Peanut lives on!

[bkahler]

Gregg,

Here's a couple of pictures showing the the clearance issues for the top and bottom ports on the 22" condenser.



Brad

[bkahler]

Ernie started tackling the damaged right front quarter this morning. The damaged section is off and as you can see in the picture it's being hammered flat so we can use it as a pattern for the new replacement panel. Weather permitting we'll tackle fabricating and installing the new panel tomorrow morning.



I also spent some time on the new dog house cover. The hinge work is done and I've started fabricating the actual doghouse framework that the lid sits on. I'm hoping to have the framework wrapped up late tomorrow. That is if the heat and humidity don't do me in


I hope Martin likes the decorative pattern on the cover

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by bkahler

snip

I hope Martin likes the decorative pattern on the cover

Certainly in keeping with the rest of the retro look Brad!

Do you are or Ernie have a plan for getting the curve into the new sheet metal? Some sort of former?

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Certainly in keeping with the rest of the retro look Brad!

Do you are or Ernie have a plan for getting the curve into the new sheet metal? Some sort of former?

We've got an idea or two on how to roll the front curve. Had to stop for the morning due to intermittent rain. We might be able to start again this afternoon. If not we'll try again in the morning.

[bkahler]

Yesterday Ernie was trying to install the new step assembly and we found this problem with the rear outrigger.


Airstream Supply lists the rear step outrigger for $23.55 plus shipping but they appear to be out of stock

Anyone know where to get a replacement?


Here's a couple more pictures taken after the quarter panel was removed.

[martin300662]

The same one on Bella isn't great and I found these on ODM


http://odmrv.com/catalog/index.php?m...roducts_id=206

[bkahler]

Super!

I'll get one on order.

[GWallace]

Brad,
In studying your pictures of Peanut from the front, I noticed that the top of the radiator is open just like my Jelly Bean.

In pursuing air flow characteristics near the condenser and radiator I discovered that a large volume of air was flowing from behind the radiator over the top and back through the condenser and radiator. For the near term I stuffed some foam that Home Depot sells to seal around a window air conditioner. I put it across the top and down the sides to the bottom of the dog house. The "back flow" stopped and the air appears to be circulating more properly.

By the way that gap above the radiator was there from the factory.
Gregg

[bkahler]

Got a small break in the weather and spent some more time fitting the right front quarter panel. This is just a preliminary fitting.


To be able to proceed any further with the panel I have to get the front center grill section bolted in place and then the right hand headlight assembly will need to be fitted. Once those two pieces are in place we'll work towards getting the lower right banana wrap fitted.

While that work is going on Ernie has to straighten this panel well enough to use as a pattern. Martin managed to salvage a long enough section from the donor so it's just a matter of using the old piece as a pattern.


Now that the panel is fitted we know where to work on shaping the curves to fit the banana wrap and the headlight housing.

This is definitely a multi-step process!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by GWallace

Brad,
In studying your pictures of Peanut from the front, I noticed that the top of the radiator is open just like my Jelly Bean.

In pursuing air flow characteristics near the condenser and radiator I discovered that a large volume of air was flowing from behind the radiator over the top and back through the condenser and radiator. For the near term I stuffed some foam that Home Depot sells to seal around a window air conditioner. I put it across the top and down the sides to the bottom of the dog house. The "back flow" stopped and the air appears to be circulating more properly.

By the way that gap above the radiator was there from the factory.
Gregg

Gregg, I'm curious to know how you managed to determine the air flow characteristics. The later Classics had a rubber sheet that came down from the firewall and extended down below the top of the radiator. I plan on doing something similar on my Argosy. I have a nice sheet of 1/8" thick rubber that will be perfect for it.

Did stopping the back flow help with your AC problem?

[GWallace]

Brad,
I started by holding a strip of paper trying to observe air flow - as crude as that is. However as I was checking I discovered a significant draft blowing back into my face from over the top of the radiator. Your mention of 1/8 inch rubber sheeting is what I was considering for the long term.

Stopping the back flow didn't solve my problem. Before changing the condenser, I am trying an electric fan mounted directly to the condenser. With the local rains, I haven't finished installing the fan yet. If the dedicated fan doesn't work then I am going to change to the larger condenser. A larger condenser will require rework of two of the refrigerant hoses.

With the gauges hooked to the AC, I can watch the suction and discharge (head) pressures. When I first turn the system on everything is OK and the vent is 37 to 40 degrees F. As the engine warms and as additional heat builds in the condenser the discharge pressure starts really climbing. From OK pressures of 150 to 225 psig. Once things get out of hand, the pressure climbs up over 300 to 350 when I turn it off. At those higher pressures the compresser gets noisy. I did install a binary switch in the system that turns off the clutch at 390 psig.

I will keep trying!

Gregg

[GWallace]

Brad,

Well the rain stopped long enough for me to complete the fan installation. It is mounted directly to the condenser which is a 15 x 20 inch coil. I ran the AC for about 30 minutes with stable temperatures and pressures. The outside temperature was 80 degrees at 95 to 100 per cent humidity.

I am anxious to run the AC at higher temperatures and measure the pressures and temperatures.

Gregg

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by GWallace

Brad,
I started by holding a strip of paper trying to observe air flow - as crude as that is. However as I was checking I discovered a significant draft blowing back into my face from over the top of the radiator. Your mention of 1/8 inch rubber sheeting is what I was considering for the long term.

Attaching a rubber sheet to the Argosy won't be quite as straight forward as it is for the Classics with the horizontal radiator. The horizontal radiator is somewhat flush with the firewall and the rubber hangs straight down where the vertical radiator is somewhat recessed behind the firewall so attaching the rubber sheet will be a little more difficult.

Stopping the back flow didn't solve my problem. Before changing the condenser, I am trying an electric fan mounted directly to the condenser. With the local rains, I haven't finished installing the fan yet. If the dedicated fan doesn't work then I am going to change to the larger condenser. A larger condenser will require rework of two of the refrigerant hoses.

There may be a way around the condenser size issue. I've found several references where people install two condensers in parallel.


In your case you would just buy another condensor identical to the one you have and install them in a stacked arrangement. Your existing hoses should work and all you would need to make is a hose to go from the outlet of one condenser to the inlet of the other condenser.

[bkahler]

First the good news. I stopped by the fab shop to check out the progress of the new battery box. I had gotten a call earlier in the day from them wanting me to come verify dimensions prior to welding the box together. The fabrication work looked great and it's a nice tight fit around the cast frame.


Some other good news was the radiator and power steering systems seem to be holding fluid with no leaks. I had filled them a couple of days ago and let them sit to see if any obvious leaks would show up. All was good on that front

Since there were no leaks it was time to start the engine, burp the power steering system and verify the coolant system was holding pressure. Ernie and I started the engine and everything was looking pretty good. Turned the engine off and checked the radiator and power steering fluid levels. Had to add a little bit to the power steering reservoir but other than that everything looked good.

Now the bad news.....

Started the engine back up and started to slowly turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and then all the way to the right. After about the third time as I got to the limit of travel when turning to the left I heard this "pop" sound and the steering immediately got stiffer and Ernie started yelling to turn it off!

Looked in the left hand wheel well and this is what we saw....


Quite the mess

The fix for the power steering pressure hose didn't hold The fitting blew apart right where the pressure pipe coming off the pump connects to the hose. The fix had been to cut the old hose off, cut a new hose to length with a compression sleeve style of connector on the hose that was then pushed onto the original pump pressure pipe and the compression nut was tightened.

I was concerned about this arrangement due to the use of compression fittings but I was told they use this style of repair for power steering systems in tractors and other vehicles all the time. I do know the pipe wasn't in the best of shape but they felt it would do. I guess they (we) were wrong.....

So, it looks like I'll have to fabricate a fix of my own only this time I'll use double flare (inverted flare) pipe and find a section of hose that will accept double flare connections. While at the Get Together this spring Matt (mprokop87) described a similar repair he had to do to his 76 Argosy. I know his method works so that's what I'll try this time.

Now I have to figure out a way to get my hot pressure washer set up at the house so I can hose down the wheel well and get all this oil off my driveway. I think I just figured out what I'll be doing the rest of this weekend

[martin300662]

Oh crap....not so much for the hose but for Peanut 'dumping' (literally) on your drive Brad!

That said....Running engine!!!!!! No steam!!!!! Battery box looks great!!!!! I think that is 3 steps forward for 1 step back which is massively better than 'normal'.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Oh crap....not so much for the hose but for Peanut 'dumping' (literally) on your drive Brad!

Just finished hot pressure washing the left front wheel well and the driveway. I think I got it clean enough in there to be able to work on the hose without getting to much fluid on me. The oil on the driveway cleaned up nicely as well. Now I need to do the rest of the driveway to make it look as clean as the spot under Peanut!

That said....Running engine!!!!!! No steam!!!!! Battery box looks great!!!!! I think that is 3 steps forward for 1 step back which is massively better than 'normal'.

Peanut is slowly getting to the point where he is mobile. Fix the power steering hose, bleed the brakes and and I should be able to drive him down to the shop so I can do some welding in various places that need it.

[martin300662]

Is this the hose you need Brad.....right year, right chassis, right engine, motorhome specific?

http://www.autozone.com/suspension-s...?checkfit=true

[bkahler]

Unfortunately that hose doesn't fit, I've tried it

I should say it doesn't fit in it's present shape. I'm thinking about cutting the tube section where the L is. The major problem with the way it fit originally is it had to be twisted in such a way that it was stressing the hose and you couldn't get the brake mc cover off. There's nothing to lose by cutting and flaring the ends and using a union between them. Matt had to do something similar on his 76.

I'll look into doing something like that tomorrow when I get some time.

Oddly enough that same hose worked with slight tweaking on my Argosy. The difference is the pressure port on my hydroboost is on the opposite side. GM made a change between 74 and 75 that got rid of the external accumulator and instead included the accumulator as part of the hydroboost unit itself.

[martin300662]

I found a Gates version (355170) as well but appears to have the L pointing in the same direction.

https://www.amazon.com/Gates-355170-...ype=automotive

I agree with the union approach to let the end rotate - just another (unnecessary) complication.

[bkahler]

It's a shame the manufacturer had to quit making the original style hoses. I'm not sure what the hose spec'd now is originally designed for but it certainly doesn't fit our rigs.