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2004 intrigue 38' problems

Yahoo Message Number: 77791
Looking at a 2004 Country Coach Intrigue Suite Escape 38'. Any common problems I should be aware of? Paint micro cracking not a problem on Intrigues? Tried searches, but not sure how to do this effectively on Yahoo groups. Very different interface from other forums. Was directed here from a member on IRV2.

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77793
Radiator and the sealing of the slide room walls to the face wall are a couple of problems. Not having two struts on each bay door is another. I don't have the PTO issue, this coach might. Typical Hydro-hot issues. There was a recall to have a stiffener placed on the steering gear box to prevent flexing. Some of us have had the accumulator section of the fuel pump go bad. The o-rings on the lift pump are no longer available so you have to replace the pump when it fails due to the lean new fuel. The Toyo tires should be replaced immediately if still on the coach. Make sure you replace all the filters on the engine and coolant if not up to parr. Replace the air filter for sure, failure could cost you a new engine. The Hydraulic system uses auto transmission fluid the Allison uses is own synthetic fluid, which cannot be used in the hydraulic system. The HWH hydraulic system uses a proprietary hydraulic fluid, NO transmission fluid there. Replace the fluid and filters on the tranny, lube the chassis, check the front bearings and rear end levels. Change the Hydraulic fluid and filters, inspect the roof for seal failures. Check the tops of the slide rooms too. Inspect the dual pane windows for seal creep and and failure, allowing moisture between the pains. Change the water filter next to the plumbing bay. Replace the fuel lines to the hydro hot and the generator. Have the genset serviced and in addition replace the fan belt . Replace the batteries with AGMs that will prevent the battery frame from rusting out, also Have the Hydro hot serviced. Replace the TV's or get yourself a digital tuner for both sets. Check and make sure the head hunter toilet is working properly, it tends to use more water, but as it has a p-tap you won't have to worry about black water odors. You may want to flush the holding tanks and make sure the level indicator sensors are not clogged up with waste. Check the fuses in the rear compartment that supply voltage for your toad. Have some one wash your coach and wax it and look for leaks. around windows, slide out room wiper seals, etc. There are some catch basins under the bed to prevent water from entering the bedroom. Mine were clogged with lint. Check the drain trays for the air conditioners and blow out the drain lines so water or condensation from the air conditioners drains properly and doesn't streak the side of the coach. The bolts that hold my rear air in place loosened over the years and needed to be tightened last year. Replace the Star-trek antennae when you can, it's not worth much. I know the list sounds long, but the coach is 8 years old.
TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731 PS. tell us where you live so we can make recommendations for maintenance and repairs. Join FMCA and one of the CC clubs, so we all can meet sometime answer your questions face to face.

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77795
Excellent write up !!!! Sounds like you have been here before.

Kevin Waite (Former Country Coach Service Tech.) 541-953-6162 (Cell)

kvn.wt.7629@...

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77798
Carol poked me in the ribs and said I should have mentioned checking the cabinet door hinges, that crack, the pull out drawer glides retainers that fail, the shower head that will leak, the shower door that will not close properly. Make sure you clean and reseal the floor tile grout, and use Panel Magic to feed and reseal the wood. If you are lucky to have walnut cabinetry don't for get the "OLD ENGLISH" furniture polish. If you have ever owned a Stereo system, you know how bad RCA pin connectors are, so be prepared for rear camera problems when they oxidize, blocking the signal. Learn how to program your back-up camera, when the batteries get low and the display programing shuts off the camera. MY infrared flashers failed that remotely control the components in the hifi sound video cabinet. Get some replacements now while they are cheap and still accessible. I learned how restring my day night window shades, too. The winegard RF video selector may need to have the switches cleaned and every hinge needs to be lubricated from the bay doors to the front door. Check all the slide room wiper seals, my bedroom slide walls were not centered on the exterior wall so the gap on the front was different than the rear making for an afternoon of scrounging around looking for a Monaco Wiper that was 1/2 inch wider than the original CC at Guaranty RV parts department. No matter where you live make a point to find as many former CC factory techs as you can, they are a wealth of knowledge, and they usually give the owner a wealth of knowledge about your coach beyond the services they charge for! Going to a CCFI Home Coming rally in Harrisburg, visiting the New CC, Premiere RV sales and last but not least BOB LEE"S Oregon Motor Coach RV Service center will expose you to a wealth of knowledge you cannot buy! Do visit NorthwestRV Supply just south of Eugene. Joe can find you parts, when others can't. Get you the new Ice maker, which I bet you need. and Joe has the door catches by the box full. He can even get you the spring loaded brass type to replace the plastic ones that continually fail. There are vendors in the area that can repair awnings or replace as I have, stock parts that were original to our coaches, and can do everything from replacing a sofa to replacing an engine. Cummins people in Cohburg are some of the best. The Allison people know our Coaches and their products better than most. Carr Industries and Davis Cabinets can make anything from the perfect Computer cabinet to, or as in my case, expanded storage cabinets over the windows, new window valences, dining room table leaves, and pull out drawers with extended depth everywhere. Don't for get to visit "JERRYS" the best home supply store in the Western Hemisphere.

Basically a 38 ft Intrigue is the 42' with one less bay below and without the lenin closet and smaller kitchen counter upstairs as I remember. It should be a great coach for you, fairly simple with out all the complex systems of later Intrigues or the same period Magnas and Affinities. It will turn on a dime and is stable because of the tag axle, the load carrying is capacity beyond compare. The ideal coach if you want to tow a Hummer or put a Harley motor cycle lift on the back. If you have one of the later units built in 04 with the front Generator slide out and flat panel LCD TV's you are two steps ahead the rest of us. If you have the Cummins engine you will great milage if you stay below 62 mph. If you have the CAT C-12, you should be able to go straight up at 60 mph. You'll have cooling issues if you have the C-13 CAT. Oh make sure the marker lights over the windshield are properly sealed as that's a sure place to allow moisture to access the inside of the coach and run down the inside of windshield and damage your front TV. Thomas W. Insall 2004 42' Intrigue Ovation. 11731

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems (hope I dont't run out fo things to f

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77816
Yea, owning one of these 2004 intrigues reminds me everyday like it was to have my first sports car, a triumph spitfire. I could always find something that needed improving or repaired everytime I got back from a trip. I sold it the day I had everything working just perfect but it took 4 years to get it to that point. I figure I am still 2 years away from that point with my 42 foot 2004 intrigue. That day will come but it has been mostly fun trying to improve upon it.
I had to laugh at some of the ideas to look for and repair, brought up by Thomas. Just added another year to my ownership with some of the items mentioned. I have one of those C12 engines. Just spent two hours replacing the air filter. I took it to a shop to have it replaced and they said it did not need it...... (correct translation, they could not figure out how to replace it so they didn't do it). I could have filled a small kitty litter box with all the dust and fine grit that was in it. After 20 minutes of running my high powered stihl leaf blower and aircompressor through it, it was still blowing out lots of dust....I gave up and bought a new one). I was wondering why I only averaged 5 to 6 mph the past 12,000 miles. I now have that job down to 1 hour in and out. Made some modifications to replace it faster. (this problem is isolated to the the earlier C12 inrigues I guess)
Also replaced the salesman switch solenoid with a latching solenoid last week (the big boy) since the original one that comes with the coach sucks so much battery life and will cause your batteries to go dead after a couple weeks if left on for a considerable amount of time (6 weeks) without the charger on.
I also rewired the cables on the 4 AGM 8D's last week, (yea I added a couple more to the battery bay just after I bought the coach) so they are now drawing equally across all four batteries, (thanks to a recent article in the FMCA magazine). Just when you think you have figured it all out, you read and article and Bam! another project.
Oh yea, throw the norcold refrigerator under the bus too and get a residential refrigerator, I went with the 19.7 cubic foor Samsung because it is more energy efficient than the norcold and it works like a refrigerator should. Best conversion you can make on these older coaches in addition to getting rid of the old entertainment systems.
The big difference between the C12 and cummins engines on these coaches is one rig will get to the party faster if there are hills in the way. The 3 stage jake brake on the C12 will also be a plus cominng down the other side of the hill after building up all that momentum going up the hill.
I have yet to see a 38' C12 intrigue but that would be one fine coach.

Just my opinions (all in fun)

Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems (hope I dont't run out fo things to f

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77820
Thanks to all who replied. I've downloaded this thread to a Word document and converted it to a checklist.
The Intrigue I was looking at sold while I was dithering. Still, as far as the floorplan, haven't seen anything we like better. We live in SW Washington so access to the Country Coach resources around Coburg, OR is reasonable.
The list of issues is so long, makes me wonder what I'd be getting into. Guess any 8 or 9 year old coach will need TLC. We don't have an immediate need, sold our Trek and don't plan any travels before early Winter. If we spend a summer with $5 gas and $6 diesel, coach prices may improve. RV demand will certainly fall off.

Mike Patronick

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems (hope I dont't run out fo things to f

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77822
Yes, pulls 3.9 amps.
Jim

07 Allure #31570

Re: 2004 intrigue 38' problems (hope I dont't run out fo things to f

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 77823
Yes the samsung will run off the inverter (modified/squarewave or pure sinewave, according to Samsung) It pulls about 1.2 amps measured at 120 volts or about 13 amps at the battery before inverting to 120 volts. These figures are based upon amp/hour. The yellow energy sticker that comes with the refrigerator states $45 per year of electricity at I think 11 cents per kilowatt hour. You can do the math to see that these figures are good.
The fact that you can even find a residential refrigerator that only uses $45 per year of household electricty is a testiment to the Samsung refrigerator that uses mini compressors that can isolate the freezer from the refrigerator compartment. It uses all LED lighting too.
I go about 16 hours between charges starting at 90 SOC and kicking on the generator at 55 SOC with all the other appliances and lights being used. Many of these coaches only have two house batteries (8D) so cut the above times in half.

Dallas 2004 intrigue 11688

Re: 12 volt timer or thermostat switch for electronic's cabinet.

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78277

Hi all

I need to install a 12 volt timer or a thermostat in-line switch in the cooling fan supply. I have a manual switch but often forget to turn on when cabinet heats up.
Anyone have a part # or a source.

Thanks in advance.

Bo & Kathy Lee
2000 Magna #5896

2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Rubicon

Re: 12 volt timer or thermostat switch for electronic's cabinet.

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78745
You might try radio shack- I know they have a transformer to plug into the back of your unit steping down to 12 volt fan. If fan 120 volt- plug directly intoback of unit.

Robert & Chee Chee Huffhines
2007 Tribute #81042
2006 Jeep Liberty



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From: bo lee

To: "Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com" Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 12:15 PM Subject: Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: 12 volt timer or thermostat switch for electronic's cabinet.


Hi all

I need to install a 12 volt timer or a thermostat in-line switch in the cooling fan supply. I have a manual switch but often forget to turn on when cabinet heats up.
Anyone have a part # or a source.

Thanks in advance.

Bo & Kathy Lee
2000 Magna #5896

2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Rubicon

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