370 LE start to finish.....

[goodbyetower]

Originally Posted by bobmiller1

Hey John, great news.....why don't you post some pictures and tell us some history of the 370.....there were very few of these produced. Maybe you would be interested in joining us for the 2017 Classic Motor Home Get-Together.

I put some pics on Flickr of the 370LE. It cleaned up nicely and drives great! I am amazed that everything works so far. I was better maintained that I realized. I even found the Nutone food processor parts still in cardboard protectors under the sofa.

I am afraid I won't be keeping it long enough to make it to the 2017 get together, but who knows? I need someone to take it off my hands so I can go find another project. This one won't make the turn getting into my carport, so it is currently parked in my front yard.

Pics can be found at:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskKbL1KR

[bobmiller1]

I took last weekend off from working on the 370LE to spend some time with my sister and her husband who came for a nice visit......now it's time to get back to work ! I removed the hot water heater and found about 10 pan lids, an old shirt, gloves, and about 10 pan lids, some aluminum, some glass, and the other plastic. Found a 9 volt AC to DC transformer plugged into the wall outlet which you cannot see behind the stove/oven. It powers the red indicator so that when you plug into shore power or have the generator running the light comes on.....funny, I did not see that when I re-vamped the 325LE. I replaced all the flourescent light bulbs with warm white ones.....much nicer now on the eyes. Removed the original solar dome cover over the bed in the rear. This Saturday we have alot to do....Remove the front rotors, remove radiator, remove generator, remove roof air conditioners, and continue to map out all the AC power distribution system.....Regards, Bob

[bobmiller1]

Originally Posted by goodbyetower

I put some pics on Flickr of the 370LE. It cleaned up nicely and drives great! I am amazed that everything works so far. I was better maintained that I realized. I even found the Nutone food processor parts still in cardboard protectors under the sofa.

I am afraid I won't be keeping it long enough to make it to the 2017 get together, but who knows? I need someone to take it off my hands so I can go find another project. This one won't make the turn getting into my carport, so it is currently parked in my front yard.

Pics can be found at:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskKbL1KR

Great pictures.....looks like it is in great shape....you might consider a new driveway/carport ! Regards, Bob

[OttawaValleyGuy]

Thank you for the candid blow by blow on your journey.

You have done a fine job

Continued good luck to you

From the old Canuck !!!

[bobmiller1]

I purchased the 100 amp circuit breaker box that I will be using to finish out the 30 to 50 amp conversion. Having 100 amps of 110 AC volts makes it easy to isolate systems. I will be running one AC off of one bus bar and the other off the other bus bar. I can split the electric hot water heat, the microwave and the new 3 stage converter around so they can all be used at the same time without worry. This Sunday I plan to label out all the interior outlets....even the hidden ones behind the kitchen cabinets on the wall so I can label the new circuit breaker box correctly.

[mayco]

Thats a great idea Bob. Ive never heard of anyone installing a 100amp panel. Sure gives you plenty of room to isolate circuits. Very cool

Mike

[mayco]

So youre installing a 100amp panel but will the main be 100amp or 50amp? Youve got 50amp available to the coach correct? On your shore power cord? You can heat up both buss bars in the new panel but the main breaker will still be a 50amp? The new panel will be rated 100amp but youre still going to have only 50amp available?

[bobmiller1]

Mike, from what I understand at the campground when you plug into 50 amp service, it is 2 legs, 50 amps on each 110 leg, giving a total of 100 amps available, I never understood why the original 30 amp circuits were 10 gauge only and when you went to 50 amps the gauge became 6. Obviously 6 gauge can handle 50 amps. Using a 100 amp box gives me the flexibility to spread my circuit breakers out and isolate my systems.

[Vycan]

Team,

Handy link for RV 50 Amp service specifics. http://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/50amp_Service.htm

[mayco]

Great link Vycan. I guess Im still fuzzy on what size main breaker youll have in your onboard panel, 50amp or 100amp. Either way you are protected at the service pole by a 50amp breaker which will trip if either of your hot legs calls for it. Didnt see reference to the main breaker in the link. It shows a 50amp double pull for your house sub panel outlet.
Grounding your onboard panel is another issue I dont think I get. In the old days, all ground and neutrals tied to the same bar in the panel. Not so anymore. Separate bars. Is your new panel ground tied to the ground bar in the panel or does it tie to the skin?

[rmkrum]

For an RV, code requires safety earth (green ground wire tied to chassis) and power neutral (white wire) to be separate. They are tied at the pedestal or main panel outside the AS. It's a safety item and must be done that way for shock protection, especially on an aluminum bodied AS.


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[bobmiller1]

Well.......it is official.....the nose is off the 370LE ! The 370LE is definitely going to be my last one..... did I say that before ??? She kicked my butt today....got about 7 nice cuts. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give this job an "11" for difficulty.... 12 hours today, removed the steering box, front brakes, rotors.....need seals, need rotors, oh and did I say remove the radiator ??? never again, never, never , never. 3 times more difficult than the 325 LE. I had to remove the entire wiring harness of the 370, not to mention the electric cooling fans, transmission cooler, oil cooler, AC condenser. The wiring is a mess.....glad I started on it now, I'm going to need three months to get this mess sorted out and re-installed correctly. Pictures to follow. Regards, Bob

[bobmiller1]

[streamquest]

Bob, You have definitely traveled beyond the outer marker now. Are you sure that you will ever get Humpty Dumpty back together?

Just kidding, but if someone told me that the Hope Diamond was hidden behind my radiator, I swear that I would start at the rear bumper and work my way forward through the black tank, rather than go through all that stuff from the front..... because at least I understand what's in the black tank.

[streamquest]

Bob, Just as a for instance.....

What's that black thing with the wheels and the blue plastic bag sitting on top of it??? I can't recall seeing anything like that in my engine bay, but I can imagine that it made for some odd noises going down the road!!

Charly

[PeterH-350LE]

Bob, wow.... You have my admiration, I think
Are you sure it was not possible to pull the radiator out from underneath, like in the late 70's, early 80's GM models?
According to your description, a shop would have to charge 3-4k for a radiator replacement.

[bobmiller1]

Alright...I'm much calmer now...had a good sleep. No way to get the radiator out from below, period. I would have done anything else if I could have. I can't even explain to you how they put this thing together. Now I know why when they changed the engine back in 2006, they pulled it out of the bottom. As they assembled the 370LE they welded tabs on to hold various items or brackets. The transmission cooling lines are almost impossible to get to. I am really going to have to re-engineer this thing to put it back together so that it is possible to service in the future. I cannot even explain the wiring.....I took lots of pictures and downloaded them to my computer and a jump stick in the event I had lost my phone or dropped it in the toilet or my computer crashed or something like that ! Previous events which all happened to me. Today I am just going to clean up things in the shop.....smoke alot of cigarettes and drink some more coffee.....maybe dream of driving the 370LE to the next "Get- Together". Regards, Bob

[Isuzusweet]

I think I'd rather kick a Giant Asian hornets nest (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_giant_hornet) or take on a village of Taliban by myself than tackle what you've done...........

I understand the whole concept of trying to put right the way it should have been done in the first place, but then there are times to let sleeping dogs lie. Bob here just kicked a pack of rabid pit bulls.

Goodluck..........you may as well do the diesel conversion now, and wire for it.

Cheers
Tony

[Vycan]

Bob, Tony's got a great point about doing the diesel conversion now if it's in the 370'S future.

[bobmiller1]

Not yet on the diesel....when I retire....which may be this week....cause it's going to take me a year and a day to finish this wiring mess. The pots, pans, gloves, a shirt and various other crap was found upon removal of the hot water heater. Finished one new sub-harness for the front wiring...need to get more butt connectors tomorrow.