Up date on the Craig's Coach

[Wallace Craig]

I do not know the cost of the part as an individual item since its failure
caused me to have to replace the entire transmission at a cost of $17,000+_. I
kept the offending part and will get Ralph to look at it and see what he thinks.
I don't see right off hand how one could predict this sort of event and I don't
know what could be done to prevent it. It seems to be a part failure which is
probably metal fatigue which can only be detected by fluxing the part as I
understand it.

A word of caution!! After S & S thought the problem was fixed and after I
got about 10 miles down the road all the alarms went off and I shut down on the
side of the 410 freeway in SA. S & S sent mechanic out and he thought that he
detected trans. fluid in the radiator. ( Inspection confirmed this and a
reflushing seemed to correct that issue.) Towed back to S & S and got good
mechanic in over the holidays and he found a leak in the neck of the filler tank
which is where you initially place the coolant. It was a pin hole and covered
by stryofoam as a factory sealant. His theory is that the foam trapped water
and caused the neck to rust and when the radiator coolant got hot it was forced
out the pin hole and when it lost enough it triggered the alarm. (sounds right
to me; but then I am a lawyer and you can sell us anything.)
Radiator shop sealed the hole and soldered the whole neck to prevent further
incident.
A code was left in the coach computer that indicated the coach had a low
coolant event on 5-31, I think of 05. This obviously means that the owner who
traded it to Buddy Gregg knew something was going on; whether or not he told
anyone could probably only be learned under CIA renditation techniques.

Enough babble; we drove the coach back from SA today and it ran well and true
with appropriate readings at all points. I have a two year warranty on a
rebuilt transmission and S & S ate the cost of the second event.

Now if it will only rain.
Wallace & Faye Craig
Bone dry Azle, Texas


Gregory OConnor wrote:
Wallace, I have a Stewart Warner trans cooler setup on my 94pt40.
Was this the part that failed on your coach? I know the damage was
unpredictable and I wonder if it would be a prudent measure to
replace the SW part then I send my coach to Bluebird for a radiator
flush. Do you know the cost of the part?
Gregory O'Connor
94pt40 Romoland California

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Wallace Craig
wrote:
>
> Ralph, thanks for posting the information about what was going on
with the coach. We indeed did leave San Antonio today after getting
the reservoir neck repaired. It was actually a pin sized hole which
I took a picture of before it was repaired. I cannot in good
concience complain too loudly about them not finding that because it
was covered by a layer of sthyrofoam which was used to seal it in
place. The prior owner did know somthing was wrong because there was
a low coolant code left on the computer from May 30th; he may not
have told buddy gregg and he may have. Short of having the CIA
torture him I doubt that I will ever know.
>
> What did really frost Faye was the dirty coach that they left for
her to clean up. I had her save the rags( filthy) which she cleaned
with and I am going to photo them and send to S&S management along
with a letter congratulating some workers and speaking ill of
others.
>
> Keep the faith and remember to water your yard if the flames
get close.
>
> Now in Clifton, Tx to see friends.
> Wallace & Faye
>
>
> "Ralph L. Fullenwider" wrote
> Happy New Year everyone:
>
> An up date on Wallace and Faye Craig's '95PT42WB. As you know the
> transmission went on the trip home from the LSB Rally in Bourne,
Tx. Cause
> was engine coolant getting into the transmission and ruining the
computer
> and seals. An Allison Factory rebuilt was ordered and finally
installed.
>
> On the way home from the shop in San Antonio, the engine warning
lights
> came on once again, and Wallace had the Coach towed back to the
shop. As it
> turned out, this time, the engine code said it was due to low
coolant! Well
> the coolant was freshly changed at that shop and had been toped off.
>
> Second problem found: As it turned out, the filler neck to the
coolant
> tank, about 3 inches or so long, had a split in it just below the
pressure
> cap. So as pressure increased the coolant ran out of the split to
who knows
> where and of course the engine code signaled the engine stop light.
>
> The neck will be repaired tomorrow and all should be go at that
time.
>
> Bottom line on the second problem is this, Those with Coaches, umm
I would
> say '92/'93 on, might want to check this short neck filler tube
that goes
> into the top of the reservoir tank for any signs of splits or what
ever.
>
>
>
> Safe travels,
>
> Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
> Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
> http://home.swbell.net/rlf47/index.htm
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Photos
> Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events,
holidays, whatever.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>







Yahoo! Groups Links










---------------------------------
Yahoo! Photos
Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events, holidays,
whatever.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]