I am new to the RV world and my first is a 1999 Prevost XL45 Marathon. I just want to share my first experience with the Detroit Motor. I own 5 class 8 trucks with Cats and Cummings motors and I do the simple oil and filter service work myself. I believe in preventive maintenance and when it comes to something I am not comfortable with, I pay a pro.
The bus had 110,000 miles when we purchased it in June of 05. I asked the folks that we bought from (private party) about a top end valve adjustment and they said that the original owner had it done at 80,000 miles by a Detroit Dealer (unnamed). I was very happy to hear that due to the work involved to get to the valve cover off.
I called the Dealer and gave them the VIN and sure enough they had the info in the records, again a smile on my face.
We took a couple trips cross country and put 10,000 trouble free miles on the bus, 2 oil and filter changes and a few other little PM maintenance things and I am happy.
Now we are doing the interior and I pulled the old carpet out prior to the pro doing the install. I believe in trying to do everything the best I can so out comes the bed and all other items installed on top of the original carpet. Guess what I find, the removable hatch that has to come off in order to adjust the valves and injectors.
I know that this will be hard to believe but it had NEVER been taken off. So off it comes and I call my very trusted mobil guy to do the tune up work. We discover 3 of the exhaust roller rockers had the hard face starting to work it's way off. To give you an idea of whats next, the cam shaft. I call my local Detroit Dealer and they had the 3 in stock, but that was it. They did tell my that the other local sister locations had lots more. Lots more is 54 at 1 location and 90 something at the other, all within a 60 mile radius.
The moral to this story is this must be somewhat common of a part to have to replace and you better make sure that your valves get looked at every 100,000 miles or so. The alternative could be very expensive and it will always happen at the least opportune time.
I will give the story of the interior work another time, we are enjoying the bus very much, but I can't believe how much time I spend on the computer just reading all this good info and looking at all the cool stuff.
I had to buy that Trailer that was on Prevost-Stuff and the owner will bring it out to CA when he picks up his new one. I guess when you drive a Semi that is 80' long, 45 is just not enough. we have 3 small Girls and I had no room for all the stuff we want to bring on the road.
Kevin
