Oh my ! Whatta trip !

[Shoprat]

I must bemoan my latest experiences with the ol' Sunrader. My wife and I went to Pennsylvania ten days ago. I figuired this would show me how the latest upgrade, the auxiliary gas tank, would work. It didn't. Would not draw the gas from rear tank to front tank. I studied the situation from on my back in a rest area, and determined that the fuel hose that went from the bottom of the rear tank to the bottom of the front tank was to high to siphon due to the clearance neccessary to give the rear axle room to move. A lift pump was in order here. Got one installed in Penny for 180 bucks. Now the tank transferres fuel. We went 270 miles on one fillup with 1/2 tank left over. I love it !

Also during one of my rest stops, the engine wouldn't crank. Fooled around sliding the shift lever from park to neutral and it finally caught. Next time it happened, sliding the shift lever wouldn't get it to crank. Had to tap the starter and it cranked. When we got to Penny, had a place rebuild the starter for 70 bucks. Cranked fine.When we were coming home, first rest stop- wouldn't crank! Slid shift lever and tapped starter- wouldn't crank. Jiggled starter wires, no crank. Moved wires around, finally caught. For the rest of the trip home, I used a jumper wire from the battery to the large brown solenoid wire to start the beast. It's either the neutral safety switch or the starter switch. I'll probably replace both to be on the safe side.

Also on the trip, we were going up a steep grade on a mountain, made it to the top and parked in a hiking trail head to take a walk. Saw the engine smoking out of the hood scoop. Opened it up, and the insulation around the drain pipe for the turbo was smoking. It had gotten oil soaked when the hose heated and leaked a few months back . It was the oil burning off. Had to wrap the hose with Aluminum foil till I can replace the insulation.Got home with no more smoking.

The exhaust started to roar on the way back. I checked the noise out with a hose as a listening device and it was coming from around the collecter box area of the turbo header. We made it back home with a lot of noise to spare and I removed the turbo unit to see the affected area better, The stinking thing is cracked 1/3 the way around the header box. I also noticed that the waste gate plunger was stuck in the open position. I pulled the waste gate valve apart to check it out, and two bolts of four that hold the diaghram box to the valve were loose. One was backed out 1/4 of an inch, the other one I could turn with my fingers. I also checked the unit out with vacuum and the unit wouldn't hold vacuum. The seal was burned out that seals the plunger shaft.I have talked with LC Engineering, the manufacturer, on these problems. They want me to sent them all the exhaust items from the head to the exaust pipe and they will check it out and get back to me. When I hear something, I'll let ya'll know.

SIGH !!!

[85Seabreeze]

It could be worse, you could've had an automatic transmission that you burned out going over a mountain pass and had to spend $1,750 on a used manual 5-speed tranny to be installed like I did, but I'm now not complaining as the best gas mileage I would get before was about 13mpg and now I get up to 24mpg on the highway! These things are constant projects, but they sure are fun when they are working!