First trip a success!

jordansinthesky · January 19, 2011, 06:17:42 PM

I took the penguin out on it's first trip since I brought her home in November. 4 friends and I drove from Phoenix to Mesquite Nv. We left at around noon last Thursday, taking the Phoenix bypass route up to the 10 then up 95 to Vegas, and the 15 north to Mesquite. The bus ran like a dream with only a couple of weird issues. #1 Every once in a while while accelerating in 1st gear, she would just pop out of gear with a clank, and I would have to put it back in or just move up to 2nd. This only happened a couple of times, and didn't seem to be a big deal. Any ideas? #2 My tachometer went from reading about 24-2500 rpm at max cruise to reading about 3,000 but with no engine noise change. This stuck throughout the whole trip, but can't imagine that it was actually turning that fast, seeing how nothing sounded crazy, and the temps and pressures stayed good the whole way... We did have on close call when an 18 wheeler's trailer swung all the way into our lane on a two lane road with no shoulder and a steep hill off the side. All I could do was hug the right as hard as I could, and luckily it swung back enough to rush past my rear view mirror only inches away. I definitely saw my life flash before my eyes.

On the way back I decided to cross the new bridge over the hoover damn and take the route through kingman back. The bridge was quick and beautiful, but I didn't enjoy the big climb near Kingman at all. It was 35MPH all the way up, and I was nervous as hell, but the penguin didn't even raise more than 5 degrees.

All in all it was a wonderful trip and the penguin performed like a champ. I can't wait to get her out again once funds and work allow!

Fredward · January 19, 2011, 07:10:34 PM

Sounds like a great experience. Each time we park the coach in the shed after a trip; it beckons us back out on the road. Time and Finances always a challenge!
Glad to hear your trip went well.
Fred

5B Steve · January 19, 2011, 07:37:20 PM

Fred,

I sent you a PM.

Steve 5B.

5B Steve · January 19, 2011, 07:40:39 PM

Congrats! on the first trip, did you burn alot of fuel?

Steve 5B.....

jordansinthesky · January 19, 2011, 08:48:37 PM

Not sure how much i burned on the way back, but my calculations show that i got about 6.5 mpg on the way up.

Dave5Cs · January 19, 2011, 09:57:17 PM

Jordan;

Fantastic, That is what it is all about eh! How did the oil do . Did it use any. How was the smoke or lack there of. Tires and ride good.

Dave

Jerry32 · January 20, 2011, 06:41:53 AM

I had a 5 spd that kicked out in first like that and found the wrong shifting fork in it. could be juust worn or not completely in gear. Jerry

Van · January 20, 2011, 07:18:39 AM

Next time you come through BC stop and say howdy coffee is always on! Glad the trip went well, always good to hear!

bevans6 · January 20, 2011, 07:29:36 AM

Presuming your gearbox has the right parts in it and they haven't come loose, two wear-related things can cause that popping out of first gear on a Spicer. One is the detent ball/spring arrangement on the shift rail, the second is the splines that actually engage the gear. What happens is the shift hub slides along splines on the main shaft and the splines engage onto matching splines on the gear. If they are worn round on their leading edges, not enough spline will engage and they will force themselves out of engagement, popping out of gear. solution - rebuild the gearbox and install new parts. The detent on the shift rail is a little ball that is forced into a matching groove on the rail when it's in either neutral or in gear. the ball is loaded by a spring, and that is what holds the shift rail in place. The groove can wear, or the spring can break or weaken (it's like a little wee coil spring). solution, new parts and rebuild the shift housing. On a Veedrive GM I think you can get to the gearbox pretty easy. If you take the top off, that is the shift housing and you can see if the sift forks are still on right and the detents are working, and you can look at the sliding splines for wear.

Edit - it can be a mis-adjusted shift linkage too. Check the easy stuff first...

Brian

RJ · January 20, 2011, 09:14:08 AM

Jordan -

Penguin? You've named your 4104 Penguin?

Poor thing, I bet it's 6-71 is embarrassed. . .

Anyway, glad you had a good first trip. And relax - all 5 & 6% grades you'll encounter with your 4104 will be taken head-on at 35 mph in 2nd gear. Sit back, relax and enjoy - remember the Tortoise and the Hare?

As Brian said, the transmission is very easy to access on the '04, should you have to open it up. But his other suggestion is right on, too: Make sure both the clutch and shift linkages are adjusted properly first before you start digging further. Per DA BOOK, the process of adjustment starts up front and works it's way back. After you check/adjust, then take the coach for a little ride to see if that's cured the problem.

Also, FYI, there is a great GMC mechanic up in Williams, CA (about 45 minutes N of Sacramento on I-5) Ted Campbell knows these things inside out, upside down, so if you need assistance, he's a good source. Coach Maintenance is the name of the outfit, and be aware that he doesn't even come to work until 4 -5 pm.

FWIW & HTH. . .

happycamperbrat · January 24, 2011, 08:25:53 AM

Sounds like a great trip! It is soooo much fun to get these beasts out on the road! As for the 18 wheeler...... I dont like 2 lane roads either, even when everyone stays in thier own lane! I always hug the shoulder with oncoming traffic in these situations. It sounds like either wind shifted him over into your lane, or cell phone, or he was dosing...... NOT good anyway! Im glad you and your friends and penguin made it safe

thejumpsuitman · January 24, 2011, 09:12:34 AM

Quote from: jordansinthesky on January 19, 2011, 08:48:37 PM
Not sure how much i burned on the way back, but my calculations show that i got about 6.5 mpg on the way up.

Wow, seems like you should do better than that for mileage. Great fuel mileage is one of the selling points of a 4104. I know a guy who has a 4103 and gets 11-12 running 65-70. Were you climbing most of the way?

Kevin · January 24, 2011, 10:08:21 AM

Good For You Jordan!

That's what owning one of these home-on-wheels is all about, eh?! Sound like you had a pretty good trip.

Not sure what injectors are in your engine, but I average only about 7 mpg myself with N70's. Most of my drives involve lots of hill climbing though.

Anyway, congrats on your first pleasure voyage, and remember to look before you leap! I managed to mash the poo out of the passenger-side rear bay door last evening.

Cornered too sharp in a grocery store parking lot and took out a bloody stop sign.

Take care,
Kevin