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Old 06-26-2003, 02:46 PM   #1
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1994 30' Excella
1992 35' Airstream 350
Austin , Texas
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Trip report

I really was looking forward to our summer trip this year, but had some reservations about high altitude driving and mountain passes.
A few days before leaving Austin, I took 'Lizzy' to the steepest hill I could find, put Catstream behind the wheel and advanced the timing for max power. I am sure glad i did. We climbed 3 9K + passes and 2 10K + with no problems, except fuel starvation on the first. The before mentioned switch to turn on my rear fuel pump solved that problem.
Total miles driven - 2100, fuel consumption - 8.2 mpg (not bad considering the extensive mountain driving) , oil usage- 1 quart, average hwy travelling speed ~62 mph.
I took most of the passes @ 30 to 35 mph, except on some of the steepest, I dropped to 25, all in 2nd gear. The Jacobs ignition compensated well for high altitude, the electric choke comes in handy by leaving the ignition switch on for a while, before starting the engine. (Its running plenty rich already , no need to choke it to death)
One breakdown at the Colorado/New Mexico Border due to a clogged fuel filter in the rear. We rolled right in front of those Ladys with a stop/slow sign and parked it right there until I figured out the problem. The entire road crew applauded when we finally made it thru.
That fuel filter makes me wonder. Do you guys with the rear fuel pump have a filter in front of the pump? I have a huge canister type fuel filter in the middle of the coach, which is supposed to catch the worse of the debris. After adding the rear fuel pump, I talked myself into having to have a fuel filter in front of it. Not a good idea, as I found out.
All in all, it was a great pleasure to travel and live in one of these wonderful coaches.
I have to admit that a kissed Lizzy right on the lips when I pulled in my driveway.
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Old 06-26-2003, 04:18 PM   #2
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I talked myself into having to have a fuel filter in front of it. Not a good idea, as I found out.
Excellent idea I would say. It is stopping whatever is in the tank from getting to the pump, which is really what you want. My tank is only a couple of feet behind the rf wheel, so the pump does not have to push the fuel very far. But I did put a canister filter in front of it. What is the chance of moving your canister filter to the back between the tank and pump? Would make changes fewer and easier.

John
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Old 06-26-2003, 05:18 PM   #3
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1966 26' Overlander
Woodstock , Georgia
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welcome home Peter and Catstream! Glad the trip was a success. On ours last summer the mileage we did was similiar about 2100 or so....and I was happy to get home with minimal problems. So far since the starter replacement, and rewiring, ours had been flawless on our last three trips. The next is a 6-7 hour each way to Charleston,SC area.
I hope to have my shocks and steering damper installed by then.
The next project will be exhaust upgrading for us.....

Once again glad to have you back....more photos?
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Old 06-26-2003, 09:52 PM   #4
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Happy to hear you had a great trip and made it back safely! Thanks for the Taos post card, it now hangs in Polar Bear...
Way to go Lizzy, PB will be proud of you.
Take care you two (three),
Curtis and family
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Old 06-26-2003, 10:02 PM   #5
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1959 22' Caravanner
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I would keep the filter there and keep a BUNCH of spare filters.

The mountain twisties shoshed the gas around so much it broke up the hard sediment in the tank. Both my older K5's had this problem when I started to wheel them. At one point I went through 4 filters in the carb in 500 miles. Your probably going to have this happen again pretty soon but at least you will know what the problem is.
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Old 06-27-2003, 06:26 AM   #6
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1994 30' Excella
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Austin , Texas
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Thanx all for the welcome home notes and thoughts on the fuel filter issue.
As seasoned travellers yourself, you know that feeling when you cruise along and suddenly feel the slightest change or hear some new sound. The man/machine bounding is intense.
The day before we left, I kept on thinking about that fuel filter, took the old one out (a metal one) and cut it open. I found a lot of debris and decided to go with the glass filter that can be visually inspected, opened, cleaned and the filter element replaced. My last trip to the parts store was to get replacement elements.
But those nylon filter elements are much finer than the paper types in the metal ones.
Yes, John, moving the canister filter in front of the electr. fuel pump would be the ticket, but I will have to look at space and safety issues. (i.e. a tire peeling and beating the crap out of the filter.)
BTW, the filter clogged up again, 1 mile before reaching our house.
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Old 07-31-2003, 06:28 PM   #7
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1994 30' Excella
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Finally got around to messing with the fuel filter issue, after having to deal with more urgent things, like finding a 8" subwoofer that fits behind the couch and installing a 800 watt amplifier
I successfully moved the big canister type fuel filter all the way to the back, just after the tank and before the glass filter/electric fuel pump.
One more down five to go.
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Old 08-01-2003, 05:36 AM   #8
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8" subwoofer that fits behind the couch and installing a 800 watt amplifier
That sounds like a good way to keep all the garbage from caking and plugging the filter.

John
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Old 08-01-2003, 05:52 AM   #9
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1994 30' Excella
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Austin , Texas
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Quote:
Originally posted by 74Argosy24MH

That sounds like a good way to keep all the garbage from caking and plugging the filter.

John
Yup, I was thinking that it would accelerate the loosening of the rust deposits in the tank.
Actually, I was not after the glass shattering thump, but rather the subtle presence of the bass. Astonishing sound now, with 6 Speakers and 1 sub.
I know it works, because my neighbor Charlie finally gave up and put his radio on the same station.
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Old 08-01-2003, 05:53 AM   #10
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Doesn't take much

Many years ago, I was rear ended in the parking lot at work while driving an old Chrysler Imperial. Very minor damage to both cars. I made it just about a quarter mile and ended up on the side of the road with the engine barely turning over. The impact had shaken all the scale from the bottom of the gas tank and the filter was clogged solid. Like Peter, we hacked the removed filter open to find it packed solid with rust flakes.
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Old 08-01-2003, 05:57 AM   #11
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I know it works, because my neighbor Charlie finally gave up and put his radio on the same station.
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

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