So much for the holiday weekend :-(

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Saturday we were on our way to my parents' place in Wisconsin in the new motorhome - Peanut and CJ were with us. We were looking forward to a fun weekend of bonding with the new motorhome, and showing off CJ to my mom and my aunt who hadn't met him yet. CJ was like a completely different travel companion then he was last time. Hardly a peep out of him the entire way....even when he had to sit, confined to his carrier for 3 hours while we - once again - tried to find that crappy hydraulic leak. :rolleyes:

We were only about 20 minutes from our destination when a car flagged us over and sure enough, the entire back was covered in oil again. There was an exit a mile away with a nice big Wal-Mart parking lot. I called my dad and my brother who were on their way to get some lunch. They skipped lunch and headed over to help us. Once again they spent hours peering into the engine compartment and climbing underneath trying to find where the oil was coming from. And once again, Terry got completely filthy and ruined another good shirt with nothing to show for it - never found the leak.

So we decided to head to my parents' for the night and I at least got a little bit of time with family, showing off the nice interior of the motorhome while trying to ignore the filthy back end. My mom thought CJ was a cutie pie, but then he had to go take a nap. ;)

We headed home Sunday, Terry got some things for work organized, then he headed out this morning for Charlotte, MI which is where the chassis manufacturer is. He's going to take it right to the experts so they can figure out what's going on and fix it once and for all. When we were coming home from Texas, and for most of the trip up to WI, we were only going 60 pmh. When he bumped it up to 65 mph, that's when the leak occurred. So he's keeping it at 60 while he heads to MI, and hopefully that little tidbit will give them some clue as to what's going on.

He is really depressed and upset - which is understandable. We just paid a ton of money for this thing and now we're going to have to dish out who knows how much more to get it fixed. I just hope they really find something so we know for sure that it's fixed once and for all.

So I did get to see my family for at least a little while, we did figure out how to use the surround sound and the DVD/VCR player but couldn't get the satellite TV to work, and we did get most of our stuff re-organized and all in it's place (moving sucks!) so the weekend wasn't a total loss, but it sure could have been better. :rolleyes: :( :mad: :( :)

[kittycats_delight]

I really hope the experts can find the problem so you cna start to enjoy your new motorhome and enjoy your summer too.

[Barbara]

I am so sorry for all that trouble. If I hate one thing it is oil coming out- as it may end up with really big costs.

Congrats on CJ being such a purrfect travel companion- and Peanut, what a trooper you are- travelling so shortly after surgery;)

[Oggyflute]

Hope the oil thing isn't a major issue.

[gini]

Oh Debbie, I am really sorry to hear that you are still having trouble with your motorhome.

It sounds as though Terry is making the right decision - go find out once and for all exactly what the problem is - and get it fixed.

It makes it difficult to take much joy in the new home though knowing this is weighing on the back of your minds.

This can't be "forever" - it will get fixed and then you can start having fun in it.

I was worried that you had to pull over someplace far away from everyone - at least you were close to your family.

And the kitties never knew a thing, I bet!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by gini
This can't be "forever" - it will get fixed and then you can start having fun in it.

That's what I keep trying to tell Terry. But he is one to always imagine the worst case scenerio, and he won't let up on it. I try to tell him to think positive.... I went through a list with him - TV's and surround sound work great, hydro hot (hot water & heat) works great, refrigerator works great, engine runs great, generator works great, all 3 air conditioners work great, water pumps work great, tires are relatively new and in great condition, etc, etc, etc. The only thing that appears to not work great is that it pukes hydraulic oil at 65 mph.....oh, and the horns don't work. So all in all, it's a great motorhome with one minor flaw and one not so minor flaw. I think he was finally starting to come around by the time he left yesterday morning.

He called this morning and they were able to squeeze him in. If we made an appointment we would have to wait over a month to get it in, but since he just showed up - and we know some of the "right" people, they were able to squeeze us in and I'm hoping they have some sort of answer for us by the end of the day - which should really make him start feeling better about it all.

He has finally admitted too, that this whole "new motorhome" issue has really consumed him for the last few months and he needs to take a step back to get his life back in order - I agreed - and was relieved to see that he was finally seeing what I've been seeing since March. So now maybe we can start getting our lives back in order once this oil thing is fixed...

Oh, and Gini, nope, the kitties never knew anything except that they were stuck in their carriers for 3 hours. Oh to have the life of Peanut and CJ. ;) :D

[RedHedd]

So sorry about the motorhome leaking oil. I thought about you, Peanut, Tubby and CJ on my trip to Toronto this past week as I had a connecting flight in Chicago. As we flew over, I waved to you and the cats .... but you weren't there! :D

[lizbud]

Sorry you are still having the oil problem.:( I do hope it's
some little part that can be easily fixed. Maybe they could fix
the horn at the same time & you could save some labor costs.

I hope Terry calls with some better news today.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Oh! Ouch! Hope it gets fixed and fixed for good this time!

[furrykidsmother]

Sorry to hear you are still having trouble and that your weekend didn't work out as you planned, but at least you got some family time and did figure out a few things with the new motorhome. Hope the problem isn't a serious one!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom

... He called [yesterday] and they were able to squeeze him in.

I'm hoping they have some sort of answer for us
by the end of the day -

Any (good) News, yet, on the Mystery Oil Leak ??

Maybe it's time to give the WrenchMan a raincoat & flashlight;
sit him on top of the engine;
and take a couple 65 mph Laps :cool: around the Block! :D

And no Horn Honkers ?? :eek:
Can't Drive a Bus wiffout da Air Honkerz!

Sure HOPE they're Finding the Problem!! ;)

[anna_66]

Sure hope they find out what the problem is. Nothing worse than getting a new vehicle (in your case home!) and something being wrong with it.
I at least hope you had a good visit with your parents:)

[catnapper]

Oh my! I'd be upset too... and completely consumed with the problem until I knew what was wrong and had the solution! I hope they find out today!!! Keepign fingers and paws crossed they find it!

[lizbud]

Just checking for any news. You know, I'd almost be tempted
to call the former owners & innocently ask if they ever had this
problem before. Maybe they have a clue about diagnostics (at
least) that might help. Good luck.

[ramanth]

Charlotte, MI!!!!????!!!

Debbie, I was IN Charlotte, MI on July 4th. My sister lives there and my parents house is just a short drive east of that. They live in Eaton Rapids.

Sorry you're having trouble with your motor home. Is Terry still in MI with the motorhome? Any news?

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by ramanth
Debbie, I was IN Charlotte, MI on July 4th. My sister lives there and my parents house is just a short drive east of that. They live in Eaton Rapids.


I thought of you, Kimmy, and had it been under better circumstances - and I was along - I would definitely have tried to contact you.

Terry came home yesterday and he was not happy. He got a call from them on his way home that they couldn't find the leak - no kidding! :rolleyes: They did take it out and drive 65 mph, but we don't think they went far enough. So last night Terry was really in the dumps again - ready to trade the thing in on something else, but how can you trade it in when it's in the repair shop? And besides, he wants to get rid of anything he owns if it's not working right and then as soon as it's working it's the best machine around again. :rolleyes: ;)

So today they are working on it again, and he called another big wig at the factory and this guy assured him that the motorhome was in the best place possible and that they will find the problem. I know they will because I will convince Terry that we are not bringing it home until they do! So he felt a little better after the phone call with that guy. We also contacted someone we know who is a hydraulic "expert" and got some ideas on things to look at from him. I'm actually hoping they don't call unless they have found something. Seeing as Terry is home now, and the motorhome is there, it's almost out of sight out of mind and no phone call would be better than a depressing one saying they can't find anything....

So.....the quest for the elusive oil leak continues......:( :rolleyes:

[caseysmom]

Did you buy it from a private party? If they knew about the leak that was really unethical on their part.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Gotta LOVE motor vehicles...

I hate it when a stupid car (or in this case, a big motorhome) decides to act up only when YOU are driving it. My clutch was going out not too long ago, and it only slipped and acted like a jerk when I was driving the car. The mechanic drove it several times and the clutch always acted like it was new for him :rolleyes:. Finally the darn thing exploded (no kidding, the clutch literaly exploded inside the bell housing :eek: ) and the mechanic said "gee, now I see why you said the clutch was bad!" In the end it ended up being a $600 bill for an $800 car...

I hope they find the leak in your motor home soon! Car problems are always stressfull for everyone involved!

*hugs!!*

[gini]

Debbie, I agree. Not sure what recourse you would have though at this point.

Surely someone can find the problem and repair it properly.

[ramanth]

You poor guys. I totally understand.

When it is fixed (I'm always optomistic ;) ), let me know when you'll be coming to get it and if I'm around, Kia and I can pop by. Or you are more than welcome to come see Zam (Logan will be under the bed). ;) :D

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Woooo hoooo!!!! They found it!! Of course, I knew they would, but Terry had his doubts. They put it on a pressure test and one of the solonoids for one of the fans had the major leak, and it turns out there were a bunch of smaller ones. So they are repairing now and they said it might be done today already! Woooo hooo!!! (I'm so happy I'm not even going to ask what a solonoid is and why it would be leaking.)

Kimmy, if it turns out we pick it up over the weekend, I'll be sure and give you a call (if you PM me your number that is). If we pick it up on Saturday, we would leave here around 9:00 am after Peanut gets her stitches out, and I think it's about 3 hours to Charlotte so we'd be there around 1:00 pm your time. I would love for you to come by and get the grand tour and maybe, just maybe I could convince Terry to have lunch somewhere over there (besides McD's that is) and we could have lunch. However, there is a chance that he'll be picking it up tomorrow by himself. He will be in Indiana working and could head North at the end of his day. In that case, we wouldn't be able to meet up, but I'll let you know as we know more.

Whew! What a relief. :D

[Logan]

That is a relief, Debbie!!! I have been reading this thread, hoping that an answer could be found. I had a husband who worried like that before, and sometimes it drove me crazy that the glass was "half empty" instead of "half full" all of the time!!! :p

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Logan
That is a relief, Debbie!!! I have been reading this thread, hoping that an answer could be found. I had a husband who worried like that before, and sometimes it drove me crazy that the glass was "half empty" instead of "half full" all of the time!!! :p

OMG, Logan, the glass wasn't half empty - it was completely empty! :rolleyes: ;) But when it's full, it's overflowing so I guess I shouldn't complain. No middle ground here, either all good or all bad. ;)

[ramanth]

I'm so happy to hear that!

Would the kitties be coming with you if you picked it up on Saturday?

[RobiLee]

Glad to hear that they found the problem. :D

[gini]

Naughty naughty solonoid!:D :D

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom

Woooo hoooo!!!!
They found it!! :) :D

Whew! What a relief. :D

Soooo, does this mean you're gonna "keep" da Big New Bus? :p

GLAD this part of the New Bus Adventure is finally over -
Time to start *ENJOYING* :cool: it!!

Is da Bus headed for the Western BBQ -
or are you going onna Big Burd inna Sky?

[caseysmom]

I am not sure what a solonoid is but it doesn't sound too serious..i am so happy for you.