Air filter and alternator questions

[Smartstream]

Hi All, I am new to this forum so I hope you will bear with me a little. We just acquired a 1982 Airstream 28' with the Isuzu engine. We got it from the wife's parents because of some medical issues. These issues also prevent us from receiving any history or operating instructions for the coach.
I have been involved in truck repair for many years so I'm not too concerned about working on this coach but I have run into a few strange things. The alternator belts are slipping and crawling around I think it has the wrong belts. They look very anemic for the application. Does anybody have the proper belt number? Also I noticed air filter seems to be missing some parts. There is a tube that snakes down to the front left corner and turns up between the left front tire just behind the head lite. There is a paper element mounted vertically. This sits in a dome top can with an open bottom. It seems that there should be a bottom cover but maybe airstream had a better idea. Does anybody know for sure?
Thanks in advance for your help, Dan

[bkahler]

Dan,

Can you post pictures (or email them to me) of the air cleaner arrangement? I've not seen anything like this on an Airstream Motorhome before.

If I remember right all the belts on our 1984 310 are 1/2" belts. As long as your configuration hasn't changed (i.e. removal of air pump, etc) then most parts stores should be able to help you with belts. Just tell them it is a chevy P30 chassis for a Motorhome. That usually works for me.

Brad

[Mike Leary]

The aircleaner I have is a K & N, which is pretty much forever. I remove it once a year,
clean & re-oil. Belts and hoses (which you should re-new) are not hard to get, any Napa
store /or Izuzu outlet can get them. Check the valve cover gasket & grommet for the
oil fill while you're at it. As long as you've got the dog house off, replace the upper
fuel filter.

[Smartstream]

Brad I will post some pictures of the air cleaner later in the week. I had to take a quick trip to Calif. and won't be home until later in the week.

I take it from your mention of air pump that your 310 has the 454 engine. My 280 has the Isuzu diesel. The part stores aren't nearly as friendly when they can't find the Isuzu listed for the P30 chassis. The current problem is the somebody installed 1/2" auto belts and they ride about 1/8" below the outer edge of the pulley. Way too deep in the groove.

I called Airstream and they referred me to a vendor in Cleveland who could not find my engine number in his books. He referred me to Hamilton Engine Sales in Portland Oregon, (800) 437-3644. I talked to Craig who not only found the engine number but even had the proper Isuzu belts. Part No. 113671143, for less than $30 a matched pair. He also had the water pump and alternators with vacuum pump. He seemed very knowledgeable on the Airstream-Isuzu application and eager to help.

Mike I did change both fuel filters when I did the belts. I didn't Think about the oil fill grommet as it does look pretty tired. I just figured it was long obsolete. I will give Craig another call. The engine was rebuilt about two years ago as a result of overheating. I don't know who the shop was but I am not impressed with their work. I believe they are the ones who installed the wrong belts in the first place. Also they left some alignment pins out on the trans adapter plate causing 2 broken flex plates and torque converters. But that is another story.

I will post some pictures later in the week when I return home.
Cheers, Dan

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Brad I will post some pictures of the air cleaner later in the week. I will post some pictures later in the week when I return home. Cheers, Dan

Do post some pics, cause I understood they all came with the K & N filter.
Yes the bottom is open, pain to get in and out. I've dealt with Hamilton &
they know their stuff. Since you're just up the street, there's a company in
Seattle I deal with on non-automotive parts: Marine Equipment & Repair
(MER). Our Isuzu is used in tons of marine applications, especially fishing
for powering gen sets, so MER is a great source, too.

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Brad I will post some pictures of the air cleaner later in the week. I will post some pictures later in the week when I return home. Cheers, Dan

Do post some pics, cause I understood they all came with the K & N filter.
Yes the bottom is open, pain to get in and out. I've dealt with Hamilton &
they know their stuff. Since you're just up the street, there's a company in
Seattle I deal with on non-automotive parts: Marine Equipment & Repair
(MER). Our Isuzu is used in tons of marine applications, especially fishing
for powering gen sets, so MER is a great source, too.

[Smartstream]

Thanks Mike, I guess maybe it is the normal Airstream set up. I just thought it was kind of unusual to have the bottom open sitting right in front of the wheel. Seems like it is exposed to all kinds dirt and water.

I didn't realize you were so close in Seattle, I would like to get together to compare notes.

I'm sure our engines are the same as the older trucks as well as marine and industrial applications with the only differences being what is hung on the out side of the block like water pumps, manifolds, alternates and such. Isuzu must have a strange marketing set up that only let venders access their small portion of the market. I found some old Isuzu books showing Cummins Dealers as parts suppliers, is that all history?

Cheers, Dan

[Mike Leary]

Isuzu's marketing strategy is like Airstream's ; buy from the dealer.
We lost our Airstream dealer in Fife, WA., & the great outlet in Boise, ID.
The factory is great, dealers....well, some problems.

[Smartstream]

Here are the pictures of the air cleaner. It sounds like it may be what Airstream used but it just seems a little strange to me.

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Here are the pictures of the air cleaner. It sounds like it may be what Airstream used but it just seems a little strange to me.

That is strange; it indeed looks like a paper filter. I wonder if mine was a
aftermarket install. I looked for a # on my K & N, but nada. Try their
website, cause the K & N is a better idea.

[mustang]

Looks like an easy swap for a cold air intake??? Thing looks realy dirty I though Deilsel had a vacuum valve in filter houseing to tell when to change them?

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by mustang

Looks like an easy swap for a cold air intake??? Thing looks realy dirty I though Deilsel had a vacuum valve in filter houseing to tell when to change them?

Not on mine, great idea, though.

[Smartstream]

Well Mustang, I guess it's about as cold as it gets, that opening is right at the bottom of the bumper and just behind it and ahead of the front tire. The thing that would really make the engine happy would be an inter-cooler after the turbo.

Also there is one of those vacuum filter condition indicators on the firewall. The problem is the little tube doesn't seem to be connected to anything, it just hangs there. I guess when I get the filter out I will have to find a way to connect the fancy little gage.

I did finally chase the wiring down and got the pump for the air bags working. All I can say is Airstream sure did some creative things when they wired this coach. Previous owners and repair people then added to the problems. At this point all I can say is it is a challenge.

Cheers, Dan

[mustang]

I hate when I get a vehicle that some one else has had there hands into. If the aircleaner is open then your vacuum guage on it wont work. It measures the amount caused by restriction from the air cleaner. (The type i am talking about) as far as wireing sometimes you are better starting over. I am a big fan of relays as opposed to pulling the amps thru the switch.

[Smartstream]

Mustang, I think we are talking about the same guage. It needs to be connected between the air filter and the turbo, that way it reads air restriction, vacuum, caused by a blocked or partially blocked filter. The guage I have holds the maximum reading until manually reset. Gives real information on what's happening while going down the highway under load.

The wiring is always fun but I like to find how things were originally set up to work before I start redesigning things. Sometimes the designers really did have a good idea and it's the people between the designers and you that caused the problems.

As for my new challenge, while going in to get some fuel and propane today I got about two miles from home and the alternator froze. It was doing some not nice things to my new belts. I managed to loosen the belt adjustment to try to limp home without destroying the belts. The question now is it the alternator or the vacuum pump behind it that is frozen? Anyway I guess we all know what I'll be doing tomorrow.

Cheers, Dan