Synthetic Oil
I have a 30-foot 2007 Winnebago Sightseer with a Ford chassis and a V-10 engine. I’m getting ready to have the motorhome serviced and have a question. This will be the second oil and filter change, and I was wondering what you recommend for oil and oil weight. I have read the owners manual and talked with a few folks. I want to use synthetic oil, because it handles heat better and goes longer between changes (5,000 miles). What do you think about using Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic oil in the crankcase?
Walt Wilson
Ventura, California
This question is asked at every engine-related seminar at FMCA’s two annual conventions. Here is what the engine manufacturer representatives say: although they agree that synthetic lubricants do lubricate the engines better, they cannot approve an extension of the maintenance mileage requirements. So the question becomes, if you still have to change the oil at the same intervals, do you want to spend the additional money? If you use synthetic oil and extend the service interval to 5,000 miles and Ford discovers this, the company may not honor its warranty should something happen to the engine.
As far as the weight is concerned, your owners manual will provide better insight into this than we can. Oil viscosity will depend on the ambient temperatures where you’ll be traveling, the type of driving you’ll be doing, etc. Ford covers all these scenarios in its manuals very well.
Honda Hanger
Is there a lift made for the back of a 45-foot coach that will hold a Honda Gold Wing trike? We would like to take the trike and tow our car at the same time.
Cathy Leo, F324460
Manchester Township, New Jersey
You may be in luck. A company called Hydralift USA produces hydraulic lifts for motorcycles, quads, golf carts, etc., that also allow you to tow a vehicle. If you have Internet access, visit www.hydralift-usa.com for more information. Other companies that manufacture lifts that may accommodate the trike include Blue Ox (888-425-5382; www.blueox.us) and RV Lifts of America (877-454-2554; www.rvlifts.com).
Since I’m not sure how large your trike is, you will need to discuss the dimensions with a company rep to determine whether a lift is available for that vehicle.
Unwanted Guests
I know this topic has been addressed in FMC magazine before, but I can’t locate the information. Now that colder weather is coming, we find small spiderwebs in our coach storage bays. Can you suggest some preventive measures we can take to discourage them?
Sally Peterson, F276317
Lewiston, Idaho
Some spider species hibernate or fall into a semi-hibernating state in the winter, so a stationary and dark area out of the foul, cold, and wet weather, such as a motorhome compartment bay, makes for ideal shelter. Most enclosed outer compartments of a motorhome can be made more secure. Seal small cracks on the inside of a compartment with clear silicone and verify that the compartment door weather stripping is in good condition. The utilities compartment, power cable access hole, etc., would require some individual treatment to seal insects out, but it can be accomplished. There is a wealth of information about insects indexed on www.ent.iastate.edu/list/.
Satellite Radio Suggestions
In response to Frank Burrow’s “Installing Satellite Radio Antenna” letter in the September 2007 issue (page 22), we and others have found that the satellite radio antenna will work well if you put it inside, just under the nonmetallic roof. The Sirius antenna is a small, flat, rectangular unit. Put it fairly close to the vehicle’s radio antenna. On our MCI coach, we place it under the front cap. When we take trips in our VW Westphalia, we put the antenna under the fiberglass pop-top roof. You will find that the satellite radio uses quite a bit of 12-volt-DC power and works best if there is no moisture (trees and clouds) between the receiver and satellite.
Tony Aldridge, F312730
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
This is in reply to the person with the Minnie Winnie. I have a 2000 type C, and I put the satellite antenna in the air vent located above the front bunk. Remove the rim and screen and place the antenna on the metal brace (facing up) across the center of the vent. (The vent must have a plastic cap on it, as the signal won’t go through metal.) Then pull the antenna wire through the hole in the screen opposite the crank handle. Reinstall the screen and plastic rim, then run the wire back to the rail that the curtain is in and lightly tighten the screws with the wire under them to the left wall. Run the wire under the door gasket around to the headliner, then across to the center of the headliner and to the radio. You can put any excess wire under the headliner.
Don Shelander
Granbury, Texas
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