Chinook RV

I’m taking my new (to me) 1995 Concourse in to an RV Service Center tomorrow and they’re going to keep her as long as needed and perform repairs. It’s a highly recommended place but I’m not sure what to expect. There is a service advisor that I’ll be dealing with.

The marketing manager there answered my call and helped me make the appointment. I told her I wanted to get a once-over on everything. The rig hadn’t been well cared for over the past several years and she’s very weather beaten.

The things I know about:

*water pump needs replacement
*furnace doesn’t work (PO didn’t use and doesn’t know why)
*generator needs repair or replacement
*toilet seal doesn’t work (I want a new toilet)
*significant water damage in storage area behind spare tire
*upper cabinetry on one side has old water damage
*most windows and access doors need caulking and many will need new rubber seals.


Also, towards end of trip I began to notice a clanking noise when driving slowly in gas stations, etc. in the passenger side, like something had come loose. Also a squeaking noise developed over the trip only when cranking the steering wheel.

What I would like guidance on is what exactly should I ask them to do? With a car, I always took it in and asked for a full diagnostic before I bought or sold a car. It would cost a few hundred dollars but give me peace of mind as both a buyer and seller.

However I know that this is a different ballgame. I don’t have the capability or knowledge to test any of the systems for condition and making sure they’re healthy and operating correctly. I’d like to be proactive to a point, but don’t want to be a fool.

In other words, I intend to use and enjoy her, and want everything that matters to be safe and in good condition. I’ll want to do upgrading/personalizing projects as time goes by.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, If your daughter was in my shoes, and you weren’t able to do the inspections and repairs yourself, what things specifically would you ask the service center to do?

I’m going to type up a clear list tonight and plan to give it to them when I hand her over tomorrow.

Thanks very much for your ideas and help!

I can only comment on one item since it happened to me.
My furnace was non operable when I bought the rig and the previous owner said he never used it so he didn't know anything about it.
Eventually I found out that the fuse was missing, and when I replaced it, the furnace cranked right up. It is located in the brown fuse box below the galley sink in my rig. I already forgot what amp fuse it was. I can look it up later in my thread about it.
I had to buy a new thermostat with the "off" feature, because the aftermarket one they installed when they changed out the roof AC and controller (which controlled both the AC and furnace) allowed the furnace to cycle on when it got below a certain temperature.
Perhaps that's why they took out the fuse.
Good luck fixing up your rig. It's rather fun to get things working properly and then enjoying it.

Bett, it is a lot of work to bring an old beaten RV up to very good shape, so I hope you don't get discouraged. I suggest you to read some of the related threads on this forum, as well as other resources (other forums, Chinook owner groups, as well as general RV topics). It is a lot of things to learn, if you want to be prudent with your time and money. This forum is an excellent resource since you will be able to learn from those of us who either made mistakes, or can tell you how to avoid mistakes.

Here is my quick reply to your various items.

*water pump needs replacement

if it still moves, you maybe able to change the pump head. You need to find out why something need replacement (leaking, stalled, clogged, blows fuse), not that what need to be replaced. You may end up having everything replaced inside if you have $110k budget, while repairing may be only a fraction of that.

*furnace doesn’t work (PO didn’t use and doesn’t know why)

adding to what Astrodokk said, I just want to add that it can be as simply as a fuse. Before you do the most complicated thing first (remove the old furnace, replace with a new one, and get customer to pay for the labor and a new furnace), try to do the simple thing first.

*generator needs repair or replacement

Again, why it is not working? Is it a gummed up carburetor? Before you throw your old generator out, ask the right question and see if they just blowing air to get into your wallet, or they actually do the proper diagnostic and knew what need to be done.

*toilet seal doesn’t work (I want a new toilet)

I realized that it is your "business" and see that it is a discolored, old, broken one. I would do what you do in your case.

*significant water damage in storage area behind spare tire
*upper cabinetry on one side has old water damage
*most windows and access doors need caulking and many will need new rubber seals.

find the water leak, and solve the source of the problem before you repair the storage area and cabinet. We are lucky that our rig is mostly water tight due to the fiber construction.

Also, towards end of trip I began to notice a clanking noise when driving slowly in gas stations, etc. in the passenger side, like something had come loose. Also a squeaking noise developed over the trip only when cranking the steering wheel.

I found a pair of slip-joint pliers under the chassis left over by one of the "quality" service centers. You should try to see if you can any loose item under there. For the squeaking noise, maybe it is the power steering? Check the fluid level.

What I would like guidance on is what exactly should I ask them to do? With a car, I always took it in and asked for a full diagnostic before I bought or sold a car. It would cost a few hundred dollars but give me peace of mind as both a buyer and seller.

However I know that this is a different ballgame. I don’t have the capability or knowledge to test any of the systems for condition and making sure they’re healthy and operating correctly. I’d like to be proactive to a point, but don’t want to be a fool.

In other words, I intend to use and enjoy her, and want everything that matters to be safe and in good condition. I’ll want to do upgrading/personalizing projects as time goes by.

1, make sure it is safe to drive. Check the tires, fluids, and suspension. 2, make sure it is comfortable, so find the water leaks, and get the systems (water, DC and AC electricals, AC and furnace, and most importantly, the toilet) up and running if you need them.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, If your daughter was in my shoes, and you weren’t able to do the inspections and repairs yourself, what things specifically would you ask the service center to do?

Depends on how much money she is making, I may tell the service center to try to get a nice Christmas vacation for the entire department out of her blight. If she does not deserve this, then I would ask them to tell me what needed to be done, and why they are needed, and how are they going to do the task. If it is not safety-related, or very important for her, I would postpone it to later.

As the the comfort, it really depends on how you are going to use the rig for. The priority and extend of the service needed is very different if you want to use it to go cross country without hooking up to camp site every few days for the entire 4 month trip, or you just use it to go to the beach 10 miles away.
[/quote]

I would add that I would not blindly trust the RV repair place. I would also ask that all replaced parts be returned. I have had both good and bad experiences over the years. As for my onan generator I quit having them repaired and when they won't start I buy a carb off Amazon and replace. It has worked every time and taken about a half hour to change out.

Thanks to all of you for the guidance and tips. I wish there was a way to ‘like’ posts on here The dialogue here has encouraged me and helped tremendously even at this stage of my nascent journey.

I do appreciate the reminder not to be discouraged and hold that tight. One bite at a time!

Well, my experience with the service advisor at the RV Center was a very good start. He was patient and informative and I didn’t get a salesman vibe. He spent time with me- a lot of it out in the Chinook- which was unexpected and very kind of him. We discussed everything that we saw together and also what was done in February based on the previous owners service records.

A little background on this Chinook: The man I bought it from bought it from the original owner early this year and immediately had his mechanic check it out and fix whatever needed work. He put $3.2 into the engine, brakes, shocks. He also put on 6 brand new tires ($800).The PO also had the computer module replaced and my service advisor was very curious as to why. (Should I call the mechanic and ask?)

Then, he decided to move back to Costa Rica (where he had lived for the past few years and found he really missed it). He decided to sell the Chinook rather than store it in the US for the few months he would spend here each year. That’s all I know. I drove it home without using any of the systems- didn’t even play with or familiarize myself with any of them. I basically drove, drank coffee and ate truck stop sandwiches and camped out in Love’s truck stops from Texas to California

Since I’m 100% unequipped to assess the condition of anything at this point, I decided to go ahead with asking Leale’s to perform their full-on inspection and diagnostic route, because what alternative is there? I bought a rig and drove it home. I know NADA about it. The more I look at things the more I realize I am so ill-equipped to deal with a rig it isn’t even funny. Except, somehow it is. . I have made my jack knife bed, I will sleep in it. And I will learn lots of things, but right now I need to find out what position I’m in.

They’ll spend 6-8 hours thoroughly checking out everything and I’ll get a report card in about a week. The diagnostic itself runs about $600.

While they will include inspecting the entire plumbing situation and the tanks for any problems, I’m having the toilet seal replaced now. I may upgrade the toilet later but the seal is clearly faulty. If it cuts the smell in the meantime that alone will have been worth replacing it!

One disturbing find was that the burner tube assembly (not sure that’s the right term? I looked online) in my water heater compartment was *completely* rusted out and disintegrated with a big pile of rust underneath it.

I’ll know more by the end of next week and will decide where to start. I figure with the full diagnostic, the toilet seal replacement and having the problem with power windows in the cab diagnosed (they only work intermittently, mostly not at all) I’ll be looking at about $1k JUST to know where I stand. I feel that it’s worth it.

I’m a frugal person and work hard for my $. But as this is all stuff I need to leave to the pros, and I’m happy to pay for a good living wage, I’m ok with it. I also realize this is only scratching the surface of the $$ output to come as the new owner of a tired little Chinook, so I’d better be ok!

I would call the shop that do the computer module and asked why. Maybe it throw a engine warning light??? As for the power window, I will just leave it alone if it does not bother you. Little things like the windows can be a hundred here, and another hundred there. Set up a budget of how much you can spent, and make a list of what *need* to be done, and another list of what you *want* to be done, and prioritize it based on the funding, and go after it. A lot of things can be done yourself, if you are the handy type.

I just added a foam pad under the roof top AC so that it does not riddle and makes a humming noise. Costed me $0.05. If I bring it to the shop, they will charge me $50 just for taking a look at it. I think I deserve a big glass of OJ for my effort! You be amazed at how much you can save by getting familiar with the rig, and how satisfy it can be doing some of the easy tasks yourself.

The more I look at things the more I realize I am so ill-equipped to deal with a rig it isn’t even funny. Except, somehow it is

This is not an uncommon feeling. What you will find, as most of us have, it appears more daunting than it is. The Chassis is a Ford Chassis, so any mechanic can work on it. The coach is comprised of components whose manufacturers are still in business.

For example, your water system was most likely not properly winterized once or twice, and so the water heater took a hit. I replaced the water heater in mine, by going to you tube and watching a video on how to do it. I got the water heater on Amazon and it showed up on my porch the next day. Then, once you're "in there" doing it, you get in the zone and next thing you know, you realize it wasn't that hard. The water pump was easy. 120 bucks, order online, two clamps and two wires. A simple remove and replace.

Some things I let my mechanic take care of when it come to the chassis, but I'm not afraid to throw some pads on the front brakes, or change a serpentine belt, etc.

The propane system can be tested by taking a spray bottle with a soapy solution in it and just spray all the connections. If they bubble, then you have a leak. If it stinks like eggs, you have a leak. Keep an eye on the gauge for a few days with everything off. If it doesn't move, you don't have a leak. Stuff like that.

My furnace didn't work because a mouse had crawled up in there and blocked the fan, so the switch would click and then nothing. I paid to have it taken out and that cost me about 600 bucks.

Generators love to be run. They need exercise once a month, just to keep fresh. With today's fuels, ethanol additives and such, the carburetors gum up. So the owner cranks and cranks on them and burns up the starter. I had to replace my starter. I put non ethanol fuel in my Chinook, especially at times of storage.

The rear storage area, you remove all the wood parts back there till you see the back of the shower. Then cut the old carpet out as far back as you can. Then get some single sided sticky weatherstripping from home depot and scrape the old off and smack the new on. Problem solved. I had a persistent leak I couldn't solve for the longest time it haunted me, and it ended up being one of the running lights in the back corner by the ladder. I cut out gaskets out of an old rubber inner tube with scissors, and re-did my running lights.

So, Suburban, Dometic, Norcold, and many of the vendors are very helpful as well. Even if you spend 3 grand on maintenance and upgrades, you'll still be "in it" right. Get a 3 ring binder and keep receipts. A well documented rv sells much better than one without any history. Enjoy it. Chinooks are one of the best when it comes to 21 foot long one ton rv's with all the goodies. More and more retirees are embracing the lifestyle.

Let's see the hit list before you bend over and hand them a blank check. We'll walk you through. It only gets better from here.

Regarding the replaced engine computer module, that's not terribly surprising, but give the guy a ring just so you know.

Aged PCMs can suffer from leaking capacitors. If they're faulty they can cause misfires at low RPM. If they're really bad, they can contaminate the PCB and cause an array of issues. Depending on the issue, you might get a CEL.

For someone who can solder on PCBs, replacing the capacitors is not extremely difficult. It can be a bit risky to monkey with a PCM, but the benefit is that the capacitors would be new; IMO that's the best approach.

Replacement of the whole PCM is quite a bit easier, however they're not cheap, and they're usually second-hand and old, or "remanufactured", and can possibly present the same symptoms.

Lastly, I've seen numerous scenarios of poor troubleshooting wherein the technician carelessly attempted to track down a problem and began by replacing the PCM. Better to spend 10 minutes taking it apart for a careful look at the board. A subset of this statement is that you might not ever know why it was replaced.

Lastly, lastly, some PCMs look new after 30+ years of demanding service, and some get gremlins in half that time. Even within the same model and year, you might see one that's perfect and one that's unserviceable. It's usually due to inconsistent manufacturing at the contractor level.

I saw the word CAN bus in an earlier post and made me think about the "miracles" performed by modern vehicular electronic systems. It's gone a bit too far infotainment-wise, but most safety and performance features are quite impressive. I just hope these highly-complex systems last a few decades. Some of the current stuff is very, very complicated compared to the Chinook E-350 so a PCM swap out is relatively nothing.

Sorry if I mangled your thread.

Terrific information and advice everyone, as always. And no ‘mangling of threads’- it’s all good stuff. The more I learn the better. Plus I’m not the only one reading these threads. Although some stuff may be too technical for me (today anyway) it’s valuable information.

Thanks very much!

I have taken lots of notes and will use the suggestions.

Bett, my trunk was also moist and we found that the door bezel that surrounds the door was not right up tight against the body.
We placed a couple of screws to tighten and caulked around it temporarily with a non silicone caulk, and it stopped the water intrusion.
You may want to check that first. Then all the other areas that can allow water to seep I , like the ladder screws and light lenses et cetera.