trip summary

[David Anderson]

We got back from our trip out west.  We drove 3839 miles and 563.3 gals fuel.  Used 2 qts of oil on the trip and made it through blistering 110 temps.  The bus handles so well after I raised the suspension up to 14" inches (loaded) and replaced all 8 shocks.  http://eagles-international.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4499

You may have read my thread about the high oil temp.  http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=30738.0
I now know I have something screwy going on because I found out that when I turn on the headlights the gauge jumps up 20 degrees.  That is why it climbed so high on that run I made at night to Phoenix.  

The most frightening drive was the climb up to a park near Yosemite: http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=30758.0
The coach suffered no lasting effects from that climb.  Next time unhook the towed.  I checked my tranny oil yesterday and it is a bit darker than the new looking red when new.  We made additional big climbs west bound into Bakersfield, northbound into Flagstaff, southbound on I 5 south of Bakersfield and southeast bound to I 15 north of San Bernadino.  Coming down I 15 southbound to San Bernadino looks like it would a real bear to climb that back to the north.  Yuk! Glad I didn't have to do that.  

We spent 2 weeks at the cancer center in Goodyear and the 3 Colemans kept us cool.  They ran continuously from about 11 am to 7 pm in the 110 degree heat.  I didn't really design the coach to operate in heat like that, but we made it ok.  

My skinner valve kept sticking when turning off the engine.  I had to get a hammer and go tap it to get it to release to start the coach.  My wife called my hammer our FOB  .  I took it apart and cleaned it.  Hope that takes care of the problem.

It was a great trip with few problems, but the heat was just not much fun.  I'd rather stay up high like Flagstaff.  Very nice.  

David

[chessie4905]

I'd go through all your electrical connections, especially grounds. Nice to hear that some on here can go more than a hundred miles without an engine or transmission failure.

[eagle19952]

i do not recall... with Jakes or without ?

[David Anderson]

i do not recall... with Jakes or without ?

transmission retarder 3 stage. I have a voith automatic on the eagle 10