A New Member to the Family!

[Henry Jay Hannigan]

---Billy Dawson put an additional intake airhose on my ole 77FC and
it improved performance about 10 to 20%..Recommend all FC owners
consider having two intakes on the air cleaner.
Regards,
Hank Hannigan
90SP36
former 77FC33 owner
Still in Australia





In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Hohnstein"
<MHOHNSTEIN@...> wrote:
>
> PA has mountains, not hills. I was down to 35/40 on the route Andy
took pulling my Honda Civic. Improving the air inlet delivery is a
good thing and I plan on going up to 5" exhaust and losing the
muffler, Dupree told me it wouldn't be too loud. I believe every
thing Randy tells me.
> MH
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Scott Forman
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 1:27 PM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: A New Member to the Family!
>
>
> Andy,
>
> I have an 82 FC with your same engine, and while it is certainly
not
> quick, it performs much better than what you have described.
Mine
> will cruise comfortably 60-65 mph. Grades will slow it down, no
> doubt about it, but I've never had one drop me below 50. Now,
> granted, I have never crossed mountains, but it doesn't sound
like
> you did, either. Sounds like there may be a power reduction
problem
> your mechanic will need to find. Does the engine smoke under
load?
> Check your air cleaner element, too, I changed a severely
clogged one
> out last year and there was a noticable change in performance.
>
> Also, keep in mind that there is a bit of driving technique
required
> when driving these busses through hills, have to run hard
downhill to
> build up momentum to make it back up.
>
> Scott Forman
> 82 FC35RB
> Memphis
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Coleman"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > Proud to say that I've just officially joined the Wanderlodge
> Family.
> > I'm now the owner of a 1983 FC-35 with a 225 HP turbo 3208.
Bought
> > it Sunday. Drove it 500 miles from Malta, Ohio to my home in
> Central NJ.
> >
> > I wonder what the neighbors think about the new, brown
addition to
> my
> > backyard!
> >
> > Bought the bus from a family that did not use it much. Only a
few
> > thousand miles of driving over the past 3.5 years.
> >
> > The power steering pump leaked fluid all the way home. Had to
re-
> fill
> > several times.
> >
> > The worst problem I had, however, was speed. I averaged under
50
> MPH
> > through the 500 mile journey. Some of the Pennsylvania hills
on
> Route
> > 70 & 76 slowed my coach down to 25 MPH in the right lane with
the
> > emergency flashers on. Any upward elevation change, even
slight
> ones,
> > slowed my coach down into the low 50s. It was the long climbs
that
> > choked it. And the only excess weight in the bus was my
girlfriend,
> > tool box and 100 gallons of gas!
> >
> > A good friend of mine is a diesel mechanic. He is going to
take a
> > look at the bus for me shortly. I told him about this great
forum,
> > and he recommended that I ask experienced folks like yourself
if
> this
> > performance is normal, or an indication of a problem.
> >
> > I realize that they are heavy buses, but are they really that
slow?
> > Even with the turbo? Creeping along in the right lane is
dangerous!
> >
> > My friend and I are going to change the fuel and air filters,
adjust
> > the valve lash, replace the belts. Anybody else have
suggestions?
> > They will be greatly appreciated!
> >
> > Andy Coleman
> > Wanderlodge Virgin No More!
> > 83 FC - 35.
> > Spring Lake Heights, NJ
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> SPONSORED LINKS Recreational vehicles Wanderlodge Automotive
maintenance
> Recreational vehicle dealer Used recreational vehicles
Automotive radiators
>
>
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>
> b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

[George Lowry]

FWIW, I have been told that the turbo was originally sold as a noise
muffling device. When I installed the Cummins 903 in my GM bus (with a shoe
horn), there was not room for a muffler, so I had the 5" exhaust going
straight out. It was not any louder than many motor homes or diesel pickups.
Go for it...

George Lowry
'06 Alpine Apex - Formerly '95 WBDA 4203
Spearfish, SD - on the road to soggy Norcal.


-----Original Message-----
From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Mike Hohnstein
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 11:45 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: A New Member to the Family!


PA has mountains, not hills. I was down to 35/40 on the route Andy took
pulling my Honda Civic. Improving the air inlet delivery is a good thing
and I plan on going up to 5" exhaust and losing the muffler, Dupree told me
it wouldn't be too loud. I believe every thing Randy tells me.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: Scott Forman
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 1:27 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: A New Member to the Family!


Andy,

I have an 82 FC with your same engine, and while it is certainly not
quick, it performs much better than what you have described. Mine
will cruise comfortably 60-65 mph. Grades will slow it down, no
doubt about it, but I've never had one drop me below 50. Now,
granted, I have never crossed mountains, but it doesn't sound like
you did, either. Sounds like there may be a power reduction problem
your mechanic will need to find. Does the engine smoke under load?
Check your air cleaner element, too, I changed a severely clogged one
out last year and there was a noticable change in performance.

Also, keep in mind that there is a bit of driving technique required
when driving these busses through hills, have to run hard downhill to
build up momentum to make it back up.

Scott Forman
82 FC35RB
Memphis



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Coleman"
wrote:
>
> Hello Everyone,
>
> Proud to say that I've just officially joined the Wanderlodge
Family.
> I'm now the owner of a 1983 FC-35 with a 225 HP turbo 3208. Bought
> it Sunday. Drove it 500 miles from Malta, Ohio to my home in
Central NJ.
>
> I wonder what the neighbors think about the new, brown addition to
my
> backyard!
>
> Bought the bus from a family that did not use it much. Only a few
> thousand miles of driving over the past 3.5 years.
>
> The power steering pump leaked fluid all the way home. Had to re-
fill
> several times.
>
> The worst problem I had, however, was speed. I averaged under 50
MPH
> through the 500 mile journey. Some of the Pennsylvania hills on
Route
> 70 & 76 slowed my coach down to 25 MPH in the right lane with the
> emergency flashers on. Any upward elevation change, even slight
ones,
> slowed my coach down into the low 50s. It was the long climbs that
> choked it. And the only excess weight in the bus was my girlfriend,
> tool box and 100 gallons of gas!
>
> A good friend of mine is a diesel mechanic. He is going to take a
> look at the bus for me shortly. I told him about this great forum,
> and he recommended that I ask experienced folks like yourself if
this
> performance is normal, or an indication of a problem.
>
> I realize that they are heavy buses, but are they really that slow?
> Even with the turbo? Creeping along in the right lane is dangerous!
>
> My friend and I are going to change the fuel and air filters, adjust
> the valve lash, replace the belts. Anybody else have suggestions?
> They will be greatly appreciated!
>
> Andy Coleman
> Wanderlodge Virgin No More!
> 83 FC - 35.
> Spring Lake Heights, NJ
>






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radiators


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[Chuck Wheeler]

Andy,
I too bought a coach that had not been driven a great deal before I
purchased it. I immediately had a full PM including the transmission done
on it and the changed the belts and power steering hoses myself. The
mechanic doing the work said that it just needed to be driven and to get
some miles on it before I started spending money. For the first few tanks
of diesel I added fuel conditioner/injector cleaner to the fuel. After we
had put about 7000 miles on it I half filled the RACOR with conditioner to
give the pump and injectors a good cleanout. Each two or three thousand
miles I would suck all the transmission fluid out of the filler and replace
it since the converter cannot be drained during service and that is where
the majority of the oil is. As we put on the miles the coach became
noticeably more responsive.

The two items that made the most difference were adjusting the throttle
cable and cooling down the intake air.. The cable had stretched enough that
it was not obtaining wide open position. After reading the posts about
modifications to the intake system I measured the amount of vacuum in the
air cleaner. It was barely measurable but, I discovered that the air was
very hot. Diesels like cool combustion air! I discovered that warm air was
flowing around the radiator into the air intake. I insulated around the
radiator and the temperature dropped close to the ambient temperature. I
don't doubt the results other have seen modifying their air intakes, I just
wonder how much in to reduced restrictions and how much is due to the
induction of cooler air into the intake. I have a NA so the turbo 3208 may
be a different beast. Our coach will now run 60-62 pretty easily and with a
5.29 rear end I don't push it much over that for any period of time. Hills
are a time to enjoy the view!


- Chuck Wheeler -
82 FC 31 SB
Fort Worth, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Andy Coleman
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 1:15 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] A New Member to the Family!


Hello Everyone,

Proud to say that I've just officially joined the Wanderlodge Family.
I'm now the owner of a 1983 FC-35 with a 225 HP turbo 3208. Bought
it Sunday. Drove it 500 miles from Malta, Ohio to my home in Central NJ.

I wonder what the neighbors think about the new, brown addition to my
backyard!

Bought the bus from a family that did not use it much. Only a few
thousand miles of driving over the past 3.5 years.

The power steering pump leaked fluid all the way home. Had to re-fill
several times.

The worst problem I had, however, was speed. I averaged under 50 MPH
through the 500 mile journey. Some of the Pennsylvania hills on Route
70 & 76 slowed my coach down to 25 MPH in the right lane with the
emergency flashers on. Any upward elevation change, even slight ones,
slowed my coach down into the low 50s. It was the long climbs that
choked it. And the only excess weight in the bus was my girlfriend,
tool box and 100 gallons of gas!

A good friend of mine is a diesel mechanic. He is going to take a
look at the bus for me shortly. I told him about this great forum,
and he recommended that I ask experienced folks like yourself if this
performance is normal, or an indication of a problem.

I realize that they are heavy buses, but are they really that slow?
Even with the turbo? Creeping along in the right lane is dangerous!

My friend and I are going to change the fuel and air filters, adjust
the valve lash, replace the belts. Anybody else have suggestions?
They will be greatly appreciated!

Andy Coleman
Wanderlodge Virgin No More!
83 FC - 35.
Spring Lake Heights, NJ






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

[Jay Darst]

learn to manually downshift early so that you maintain 2,300 or more
RPM on FC's and 1,750 RPM on DD's. Keeps the engine making a lot of
boost, thus more HP.

Jay Darst
85PT40
Springfield, IL after a 1,802 mile run(roundtrip) to Maxton, NC to
THE funnest Bird group rally EVER!



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman"
<sforman@...> wrote:
>
> Andy,
>
> I have an 82 FC with your same engine, and while it is certainly
not
> quick, it performs much better than what you have described. Mine
> will cruise comfortably 60-65 mph. Grades will slow it down, no
> doubt about it, but I've never had one drop me below 50. Now,
> granted, I have never crossed mountains, but it doesn't sound like
> you did, either. Sounds like there may be a power reduction
problem
> your mechanic will need to find. Does the engine smoke under
load?
> Check your air cleaner element, too, I changed a severely clogged
one
> out last year and there was a noticable change in performance.
>
> Also, keep in mind that there is a bit of driving technique
required
> when driving these busses through hills, have to run hard downhill
to
> build up momentum to make it back up.
>
> Scott Forman
> 82 FC35RB
> Memphis
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Coleman"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > Proud to say that I've just officially joined the Wanderlodge
> Family.
> > I'm now the owner of a 1983 FC-35 with a 225 HP turbo 3208.
Bought
> > it Sunday. Drove it 500 miles from Malta, Ohio to my home in
> Central NJ.
> >
> > I wonder what the neighbors think about the new, brown addition
to
> my
> > backyard!
> >
> > Bought the bus from a family that did not use it much. Only a
few
> > thousand miles of driving over the past 3.5 years.
> >
> > The power steering pump leaked fluid all the way home. Had to
re-
> fill
> > several times.
> >
> > The worst problem I had, however, was speed. I averaged under
50
> MPH
> > through the 500 mile journey. Some of the Pennsylvania hills on
> Route
> > 70 & 76 slowed my coach down to 25 MPH in the right lane with the
> > emergency flashers on. Any upward elevation change, even slight
> ones,
> > slowed my coach down into the low 50s. It was the long climbs
that
> > choked it. And the only excess weight in the bus was my
girlfriend,
> > tool box and 100 gallons of gas!
> >
> > A good friend of mine is a diesel mechanic. He is going to take
a
> > look at the bus for me shortly. I told him about this great
forum,
> > and he recommended that I ask experienced folks like yourself if
> this
> > performance is normal, or an indication of a problem.
> >
> > I realize that they are heavy buses, but are they really that
slow?
> > Even with the turbo? Creeping along in the right lane is
dangerous!
> >
> > My friend and I are going to change the fuel and air filters,
adjust
> > the valve lash, replace the belts. Anybody else have
suggestions?
> > They will be greatly appreciated!
> >
> > Andy Coleman
> > Wanderlodge Virgin No More!
> > 83 FC - 35.
> > Spring Lake Heights, NJ
> >
>

[Andy Coleman]

Hello Jay,

Thank you for your post. My "new" 83 bird does not downshift until it
hits 1,700 RPM. I should probably adjust that somehow.

You are right - I noticed that once I dropped below 2,000 or so, I
lost most of my power. I could not recover until the hill ended.

I did manually downshift quite a bit on my trip home.

On one hill, I was going so slow in 3rd, I actually had to downshift
into 2nd.

Is 2nd bad for the trans? Also, since the 647 Allison does not lock
the torque converter until 3rd gear, was I slipping the transmission
and making matters evern worse?

On the bigger hills, it seemed as though all the factors compounded
themselves into a speed so slow I could have jumped out and ran faster!

I have much work to do, and much to learn!

Andy

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jay Darst"
wrote:
>
> learn to manually downshift early so that you maintain 2,300 or more
> RPM on FC's and 1,750 RPM on DD's. Keeps the engine making a lot of
> boost, thus more HP.
>
> Jay Darst
> 85PT40
> Springfield, IL after a 1,802 mile run(roundtrip) to Maxton, NC to
> THE funnest Bird group rally EVER!
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman"
> <sforman@> wrote:
> >
> > Andy,
> >
> > I have an 82 FC with your same engine, and while it is certainly
> not
> > quick, it performs much better than what you have described. Mine
> > will cruise comfortably 60-65 mph. Grades will slow it down, no
> > doubt about it, but I've never had one drop me below 50. Now,
> > granted, I have never crossed mountains, but it doesn't sound like
> > you did, either. Sounds like there may be a power reduction
> problem
> > your mechanic will need to find. Does the engine smoke under
> load?
> > Check your air cleaner element, too, I changed a severely clogged
> one
> > out last year and there was a noticable change in performance.
> >
> > Also, keep in mind that there is a bit of driving technique
> required
> > when driving these busses through hills, have to run hard downhill
> to
> > build up momentum to make it back up.
> >
> > Scott Forman
> > 82 FC35RB
> > Memphis
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Coleman"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello Everyone,
> > >
> > > Proud to say that I've just officially joined the Wanderlodge
> > Family.
> > > I'm now the owner of a 1983 FC-35 with a 225 HP turbo 3208.
> Bought
> > > it Sunday. Drove it 500 miles from Malta, Ohio to my home in
> > Central NJ.
> > >
> > > I wonder what the neighbors think about the new, brown addition
> to
> > my
> > > backyard!
> > >
> > > Bought the bus from a family that did not use it much. Only a
> few
> > > thousand miles of driving over the past 3.5 years.
> > >
> > > The power steering pump leaked fluid all the way home. Had to
> re-
> > fill
> > > several times.
> > >
> > > The worst problem I had, however, was speed. I averaged under
> 50
> > MPH
> > > through the 500 mile journey. Some of the Pennsylvania hills on
> > Route
> > > 70 & 76 slowed my coach down to 25 MPH in the right lane with the
> > > emergency flashers on. Any upward elevation change, even slight
> > ones,
> > > slowed my coach down into the low 50s. It was the long climbs
> that
> > > choked it. And the only excess weight in the bus was my
> girlfriend,
> > > tool box and 100 gallons of gas!
> > >
> > > A good friend of mine is a diesel mechanic. He is going to take
> a
> > > look at the bus for me shortly. I told him about this great
> forum,
> > > and he recommended that I ask experienced folks like yourself if
> > this
> > > performance is normal, or an indication of a problem.
> > >
> > > I realize that they are heavy buses, but are they really that
> slow?
> > > Even with the turbo? Creeping along in the right lane is
> dangerous!
> > >
> > > My friend and I are going to change the fuel and air filters,
> adjust
> > > the valve lash, replace the belts. Anybody else have
> suggestions?
> > > They will be greatly appreciated!
> > >
> > > Andy Coleman
> > > Wanderlodge Virgin No More!
> > > 83 FC - 35.
> > > Spring Lake Heights, NJ
> > >
> >
>