CC Class reunion 2002

August 03, 2002, 09:22:00 pm

We have just returned from the class reunion at the Eugene Fairgrounds and want to write a few comments that may be of interest.
This was our first time and we found the whole event to be most enjoyable.
For us, the best part of all was meeting some great people who were easy to talk to and very willing to share their RV experiences good and bad (mostly good).
We did meet up with a few people who write notes to the Country-Coach-Owners group and it was rather like meeting up with long lost relatives, we don't really know each other but their is now a common bond thanks to the Internet.
Also had the pleasure of talking with Damon face to face for the first time.
Country Coach took good care of our problem list. Actually one item on our original list was deferred until we visit the factory later this year but in its place we were able to substitute another item.
There were two problems of some consequence that were rectified during or stay. I am not well versed in some of the technical terms used on the Cummins 350 engine so please don't shout at me if my wording is inappropriate.
The first problem concerned the engine cooling fans that generate lots of dust at idle. I know this has been reported here before but my few cents may help someone.
We asked CC to check the settings on our fan to see if they were correct. The young man (sorry I do not have his name) who came to our coach was extremely efficient. Almost immediately he noted that the wire harness leading from the sensor to the control box was touching the engine in a place where the heat from the engine was starting to melt the insulation. This meant the circuit from the fans to the sensor may have been compromised by the wires getting too hot.
Later in his examination he determined that the wires were still OK even though the insulation was damaged. He re routed the harness and tie wrapped it so that it no longer came into contact with the engine and a future problem has now been avoided.
Further investigation determined that the sensor that reads the heat of the engine was missing or had disintegrated. This creates the effect of an open circuit or you might say a complete resistance to current flow. Under these conditions the engine/computer assumes a worst case scenario and calls for maximum fan speed even when the engine is cold. It is what I would term a "fail safe" condition.
Once the sensor was replaced our fan speed decreased at cold or idle just as the engineers had planned when they designed the circuit.
According to our CC technician the program settings for the fan controls have been changed since our coach was built in December 1999, so he then spent approximately ten minutes changing the settings so they match the latest ones used on the 2003 models.
To get to the sensor it was necessary to raise the bed and remove the engine cover. As soon as this was done I spotted one of the bolts holding the rocker cover was sticking up about one inch. Examination showed it was a broken bolt (not stripped thread). Sound familiar?
CC declined to work on this item, indicating it was a Cummins fault. However they helped me make contact with the right people from Cummins Northwest and I was able to take the coach to Coburg where the Cummins technician fixed the problem at no cost. Incidently, he replaced all six bolts, not just the broken one.
We did miss a couple of seminars due to repairs on the coach but will plan on returning next year to pick up anything of importance that we missed.
If memory serves me correctly, nineteen new coaches were sold during the rally and it is possible there may have been a few more after the rally officially ended so it looks as though CC did quite well.
I resisted the urge to trade or even test drive but did ride in a forty foot Intrigue with a tag axle and have to report that any future coach I purchase that is forty feet long will have the tag. The turning circle (with tag raised) is so superior to that acheived with our single axle unit and the ride seemed a lot smoother when going over bumps IMHO.

Must close. Need to purchase lotto tickets. GGG

David and Karen,
2000 Intrigue 11062

Re: Valve Cover Bolts

Reply #1 – August 04, 2002, 12:02:31 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 2418

Hi David,

Apparently, the problem has been over torqueing of the valve cover bolts, now Cummins is torqueing at half the original ft-lb value.
Fred Kovol

Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com

Employment Change

Reply #2 – August 17, 2002, 01:24:12 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 2493

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick note to let everyone know who did not get a letter that I have made a employment change. As of today I will be starting my new venture working for Guaranty RV in Junction City, OR. It was a long & difficult decision to make but one that I feel will be worth it for my family & I. I was with Shorewood RV for 14 years and enjoyed meeting all kinds of people there.

Sincerely,

Damon K. Rapozo

800-825-2333 ext. 2118

Dieselrvs@...

Re: Employment Change

Reply #3 – August 17, 2002, 02:23:58 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 2494

Hi Damon,

Congrats on the new job. It's not easy making a job change. I think that once you get used to the weather, you and your family will like it out there.
Hopefully you can get those guys to be more aggressive on pricing. We went to Guaranty and got a quote from them for our Affinity. Unfortunately, they were not even close to the deal I got from Beaudry and they didn't even want to deal................
Regardless, I hear that they are a good company, so you should do very well with them.

Wishing you the very best.
Denny Zarnt

2001 Affinity # 5972

Re: Employment Change

Reply #4 – August 17, 2002, 10:29:14 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 2495

Sounds like Shorewood should not let you go to the Class Reunion! Congratulations.
ree

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