Blights 99 E350 Crestline Ambo

keane

Observer
Been slowly working on getting this ready for the ski season which starts on Nov 28th for us. Got out for a test night in it last weekend. The bed was nice and the kid liked his bunk. One thing I dint think of was disabling the door light activation switch, the lights are bright in the middle of the night. I now have a switch to disconnect the door activation switch. Going to try and get the diesel heater installed this week. And I haven't figured out how to get all the electrical to stay on when the ambulance isn't running. Turning on the ambulance connect when the engine is off activates a few circuits, but the rest only come on once it is running. Any help on this would be great.
 

iggi

Ian
The quick test is to run a fused jumper from the auxiliary power side of the battery isolator to the switched power side of the rear distribution panel. That will skip past the ambulance connect relay and other stuff.
If you look at the first pic in my post below you can see the short jumper I used to skip past the ambulance connect relay on my rig before I replaced it.
 

keane

Observer
The quick test is to run a fused jumper from the auxiliary power side of the battery isolator to the switched power side of the rear distribution panel. That will skip past the ambulance connect relay and other stuff.
If you look at the first pic in my post below you can see the short jumper I used to skip past the ambulance connect relay on my rig before I replaced it.
Thaks, I will give that a go
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
Been slowly working on getting this ready for the ski season which starts on Nov 28th for us. Got out for a test night in it last weekend. The bed was nice and the kid liked his bunk. One thing I dint think of was disabling the door light activation switch, the lights are bright in the middle of the night. I now have a switch to disconnect the door activation switch. Going to try and get the diesel heater installed this week. And I haven't figured out how to get all the electrical to stay on when the ambulance isn't running. Turning on the ambulance connect when the engine is off activates a few circuits, but the rest only come on once it is running. Any help on this would be great.
The oil pressure switch which makes it so the high power drain accessories only get power when the engine is running essentially connects that prong of the relay to ground when there’s oil pressure. If you instead connect that prong of the relay to a steady ground, then you’ll have power to those circuits whenever the ambulance connect switch is on. The down side is that you can potentially drain your house batteries with those accessories, but if you converted your inside lights to LEDs that’ll not happen any time soon.
In my case, the oil pressure switch stopped turning on those circuits shortly after I got them all working. I subsequently determined which of the large (oversized) relays energized the house circuits. I then turned the ambulance connect switch on, connect a wire to ground, and then tapped it to the terminal on the relay to confirm it would turn on the circuits that weren’t getting power.
I can’t remember exactly what all I needed to change, but in the end, I had a fused wire going to one side of the relay, and the other side going to ground. If I remember correctly, the ambulance connect switch is on the ground side. If the switch is off (open) then no ground connection to the relay & on (closed) then the relay energizes those circuits.

If it would be useful, I can send you schematic diagrams for a 2001 Crestline. I sorted mine out before getting the diagrams, but I’ve been told that they are very similar for the different years. PM me an Email and I’ll send them to you... if I haven’t already, I can’t remember who sent me them... but thanks again if you happen to read this. ?
 

keane

Observer
Got out for our first weekend at the ski hill. Stayed nice and warm with the heater and it dried out our gear nicely. The power system ran the instapot just fine for cooking dinners. We still need to work on more organization and a couple small wall mounted tables. When we got home I noticed a bit of a diesel smell, and found a little puddle of diesel under it the next day. Looks like the fuel bowl is the culprit of the leak. So re-sealing it will be the next job. Luckily no new snow for this weekend.
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
I got O-rings from DieselORings.com to rebuild my fuel bowl. Getting it in and out was a pain, but installing the O-rings was easy.
I spent a couple extra bucks to get his best O-rings, because I only wanted to do the job once.
 

Mrs Keane

New member
I got O-rings from DieselORings.com to rebuild my fuel bowl. Getting it in and out was a pain, but installing the O-rings was easy.
I spent a couple extra bucks to get his best O-rings, because I only wanted to do the job once.
Thanks! O-rings have been found locally. Ford wanted over $60 and a local diesel specialty shop had them for $23. Phew.
 

Bikersmurf

Expedition Leader
Thanks! O-rings have been found locally. Ford wanted over $60 and a local diesel specialty shop had them for $23. Phew.
Local is good. I think the Vitron ‘expensive’ ones were about $7. While I was at it I picked up a new fuel filter for $18. Also a GPR if you’ve not replaced it, I highly recommend the Monster Strand-Core one.
 

Mrs Keane

New member
Local is good. I think the Vitron ‘expensive’ ones were about $7. While I was at it I picked up a new fuel filter for $18. Also a GPR if you’ve not replaced it, I highly recommend the Monster Strand-Core one.
Yes "today" is good as we couldnt wait for shipping right now. The ski hill is forecasted to get 60cm of snow this week! Coming down with the SNOvid... Sorry boss can't make it to work...
 

keane

Observer
We have bee using this a lot this winter at the ski hill and for some other trips. With spring coming I need to get new tires, was looking to go to 265/75r16's if I stay with the drw. Or possibly switching to srw and 285/75r16. Has any one switched to srw before doing a 4x4 conversion.
 

keane

Observer
Last time we used this the road was dusty on the way out and we got a lot of dust in through the rear doors. The seals look to be good but the doors don't seam to be latching tight to them. The latches are double clicking but I can still push the doors a bit tighter. I have looked but cant find anything on if they are distance adjustable for making them hold the doors tighter to the seals. Does anyone know know if this is doable or can point me in the right direction. Thanks.
 

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