mgrijalva

it appears i have several tasks before me....... the space heater: at night i am hooked up to shore. the space heater is hooked up to the wall plug outlet. When it is really cold, i leave the space heater running night & day. the fuse that blew is the 4th from left to right. Far right being 4th. On 2 occasions i lost power for about a minute, it came back without having to reset anything. When the fuse blew, the lower breaker had to b reset. meanwhile, i will work on my assigned tasks to narrow down the shortage thnk u

forgot to add picture of battery, don't know if it is hooked up correctly and could b causing the problem thank u so much for responding, u r my motorhome family. here r more pictures.....i will read ur responses now.....

Happy Thanksgiving, I hope your bellies are full like mine Please help, this forum has practically saved my life, and now i need help again...... my 1985 Dolphin is making a noise and there is a spark (or lack of grounding) coming out of a screw end Problem 1: the battery terminal switch (silver colored, w bell shape in picture) is new because the previous one was always hot to the touch.It is making a consistent sound, a 'cycling' sound, over and over. It is not hot to the touch. In conjunction w this sound the charge light in the dashboard light up sporadically w the sound. Problem 2: a small dark box next to the terminal switch is setting off a spark. the spark goes off around every 20 seconds or so, but sometimes takes longer to spark. Sometimes the spark comes from 1 screw, or both screw ends. Sporadically, the spark will cross to the screw from the large dark box. please see photos. i colored the spark areas w yellow Problem 3: my brand new secondary battery is not charging. i hope it is simply connected wrong and causing all these problems. My son hooked it up but is not mechanically inclined. I drove from sacramento to grand junction colorado like this. I am able to hook up to shore fine. The only problem has been that the breaker went off & i had to replace a fuse ?because i ran a space heater too long????? This was my maiden voyage, I am sad to report that it cost me a little over $300 in gasoline to drive from sacramento to salt lake city (last wk of oct) because it was on overdrive. When i purchased it, it was on overdrive already. The 85 model has a OFF light that remains lite while the overdrive is turned off. I didn't know this and drove it like this. i am lucky the motor didn't get blown. i hope i didn't caused any damage. other than the od, my first trip was great. please help. i hope to drive back sometime this weekend and shouldn't drive it like that. i also added a picture of my baby with gratitude

thnk u

i found the gawr information in the cab. GAWR; Front: 2050 rear: 4150 gvwr: 5950 (i assume this means total weight?, yet it doesn't add up) Public Scales: front: 1540# rear: 3800# total 5340# the weight includes driver, (175+-) plus full fuel tank (lb?) plus water in the tanks, both tanks!. I had filled them but don't know how to empty them directly. I plan on emptying the water tanks before i leave. i have a 1985 Dolphin w 68K miles, model #003bt41g292a43d if i am under weight i leave tomorrow, if i am overweight my new baby sits a little longer it appears i am underweight. right? please provide your feedback. thank u for your feedback please help

oh, really? just scared the crap out of a lot of people (w possible injury) lol lol no fatalities is significant....this changes matters (to a degree, i still have to b underweight to make this trip) this is what happens when u don't do research prior to a purchase. one of my concerns was the amount of money i have been spending over the mh, am doing too much for a vintage mh? Could i have purchased a newer rig, but end up spending on that one too? too late now, i am in deep. Plus, i love my new mh. But i am actually very lucky my Ex knows how to fix cars and he has done a large portion of the work. I am lucky, he never offered me a ford explorer lol lol lol He has saved me over a 1k at least and has accepted to help w the axle challenge/conversion. Well the scales were closed today, but i did find the axle info under the hood. I have a (85 dolphin) model #rn55lpdea3w. 003bt41g292a43d followed by C/TR/A//TM. I figured the A means axle. So that means the G292 must be the axle code. right? please help. i really don't know how this is suppose to help me find a donor.....i was going to just get a 1990 toyota dullie axle with all the attachments that are attached (wheels, lines etc). please advise w gratitude, mgrijalva

Jesus Christ! another problem? i have to say u guys have saved my life, had this information not been available i could have been killed. well, i just read about the axle and my 85 Dolphin must have been part of the recall.....i am $5K (total +-) into this rig already, but there is no backing out at this point. I was going to make my maiden voyage to texas this wknd but might cancel after i get it weighed tomorrow. I have the 5 lug w no modifications. Once i get this done, this motorhome will not be for parking!....i think i am pretty lucky because i made a round trip to ca bay area from sacramento and the axle didn't snap. thank you again for the life saving information

thnk u, i understand now...but first i'll do the massive flush and then run 100 miles & then another kit (and stick to the dextron) i guess these motorhome could b bottomless pits, but for me it is worth it to know things are running 'like new' mine cost $3K & i spent $2K on it already but don't seem to mind (the 1st thing was 6 tires) for me i can drive from CA to see my grand kids in CO without taking up a bed over there, likewise in texas...i have family over there too....this is the best way to visit without wearing out your welcome right away In addition, i do not need to rent a car each time i go visit family anymore, nor am i dependent on others to drive me around while i am in town visiting

hmm, my 4cyl 85 dolphin, auto trans, 68K miles, has trouble shifting out of first gear. i had a transmission kit done. But maybe i should do it twice more times????? i really didn't understand how to change it 3 times....... the trann kit did make a difference, it still has trouble shifting out of first, but it did get better..... i manually shift it at around 48-50mph by flooring it/gas a bit so it speeds up, i let go [gas] abruptly forcing it to shift. if i don't do this, it feels/&sounds like it needs to shift. i will look for a tranny cooler thank u

opps, i stand corrected....1 is a male connection for a water hose, the 2nd 1 is female end...looks like a hose inside. i did find a short hose in the storage area, about 9- 12in. on 1 end of this short hose is a female end so a waterhose could get screwed in. the short hose fits in the 2nd opening.its like a funnel thanks for ur reply

i have a water question: there are two male water connections on the driver exterior side. what are they and what are they for. i filled them up with water. Water is not leaking out under the mh after it is filled to capacity. Water came out of the kitchen and bathrm sink (w facet) and the toilet flushed. So i figured 1 is the water tank to supply the sinks. is the other for water heater? what about the capacity of each??? 85 dolphin thank u

my 85, automatic, dophin, w 68K miles, 4cyc is located in W Sacramento CA. It cost me $3k & maybe another $2K into it, to include resealing all roof seams, upgrade propane quick-release- regulator & the 4ft hose plus other small items that i am adding to my To Do List. I realize the amount i am putting into this motorhm is worth it when u compared to the cost of newer motorhomes. I realize i got a bargain. I plan on traveling cross country or where ever and do not want to b stranded in any desert or any isolated mountain this site is wonderful, especially for those of us who don't have the technical knowledge. thanks to the love of the veteran members for motor-homes, us newbies r allowed to gain years and years of knowledge for free (in exchange for a grateful thank u, i hope) sharing knowledge for free empowers everyone, it is a win win situation. The learner learns, and the teacher reinforces their own knowledge keeping it abreast. should the rest of life b like this forum (freely interchange info), we wouldn't haven't so many world problems; because we r all willing to share knowledge in order to help each other (not withhold the knowledge; & or sell it) i love this site, thank u thank u thank u i am so grateful i didn't know how to upload my photo from this dialogue box but i did place it in the photo gallery the other day. my rig looks like the previous post photo

i'm not buying anything on ebay unless the product is either american made or of good reputation something is wrong with the LIKE THIS button, it doesn't work....said i have passed my quota

balanced???? go figure, makes sense though thank u so much

i got the free wasps too

wow, thank u so much for the information. i too am new. i got a 85 dolphin, 4cyc, w 68K miles (4cyc). i paid 3K, spent more than $1500 so far putting in things like: all new hoses in the motor, 6 new tires, major tuneup, $140 mattress, reinforced the bed frame, replaced carpet w laminate floor, 2 roof cover/vents, new facets handles in bath & kitchen sinks, wipers, oxygen sensor, transmission kit, shock absorber(sp?), deep cycle battery, radiator, plus little things like that..... for me it is worth it the tires were required and should be required for all newbies.....although the thread on the tires that came w the motorhome looked fine, i learned the hard way that tires sitting too long deteriorate at the thread & metal union. I was on the highway when my front-passenger-tire thread separated, i was lucky i didn't lose control... the bumper & side panel were damagedl. i found light-truck 8layer hancock tires for $90 each locally (SAC CA) Some of the parts may not have been needed, but i consider the age of the vehicle & factor-in that the parts have been sitting a long time (vs doing what they were meant to do). had i known i was going to spend so much money....i would have bought a newer one (5K+-?), but would have ended up putting new hoses, tires anyway....maybe i didnt plan correctly, but do not regret my purchase i haven't made my maiden voyage to florida (frm CA) yet, i did a test drive to the san francisco area, but when i do take my maiden voyage i will feel very safe. please let me know if there is anything else i should do. the coach is in pretty good condition (small water damage to front bunkbed window), i haven't figured out how to turn on the refrigerator. the stove works, water pump works, has an invertor panel, ac works (needs freezon), toilet works. But don't know the role of the generator, deep cycle battery or when they can b used. the stove is basic and assume it can not be used while driving. please provide your feedback, maybe i am spending more than what the motorhome is worth? this site is my new bible for my motorhome....thank u so much for ur posts. they are invaluable to me

thank u for the information about the rear brakes dragging....i have low mpg too

thank u for the location of the fuel filter...i have an 85 dolphin. This site is my owner's manual. i couldn't do much w o u. thank u.

i have a 85 dolphin, 4 cyc. Do u know where my fuel filter is located???

i have an 85 dolphin w 68K miles (4cyc). i got it for 3K, but spent $1500 so far putting in things like: all new hoses in motor, 6 new tires, major tuneup, $140 mattress, 2 roof cover/vents, new facets, plus little things like that..... for me it is worth it had i known i was going to spend so much money....i would have bought a newer one (5K+-)....i didnt plan correctly, but do not regret my purchase