...Well, I have to say I'm feeling a little discouraged.  Our shakedown trip went wonderfully, and I really couldn't believe that after all my plumbing work there were no leaks.  Everything worked, the drive over the mountain went well, we had a lovely time at an underrated campground....that is until it was time to come home.  

The first issue occurred when I was starting to pack up outside.  This is the first time we used the tanks as this campground was electric/water only.  I don't have any sort of sensors  but I know from living in the Bounder you can tell - black tanks sound different when they are full and they flush, and usually gray backs up in the lowest point and you can smell it (in ours it was the shower pan).  

Mom finished a last bit of dishes (we tried to conserve with water knowing I have small tanks) and all of a sudden I hear water just gushing down onto the ground. All dry under the cabinet, but closer inspection under the carriage with a flashlight showed it just gushing out on all sides of the tank where it is (glued?) up to the bottom of the under carriage.  

So, obviously we had filled it to capacity and rather than backing up, it was pushing out of ... a gasket?  a cracked seal?  

At the same time I noticed the definite odor of the black tank in the bay.  I'd noticed this before when I got it but drop ins solved the issue so didn't pursue.  But I'm wondering if black might have same issue - some sort of lost seal where the bottom of the tank meets the top, but fortunately didn't get full.  So we only polluted with our gray.

The second issue was the awning - we had the awning down the whole time (slanted somewhat as advised) - so Tues night, Wednesday and Thursday and then took it back up this morning.  We almost couldn't get it closed.  It's like the rails have shifted and the inner rails almost didn't want to close back in.  

Then, I decided to check tire pressure - I didn't check on way out as they were supposed to have been inflated at the last mechanics (no).  Way under inflated per the first mechanic.  Tried to inflate them myself but couldn't manage to get the heads on the outer duallies.  Found a tire place and lovely guys at Tire Barn fixed me up - 65 on my rear duallies and 70 on the front.  

Yay, we can breathe, um, no.

No, on the way back across the mountain the engine started hesitating and stumbling.  I almost didn't make it over the last hill despite taking it down to second - it's not transmission.  I don't know, maybe something as simple as a vacuum hose coming off.  But it got worse and worse, doing it taking off from stoplights and I was a hot mess on the last hill up our road.  

The RV fixit place is willing to move heaven and earth to get me in on Monday to look at my tanks but now I have to probably get it to mechanic.  UNLESS I pop the hood this weekend and just happen to see some hose obviously flopping around!!! LOL.

This did not really help my confidence to get on the road to Denver.  I'm really questioning myself...!!!!!  Getting on the road with an older vehicle despite four mechanics now telling me how clean and great the engine is - ROFLOL.  It was the sheer responsibility of having my mom, my dog and an unhappy cat underway that has me really thinking I'm crazy.

Any encouragement welcomed.  It doesn't sound as bad as Russ's shakedown at least!

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And, good to know - then I won't think I'm crazy when I can't find it :-)

Hi Dawn, At this point, I'm wondering if installing a fuel pressure gauge could be beneficial? At least then you could monitor one area of concern.

Now that is interesting - they make such a thing?  I like the idea....

Hey Dawn,

if this was a California coach originally or built to go to California, it quite possibly could have

catalytic converters. they were on ca. coaches. other thing even if the motorhome is a 1984,the chasiss

is no newer than 1980. dodge quit building chassis in 1980 to get money from the government as abailout.

they had to rid themselves of gas hogs so rv chasis went. there were a lot of them floating around for many

years unused. have an auto parts store check the chasis vin for you....

As soon as it gets uncold I'll go crawl under again and continue my inspection farther forward (and take photos! ) I believe this was pretty much built between Canada and Indiana, and spent its life in Colorado....

I got myself some serious finger cramps chatting with several of my OLD school Maniac mechanics,,, and RARELY will the 1 ton series trucks (motorhome incl) will have catalytic converters, If you do have one of the *few,,(very few ) Ca, Compliant so to speak models that got snagged into Ca. inspection process at the time of being built,, The Catalytic converters will be close to the down tubes off the engine of the exhaust BEFORE the huge mufflers they installed. But 95% you wont have a Cat installed. The truck engines installed into the heavy duty catagory, (1 tons and bigger,expected to pull a heavy load) were Catalytic exempt.

But just to amuse and totally verify,, laying a tarp down and looking up underneath,, If you do happen to have a catalytic converter,, it will be BEFORE the mufflers,, But our conclusion after a tedious typing frenzy, it you more then likely dont have a Catalytic exhaust.  But hey who know   you might fall into the 1%....

Hey all - the absolute WILDEST thing happened today.  And it offers another clue...(which someone earlier on this discussion talked about...anyone giving out prizes?)

I went to the nearby grocery and as I came out a woman swings her car around and says..."I used to own that beast" referring to Juno.

WHAT?  YES!  Turns out she was the third owner!  And she knew the prior and original owners as well so could give me a little history.  I mean how coincidental in Denver - a huge city - that at exactly that moment I cross paths with a previous owner who knows her well?  She says she's never seen another Mallard on a Dodge chassis and had fond memories.  

So I gave the tour and told her about my chugging problem - turns out a) she had it worse than I did - it would cut out after an hour and she'd have to wait an hour to go further - yes this was 10 years ago, so I'm seeing why it got handed along and b) it apparently has a second fuel pump (prizes now go to.....?) - there is a switch under the dash that needs to be pulled forward.  I thought it was from some old custom electronics that had been removed and never paid attention to it.

The switch was pushed backwards.  However, I think I'm clear in my understanding that it didn't fix her problem. It came with it when she bought it so the problem existed there (potentially) or elsewhere.  In other words it could have been anything.  She called it vapor lock, too.

And I have no idea if this pump, which is in the tank itself she says, still even works or not.  I pulled it forward on the way back from the grocery store and it seemed if anything it might have vaguely stumbled a few times.  I assume I wouldn't be able to hear it.  Course I was being hypersensitive.

To tie back into the current discussion, however, she couldn't remember if it had a catalytic converter.  

I'm still gobsmacked to have run into her...

A Guardian Angel appears in many forms,

Truer words...

Been following your demise and have another thought other than the timing. What engine is in this mh? Do you still have all the pollution junk hooked up. Check the egr valve.

Let it idle till it is up to temp. Than squirt wd40 around the carb base gasket. If it stalls or stumbles the engine you have found your problem.

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