Frozen freezer
We bought our preowned 2000 Pace Arrow two years ago. We are full-timers who live in the Savannah, Georgia, area every April and May; in Maryland, near Washington D.C., in June; and in Vermont in July, August, and September. So, we typically are parked in relatively warm and humid temperatures from April through September every year. Our refrigerator has worked okay through two of these cycles, but while in Savannah this year, our freezer section built up with frost and ice to an amazing degree. I had to defrost it every week (the refrigerator section is fine). It is level enough so that water seems to drain. The ice and frost collect in the upper part of the freezer. The ice maker doesn’t work, because the pipe that feeds water apparently cracked in a cold climate before we bought the motorhome. We just keep it in the off position, and it has never caused us any problem. We have turned on the climate control that is supposed to compensate for humid places, and the temperature is set at medium. Do you have any advice on how to get the frost to stop forming? I’ve tried everything, but I don’t know where the freezer drain hole is. The refrigerator is just fine, and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with any of the coils.
Kathleen Dodge, F246122
Full-timer
The climate control setting only prevents condensation on the metal strip between the doors. It has nothing to do with the frost problem in the freezer. Excessive frost accumulation is caused by humid air getting into the freezer compartment. So what you need to do is find out where the air leak is occurring.
Start with a visual inspection. Does the door close all the way without a push? It must! Put washers under the door hinge if it drags. Is the plug in the freezer’s drain hole? The drain hole can be found in the very bottom of the freezing compartment, all the way in the back. If the plug is gone, put a piece of tape over the drain hole. Is the door gasket contacting the refrigerator frame all the way around? Inspect the right side of the freezer door by opening the door; make sure to look closely at the corners. To check the left side “” top and bottom “” place a dollar bill into the door and close it. Try to pull the dollar out. You should feel resistance. If you find places where the door gasket does not have a good seal, put paper under the back side of the door gasket to push it outward; gently heat the gasket with a hair dryer to reform and make contact. Also inspect the joint where the white plastic liner meets the metal frame. Any separation of this joint should be sealed with white silicone sealant. This separation is fairly common after the refrigerator has been used a few years. The bumps of the road and the twisting of the coach body can cause this.
If your visual inspection doesn’t reveal any leaks, another detection method is to use an infrared digital thermometer to help locate small air leaks around the refrigerator’s panels and door gaskets.
By stopping air from leaking into the freezer compartment, you should return to a normal frost cycle. You typically will want to defrost the freezer when the ice buildup gets to ¼-inch thick. Expect this to occur approximately every three to six weeks.
Ford engine repair
According to a local Ford service adviser, for some major engine work to be completed on the Ford F-450 diesel chassis, the cab must be removed. I was wondering whether this is true and if that means the body of a cab-over motorhome also would have to be removed. It seems to me that even though the repairs may be covered under warranty, a lot of time and cost would be involved.
Mike Van Rooy, F363283
De Pere, Wisconsin
Ford’s Web site contains a bulletin that addresses this subject: www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/qvmp.html (scroll down to Q-165). It states: “The Ford recommended Body-Off procedure allows the technician to complete certain repairs on the 6.4L Diesel engine more efficiently. However, if the vehicle equipment does NOT allow for body removal, ALL repairs can be completed with the vehicle body in place.” Thus, the work can be accomplished without body removal; it’s just easier without the body being in the way.
Boomer
We have a troubling issue. We purchased a 2006 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37C motorhome in May 2007. During our first trip to Texas that fall, we experienced a very loud noise that sounded like a boom from a steel drum. Since then it has occurred numerous times, often vibrating the motorhome. We feel the most vibration when in the bedroom in the rear of the motorhome.
Through process of elimination, we have narrowed it down to several possibilities. We checked to be sure the pressure was holding in the gas tank; it was. There is no special time that it happens. The only variables are that we are parked and leveled. It happens in the heat of the day, in the cool of the evening, and on days when the temperatures are of no extreme. The degree of “boom” is from low to very loud. Neighboring campers have said that they hear it, too. One camper even came out when he heard it, thinking it was coming from his motorhome.
We contacted Fleetwood, but they said they have had no previous complaints of such an event. They referred us to Workhorse, but their technicians were at a loss as well. My husband thought it could be the metal in the rear of the motorhome expanding in the heat and contracting in the cold. This did not seem to be the case, since the boom seems to be coming from under the bed area. This leads us to the fuel tank area. There are no gas fumes or other indicators that we can find. This has been happening for more than a year, and we are at a loss as to what it could be.
Because this is an intermittent case of trouble, getting it to occur for a technician is difficult. Do you have any suggestions? Have you gotten any other questions on such a matter? We would appreciate hearing any ideas you might have. We are somewhat concerned that we might have a safety issue, although the folks at Workhorse did not think so.
Brad & Joyce Mayberry, F333523
Emery, South Dakota
First off, I assume your motorhome is on the Workhorse gasoline chassis, not the diesel chassis. That being said, may I point out that the fuel tank vent system on your 2006 motorhome is very different from those used on earlier P-Series chassis. It sounds as though your fuel tank is not venting as it should.
At some point there may have (should have) been an orange “check engine” light appear on the instrument panel of your motorhome. A “trouble code” would have automatically been “set” in the vehicle’s PCM computer memory. This system’s vent valve, the purge valve, along with all the interconnecting lines and hoses, should be verified for correct routing.
In 2006 the EPA required more stringent controls on gasoline-fueled cars, trucks, and motorhome chassis, etc., known as OBDII. This ended the use of vented gasoline caps, which allowed gasoline hydrocarbons to mix with the air we breathe. The gas tank vapors in your motorhome are now vented into the engine’s intake manifold and consumed by the motorhome’s engine as you drive. The gas tank (theoretically) must never be pressurized.
If you have been to a factory service dealer with no success, I suggest you seek the service of a capable and well-equipped AC Delco service dealer who can examine and replace/repair the venting mechanisms, which may be defective or incorrectly installed.
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