zero

The BW is not designed as a "battery boiler" like some were. That 3 amp rating is the MAX charge rate and it tapers back to a milliamp "maintain" rate. Not saying I'd trust it for being plugged in all the time, but it's kind of a moot point for my uses. I have one battery in front for cranking and two in back as "house" batteries. I want them all maintained when in storage, so I use a dual-output maintainer - totally separate from my power-center/converter.

I go by whatever the truck is name by Toyota when getting parts. E.g. A 1978 Toyota motorhome uses a RN28L-KRA 3W cab & chassis. A 1983 motorhome uses a RN44L KRA 3W or a RN44 KDA 3W. A 1985 uses a RN55L-KREA 3W or a RN55L-KDEA 3W. A 1988 uses a RN55L-KREA 3W or RN55L-KRTEA 3W or RN75L-KRTEA 3W or RN55L-SRA 3W or RN55L-SRTEA 3W or RN75L,-PDTEA 3W A 1990 uses a VZN85L-TRSREA6 or VZN85L-TWSREA6 or VZN95L-TWSREA6 or VZN85L-TRMREA6 or VZN85L-TWMREA6 or VZN95L-TWMREA6 On the subject of terms like "1/2 ton", 3/4 ton", or "1 ton" - it's sometimes used in marketing hype and only works when a fixed vehicle weight with no load is known. That's why Toyota did it with the "1 ton" pickup. In the case of a cab & chassis - there is NO fixed payload weight. Just a range of what is allowed. One example for a 1990 dually. Empty with no body it weighs 2900 lbs. with a manual trans. Toyota requires at least 770 lbs. be added to it for a body (and up to 2020 lbs.). Max total weight with payload is 6000 lbs. So - depending on what body is stuck on it - it can be a completed vehicle with no payload that weighs 3670 up to 4920 lbs. That puts it in a range from being a 2380 lb. payload truck down to a 1080 lbs. payload truck. So some dually Toyota RVs are technically over 1 ton, and some are just 1/2 ton - all with the same chassis.

Yes, I guess correctly. The old B&W power center with the I-T-E breakers for 120 volts AC. I have several of them. Nothing wrong with them.

The vacuum to that vacuum-pod is controlled by a electric vacuum solenoid. That is controlled by either the main computer, or the air-conditioner amplifier. My point being that the vacuum line from the pod goes to the solenoid, and that solenoid has an input that hooks to a main engine vacuum source.

I'm sure where you are getting these designations from - but I don't think Toyota ever called the cab & chassis trucks "1/2 ton" or "1 ton." There was, for sure, a 1 ton pick-up truck. As far as I can ascertain, a 1978 Toyota motorhome was built on a 1150 lb. payload capacity intended vehicle. 1983 is 1390 lbs 1985 is 1990 lbs. 1988 dually is 1680 lbs. 1990 dually is 2250 lbs.

I'd buy it for parts assuming it came with the FF rear and other goodies inside. Especially if the Toyota part was relatively rust-free. Like I said earlier, worth around $500 to me. That's my standard price for such things. The rear alone might bring that with the right person needing it.

I just checked my private message box here and there are 42 messages in there, including two from this morning. I see none from you though. Why it's not working from your end, I have no idea.

I get private messages often from, or on, this forum (if you are asking me). I just got one this morning from a person on this group with the ex-diesel Minicruiser. I certainly have not blocked or disabled anything. My direct email is wrenchalot@yahoo.com if needed.

I don't know anything about the engine place being discussed. I will comment as thus. Putting a "sticky" in would look like an endorsement to me. That might lead to some negative feelings if some people had some bad experiences. That's what happened with Trailer Life Magazine when they started treating a repair shop in California as the "go to place" for RV engine issues. Once a few people seemed to get screwed, it really backfired on the magazine. That was Geraghty Performance in Newbury Park, California. The magazine even went as far as giving the guy his own column for awhile.

I am cognizant of the dictatorship thing. I fully understand someone else who has done the work to create a Webplace and can run it anyway he-she or it wants. I have no trouble with someone banning someone from their special place. That being said, when it seems some of the same people come to another place and behave as if "all Toyota RV people are welcome" - it seems just a bit absurd. If I ever got an answer to my inchoate question, I'd no longer ask it whenever such an "open event" pops up.

I've yet to see a cord that was not marked on the OD. Usually embossed in the rubber (or plastic).

The Basler ES series from late 70s, early 80s also has push-button AC breakers.

Here's some photos of the mid-80s B-W power-center.

My guess is there is less demand as time goes on. More old RVs getting junked and more full-floating rears with the 6 X 7.25" pattern available. I've never had an problems finding them when I want them, along with the matching conversion hubs for the front.

The cord on my 1988 Minicruiser with AC is 12 gauge. I've noticed that many RV cords look huge on the OD but that is due to lots of added protective filler. Even 14 gauge wire in a 20 foot long cord can easily handle 15 amps and an AC unit, although 12 gauge and a 20 amp circuit is more the norm. The push-button breakers are common in B-W power-centers of 80s vintage. Those push-button breakers are "I-T-E TRI-shield." Often there is a P1520 and a P115GF with ground-fault protection.

I didn't call to reserve. I am just curious how this all works. I don't know Tika. I was told (and the info may be wrong) that she has something to do with the Yahoo Toyota motorhome Webplace that is linked to from this place. I was banned from that forum for two crimes. #1 - I called the air-bags in the suspension of my Toyota "air bags." Silly me! #2 - a group of "leaders" from the Yahoo place sent me a questionaire asking me to itemize WHY I wanted to be there. My main contact was a guy who calls himself "Turtle." In short, it seems they wanted me to prove my merit. Subsequently I told them that if I was to be judged by a bunch of people who acted like school-kids, I did not need to be part of their "elite" group. Here - at this forum - I've rarely had trouble with anyone. I've had people from this forum come to my house and farm, swapped, sold, and sometimes gave away parts, etc. Mostly good. Only close-to-bad experience I've had here was with Linda when she sent me a private message urging me to leave the forum. Obviously, I refused. So, it seems logical - at least to me - to wonder how this works when there is an open invitation to a meet by perhaps someone who bans certain people from user-groups or forums dedicated to Toyota RVs. Also note - that if I get banned from bringing this up - it is fine with me. As I've said before - I do not want to be part of any group that bans people for such things.

I'm getting a little lost in all this digital mayhem. One note though. An engine with "24K original miles" might be more worn then another engine with 150K miles. 24K miles over a long span of years might mean an awful lot of short trips and it is the cold-start-to-hot-drive cycle the puts most of the wear on the typical engine. I inherited my mom's car years ago with 40K miles. A 1970 Nova with a 307 V8 and in 1995 it had 40K miles and was worn out. What a piece of junk.

An old question that has yet to be answered. What happens when someone comes that has been banned from the Yahoo-Toyota group (like me, Tika). Are such people turned away?

And . . how does one know who is good? When I worked as a full time mechanic - we had several machine shops we used on almost a daily basis. Subsequently, when they got maybe a new employee who was an idiot - we found out quick. Now?? Here is one example. I used to do ALL my own machine work except crankshaft grinding. Over the years I sold off most of my equipment. Too expensive to maintain. Last year I was rebuilding my own 144 c.i. diesel. I took my four connecting rods to a local auto machine-shop that used to be the best around. I took the rods in JUST to have the big-ends resized. That means caps closed a bit by shaving, and then bored to be round back to standard size. I got a phone call two days after dropping them off. The owner of the shop told me "bad news." All four rods were ruined. Long story short - the new owner did not even know how to calibrate a micrometer and his 3" mike was near 1/16th off. Modern engines rely on many high-tech processes that many small shops cannot do. Like boring a block under stress (using a deck-plate). Rehardening crankshaft journals after grinding (Tuff-Riding), etc.

17 weeks? If just one person doing the job, and getting paid $3 per hour, the labor charge alone would be over $2000. If $12 per hour, the labor charge would be over $8000. Maybe it sits around for 16 weeks, or maybe they send the block, crank, and head out to someone else with a long waiting list?

My grandfather was a French-chef at the India House in New York City ca. 1930s and up. He never learned any English and never got US citizenship but lived out the rest of his life in Bergen County, NJ. He fought in the French Army in WWI and then came to the US to work as a chef. Just an aside. He never drove a car in his life, nor did he ever own a TV. Took a bus and train to NYC to get to work. I'm not sure what sort of food the India House serves, but they are still in business.

Fred - "beating a dead horse" is in our nature (at least many of us). I agree with you. Plenty of good builders around. That being said - even the best on the planet will have some bad ones. All it takes is one bad employee, or one good employee with a bad day, or a jerk in a machine-shop where you sent a head or block or crank or rod to, etc. That's where someone with a good rep and a willingness to stand behind their product is big plus. Also why it pays to deal locally if possible. A fully warranteed engine does not do you much good if the company is 2000 miles away and requires you to remove your engine and pay to ship it back to them to get that warranty.

One general thing that goes on now adays is the corruption (as I see it) of automotive technical English. "Rebuilt" does not carry the same meaning it did 30-40 years ago. Nor does "remanufactured" and nor does even "new." So, without asking specific questions, it is somethings hard to find out just what it is someone is selling. It used to be - when it came to engines - "rebuilt" meant all wear surfaces renewed or replaced, and all specs back to OEM. Not so easy to do on old engines with worn cranks and worn cylinder-bores. I suspect that is why Toyota and Datsun used to sell complete rebuilt engines with brand new blocks. Now - China is doing it - like these.

I tend not to give advice; just my opinion. If I needed an engine - I would not rob it from an otherwise good motorhome. I'd first try to find a complete, used, good-runner. I'd MUCH prefer that to the "rebuilt" route. I just bought a 1993 Toyota with a stick-shift and a four-banger that runs great and has 130K miles on it. I paid $400 for the whole running truck.

If it happens again - just turn your headlights on. Then try to start. If it "clicks" and the lights stay bright - you know the battery is fine and the solenoid contacts are likely your problem (or bad starter brushes).