Overloading a Classic GMC RV & Driving It Across The Country
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- Fun idea: Rebuild a classic GMC Motorhome and take the family camping.
Stressful idea: Overload that 44 year old RV with all the heavy stuff from the garage, then drive it over the rocky mountains. Do this when you have only driven it ~200 miles previously. GOOD LUCK BUDDY!
So, yeah, this is a video of me driving all my stuff inside my 1978 (built in 1977) GMC motorhome from the Portland area to the new house in rural farmland outside Saint Louis. It's an adventure!
shake down cruise/adventure, no injury or a total breakdown so it was a win/win...txs for sharing
I can relate to that stressful journey having had many beater vehicles in my youth. Glad you made it in the end.
It's possible that the fuel system issue is actually vapor lock. The engine gets hot going up a hill, and boils the fuel in the carburetor. That would explain why the fuel filter was still full, but drained when you looked at it- the pressure built up in the carb, and then pushed the fuel out of the bowl, and eventually the filter. Might be something to look into.
Very possible in older non return systems. An old school trick was to wrap the fuel line with tin foil under the hood. I personally doubt that does much. A better answer would be to reroute it.
@@BobWiersema or aqdd Holley EFI SYSTEM
Common issue on that motor home. I've seen others on youtube with the same issue. There's no pump in the tank if I remember correctly so you've got quite a vacuum and I think that changes the boiling temp.
Thats excactley what i was thinking
Omg. Ingenious and tenacity. Your guys are so awesome. Loved the video. Great job.
Glad you made it safely! Looking forward to following along as you build out your new property!
Loved the clip of you and the wife holding the kiddo at the end of the journey.
I'm glad everyone made it safely. I would call this a "Character Building" experience. Keep up the great work on the videos.
Oh would ya now?
What an adventure. Fair play to you. That drive is hard enough without the motorhome problems. I'm glad you made it.
That was a wonderful journey (perhaps not as wonderful for you) but I thank you very much for bringing us along with you through all of the highs and the lows 👍
The GMC is such a beautiful machine, but sadly we didn't get them in the UK and Im constantly envious of your wonderful motorhome and of the endless scenery in America... I live in Glasgow, Scotland and my country is about 60 miles wide where I live and 270 miles top to bottom but I would love to own a GMC because I would probably drive every single road in Scotland just because I could.
You really had me on the edge of my seat with this adventure. So glad everything worked out!
And... man... if it wasn't for the different looking street signs... the vast, deserted landscapes you traversed looked exactly like Spain. Brings back some great memories :)
Big congrats.
73 to 78 is the year span for these beasts... that have been hype so much! I almost fail for it!
Thanks for sharing your footage. Our 1976 GMC E2 is also an on-going lesson for us and we learn so much from your videos. Congrats on the big move! All our best!
Fellow St. Louisan and GMC Motorhome owner here. You got good information here. Thanks!
Wow, what an adventure. Your wife is a real trooper as well. Thanks for sharing 👍👍 i subbed
That was quite a trip. Glad you didn’t have any major breakdowns. Good learning experience for finding out what needs to be fixed next. This is going to be a cool RV. Welcome to Mo.
Great job troubleshooting your issues…glad you made it safely. I’m looking forward to more videos, your content is one of the best. I’m jealous of your pole barn, it’s just what I need to work on my rig through the winter. Good luck and thanks.
What an epic journey, looking forward to the new videos.
That was nuts! I would consider getting a Holly fuel injection system.
And change the fuel pick up unit and an electric fuel pump. The filler neck system is obviously defective/rotten.
In a nutshell, take apart the whole system and revise it all down to the last nuts & bolts.
Gas leaks are a nono.
@@marcryvon I was about to make this comment. Seems like having electric fuel pumps at the tanks would negate this issue.
Glad you made it! I did one of these trips with a 74 Argosy and broke down a few times and had to work on it lol.. The fuel problem going up the hill, your gas tank might not have baffles in it to help keep a minimum amount of fuel in the pickup line area, thus starving it when going up hills. Good thinking on the hose with the gas can though!
Absolutely loved that adventure. Great job and I will be doing the same thing soon as well.
Congrats on making the trip! Can't believe how fortunate I was when I brought my 77 Palm Beach home in March of this year, only about 350 miles -but across the Rockies at night in the rain ...only upgrade before leaving was a set of new tires ...didn't have to do any work on the way ...I now realize I was extremely lucky!!
Glad to see you made it safely and with only a few issues that you were able to fix on the side of the road. I look forward to seeing you troubleshoot the fuel delivery problem.
Glad to see yall made it to your new home safe and sound! I’ve had to make one of these cross country moves and it was very stressful. But a least you got to see a lot of this beautiful country.
My wife and I drove our 1976 GMC Transmode from the GMC COOP in Orlando, Florida all the way to southern California during the REALLY HOT summer of 2012. What often appeared to be vapor lock shutdowns (they were) caused the coach to break down five times. Somehow we were always helped by a local mechanic at the first four "stops". At the final engine fuel failure in Flagstaff, Arizona we finally had the GMC towed to Roger's Automotive off highway 89 in Chino Valley. That was when the AAA 100-mile emergency tow really meant 100 miles! When we got the coach back to California I had an Edelbrock 2151 intake manifold installed. That ended all the problems. My GMC was one of several "given away" by Regency Realty Management a year ago, after it had been stripped and vandalized while at MGM GMC in Montclair, California.
Thanks for inviting me along!
You may have a pinhole in your fuel supply line that reduces the suction of your fuel pump. Speaking from experience here.
Good luck in your new home!
Happy to see you made it. What an adventure
Ah I miss la grande. I always go there. Been to pendleton. Elgin. Portland. But always stay in la grande. Love it there alot. My ancestors had alot to do with that little town
Sweet ride, mate! Sweeeeet ride!
You also may want to look into a carb rebuild kit and check the lines for blockages in the fuel and vent side of it. I would highly suggest replacing all the rubber lines anyway, Then any place they are expose to the road use stainless steel lines to help lessen chance of damage.
Good you made it... with a minimum of issues... this sort of trek is nerve-racking!
Just drove my '74 GMCMH from Pincher Creek, Alberta to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan...470 miles ...made it with zero issues...the Coach was sitting for several years in a quonset...tires were sketchy...I feel EXTREMELY lucky...Thanks for your vid...owning these machines goes well with risk taking personalities..."gamblers who think their luck will never run out".
Just drove my gmc from Vancouver island to Calgary going up Roger’s pass at 60 mph ( speed limit is 45 mph) stupid, if I get stuck behind a semi going 25 mph because left lane traffic is too busy I run higher transmission temps , coolant temps with aluminum rad 177-192,
455, fitech, aluminum intake, edelbrock heads (super expensive but worth it)running head temps between 123 and 143 degrees
Fuel leak, dropped fuel tanks and replaced all the fuel hoses
Toyo tires 52psi pressure all around, drives straight less push when semi’s are passing, handles like a dream now,
BTW engine was built by DW in Calgary,I used Rods camshaft recommendation, great job Rich!
I was screaming noooo not another tow! So glad you rigged a gas can, it was like an episode of roadkill great job filming this adventure
Ur crazy! I wouldn’t ever have done that. Thanks for sharing…
I'm getting ready to do the same journey with my 1994 odesza Duo deck 843 Diesel Pusher, and I gotta tell you I love the leap of faith you took on this run that's what separates the winners from the losers😅 I was shocked that none of the other truck drivers commented on your scale technique! Lol
That looks like it was a lot of fun.
Reverse Oregon trail. Hello from Independence Mo.
I have the Same problem. I use my odometer to keep track of my mileage.
I have a 1977 Palm beach, it’s been all over the country. It’s a bit ramshackle and bear up but I love it.
I only run super unleaded, it seems to run a lot smoother on it and gets better mileage.
This show is fun, thank you.
It makes me smile
Glad you made it! I've been fooling around GMCMH's for almost 35 years and am currently on my third GMC Motorhome, a 1975 Palm Beach. I had the same problems with fuel starvation and stalling. after 2 new carborator's and no change I had Alex Sirum GMC in Okeechobee, Fl. install the FI- Tech fuel injection system! It's been on there at least 3 years and it has been Awesome! Better fuel mileage, better throttle response, and it always starts right up! Holly makes a similar system.. check them out.. Also If you still have the exhaust manifolds on your engine.. Get rid Of Them ASAP! install the Headers.. your engine will run 50 percent cooler, more power and better millage!! I watch all your vids.. Keep up the great work!
I agree with Vapor Lock being the likely culprit. Your gas can bypass confirms vapor lock in my mind. Had to install an electric fuel pump in my RV years ago for that very problem.
The gas is coming from a Charcoal filter, the vent lines should run to a DR side combiner and air gap vent then back to the canaster, look it up, someone probably eliminated the loop in the drivers wheel wheel between bogies. I pulled my tanks and redid all my lines.
Just found your channel I love motorhome stuff so I subscribed. Your wife is a keeper she puts up with all your shenanigans and she's beautiful. Me and my wife full-time RV for three years now we have at 96 Winnebago 30 foot classy they don't build them like they used to anyway I'll be watching motorhome stuff if you put out videos👍
Great video! Channeling a little Vice Grip Garage with the remote tank. I hope you look into a FI-Tech or Holley Sniper EFI.
dream rv -great great modern classic
What a voyage!!!
Do do have to say watching your woes I am progressively getting discouraged from my burgeoning MH restoration project.
I’m now seriously considering going full on electric with 6 hub motors. The design is almost perfect, considering the chassis is essentially what is now much touted as electric “skateboard” layout. Orbis wheel makes a cool hub motor.
Just really throwing this out there for the GMCMH community to comment on.
Thx, Mike
my wife and i took this routefrom san fran back to louisville ky in my Jeep Wrangler jk pulling a 2000lb cargo trailer with camping gear for our 22nd anniversary 22 day camping(tent) the whole way! these mountains are the real deal! donner and Sheridan passes between 6k and 8k+ feet!! your almost done dude Salt flats then flatness all the way to MO
Looks like a fun challenge. 🙂
Wow, what a beautiful country.
Welcome to the neighborhood. Southern Illinois - about 40 miles east of STL. Once the shop is set, you will find everything goes much easier.
It is now a year+later since you'al took this adventurous drive west coast to mid america. Just discovering you'al on UA-cam. I have at some point some catching up on your past UA-cam programs. Don't feel left out on road trip experiences. I must say with a GMC RV Motor Home you surely took it with great passion to accomplish the drive. Thankful you'al are all together & wish ya the very best. Look'n to keep up with ya. always, Tommy🤠
Les Schwab in Fremont Ca is AWESOME! They fixed some patches on my tires and only charged me for the first one. Then I took my wife's car to get patched and even then they did it for free since I had done it there before. 👏
I remember traveling with my step dad who owned a small transport company and I'd go all over the eastern seaboard of Canada and the US, more than once I had to shuffle weight at the scales inside a trailer with a reefer unit running.
I really enjoyed that! Great video and a great adventure. I just found your channel tonight and look forward to watching more of your uploads. Hi fron the UK.
Hi, thank you and welcome! Definitely start this series from the beginning, it goes in chronological order: ua-cam.com/play/PLgkFf_pITyc50x8sgRI0QneQeIbgg19Tg.html
I didn’t read all the comments but I think your gas leak behind the pass side front wheel is the charcoal canister getting gas when it should only see vapor. May be too full at the top off. Might be faulty gas/vapor separator located diagonally at the back driver side boggie. Check you manuals for system and how it’s supposed to work. Could be a gas tank venting piping issue also. Good luck!
Great lx... super reliable! Just wish the air bags in the rear had the same Toyota reliability...have same issues on my gx470
You have one long suffering wife - a rock star!!!
you had a MUCH better attitude about everything than i would have :) Nice job making it!
Im so glad I'm not the only one who had the exact same issues when driving my vintage motorhome when i moved. Down to the gas can sitting on my dash lol I still have fuel issues and so I just said fk it and bought an aftermarket tank for a boat and an electric fuel pump, works great still.
I tried something like this when I was younger but not now. My 73 will get a new alum one-piece fuel tank and fuel injection before I leave the Fl flatlands. Jim Bounds sells the new fuel tank with a built-in sump.
I'm happy you made your trip without serious issue! I had a few of those BEAUTIFUL GMC's, one of which was awesomely original that I was forced to sell but still have my '75 but gutted it out to convert to tool hauler. I'm about to give it a "U-pol Raptor liner" coating to match my jeep (raptor black) but sadly just find that the GMC towing capacity really sucks!. Doing it anyway but will only tow locally. i/2 of the 26 foot is for an RV and the other 1/2 as a "tool hauler". FUN!
LOL this episode is like Vice Grip Garage!
Derek would have been the ideal companion for this trip
the gas sending unit mesh is clogged or debris in the tank. holes in the gas line also have the same symptoms
Cheering you on!
I was a bit surprised you filled the rv full of stuff.
Switching to a electric fuel pump installed near the gas tank will prevent vapor locking issues. Another thing with RV's this size is ALWAYS STOP AT EVERY FUEL STATION and keep the tank above 1/2 to full all the time.
You can have the carb and filters changedwill be able to climb any Hill these motor homes in crossing the country for forever
we need an update, come back
You know a buddy of mine turned me on to one of these. After seeing this video. I'm seriously reconsidering my decision in finding a decent one for purchase.
In my opinion, the GMC transmode/motorhome is the best thing that Detroit ever made. Bar none. They are a 50-year-old vehicle. At this point. Expectations should be realistic. If it was easy everyone would do it. That's why owning a GMC is a special kind of status symbol. And a thing you can be proud of.
I once had a partly kinked fuel line that starved me of gas climbing big hills. A dirty fuel filter or dirty pickup screen in the fuel tank will do the same, but you can still drive slowly and in most cases, drive intermittently to get to where you can fix it. In the field, you can also backflush the pickup screen by removing the gas cap and blowing into the fuel line, unless stopped by a one way check valve. I did this several times in an old pickup until fuel detergent eventually dissolved enough crud so the pickup stopped clogging, and several new fuel filters did the rest.
At the fuel pump, push the second white square from the top on the right and it will mute the audio at the pump.
This month I'm purchasing a seat of Solidworks and a laptop workstation. I'm building out a 78 GMC so perhaps we can share CAD files at some point.
Hey! Hope the move went/is going well. Have you considered using the community posts feature for minor updates in between videos?
Another suggestion to look for with your fueling problem. I had a 30+ year old vehicle that I had to store for just over 3 years. When I went to recover it, it would not crank, but it cranked and ran fine with gas dribbled into the carb. Syphoned out all of the old fuel and filled it up with new gas. Ran fine and I drove it around a few days until it coughed and died and wouldn't restart. A lot more diagnosing and wasted effort, sometimes it would run fine a day or so and then die. Finally syphoned out all the gas and dropped the tank. The pickup tube and vent was easy to remove from the top. Voila... the pickup tube had two or three holes rusted through it. That explained why it ran when the tank was full but after a few days the fuel level got below the hole in the pickup tube and the fuel pump could only suck air. Put in a new pickup tube and have never had another problem with fuel starvation. Might be worth looking at!
I am very late to see & comment on this but I did enjoy your video. One thought on your fuel problem is that I think you may be suffering from something similar to vapor lock. I think that due to the added stress and heat generated on grades your fuel may be getting too hot. I would suggest an old shadetree approach by ensuring that the fuel line is routed as far as possible from the source of heat (engine block, intake manifold, radiator & exhaust. One other thing we did back in the day was to wrap the fuel line with crumpled aluminum foil to reflect heat and provide a bit of an air gap. I will probably see what you have done in later videos but I wanted to post my thoughts just in case you have not solved the issue yet.
OMG, the gas can in the coach lololol
I'm so glad you made it without any major breakdowns! I put about 1200 miles on my coach in the last month. It rolled over to 70k on my trip from NY back to MI! What state did you move to?
He mentioned he moved to the Saint Louis, Missouri area
Seems like you enjoy making things harder than they should have been.
Whoa, such a trip. Love that you shared it. Please fuel up before making a cross country trip.
How warm was it in the cab? Did not seem excessive.
Oh commented before Nebraska
At 26.02 another GMC Motorhome drives past in the other direction.
He's in the SUV with his wife getting the gas, that's his motorhome on the side of the highway. Had to pause to double check 😂
I was born in Medford and probably dealt with the same Les Schwab that must have repaired your bicycle tire. I also had a great experience with them prior to my first solo cross country trip in the first car I ever bought 2 days after I bought it. I also agree that in more metropolitan areas they seem to become a bit more average but they’re still the first place that pops into my head when I need anything tire related.
Quite the adventure but you made it praise be & WTG!
You need to manually shift into 2nd at 45 mph up this steep hills. Sometimes even to low if it drops below 30
As far as fuel spilling out you have to pump a bit and stop to account for about 20' of gas lines lol
Your carburetor problems came in handy for me recently in a little diagnostic work. I'm rebuilding a 1977 Mobile Traveler motor home that has a mysterious small electric in line fuel pump just outside of the tank feeding the line to the mechanical fuel pump. There's a switch on the dash to turn it one and off. Maybe it's there because of a similar flow problem to yours? I don't have the motor running yet, but when I do, I'll let you know what it does ... assuming I can figure it out! Good luck with your issue. I'll be watching. And oh yeah, I linked to this video in mine since I referenced it.
Property in Mo is comparibly cheep and it's value will continue to go up slower for the next 10 years! Ditch the funky hat and get a Cardinals ball cap.
Interesting stuff. I’m looking at a ‘76 GMC but prepared for engine rebuild, new fuel tank & fuel lines, brakes, fully replace suspension FWD and rear suspension. Possibly replacing bathroom, kitchen appliances, adding solar, led lights, microwave - all big plans, for sure. The challenge is that many of these motorhomes have had 4+ owners, so records of the repairs are unknown. Do you proactively replace and rebuild, or wait for issues and fix-as-you-go?
If you're looking for a club in your new area, be sure to check out the GMC 6 Wheelers. Great group and you're more than welcome to join.
Thanks
Looking forward to barn renovation videos. Thanks
The moment Classic GMC became Project Binky.
You have bigger stones than I have to make that trip...I would be in such a foul mood I wouldn't be able to make the video..
My same thought!!!!
You’re a brave soul and your wife is clearly a saint for doing this.
I’ll be interested to see how your views on road rage and people might change when you get to your flyover state. Being born and raised in the KC area… Finding a jackass Karen like that isn’t all that common.
A couple good friends and I did a trip to northern Minnesota and brought a 76 GMC back… I think he paid 4500 for it if that tells you what kind of shape it was in. It was a hell of a two day trip that I’ll never forget. I lost count of how many times we broke down. As much as it sucked, I fell in love with these things during that trip. Truly incredible machines.
Lastly, I’m not sure what part of this video speaks most to your bravery: the walkway to your driver seat (no judgement, I’d have done the same) or saddling up with Donald. Congrats on making it home!
Any interest in a 1982 GMC Sierra 3500 flatbed dually with a freshly rebuilt 1991 350 with TBI and a 700R-4 transmission?
I would love an update on how the trip went and what happened over the last 6 months.
The pole barn needs to be "livable" before I can get back to work on the Motorhome. I've been slowly working on that over the winter and filming as I go. I would say that video is 75% complete. I will release it as soon as I am able and hopefully then I can get back to working on the Motorhome.
CB radio. It’s the future.
26:39 tying a knot in your safety chains to shorten them is not a good idea. The chain is significantly weakened by putting a knot in it (studies of twisting chains indicate up to a 70% loss in strength. A knot is the most severe twist you could put in a chain so the strength loss could be even higher).
Your engine power loss is most likely due to vapour lock. Essentially, the fuel in the carb is boiling, turning to vapour and emptying out the fuel bowl in the carb. at 25:10 the fuel filter is emptying because the fuel is vaporising in the carb. This usually happens when the engine/carb is heat soaked. Under high load at slow speed (going up a big hill loads the engine causing heat build up. Compounding the problem on a hill, your speed is reduced and cooling from wind is reduced allowing the engine/carb to further heat up.) An electric fuel pump may help. Replacing the carb with a throttle body fuel injection system (Holley Sniper EFI) could also solve your problem. The Sniper EFI uses a high pressure fuel pump with a return to the fuel tank so the fuel circulates and does not get the chance to overheat and boil.
Good catch! We bought the trailer like that, and I neglected to shorten the chains before the trip.
Yes, You were saying how hot it was in the coach.. Your exhaust manifolds need to go! replacing them with the Doug Thorley headers will make your day! also adding the vents just in front of the front wheel wells will let the heat that builds up in front of the interior step down (engine firewall) to escape reducing more heat in the coach!
I could use some help cleaning up the electrical wiring,replacing dash air, any recommendations are welcome
Jim Bounds. Motorhome Rehab Ranch. $5 "ranch hand" on Patreon and he will give you all the advice you could possibly want.
Hi just watched this great video
Your fuel problem could be vapor lock ..is it a mechanical fuel pump off the engine..if it is
A electric fuel pump might fix that problem
Thinking of getting one of these GMC
Wondering did you ever fix fuel problem??
Not yet. I'm going with the thermo-nuclear solution. Cutting out the support brace and replacing the tanks with a single aluminum one that has a replacement support internal to the tank which doesn't interfere with fuel transfer from front to back. Picking that up next week.
Fuel gauges are not reliable. You MUST fill up and ballpark it at 6-8 mpg. If the tanks get too low on an incline, you'll be sucking air.
hey are you coming back to youtube. Got a lot of question. How is the barn. how the motorhome and how is the family.