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Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Yahoo Message Number: 21865
We are happy with our 2006 Inspire Genoa. At the time, the price ( August 2005 ) for the step up to the tag Allure was not just a little more and we were at our max price point. If I could I would. The tag has advantages like stablity and several thousand pounds of weight carrying capabilty beyond the single axle. Yes, it looks good. As I said, we are happy, but like almost any coach there are some issues. There is no manual disconnect for the house batteries. There is a 3 amp drain and if you are not plugged in, the batts are gone in 5 days. Should also be there for safety. I installed a manual disconnect. Transmission temps run real high and if stopped in traffic, keep climbing unless you put it in neutral. Engine temp runs above Cat book numbers but never gets to the engine warning lite even in the Western mountains. I now know why this happens. It is not the gage. Need to work on the trans temp issue. For all I know, the Allure may have these issues too.

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21869
Quote
If your engine idle it to high your transmission temp will run high.

Gary Bender

04' Intrigue 11701

We are happy with our 2006 Inspire Genoa. At the time, the price ( August

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21872
We have a 05 Inspire and have tranny temperature problems in my opinion. They checked out the engine and fan speeds to ensure cooling is operating correctly and it was.
I have provided them temperature graphs of all our trips over the past ten months from out silver leaf VMSpc software. This showed whether or not I was towing a 7000 lb trailer or not that the tranny begins to overheat with any slowing and cannot recover even with highway speeds continuously for hours. The tranny temps will just jeep rising even if you do not stop but will top off around 215 if you jeep moving. If you do not the temp will get to 239.
While I have not had the tranny shutdown I have stopped to allow things to cool down which is annoying to say the least.
At any rate CCI is looking at the data I provided and I am awaiting their statement on an additional tranny cooler system to fix this alleged over heating problem.

Kary

05 Inspire 36'
51499

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21878
I did not want a tag axle due to space consumed by axle. Stability is fine with 115 in front tires & 105 in rear tires.
We would like to have 10,000 # 24' trailer, but with parking limits in parks, access to many parking lots, tail dragging, driving stress added by trailer, we do without. The tag axle would allow such a large trailer. All things considered, we prefer not to have the trailer.

Maybe this will soon change as people push for RV driver licenses & weight limitations. LA has already weighed our coach 3 times with in traffic lane scales on I12. Once the LA scale flashed red and we kept going without being pursued. Changing laws could force us into having tag axle.

What new problems resulted with added switch? What is wrong with your standard coach battery disconnect switch? What does it leave on? Would it be better without a remote control? You could move some loads to other side of coach battery disconnect switch to be rid of the 3 amps.
Remember the Allison requires power always, so chassis battery will still die. Maybe the 3 amps is largely going thru echo charger to chassis loads?

Your Allison manual requires neutral while idle, not drive selection. I can't blame CC for Allison design.
We have not seen over 208 in normal engine use while towing 7000 #. We have seen about 211 engine & 224 Allison temps *only *while stop & go traffic in TX and not using neutral. Houston freeway construction zones are not fun for driver or Allison. Up mountains in over 95 degree weather, total near 40000 #, we are passing trucks & cars with cooling fan cycling loud & quiet. Temperatures below 210.
Where id you find "Cat book numbers"? I have not found any Caterpillar information stating normal engine temperature. Cat publishes only limit temps. 204 degrees @ 500 '# torque & 1650 R/M seems normal for my Inspire, but Cat won't say it should be lower or higher. Fan should increase @ 208.

Other CC models have same problems & other problems. Other CC models seem to use much more space for decorations, less space for us & our stuff. YMMV.

Maybe this should have been on list, but it is long.

Eric & Terry Elliott
5 Inspire 51321

Between NC coast & Dothan AL

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21883
My allison temps can very easily get up over 280 degrees no problem, and I do use neutral when possible. Right... can't blame CC for Allison design, however maybe you can blame CC for lack of guidance.
I do feel the Inspire has engine and transmission issues that need to be worked out.
Jim

2005 Inspire #51225

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21898
Jim,

I do not have time now to look in Allison manual for limit temperature, but think it quits playing near 265 degrees.
If I am right and your Allison is still shifting over 265, then your temperature sensors or gages are suspect.
Even when ignored in drive in Houston, my Allison has at least 30 degrees of headroom.
Can you get 280 in a short trip with Allison technician & Allison laptop on board? That would be my next step.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ My Allison temps can very easily get up over 280 degrees no problem, and I do use neutral when possible. Right... can't blame CC for Allison design, however maybe you can blame CC for lack of guidance.
I do feel the Inspire has engine and transmission issues that need to be worked out.
Jim

2005 Inspire #51225

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21918
Eric,

Actually, I can't get to 280 degrees with normal driving, more like 212 on average. What bothers me is the way the temp soars when maneuvering at slow speeds. The other day I was working with my wife on parking and had to quit because the allision got up close to 300 degrees real fast. I would not be at all surprised if the gauge or sensor is off because the transmission has never given me a warning or refused to shift. I do know that others are seeing temps in this range with the Inspire. These temps may be normal, but it sure seems hot, and it is hard to know what the long term affect will be on the transmission.
Jim

2005 Inspire #51225

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21927

Jim,

Have you tried talking to CC about the additional transmission cooling unit they are installing on coaches with overheating problems. Lazy Days handled mine and the new cooler reduced my temp by 75 degrees.

Bill G. 2005 Magna#6425

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21928
Jim & Eric,

How about trying a lower engine idle speed. High idle will heat the engine fast.

Gary F. Bender
04 Intrigue 11701
 

Re: Inspire owner likes / dislikes

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21935
A flap below the radiator helps in stop and go traffic, many coaches come with them, they are available as after market item for under $100. If you look in photo area under CC test coach, you will see the one on the cc test coach and an after market one installed on ours.
Opening the engine door if you do not have it louvered will drop the temperature around 20 degrees. Support arms can be built cheaply to keep it open. A screen covering the open door area can also be made.
Check the photo area. Most other coach manufactures have the area open with louvers, the cc test coach had the louvers. Have not seen any new coaches in the past year, so don't know whether cc followed through on the recommendations made by the test facility at Desert West Coach in Phoenix. John
2002 Allure
#30702