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View Full Version : The Magic Shifter Keypad



win42
12-03-2006, 10:53 PM
I can offer a detailed course of events of what happens when you get The Magic Shifter Keypad wet.
After power washing the exterior of my coach one day before this weekends departure. Upon starting the next morning I found water on the key pad and wiped it off. I proceeded on my drive only after a few blocks to find the keypad locked in 4th gear position. After pulling it off and dismantling the device there was the total sum of the Allisons brains in my hands. I carefully removed the computer boards and proceeded to dry them with the wifes hair dryer. Re-assembly showed it still stuck on the 4th position. I proceeded to Detroit Diesel in Sacto. and presented my problem. Their test equip. did not go back that far. The tech that looked at it brought out a unit like mine that they use on their Dyno. He plugged it in and it operated all the gears as it should. After another try with mine it was still locked on 4th position. We took the unit to the parts counter where the parts guy looked up a price and availability. $ 1400+ Lew bucks and a few days delivery:( . I guess the wince and the long face led the parts man to make a call to a company in the mid west that repairs the units at $ 375. So I gave them mine to be sent for repair. I still had the dilema of what to do with a non op coach. Luckily the tech spoke up and said he would loan me the one from the Dyno until mine was repaired. Hence a good weekend with the Venture Outers RV group. I will try and bribe the parts guy into revealing the name and location of the repair company. I hope none of you have the same stupid problem I had, but those units do have problems ocassionally I'm told. I later found the drivers slider window was not shut tight. So if you want to find a place to set that coffee cup or soda can think twice before using the shelf to your left.
Further news on this saga to follow.
P.S. The tech told me the engine computer costs $5ooo.+ So be forwarned.

jello_jeep
12-04-2006, 01:20 PM
That is a pricey little devil.

You may consider just letting it set in a warm area where there is lots of airflow.

I had a cell phone that was dropped in water, I completely disassembled it and blew it off and let it sit for a day and it was still dead.

Having nothing better to do with it, I let it sit for a week, and it came back to life after ALL the water had evaporated from between all the layers of boards.

If memory serves me right, I got one of those little fans, like the poker players have to blow cigarette smoke away from themselves, and just set it on the counter with the pc boards laying out and the little fan blowing on it.

The fan was 18 bucks :)

Fresh air & sunshine would do the same sooner or later.

Good luck!!

JIM CHALOUPKA
12-04-2006, 06:47 PM
These might be "Million MILE COACHES" but they will cost a $1,000,000.00 to get them there!!:eek:

merle&louise
12-04-2006, 07:01 PM
These might be "Million MILE COACHES" but they will cost a $1,000,000.00 to get them there!!:eek:

Jim:

That is the most concise and profound statement that I have heard in a long time. You are 100% correct!

Sometimes I wonder if we wouldn't be better off buying an Airstream and just pulling the damn thing around America with a truck!:confused:

GOOD POST.

Jon Wehrenberg
12-04-2006, 09:07 PM
I don't think Jim is far off. When I used our old coach for business I tracked the costs. We were running about $1.00 a mile when all things were factored in.