1983 Toyota New Horizon preparations for nomadism

[Ballenxj]

<br />The carb is after-market and I've been doing a lot of tweaking on it, which seems to help, also.&nbsp; When I first got it the carb had been taken apart by the previous owner who evidently found some extra parts didn't need to be in it.&nbsp; After I'd driven it a bit I pulled the carb off and hit-and-miss re-added what was missing until it performed better and the automatic choke was able to function.<br />

<br />Jack, What brand aftermarket carburetor do you have? <br />I had an old Ford Courier years ago that had a cranky old factory carburetor on it. I replaced it with a Weber carb, and it seemed like all of a sudden I not only got better fuel economy, but a lot more power too. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif" /> <br />

Mine has the fuel injection. I wonder if there is any tweaking I can do?

<br />Not much unless you want to re-jet it. I don't recommend that. You might consider getting a K&amp;N factory replacement filter. That might help by a couple more gallons of fuel economy. The main thing is to keep your filters and fluids changed on a regular basis. Don't forget the plugs, and keep an eye on the plug wires. <br />It was once said that the worst fuel injection system is better than the best carburetor. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" /> <br />-Bruce

 

[josephusminimus]

&lt;br /&gt;The carb is after-market and I've been doing a lot of tweaking on it, which seems to help, also.&nbsp; When I first got it the carb had been taken apart by the previous owner who evidently found some extra parts didn't need to be in it.&nbsp; After I'd driven it a bit I pulled the carb off and hit-and-miss re-added what was missing until it performed better and the automatic choke was able to function.&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;br /&gt;Jack, What brand aftermarket carburetor do you have? &lt;br /&gt;I had an old Ford Courier years ago that had a cranky old factory carburetor on it. I replaced it with a Weber carb, and it seemed like all of a sudden I not only got better fuel economy, but a lot more power too. &lt;img src="/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif" /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;

Mine has the fuel injection. I wonder if there is any tweaking I can do?

&lt;br /&gt;Not much unless you want to re-jet it. I don't recommend that. You might consider getting a K&amp;N factory replacement filter. That might help by a couple more gallons of fuel economy. The main thing is to keep your filters and fluids changed on a regular basis. Don't forget the plugs, and keep an eye on the plug wires. &lt;br /&gt;It was once said that the worst fuel injection system is better than the best carburetor. &lt;img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;-Bruce

Hi Bruce. This one's a Weber. J

 

[Ballenxj]

Hi Bruce. This one's a Weber. J

<br />Then you should be Golden. Get a book, or research online to learn the proper tuning techniques. Just to let you know, there is the original German, and a Mexican one. The original is much better. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" /> <br />-Bruce

 

[josephusminimus]

Tested the laptop/GPS with the DeLorme Earthmate sensor on the dashboard driving the 80 mile round trip to Kerrville, then while there planned to do a blog entry using WIFI from whatever signal I could find in town.&nbsp; I ran Terrain Navigator a while, then Delorme Street Atlas both and they worked fine with the GPS head mounted on the dash.&nbsp; <br /><br />The smaller inverter was plugged in to the lighter socket and attached to the laptop for recharging.<br /><br />Found a WIFI signal in the parking lot of Lowes I could use, but noticed the inverter wasn't recharging the laptop .... was coming on, then shutting down after a couple of minutes ... and that the laptop battery was getting down outside the comfort zone.&nbsp; So instead of posting a blog entry I followed my curiosity around town checking out WIFI signals.&nbsp; Even Kentucky Fried Chicken had one strong enough so I could have logged onto from the adjacent mall parking lot.<br /><br />But I'm going to have to figure out why that inverter's not charging the laptop.&nbsp; Maybe it's requiring too much current for the job and I'll need to use the larger inverter I'd used for running power tools in the past.&nbsp; Inconvenient because it has two clamps to hook directly to a car battery instead of a lighter plug to power it.<br /><br />Incidently, those Earthmate GPS sensors with USB plugs are out there on EBay nowadays for around $10, and the Street Atlas software as recent as, say, 2009, is available for around the same price.<br /><br />Incidently #2, thanks for the carb info, Bruce.<br /><br />

 

[josephusminimus]

Angeli's thread, crates and pets, triggered some re-thinking on my part regarding the overhead as a cat compartment during travel.&nbsp; I've left the cushion/matresses up there, figuring on being able in a pinch to occasionally sleep up there if I wished.&nbsp; I'd just covered the cushions so's any spillage from the water or vomiting by the cats wouldn't go through and become a communist.<br /><br />But I'm rethinking it.&nbsp; I don't care about sleeping up there anyway, because I have some doubts about the strength of the structure holding up the overhead and haven't gotten around to reinforcing the structure by installing some turnbuckles under it attached to the front fenders to provide extra support against sagging.<br /><br />Those cats might be obliged to sleep on a harder surface while the mattress goes into storage.

 

[josephusminimus]

Sometime during the shakedown cruise to West Texas one of the casters under the rear bumper, training wheels, as it were, managed to get torn off its axle.&nbsp; I'll be fabricating another wheel to put on there, maybe from steel so's it won't be so vulnerable in the future.&nbsp; Or, failing that, out of some hard synthetic such as nylon.&nbsp; I'll turn something out on the neighbor's lathe.<BR><BR>Also discovered the old fridge just doesn't work under any circumstances.&nbsp; Might convert it to a cabinet until sometime I can replace it.<BR><BR>The water froze in North Texas and sprung a leak, lost my on-board water supply, which I'll have to do something about.&nbsp; Haven't decided what, yet.&nbsp; Might replace and re-route the entire water system from the front, running the lines inside the RV.&nbsp; Otherwise I'll have to take out some walls to get to the problem.<BR><BR>

 

[Ballenxj]

That's not good on both counts. Did the water supply spring a leak at the tank, or the line? I would guess the line would break due to freezing way before the tank. <br>Good luck with the whole thing. <br>BTW, You're in Texas at the moment? <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

This is what is being used now in houses to replace old water lines. I had this put in to my rental after the bastards stole all my plumbing, copper.<BR><A href="http://www.pexsupply.com/PEX-Plumbing-515000" rel=nofollow>http://www.pexsupply.com/PEX-Plumbing-515000</A><BR><BR>It is supposed to be cheap and easy to use. You can close off both ends of a pipe filled with water and hit it with a hammer and it won't bust according to the guy that fixed my plumbing to code.

 

[josephusminimus]

Ballenxj:&nbsp; The break is somewhere in the back wall of the RV as nearly as I can tell.&nbsp; Yep, still in TX.&nbsp; Gracias, J<BR><BR>Dragonflyinthesky:&nbsp; Thanks for the link.&nbsp; I'll look into the stuff when I get into fixing it.&nbsp; Gracias, J