Author Topic: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage  (Read 18775 times)

Jason Worman

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1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« on: September 10, 2018, 04:32:30 AM »
Hi All,

After 5 grueling months of coach repair and remodeling we take out our rig on our first roadtrip up the Oregon Coast to Cape Lookout. Any advice for newbies going on our first road trip. Thanks

Gerald Farris

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2018, 04:46:06 AM »
Jason,
There are two things about living in a RV, the trip and the destination, SLOW DOWN and enjoy both of them.

Gerald

Doug Allman

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2018, 01:17:21 PM »
Jason. Our first Beaver was the 1991 Contessa. My advice is to be sure you have looked at the Radiator as on ours it actually disintegrated and when pulling hills and long drives it overheated. The fins when touched just fell off. When we finally replaced we also increased the size of the transmission cooler and also replaced the after cooler radiator. It is not an easy job but never had to do again as we replaced in 1996 and had the coach for 18 years. Numerous places you can get good radiators etc other than at dealers.
Going up long grades in mountains used to boil out the transmission fluid and is why we upsized all the cooling radiator.
If you have trouble with the cruise you can rebuild it quite easily with a little care and some available parts.
My advice on the Onan 6K gen set was to keep it running, do not replace as it is one of the better made Onans compared to todays units. Do not worry if it leaks a little oil, was my electrical shops advice.
There are 3 zerks on the steering, two on the column under the cover by your feet and one on the side of the housing under the coach. Keeping them greased helps the wander being reduced.
We had on occasion a would not start situation. Even when we had just ran 800 miles and stopped in to pay for campsite. The fuel water seperator has O rings that like to dry out and you get air instead of fuel. The oblong glass unit looks great - but bubbles on the top tell the tale. Just carry spare and replace if that happens.
It is all drums and we had the drums turned by a shop instead of buying new as they are not your standard drums from a truck. New pads after turning drums and it had excellent brakes back. You will probably have to look hard to find an old shop that will turn them but it is well worth it.
Any other questions do not be afraid to call me 231-218-1119 or email at douglasallman@gmail.com
We put well over 100,000 miles on that unit from Michigan to the Florida & the Pacific Coast on many trips.
If you have a question on the 3116 be sure to talk to Dave Atherton. He is the Dave in the ASK DAVE section on the Forum. 42 year retired CAT mechanic.

Jason Worman

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2018, 04:19:27 PM »
Doug,

Thanks for the information, will inspect those items before leaving tomorrow. We have driven it about 500 miles locally, so far no problems.

Keith Phillips

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2018, 02:50:31 AM »
Jason, our first Beaver was a 1991 Baronet with the 3116. We owned it 3 years and put 35000 miles on it. I found that staying right at 55 mph we got between 10-11 mpg pulling an open car trailer with an 06 Hyundai Azera every mile we put on it. We really enjoyed that coach just had a floor plan that wasn’t our favorite. On the Baronet the brakes had manual slack adjusters, make sure if you have those to adjust them properly and every oil change, my 1991 Marquis has automatic adjusters. I changed that transmission fluid over to Allison synthetic, as others stated on long hard uphill pulls the transmission temp would just hit the alarm point, about 240 degrees, with synthetic I was more comfortable with that temperature. I had the overhead run, valves and fuel injectors adjusted when we got ours with about 80,000 miles on it, Dave Atherton told me that it wouldn’t need done again for another 350,000 miles. Having a mechanical fuel injected diesel in my opinion is a big plus, no strange electrons running around to make the engine do crazy things, I just used CAT filters and changed the oil, oil filter and fuel filters every 6-7,000 miles. My Baronet also had grease packed front wheel bearings not oil bath and I had those repacked at around 100,000 miles and it needed it. Hope you enjoy your Contessa.
Keith & Anna Mae Phillips
1992 Beaver Marquis 325 hp 3176 Cat (Jan 2017-Apr 2023)
1991 Beaver Baronet  250 hp 3116 Cat (Feb 2014-Jan 2017)
USCG CWO4 Ret.
Graham WA

Jason Worman

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2018, 05:48:50 AM »
Thanks for all the advice, after a long day on the road we reached our destination. The coach ran smooth, only heated up the transmission a bit on a long slow uphill portion. Temp reached about 210 degrees. The one question I have is slowing the rig down on steep inclines. I dont have engine braking, felt like I had to put quite a bit of work on the brakes. I have the Allison 4 speed automatic. The manual said to keep the transmission in drive as down shifting would over speed the rpms. Any thoughts? Have to figure out a small windshield leak on right side. Had it resealed, and resealed all clearance lights, spotlight and horns. Any ideas? Used Dicor to seal around lights etc. Thanks

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2018, 06:15:26 AM »
Jason,
Use the tranny to keep the speed under control on downgrades. Brake enough to get speed down at top of grade, then down shift tranny to lower gears and let it hold your speed down. My research shows that 2700 RPM is max recommended by CAT for the 3116. That should be adequate for holding you back on steep/long inclines if you manage speed going into incline
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Doug Allman

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2018, 01:28:05 PM »
As per Steve you have to use the shifting down and getting slowed down before you begin the descent. If you want to test your brakes try ALT 14 over the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming. We did and even though they have billboard size signs warning you it is still very easy to get into trouble down this long continuing descent as it never levels out. We used the next to last run off ramp to stop at and let em cool down. Never got into the stones off the asphalt apron but used it all to get stopped.....
With that in mind you might do as we decided to do after our brake smoking adventure and that is take off the towed and drive it down these long descents. The coach handles itself very well but that added push even though you have braking on it does not help enough without an engine brake. Your drum brakes, even if you get them turned and back into spec with new pads, will glaze under these type conditions and that you do not want as even though the drums are very stout they can also warp.
A little advice if you ever blow a rear tire - have the tire shop check your air lines before they put the tire back on. The air compressor will keep up with a badly severed air line when traveling but it will not keep up the air needed when you are using the brakes on a continued on off basis basis going down a long continuing grade. When the brakes started feeling soft, which air brakes should never do, is why I looked for a run off ramp as we still had over 10 miles to the bottom of the descent. The blown rear dual had mostly severed the right brake line during blowout near Omaha, NE on way to Wyoming.
After getting all cooled down and towed unhooked we continued down and at next and last run off ramp which was down mountainside due to mountain slope only going down then there is the 1970 vintage 35' motorhome with car on trailer being towed 7/8's of the way into the stone run off ramp buried to the skirts. I cant even imagine what that tow bill would be - more than the whole rig was worth I am sure. Had they gone another 100' there was a massive boulder to stop them from going out into the road that curved past the end of the runoff ramp.
HEED the signs with or without an engine brake.

Keith Phillips

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2018, 01:31:36 PM »
Our Baronet didn’t have an exhaust brake, I would downshift at the top of a mountain to 3rd sometime 2nd, usually the gear I went up the mountain in, when I got to 2400 rpm I would brake hard and slow to about 16-1700 rpm and then let it gain speed and brake hard again. That allowed the brakes to cool a little and air pressure to build. Make sure the brakes are adjusted properly. Hope this helps.
Keith & Anna Mae Phillips
1992 Beaver Marquis 325 hp 3176 Cat (Jan 2017-Apr 2023)
1991 Beaver Baronet  250 hp 3116 Cat (Feb 2014-Jan 2017)
USCG CWO4 Ret.
Graham WA

Michael Hannan

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2018, 07:29:13 AM »
With regard to using engine brakes, do you shift down before engaging them or engage them and shift down if you need to go slower? 

MJ                                                                                                                                                   

Dave Atherton

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2018, 01:04:33 PM »
Michael, the term exhaust brake and compression brake have two different meanings as
correct operation of each.  Let’s go with the exhaust brake is only effective for braking
at 45 mph or slower, the reason for this the engine exhaust pressure will over ride the
exhaust brake flapper an keep it open until rpms slow down engine. With the compression
brake operation is off the engine valve train and is more involved operation but has positive
braking action slowing engine down . The word of caution do not engage compression brake
with engine rpms higher than 1800 rpms, higher engine rpms can result in valve train damage.
Dave Atherton Retired Cat Mechanic

Michael Hannan

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2018, 01:20:06 PM »
Thanks Dave.  Yes, I was talking about using the Engine Brake switch.  If I understand you correctly, I should slow to 45 by braking or downshifting before engaging the engine brake.  I was worried that once the engine brake is engaged if I need to slow more that downshifting again might put the RPM too high.

MJ

Dave Atherton

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2018, 02:03:44 PM »
Michael, what I explained the mixed thoughts between engine exhaust brakes and engine
compression brakes operations. I take it you have a Caterpillar C-12 and your engine has
What is called a compression brake that works off the valve train, what this will tell you
should not turn on or engage your engine brake until your engine rpms at 1800. Again with your
setup brake engagement at a higher than 1800 rpm damage can happen with engine valve
Train. Hope this helps you. Dave Atherton Retired Cat Mechanic

Jerry Emert

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2018, 02:45:40 PM »
Thanks Dave.  Yes, I was talking about using the Engine Brake switch.  If I understand you correctly, I should slow to 45 by braking or downshifting before engaging the engine brake.  I was worried that once the engine brake is engaged if I need to slow more that downshifting again might put the RPM too high.

MJ
Michael, I believe Dave was referring to an exhaust brake.  If I'm not mistaken you have a Jake Brake the same as my coach with C-12 does.  The Jake is an engine brake and can be used at faster speeds.  2100 is about max RPM no matter the road speed.  I use mine constantly but watch RPMs.
Jerry
Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH

Michael Hannan

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Re: 1991 Beaver Contessa Maiden Voyage
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2018, 02:55:05 PM »
Could be Jerry.  We have the same year of coach.  I've refrained from venturing too far in my coach as I don't have to go too far before I start getting into the mountain and some long steep grades.  I remember seeing some of the crashes they showed on my air brakes course when the air brakes are used improperly and the drum heats up and moves away from the pads.  I decided to ask as I rather know before starting down a grade and the last thing out of my mouth is "oh mess!"  Now that I know the key is the RPM limit governs when to use the Engine Brake switch I should be ok.  I hope.

MJ