Engine Malfunction
We have a 2005 Bounder 32W with a Ford Triton V-10 engine. On a recent trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the engine malfunctioned and the motorhome had to be towed to a Ford dealer in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. The problem turned out to be a wet air filter, which got sucked inside out; pieces of the filter damaged the mass airflow (MAF) system and some other parts of the engine. It cost us more than $600 for repairs. I have asked two Ford service managers and the RV dealer where we purchased the motorhome how to avoid this problem the next time we have to drive in the rain. None of these people had a solution.
The RV already has an extended shield around the air intake, but since the intake is pointed down toward the road, I don’t see how it prevents road spray from being sucked into the filter. Have you ever heard of this problem, and do you have any ideas for modifications to prevent the same thing from happening again?
Roy Pointer, F299509, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Since you note that your motorhome has a shield around the air intake, and since the Ford technicians didn’t mention it to you, I can only assume that the vehicle has the most recent fix, outlined in Ford Technical Service Bulletin 04-24-22. This TSB was to correct issues with loss of power or stumbling while driving vehicles with 1999-2004 Super Duty F-53 chassis in the rain, caused by water being ingested into the air filter. My only suggestion beyond making sure this fix has been accomplished would be to replace the paper air filter with a K&N filter element. It’s a much stronger filter and is reusable — you simply clean it and re-oil it rather than replace it.
Bypass Switch
I would like information about obtaining and installing a bypass switch for a fuse (IGN SW 2A fuse) on my 2009 Saturn VUE. As you know, this fuse has to be pulled each time the vehicle is towed. I understand that many fellow RVers have such a switch installed on their Saturns.
Lloyd Corbett, F324583, Lake Park, Georgia
One source we are aware of is RV-Parts Plus (www.rv-partsplus.com, 877-266-5398), which offers the Fuse Switch, a product that plugs into the fuse box (in place of the fuse you remove) and allows you to open or close the circuit with a rocker switch, eliminating the need to remove and reinstall the fuse before and after towing the vehicle.
Replacing Spark Plugs
Our 1988 Bounder with a Ford 460-cid engine has 102,000 miles on it, and the spark plugs have never been changed. The mileage is as good today as it was 10 years ago! Do I need to change the plugs, and what would be the consequences if I don’t? If I do change the plugs, what type should I use? What about the wires and rotor?
Tom Melly, F260342, Great Falls, Montana
Begin by consulting the maintenance schedules in your Bounder’s owners manual. If you don’t have one, perhaps Fleetwood customer service could provide a copy.
I’d say that you should at least change the plugs. Your Ford chassis owners manual should specify the size of the plug and the gap measurements. If you no longer have the owners manual, deciding which plugs to use is easy; just replace them with the same size plugs that you pull out. If you buy a shop manual that covers the 1988 Ford Econoline van with a 460-cid engine, it should give you the specs and maintenance schedules you need.
Newbie
We’re new to RVing! If we take really good care of our motorhome, approximately how many miles can we get out of the engine and transmission before they have to be overhauled? We just purchased a used Leprechaun 31.5-foot motorhome, but it has a lot of miles on it, and we are a little concerned.
Kathy Hutchens, Friendsville, Tennessee
Welcome aboard! Motorhome engines and transmissions pretty much follow the same life expectancy as those in family cars, pickups, and sport utility vehicles. However, to give you a concrete number is impossible, because there are too many variables to consider. The lifetimes of these components also depend on maintenance and driving techniques. You probably don’t need to be concerned about having this equipment rebuilt until the engine begins smoking or overheating consistently, or until the transmission begins to slip. If you pay attention to how the engine and transmission perform and have them serviced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, you should have plenty of warning before either of these components needs to be rebuilt.
Chevy Towable
I have a 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck with an automatic transmission and a 350-cid engine. Can this vehicle be towed four wheels down? Is there a site online where I can type in my vehicle info and be told if it is towable or not?
Franklin E. Rosenburgh, F144734, Pensacola, Florida
FMCA.com maintains an archive of Family Motor Coaching’s towing surveys. These lists of vehicles approved by their manufacturers for four-wheels-down towing are available back through the 1999 model year. Click on “FMC Magazine” and then “Motorhoming.”
There weren’t very many automatic-transmission vehicles approved to be towed four wheels down without modification back in 1997, and the 1999 survey (the oldest we have) notes that no rear-wheel-drive automatic vehicles could be towed in this manner.
The only way this vehicle could be towed is if it’s equipped with four-wheel drive and with a neutral position on the transfer case control. If it’s a two-wheel-drive truck, you have to disconnect the driveshaft in some manner, such as with a Remco Drive Shaft Coupling kit or by removing the driveshaft at the rear U-joint. You can reach Remco at (800) 228-2481; www.remcotowing.com. DO NOT attempt to tow the vehicle backward on a tow dolly. With the engine weight in the rear, it will cause severe safety issues.
{loadpositionEndBlurbTechTalk}