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Old 04-17-2011, 11:26 AM   #1
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2005 26' Land Yacht Gas 26
Bedford , Nova Scotia
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Land Yacht Dash Air

Hi folks: I have an ongoing problem with the dash air conditioning on my 2002 26' Land Yacht. Top it up and it slowly leaks. Put in stain but air conditioning people still can't find leak. I think it may be the connectors on the compressor which rubs against the doghouse cover.
Has any one had this problem or have any ideas? I've only taken it to Canadian service centres but I think US ones may have more of a clue!
I got the runaround from Airstream - it's not our problem for we don't install the dash air. The people who make it, can't remember it at the moment, say take it to a service centre.
Thanks.
Donald
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Old 04-17-2011, 11:36 AM   #2
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We have a 2005 LYG MH and when I opened it up at the beginning of last year, the AC did not put out cold air. I took it to the local gas station/garage and they recharged it with freon, then it worked fine for the rest of the season. Have not taken it out of storage this year yet, so I'm not sure it has held the freon.

One thing I am pretty certain of is that the automotive heating and cooling systems in these MH's are not very good. (I'm being nice.) My heater, for instance, puts out either hot air or cold air. There is no in between. The temp control knob is a sham control. Once the temp is turned up past about 1/4 - 3/8 towards heat, the temp goes way hot. I does not mix and control temp output like on a car.

I have consulted with AS more than once on this and they said, "Yep, that's the way it is."

Once I get things up and running for this year maybe I'll have more to offer. Sorry.
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Old 04-17-2011, 11:42 AM   #3
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Air Conditioner

Sounds like you are trying to do the right things.
Any professional should be able to detect where it is leaking. Seek out a shop with a good reputation that specializes in Auto air cond. and keep going back till it is fixed.
I assume this is on a Chev chassis????
You can, on the US side, purchace R-134A refill kits from the big box stores for about $20.00, so it it lasts a season it is cheaper to just top it off each year.
Dave



Quote:
Originally Posted by DonaldW View Post
Hi folks: I have an ongoing problem with the dash air conditioning on my 2002 26' Land Yacht. Top it up and it slowly leaks. Put in stain but air conditioning people still can't find leak. I think it may be the connectors on the compressor which rubs against the doghouse cover.
Has any one had this problem or have any ideas? I've only taken it to Canadian service centres but I think US ones may have more of a clue!
I got the runaround from Airstream - it's not our problem for we don't install the dash air. The people who make it, can't remember it at the moment, say take it to a service centre.
Thanks.
Donald
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Old 04-17-2011, 12:11 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by masseyfarm View Post
...........I assume this is on a Chev chassis????
You can, on the US side, purchace R-134A refill kits from the big box stores for about $20.00, so if it lasts a season it is cheaper to just top it off each year.
Dave
Thanks, Dave. Yes, mine is a chevy motor on the workhorse P 32 chassis. Probably the same for DonaldW.

I was not aware of the availability of the refill kits. Will definitely look into this next time (as I'm certain there will be a next time.)
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Old 04-17-2011, 01:14 PM   #5
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Hi folks: Thanks for replies. I will have another look around with the UV lamp to see if I can see a leak this year. Mine never lasts a season, just about a month. You would think that this amount of leakage would show up very clearly, but it doesn't. Weird!
Regarding the er, heater, it is an off and on affair (I try not to swear on Forums!). Very crude and the air doors stick as well. People who live in warmer climes probably don't know about this problem
Thanks again.
Donald
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Old 04-17-2011, 05:43 PM   #6
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A/C is marginal even when it works right, replaced compressor last year, then installed a curtain as a/c installers said due to the open space behind cockpit a/c can't use recirculated cool air to increase cooling. Heater works fine, never use it, even put a manual shutoff so that the heated water doesn't compete with the a/c.
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Old 04-18-2011, 07:58 AM   #7
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Cool

As Dave has done in the above post, I also have installed a barrier curtain on the Clipper to ease the AC demand in the cockpit while travelling, and to remove the chill from the large glass area upfront in the cool off season evenings.
I used a double track system so that the curtains overlap at the center isle. When not needed they are pulled completely out of the way and store with the window curtains at the rear of the side windows.
A reasonably inexpensive alteration that improves comfort considerably.
Dave
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Old 04-18-2011, 09:06 AM   #8
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Fresh Air Door on Heater

I don't think your dash controls are the same as the Clipper, but the fresh air door linkage probably has a similar design.
On the Clipper the cable control would bind when pushing the fresh air door open. This resulted in the breaking of the plastic mount on the back of the dash control. After replacing the dash control, to avoid another problem, I installed a spring assist on the fresh air door to pull it open when little pressure is applied by the slide control on the dash switch. This works good on the Clipper and allows infinate settings for heat or fresh air. Sorry I don't have a picture as the media controller is still asleep.
Dave


Quote:
Originally Posted by DonaldW View Post
Hi folks: Thanks for replies. I will have another look around with the UV lamp to see if I can see a leak this year. Mine never lasts a season, just about a month. You would think that this amount of leakage would show up very clearly, but it doesn't. Weird!
Regarding the er, heater, it is an off and on affair (I try not to swear on Forums!). Very crude and the air doors stick as well. People who live in warmer climes probably don't know about this problem
Thanks again.
Donald
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Old 04-19-2011, 02:11 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveFL View Post
..........Heater works fine, never use it, even put a manual shutoff so that the heated water doesn't compete with the a/c.
Up in Michigan, we usually need heat from the engine a bit in the spring and then again in the fall.

However, in the summer, there is no need. I also installed a manual shut off which I keep closed all summer.

Still, there is no adjusting the temp up or down. Just like the heat, the AC is either cold or not, ie., on or off. Frustrating, but what are you gonna do?
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Old 04-19-2011, 02:23 PM   #10
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Heater Control

Many times you need the heat to some extent. Travelling in the early morning in the rain, you need it to keep the ws clear, and take the chill off. Or when you a going into the highcountry and the weather changes.
If the heat, or lack of it, cannot be controlled by the OEM dash controls, the option of putting in an electric, or air operated valve in the hot water heater supply line would be another option. (I considered this option before repairing mine to work as OEM design.)
Saves stopping to hand turn a valve in the engine compartment or under as on the Clipper.
This auto remote valve could also be handy on that long pull where engine overheating is a problem. Just open the line to the heater to give a bit more cooling capacity.
Dave

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michigander View Post
Up in Michigan, we usually need heat from the engine a bit in the spring and then again in the fall.

However, in the summer, there is no need. I also installed a manual shut off which I keep closed all summer.

Still, there is no adjusting the temp up or down. Just like the heat, the AC is either cold or not, ie., on or off. Frustrating, but what are you gonna do?
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Old 05-17-2011, 05:03 AM   #11
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Donald,

It is possible the leak is in the evaporator under the dash and you cannot see it there.

A freon sniffer is a good way to find this type of leak.

Paul
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Old 05-18-2011, 04:22 AM   #12
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Hi Paul: Thanks. I've certainly had a good look around the evaporator and not seen anything. I will try sniffing. A problem here in Nova Scotia is that I haven't found any competent AC people. We are heading to Niagara via New England soon and I will maybe try to find a service centre in warmer climes. Just started to dewinterize the RV yesterday so will have another look under the doghouse and dash.
Thanks.
Donald
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Old 06-08-2011, 06:31 PM   #13
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The air dash ac/heat on my '94 LY has been a problem for the past 4 or 5 years. I have had several issues that have caused this and some have been resolved. Let me enumerate:

1 - at some point the a/c would not run at all. The "garage" where it was being repaired (I'm being nice here, as I found out afterwards that the place was totally incompetent without a licensed mechanic - they had some guy's ticket on the wall who never even worked there) spent countless hours evacuating the refrigerant and putting it back in without success. Then while I was in Arizona for the winter, the guy who does the field repairs for Quest came by and in 15 minutes pinpointed the problem. The condenser is in the front (engine in the rear) and there is an electric fan to force air through the condenser - that fan was seized. So he got me a new fan and we were cool again.

2 - have not been able to get any heat in the front. Trips to head south from Canada in November/December were very unpleasant and uncomfortable. Finally I found someone who would diagnose and work on it. It seems that the control unit (pushbuttons with a slider) are out of a 1980's K-car and naturally Chrysler doesn't stock these parts (Airstream Factory told me to call a Chrysler dealer). However, there is a replaceable switch block in this unit which is still available from Chrysler on special order and it contains the push button switches, both for the vacuum lines to the shutters in the plenum and for the electric switch to the compressor and the fan to cool the condenser. Herein lies an engineering issue - the electrical switch to activate the compressor cannot properly carry the extra load of the electric fan, thus causing that block to overheat and the plastic to warp - then nothing works right. We are in the process of replacing this block and adding a headlight relay so that the compressor switch load will be reduced to simply activating the relay. We did find that there was considerable damage to the controls as a result of overheating.

3 - I did have a manual cut-off valve inserted in the line to the heater core, as the vacuum relay to close the valve there was not working properly. This meant that I got hot air out of the vents - try driving in 90-degree heat with hot air coming from the vents (I was leading a Caravan to the International at Madison WI at the time).

Hopefully, the ac/heat issue will be behind me within a week - I know as well that the dropping resistor for the fan speeds will need changing, and many of the wire terminals look like they need to be changed too.

I have to say that when all is running as it should, the LY is a really sweet and comfortable MH - I get 13 mpg towing a car behind me as long as I keep it under 60 mph.
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Old 06-08-2011, 08:30 PM   #14
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Having a great time at Ga Roosevelt park but temps almost got to 100 on the return trip, and the A/C worked!
I think I solved the poor operation, while replacing front tv(old tube type} with a LCD, I found A/S or the dealer that put the tv back in after it fell out while PO was driving, they crushed the flexible ducts to the drivers side, adding to the problem was one tube wasn't connected on passenger side and one opening wasn't used, had a plug, ran a tube over to the drivers side just behind the gas pedal.
Used med fan speed as shop said cooler air would come out, not something I would have guessed to improve overall cooling. I used my ir thermometer to shoot the vents and found 45-55 degrees. Didn't need the curtains or the house a/c's.
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Old 06-09-2011, 10:11 AM   #15
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Hello blkmagik and Dave: Thanks for sharing your HVAC stories.

I, too, got tired of driving in high heat with hot air blasting out of the front vents and installed a 1/4 turn shut-off valve just before the heater core. Works great.

Dave, you have inspired me to stick my head under the dash and sort out the hoses there. I'm sure at least one has become disconnected and another is kinked.

We love our LY, also.
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Old 06-09-2011, 01:28 PM   #16
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My problem was I didn't have a air volume flowmeter, so only test was visual and after 6 months a real test under working conditions. Your model came with lcd and you don't have the oversized tv jammed in tight space so you might not find as many problems. But I would give odds on kinks, extra turns and unused ports from the a/c sending unit. Make sure your vacuum lines are tight so that you actually move the vent doors.
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Old 06-11-2011, 02:08 PM   #17
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HVAC Control Panel

After experiencing most of the problems mentioned in this tread,
I'd like to know a source to replace the entire HVAC control panel.

My 98 33 LY is built on the GM P chassis.

So is this some random GM control panel or Airstream only?

Chip in Beaufort, SC
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Old 06-17-2011, 04:37 PM   #18
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My '90 is built on a Chevy P3 chassis also. but I think the (pushbutton) heat/AC control is from a Dodge, it has a lot of Ford/Lincoln components as well.
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Old 06-18-2011, 06:03 AM   #19
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Whenever I heard...."I can't find any leaks" from the mechanics I knew it was probably the evaporator that was leaking. In most all GM's they are buried and very difficult to replace, most tech's are flat rate and stand to lose time on the repair, (can't complete the job in the allotted time.)

That said, a competent AC speciality shop would be your best bet. You may have to pay "punch time" but it would be worth it to get it fixed right the first time.

Good Luck!!!
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Old 07-13-2011, 04:01 PM   #20
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Question Land Yatch Dash AC

We just bought our 2001 Land Yatch XL355 and half way to our first destination (which was only 9 miles away HA) our AC unit pretty much died. It still blew, but the air was not cold at all. Our mechanic just called and said it was going to be $384 to repair some leaking valves and recharge it. Is this normal? Yikes, feel ripped off.
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