Details of repairs

Published by

kc1sa

on

October 28, 2023

UPDATE – JUNE 2024

Well the generator ‘fix’ I did last fall did not stand up to the rigors of the road. The Velcro failed and the air cleaner was laying next to the generator when I inspected it during our trip west. I contacted my local Cummings Service Center i Rocky Hill Connecticut for a quote to repair the air cleaner bracket. The quote came in at roughly $1100 which seems like a lot but I scheduled them to change out the fuel line and change the fuel filter since they were the originals from 2013. I attempted to do the repair but once I realized the carburetor had to be removed I decided to leave the repair to those more experienced. I was surprised after the work was completed the bill came in a just under $600. I had a good experience with this Cummings facility and would go back to them for any needed service.

No one cautioned me on the amount of time needed to maintain a motorhome. Since purchasing Coachella we have spent at least 4 hours per day with maintenance. While some tasks aren’t directly tied to the motorhome, all are related to the motorhome operation.

A level parking spot

Coachella is parked on our single car wide black top driveway. Our driveway is about 70 feet or so long so our two Rav4 and the motorhome fit bumper to bumper without infringing on the sidewalk. The problem with our 25 year old driveway is that it is not very level. So one of the first tasks was pouring a concrete slab for the rear wheels (cement patio blocks were crushed under the weight of the coach). I’m waiting 4 days time to pass before putting the weight of the coach on the pad but this should work out well. Without a level place to park some of the systems in the coach could be compromised (refrigerator, plumbing, etc.).

Tires

Previous owners had tires put on a few years back. The valve stems were short and not lined up on the dual wheels in the rear which made it nearly impossible to check tire pressure. This problem was addressed and cost about $150 to fix.

Generator

The Onan generator had some issues. Very hard starting and a broken air cleaner bracket. Cummings dealer wanted $400 to repair the bracket and an additional $69 for the bracket. A local shop was going to do the repair for half that amount but thought I’d try my had at alternative repairs. Using self adhesive tough Velcro I was able to securely have the air cleaner back in place and probably just as secure as the original bracket. I filled up the coach and added 5 Oz of Stabil and ran the generator under half load for 2 hours. Since then the gen starts up really quick.