is a model 500 dolphin. Pristine inside 50,000 miles with this roof problem and a water leak behind the shower adding more rot to this side of the rV. I had a dolphin for years. We want this to be our adventure mobile for years to come. Stay tuned for more pics, any help is good, my sweetie does really good with pictures to work from. He wants to know how thick the roof and side wall wood is to work with.

Hi all, Campergal here...still trying to get out camping. I'm going to try an upload some pics for you to see. In addition, we've torn out the side wall on teh overhead, using waiter's pics and it is sopping wet from the leak caused by the gaping ceiling and roof. We need some ideas since we'll be working again on it this weekend. Too confusing to load pics but to clarify, there is about a three foot area where the side wall is completely pulled away from the roof. Openings go from about 3/4 in to 1/4 inch. wall is warped away from roof. Cleaned out the opening as much as possible, took out rotted wood. Glue, no glue, screw down, drill new holes, sister new wood somewhere????? We need help

Hi all, Campergal here...still trying to get out camping. I'm going to try an upload some pics for you to see. In addition, we've torn out the side wall on teh overhead, using waiter's pics and it is sopping wet from the leak caused by the gaping ceiling and roof. We need some ideas pronto since we'll be working again on it this weekend. Too confusing to load pics but there is about a three foot area where the side wall is pulled away from the roof. Openings go from about 3/4 in to 1/4 inch. Glue, no glue, screw down, drill new holes, sister new wood somewhere????? We need help.

Thanks Linda, We'll check that out. You have the same interior I have. So I have some hope that this doesn't need to be as bad as I imagine. I'll post the results.

Thank you Derek, Yes it is a 500 and thank you for the 1985 toyota manual. You wouldn't happen to know where I can get an owners manual for the 500 1988? We'll be posting pics soon. Campergal.

Thank you I'll check that out! Campergal.

Campergal here. We got our new 1988 toy dolphin home finally and filled the water tank to test the system. I turned on the pump and heard a strong "spray" leaking sound behind the shower wall. Water began to leak on the ground. Looked under the carriage and water was streaming around the black water tank with the brackets on it. How can we access the water lines to replace them. It looks to me llike we may need to take the black water tank off or should we break open the shower, which in this toy is located mid chassis. Thanks folks!

Hi Derek, I don't know yet how to hit reply all to respond to all the help! We got her home....thanks to all of you. Both front brakes were seizing and we had it towed back to the shop in fife washington. We had them put a new master cylinder and the connections to it along with everything else needed for safe braking. It worked!!!! We're taking pics to post. Thanks for your swift responses much more to come .

Campergal here again....Embarrassed to report we can't get our 1988 Toyota Dolphin home! We've spent hundreds on tows so far. New brakes, calipers, lines bled, new brake cable still locks up after a few miles and using the brake lightly. The unit did sit for many years. I need help you all. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Help!

Hi Mike, Actually, our 1988 toyota did not come with an air conditioner, I wonder how much it would cost to send to salem oregon? If you can tell me how much it weighs I could find shipping info if you'd be willing. I'm assuming it worked fine before taking it out. Thanks, Carol (campergal) newbie.

Wow!!!!! Thank you, Derek, Walter, Waiter and Totem!!!!. You've given us some hope. We've got our "to do" list now. As we were taking it to get a tune up and fluid change the brakes seized and would not let it move. Unfortunately we had not acquired our RV road service card yet so spent a fortune to get it to a mechanic. We'll post our experiences here. Thank you for your time!!!!

After a long two year search we found our toy a 1988 toyota dolphin with rear dinette with 50,000 original miles and one owner....but before envy sets in, we found out that it had been sitting completely still for over five years. Being new toy owners we are wondering from the experienced owners what we need to do immediately to save this potential gem. We did find that no only did the seller tell us that it had an air conditioner, which it doesn't, she also told us the unit was "leak free". Well after pulling the contact paper down from the overhead cab there is plywood rot coming in about two feet from the edge and down to the curve in the cab. The outside is truly straight with decals intact and shiny clean windows. The engine compartment is filled with pine needles and leaves and is filthy. We plan to take our honeymoon in it (we're an older couple) and want a safe and enjoyable trip. Please be generous with an advice. My finance' is quite handy and can do carpetry. Thank you in advance for your time.....See you on the road!!