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Questions concerning my Odyssey


john*thomas

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 So I noted that I got a 1987 Nissan Odyssey. I'm my searches I've not found a place that has more info on these units than here and Linda in particular. So I thought I'd ask here. I've been cleaning.........what am I missing on the sides of my front doors if anything? Is there supposed to be some sort of seats there? There are stickers on both sides noting that to not use the seats while traveling. 

 

 Also has my other seat/bed been replaced? Would it really have been a different color? So far everything seems to work. I've not put water in it but what I've tried out has worked. Previous owner smoked and I've almost got the smell out. There were curtains but they are gone. Wife has ordered new ones.

 

 

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Yes you have an Odyssey Newport. The resolution isn't good but it looks like seats on either side of the door. Coach issues are all Odyssey things. Yours is just on a different chassis.

1991 Odyssey Americana Brochure - General Discussion - Toyota Motorhome Discussion Board

Here's a pic of the chair on one side. 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--PIGRmvA_6o/T57WcseMqgI/AAAAAAAAABs/6smrhMtqmgM/s320/music.jpg

looks pretty comfy

Linda S

Sorry pic won't come up as a pic or a clickable link but copy and paste and you can see it

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 Well thank you. I figured you would come through. LOL. I would have liked to have had the chairs. I'll come up with something. Looks like I'm missing the table also which I will have to come up with something. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

 Figured I would keep track of things here. Fixed (or at least stopped them from leaking ) a few leaks. I wanted to brighten things up while not painting it all white. I took the wallpaper down and fixed a spot in the back that was pretty soft. Did a vinyl background and painted the counter top white. I didn't like the homemade microwave stand so it's gone. I'll put the microwave on the back counter after allowing things to sit for awhile. 

 

 There is some damage on the overhang......not too bad. I'm waiting on tires to get here. I've pretty much decided to paint it with bedliner to hide all the ugly on the outside. 

 

 Overhead air works. Truck air does not. I hope it's already been converted. 

  

 

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Your going to paint the whole outside with bedliner? Please don't. Bed liner only looks good on a truck bed. Use anything else. I've seen some pretty good paint jobs just done with a roller. Google Rustoleum roller paint job. Buffed out they can look fantastic. Marine paints are very durable and of course waterproof. A good marine top side paint. Rustoleum makes a good one

Linda S

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 The problem is the previous "hand paint job" is horrible. To do anything with it would require it to be stripped and I'm not interested in putting that much into it. There is no other way to make it smooth.  The silicone is all over the place also. It would take forever. I can paint and I will paint the truck part. Luckily it wasn't "painted". This will cover a ton of flaws and seal the camper. I've seen a few done. One where the person was asking some pretty big bucks (and they did the truck part also). 

 

 I don't think it looks all that bad for a camper.

 

 (pic just for reference)

 

 

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Paint (any) will not adhere to silicone. If you don’t remove the old caulking and clean the surface really well, your new paint will just peel off.

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17 minutes ago, fred heath said:

Paint (any) will not adhere to silicone. If you don’t remove the old caulking and clean the surface really well, your new paint will just peel off.

 

 Yes but it doesn't have to be neat without a proper paint job. There also isn't a chemical stripper for latex house paint. That's a lot of sanding. 

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That hasn’t been converted yet.  But it isn’t necessarily a big deal to convert it. With a catch….  
 

A lot of shops will say you have to replace basically everything in the system. You don’t really “need” to replace anything more than the receiver dryer, and flush the rest out. The catch is the older R12 molecules are bigger and slightly less prone to leaking. So old R12 hoses are much more likely to leak with the smaller R134 freon bits. R134 hoses have a barrier liner that a lot of R12 ones didn’t.  If t you are skilled enough to replace everything yourself then let a shop do the final vacuum and fill, you could probably do it reasonably enough to make it worth changing all of it. 
 

 

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Good read on old R12 systems. hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/air-conditioning-dos-and-donts-refrigerants-and-the-law/  Back in the day I did dozens the caveat was "working system" Retro fit presented issues but eventually they were over come to some extent. You will have issues if the system does not work to begin with sad to say.

 

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Maineah, that is an EXCELLENT ARTICLE!!!  
 

Since John said it didn’t work, I think we could safely assume it is empty. But yeah I usually am a zealot about mentioning the 609 certificate.  Especially if someone lives in an EPA militant state like California….  
 

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The bottom line R12 is made of "unobtainium" and for good reason. I kind of think sticker shock will put an end to the AC project. Backwards facing vent windows and 60 MPH.

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Ignorance is bliss. I am not disputing there being a correct way to complete an AC repair and would not recommend my redneck ways as they could lead to permanent damage to your system.  That said, I simply purchased the conversion ports for R134a and bought 4 small cans with oil. My AC was not cold when I purchased the vehicle years ago. I left it alone for the first few years but my dogs got older and hotter. A couple years back I added a generator and window ac. My window ac died so I blindly did the conversion. Still gets cold today at the dash and have not had to add coolant. Again, I am not advocating this procedure, I am admitting it is an action based on ignorance and risk, and am aware I potentially destroyed my system (that wasn't working) by mixing oils. 

 

I'm ready for the trolls. 

 

 

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40 minutes ago, Maineah said:

The bottom line R12 is made of "unobtainium" and for good reason. I kind of think sticker shock will put an end to the AC project. Backwards facing vent windows and 60 MPH.

 

 I notice R12 is selling on eBay for as low as $19 a can. I'm not advocating that, just noting. I can run overhead A/C (which works good) and generator if I really needed A/C.

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i also have done the quick and dirty swap. actually many times. always on beaters tho.   i always made sure not to use pag oil

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3 hours ago, john*thomas said:

 

 I notice R12 is selling on eBay for as low as $19 a can. I'm not advocating that, just noting. I can run overhead A/C (which works good) and generator if I really needed A/C.

Read this before buying and it's like $70 for 20 OZ of CCL2F2, epa.gov/section608/refrigerant-sales-restriction

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2 hours ago, Maineah said:

Read this before buying and it's like $70 for 20 OZ of CCL2F2, epa.gov/section608/refrigerant-sales-restriction

 

 I'm not going to buy. I was just noting. If I was to repair the A/C I would convert. 

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13 hours ago, Maineah said:

Read this before buying and it's like $70 for 20 OZ of CCL2F2, epa.gov/section608/refrigerant-sales-restriction

 

Maineah that's actually interesting and NOT what I have been told or understood for many a year..  Read again though and check out the small print.  Better yet, here you are!  (And not posting this to argue or be contrary with you, I am actually surprised by what I read.)


 

Quote

 

The sales restriction covers refrigerants contained in cylinders, cans, or drums, except for the sale of small cans of substitute refrigerants (e.g., R-134a for use in motor vehicle air conditioners). This sales restriction does not cover refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment or components containing refrigerants.

 

Next:  

 

Quote

Small cans of non-exempt MVAC refrigerant (i.e., containers designed to hold two pounds or less of refrigerant) that have unique fittings, and self-sealing valves can continue to be sold to persons without certification for DIY use on their vehicles.

 

I actually have my 609 certificate and have always wondered how it was possible for parts stores to sell these cans...  I am thinking that small cans of R12 found on eBay probably wouldn't qualify for "substitute" refrigerant though.  AC is super simple, yet complicated at the same time.  It is pretty difficult to get just the right amount in a home DIY job.  Older systems were somewhat more forgiving, but modern systems need pretty precise amounts put in to work just right.  

 

Where the shops really get you, is in the labor.  Especially to do an evaporator.  If a customer at the shop tells me they are going to do it themselves because they can't afford the labor, I will always evacuate it, then recharge it once they are done for free.  At this point they have already paid for diagnostics and any freon they needed to top the system up.     

 

Edited by thewanderlustking
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Yes you can buy R134 but not R12 unless you have a 609 certificate from the EPA. Oh I'm sure there are people selling R12 and other stuff beyond refrigerant but for the average person it's not for sale. Shoot I have seen propane in AC systems. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

 Anyways........person had posted about remodeling their trailer and had a couple swivel chairs for sale about an hour from me. They both were excellent shape and were only being replaced because they wanted recliners. It's a wee bit big yet but will work for now. They also had a table that was just too big overall so I cut it down and it fold down against the wall when not in use. I'm going to get a better leg for now. 

 

 Going to fix the lower damage to the side door and we will be off the following week for our first trip finally. I was stumped with the ledge on the floor under the table. I could tell by the pamphlet layout there was supposed to be a chair there but I couldn't figure out how with that ledge. You don't even want to ask about the ledge. LOL, I'll repair the reason for that correctly and get rid of that when I re-do the floor.  Also I have the additional chair if anyone is interested in one. Not really worth shipping but thought I'd mention it. 

 

  

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  • 2 weeks later...

 We took it on it's first trip. It got us there and back. It wasn't very far and just overnite to try it out. A/C works very well BUT my seal is leaking so................

 

 I'm assuming it's a pretty standard seal. Any tricks to replacing? I've not looked anything up yet. 

 

 

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It "should" be a standard 14"x14". Should be in the $25 or later range 

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The seal is standard, yes. You'll need to disconnect power to the unit inside and unscrew/unbolt it. After that, from the roof, you just lift the unit off and set it to the side. Remove the old seal from the roof cutout and clean the area really well. Put the new seal on the opening and put the unit back into place. Connect power and fasteners from the inside and done.

 

If your roof is iffy, you'll probably want to use boards or plywood to span the roof while you're up there. Also, AC units are around 70-80lbs (?) in my experience, so it helps to be healthy and, uh, robust. :)

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10 minutes ago, Ctgriffi said:

The seal is standard, yes. You'll need to disconnect power to the unit inside and unscrew/unbolt it. After that, from the roof, you just lift the unit off and set it to the side. Remove the old seal from the roof cutout and clean the area really well. Put the new seal on the opening and put the unit back into place. Connect power and fasteners from the inside and done.

 

If your roof is iffy, you'll probably want to use boards or plywood to span the roof while you're up there. Also, AC units are around 70-80lbs (?) in my experience, so it helps to be healthy and, uh, robust. :)

 

 Thanks.......I'll get a second set of hands to help out. 

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I'll add this in the gasket kit there is a straight gasket that part that is often forgotten it fits under the back of the AC unit to support the back of the AC on the roof. Over the years all of the gasket parts will be as flat as a pan cake try not to get carried away with the torque snug is fine have a look again after a few road trips and tighten as necessary.

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 So this may seem a dumb question but.........just killing time as the seal hasn't got here yet. (yes mine is smashed flat all over). I was going to work on the shroud some. Just looking to see what a replacement would cost I note none of them have ventilation holes in the top. To make an easy question long..........I hope once sealed it's sealed for awhile but I could see where covering these holes would keep an awfully lot of rain from getting into the A/C area. I initially thought my roof leaked but it was where rain got into the A/C area and leaked around the seal. I'm thinking of covering them up? Any thoughts? My first thought is that they are there for a reason but I see no vents in any of the replacement shrouds (other than the sides).

 

 Just to note, the A/C works great. Freeze you out on the low setting. Seems a bit overkill but whatever, it works so it stays. I was worried about wood rot around the frame it sits on but it's all solid. A little bit of edge delamination but nowhere bad enough to go tearing everything up. My roof is solid. No sign of any give while I was on it. (my entire weight never was).

Edited by john*thomas
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Your AC unit sits in a drain pan. The water getting into your camper is likely not coming from the inside of your AC unit through. The water is getting under your drain pan and through the seal that is pressing against your roof. The seal under your drain pan (which you are replacing) is your defense against leaks into your camper from the AC unit. Shroud vents are made to prevent most water from getting into your AC unit. A few drops won't matter as long as it is not flooding the electric parts. The shroud protects your delicate AC components from impacts while driving, and prevents the electric components from being washed with water over and over during rains. People let their AC units sit on their campers without shrouds and often water does not get into their campers. 

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  • 1 month later...

 

  My son put down some new flooring for me today. Only took a few hours. We still have a little trim to do but so much better. (old pics are above) I think I have enough to do the back of the cabin divider. I hate that carpet on it. Couple things......as it relates to another thread on spongy floors you can see where my floor is solid. I think I'm going to add a L channel brace underneath just to really firm things up. The new floor has helped also. While I did have leaks you can see where the old carpet had a rubberized pad so the water never really did get to the floor. 

 

 I almost passed on this because it was so in need of attention when I bought it and the outside still doesn't look all that great but I'm really pretty happy with it now. Runs great and the interior is quite presentable. 

  

 

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The AC seal serves two purposes one to keep water out of the camper the other is noise reduction sitting directly on the roof it sounds like a freight train. The seals start life at an inch or more in thickness and are good for maybe 5 years max before they flatten. There is a piece that comes with the gasket that looks like some thing you would throw away it is rectangular the same thickness as the gasket it fit under the long side of the AC unit.

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