From the?Toyota-Campers Group —
Wishing warm vibes to all our members: ?whether you be in a warm climate or cold; ?whatever your faith persuasion or not; ?and especially affirming a resounding call for peace on earth more than ever! ?
And may Santa bring YOU all you wish for!
Tika,?
Owner/moderator?Toyota-Campers Group
Now in our 24th year - yes!
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Re: Valve Adjustment, AGAIN
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Re: Valve Adjustment, AGAIN
One of my mechanic mentors (who ran a high-end shop in the San Francisco Bay Area) told me this
when I asked him to name the largest contributor to his success.
1) Check the basics
2) Check the basics
3) Check the basics
4) When you've done all of the above...check the basics.
With modern high-tech cars full of computers, sensors, and complex mechanisms, it's easy to get caught up in the minutiae
and look for complicated explanations. But engines still need compression, fuel, spark, and proper timing of valve
and ignition events to operate properly.
It's great that you found a mechanic who checked the basics and corrected the existing issues for a reasonable price.
Buzz L.
Phoenix, AZ
Former '86 Dolpin 500 owner
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Re: Valve Adjustment, AGAIN
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Re: Valve Adjustment, AGAIN
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Re: Valve Adjustment, AGAIN
A QUICK UPDATE:?
I took the Warrior to the new mechanic, to have the compression checked and chase down that check engine light that my previous mechanic gave up on. He had great news for me -- he found spark plugs that were fouled and had the wrong spark gap, so he replaced them with DENSO OEM, and added a new wire set, ignition rotor, and distributor cap (ie, a tune up!). NO more check engine light! Sheesh, sometimes it's the simplest things! I've driven the camper now in city traffic, off-road down miles of gravel, and bombed up the highway (flat and hills), and no light.
He also checked the compression -- number 6 was 159, and the others either 163 or 162. Mucho happiness!
All for only $300.
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE GREAT ADVICE!
Sue Crowe
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
Yeah, if your motor home "brakes" as you describe, it is not an idiosyncrasy or design shortcoming. YOUR BRAKES HAVE FAILED!?
Don't drive that thing on the public streets until you have fixed your brakes.
We can't diagnose it sight unseen. It could be the vacuum booster, the proportioning valve, pad contamination, or whatever, but it is absolutely not "just the way they brake."
You should be able to panic stop and throw the dishes out of the cupboards. These motorhomes are heavier than an unladen pickup truck, but they are not THAT heavy. The underlying pickup truck and its brakes are mature technology and not some weird jury rig.
When you get it fixed, you will say, "Hey, I have brakes!" It won't be a minor improvement.
Mike.
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Understandable, good luck!? Diana
On Monday, December 4, 2023 at 05:05:03 PM PST, aa1@... <aa1@...> wrote:
Hi Diana ? Thanks for the offer.? But I think for right now, I want a complete new unit.? However, I will keep this on hand, I may change my mind after looking at prices (LOL). ? George ? ? ? Sent from for Windows ?
From: Diana Zutell via groups.ioSent: Monday, December 4, 2023 6:22 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [toyota-campers] AC Unit ? Hi, I have a air conditioning unit in my '88 Sunrader I would gladly sell for a modest price.? Live on the Oregon Coast, I never use it and it does work,? just extra weight. Diana On Monday, December 4, 2023 at 01:02:56 PM PST, aa1@... <aa1@...> wrote: I know it is December (LOL), but I am thinking of possible additions for next year.? I have an 84 Dolphin.? Coach is gone, I am building a frame up brand new coach.? I have had this unit for about 10 to 12 years and the AC unit has never worked.? ? Instead of having this unit repaired (I have heard some very high prices here for that) I am considering purchasing an aftermarket unit and installing it myself.? I worked on AC units many years ago and still have most of the needed equipment.? ? Does anyone have any recommendations on possible units to look at? ? Thanks George ? ? ? Sent from for Windows ?
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
Lots of things to check, but most need special tools.
A simple check for the brake booster. Engine off get in and pump the brake pedal several times. Hold the pedal down and start the engine. If you feel the pedal move thats good. No movement?? Maybe a bad booster.
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
Nothing to add for a solution beyond the good recommendations. ?My 1984 Nissan Sunrader stops just fine so it’s NOT NORMAL and you need to find someone to take a real look. ?Be safe!
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
I am hearing a lot of speculation, so let me add my own:? Gear oil has soaked the brake parts and made them useless because of a leaking axle seals .?
Until someone pulls off the drums all there is to offer is hot air.
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
The D21 has huge rear brakes but the R/V's are built on the 1 ton chassis but it has huge rear brakes as well. I owned a 1995 D21 and it had rear Anti-Lock brakes. You might want to investigate that. The ABS module is under the drivers seat.
I would be checking if the rear brake proportioning valve is adjusted correctly (if it even has one) and working properly. With an R/V permanently mounted on the Pickup the chassis is fully loaded so you could remove it altogether.
I would also check if the brake booster is working at all, sometimes the booster check valve gets clogged up and you have no power brakes. To test the booster operation: step on the brake pedal and then start the engine, the pedal should drop slightly, maybe half an inch. If it does not drop once the engine is started the booster is not working.
Has anyone actually taken off the rear brake drums and looked at the the brakes?
Don't overlook the possibility that IF the rear brake cylinders are seized up (rusted up) you would have no rear brakes, same goes for the front calipers if they are seized up (rusted up).
You should be able to lock up all 6 tires with the Nissan brake system. I have done it. They are very good.
Aaron from Colorado
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
i find two different size master cylinders listed for these trucks.? 1 inch and 7/8 inch. if the larger one was put on by mistake, the pedal would be hard with less stopping power
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rz
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
There is no reason for your brakes to be that weak if they are in good working order.
I don't know if it's a national standard, but I remember from my Callifornia Drivers License test years ago that, by law,
the brakes on a vehicle HAD to be able to lock up the tires. If your Sunrader brakes do not do this, there is something
not working right.
One static test you can try is (with the vehicle not moving and the engine off) pump the brake pedal a few times
then hold steady pressure on it. It should not move, or barely move over a long time. If the pedal starts to sink,
the master cylinder has an internal failure.
Other than that, you could have air in the system (is the brake pedal "spongy"?), restriced brakes lines or hoses,
stuck calipers/wheel cylinders, or small leaks in the system that don't let out enough fluid to be obvious.
This is basic mechanical stuff. Any competent mechanic should be able to figure out why the brakes are
giving you grief. The fact you have a great big fiberglass box on the back of the chassis doesn't change that.
Good luck,
Buzz L.
Phoenix, AZ
Former '86 Dolphin 500 owner (once changed the front brake pads at a scenic overlook near Kamloops, British Columbia)
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
I had the rear storage box removed (hard to do, cos bolts were all rusted and the ends were behind the dinette paneling, took handyman over an hour).? Nothing heavy was inside.? I don't see extra weight.? I don't use the gray and black holding tanks, and fresh water tank only has about 3 gallons.??
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Julia - Scottsdale, AZ
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
unsprung would indicate the weight is on the axle itself
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rz
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Re: Scary ineffective lousy brakes on 1986 NIssan D21 Hardbody Sunrader
When I first drove my Nissan Sunrader shorty its brakes seemed worthless. But then I discovered that someone had put cinder blocks (!) in the rear box and once o removed them it stopped just as well as my Toyota Sunrader shorty.?
Could it be that yours has some extra weight somewhere? (Especially bad if that weight is "unsprung" behind the rear wheels!)
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Hi Diana ? Thanks for the offer.? But I think for right now, I want a complete new unit.? However, I will keep this on hand, I may change my mind after looking at prices (LOL). ? George ? ? ? Sent from for Windows ?
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From: Diana Zutell via groups.ioSent: Monday, December 4, 2023 6:22 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [toyota-campers] AC Unit ? Hi, I have a air conditioning unit in my '88 Sunrader I would gladly sell for a modest price.? Live on the Oregon Coast, I never use it and it does work,? just extra weight. Diana On Monday, December 4, 2023 at 01:02:56 PM PST, aa1@... <aa1@...> wrote: I know it is December (LOL), but I am thinking of possible additions for next year.? I have an 84 Dolphin.? Coach is gone, I am building a frame up brand new coach.? I have had this unit for about 10 to 12 years and the AC unit has never worked.? ? Instead of having this unit repaired (I have heard some very high prices here for that) I am considering purchasing an aftermarket unit and installing it myself.? I worked on AC units many years ago and still have most of the needed equipment.? ? Does anyone have any recommendations on possible units to look at? ? Thanks George ? ? ? Sent from for Windows ?
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Hi, I have a air conditioning unit in my '88 Sunrader I would gladly sell for a modest price.? Live on the Oregon Coast, I never use it and it does work,? just extra weight. Diana
On Monday, December 4, 2023 at 01:02:56 PM PST, aa1@... <aa1@...> wrote:
I know it is December (LOL), but I am thinking of possible additions for next year.? I have an 84 Dolphin.? Coach is gone, I am building a frame up brand new coach.? I have had this unit for about 10 to 12 years and the AC unit has never worked.? ? Instead of having this unit repaired (I have heard some very high prices here for that) I am considering purchasing an aftermarket unit and installing it myself.? I worked on AC units many years ago and still have most of the needed equipment.? ? Does anyone have any recommendations on possible units to look at? ? Thanks George ? ? ? Sent from for Windows ?
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rz
Julia
Lenny