I am relatively new to the deisel pusher world with my new 94 Regency and I am looking for sources for parts on the Spartan chassis such as oil filters, gas filters, wheel trim, etc,etc.
Is there a magic mail order company out there besides the usual RV dealership places??

There is no one-stop shop or catalog for parts, but, assuming your setup is similar to my 94 Breakaway, I can help on:
Oil filter - Car Quest Autoparts - CFI 85607 (about $7.15 ea.)
Fuel Filter - Fleetguard FS 1242 available from Glade & Grove Supply Co. 1-800-433-4451 (about $13.82 + shipping)
Hope this helps.
Stu Allen

Thanks for the feedback but I'm not sure which engine your Breakaway has -- my Regency has the 300 hp Cummings. Do we have a match?
I have also damaged some of the chrome trim pcs on the front wheel -- the center ring and a couple of the lug covers. Any idea where to find these parts?
I hate going to RV dealerships for this stuff because I think they are too pricy. There has to be better sources -- thus the source of my frustration and ignorance.
But --- thanks again for you help!

You might try,

www.jcwhitney.com
www.campingworld.com (join presidents club)
www.pplmotorhomes.com sell everything also.
www.rvaddons.com

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Strong:
I am relatively new to the deisel pusher world ... looking for sources for parts ... such as oil filters, gas filters, wheel trim, etc.

While my take on this is not quite what your looking for I would recommend a local Napa Store. You can browse online and shop online if you want.

You can get your parts delivered (in most markets) and the money being spent is pumped back into the local community as most of these places are locally owned and operated. There is a nationwide warranty on any parts that fail and there are a ton of these places out there.

Thanks Bill. I didn't think the local car parts places handled parts for the big trucks. I'll give NAPA a shot --- Is it NAPA.com?

Thanks Dave. I would never have guessed JC Whitney.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bowers:
You might try,

www.jcwhitney.com
www.campingworld.com (join presidents club)
www.pplmotorhomes.com sell everything also.
www.rvaddons.com

quote:

Originally posted by Frank Strong:
I'll give NAPA a shot --- Is it NAPA.com?

Try: http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=0

Another source for parts is O'Reilly Auto parts. I've seen their diesel parts catalog.

Frank,

I have the Cummins 8.3, 300 HP engine also and have been successful in getting the large air cleaner at NAPA and would bet they have the fuel and oil filters as well.

You should consider the fact that your engine holds 32 quarts of oil when you go to do the oil change. You would not be a very happy camper if you pulled out the old six quart oil drain pan you use for your car and then uncorked the Cummins to drain the oil.

While changing the oil in this engine in not difficult, it more complex then the oil change in your car. There are more filters and that large volume of oil to contend with.

However the $300.00 or more that is charged for an oil change makes it desireable to do the job yourself.

So far, I have dug deep into my pocket and paid to have it done.

Someone like Bill N.Y. could surely describe the best way to perform this task and probably note a few tried and true tricks to make it more successful.

Or park over a storm drain...he he



I realized that's a bad joke so pretend you didn't see that.

However, just because I get a lot of spam from www.pplmotorhomes.com doesn't mean they don't have a ton of stuff at great prices. They have about a zillion of those stainless steel wheel liners. Plus they have sold brand new brake buddys on Ebay for like $800.00 which is a steal.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill G:
Someone like Bill N.Y. could surely describe the best way to perform this task and probably note a few tried and true tricks to make it more successful.

When changing the oil the best way I have found is to drain the OIL FILTERS first. Start off by placing the oil drain pan under each OIL filter. Take a punch and poke a hole in the bottom of the filter. Allow the oil to drain into the oil drain pan. Remove the filter by attaching the filter wrench either all of the way to the top or all of the way to the bottom of the filter. These are the strongest points of a filter. Place it in the center and the filter will crush and you might even need to use a chisel to remove said filter.

After you have drained out your old filter and removed it you should now install your new filter. All of the engine mfg tell you not to refill your filter with oil but I always do. Use only oil from the original container and keep an eye out for something falling into it. Do not fill it to the top as this will make it tough to reinstall. Fill it about 3/4 and then reinstall.

Now remove your oil drain pan and drain this into a 5 gallon pail. Remove filter from drain pan and place the drain pan under the drain plug of the engine.

Your now ready to drain out your oil. Remove pan plug and allow to drain into the drain pan. Keep in mind that the volume of oil will push the oil outwards from engine and once it has less in it will then trickle out. (Potty talk: It's a little like peeing)

Reinstall plug and refill with oil. After obtaining the fill mark start up and allow it to run for about 5 minutes. Shut off and let it sit for another 5 minute. Recheck oil and top off.

Place the used oil into the 5 gallon container. Most garages have waste oil burners and will gladly take your used motor oil. Call around to see who will. Some Napa's will take it or they will tell you who has a waste oil burner and is looking for the used oil.

Time to change the fuel filters. Remove and replace one filter at a time. Do NOT poke a hole in the bottom of a fuel filter. Put the drain pan under the filters you are changing. Install new filter with fuel in it. If you ever run out of fuel in a diesel then you know how hard some diesels are to reprime. Make sure your filter is full of diesel! After replacing one filter start up and run at a high RPM. If it's idling you could get air bound so keep it at about 1,000 rpm's. Repeat with second fuel filter.

By doing it in this order you have now made your oil drain pan easier to clean out with the diesel fuel in it.

An additional note worth mentioning. Napa and some other places have these drain plugs that once installed you only have to flick a valve and they drain out without the use of tools. My problem with this is two-fold. 1st the ease of this could make it pop open going down the road if it's struck by road gators (tire casings) or other such debris. 2nd, not all of the oil gets out of the pan with one of these.

Another trick is to place a magnet on the pan or even inside of the pan to trap metal particles. Most drain plugs are magnetic anyway but if you change it over to the flip style add another magnet.

I have the Cummins 8.3, 300 HP engine also and have been successful in getting the large air cleaner at NAPA and would bet they have the fuel and oil filters as well.

I change my own (to be sure it is done properly) on my 8.3 Cummins; oil change is easier than a car! Oil filter was $45.00 3 weeks ago; 24 qts of Rotella was another $50.00.
Stewart & Stevenson (Diesel Parts/Repair) supplied my last air cleaner 2 years ago - best price then. The fuel filters are readily available locally, but remember there are two on the Cummins and, as above, FILL THEM WITH FUEL to avoid a prime problem (Pun!).
If you have an Allison 6-speed you MUST change that fluid regularly and the (two) filters are $70 for the pair (in a kit with instructions) - again, easier than a car.

Bill N.Y. and Gunner,

In your posts you seem to suggest that there is only about 25 quarts of oil in the engine. My engine manual claims 35 quarts for my 8.3 and the for last three oil changes my bill has reflected 32 quarts plus filters. Do I have a different oil pan or is there an overcharge for oil happening?

Bill N.Y. - I was thinking of adding the ball valve oil drain so that I could change the oil myself. I can't imagine how I would handle 30+ quarts flowing out all at once. I appreciate your description of the oil change proceedure, as I would not have done it in that manner without you advice.

Bill G

quote:

Originally posted by Bill G:
In your posts you seem to suggest that there is only about 25 quarts of oil in the engine.

I don't know how much oil is in your engine. I would suspect 32 quarts... If the fact that I mentioned a 5 gallon pail (20 qts.) let me change that now to reflect 2 - 5 gallon pails as I'm sure the extra diesel fuel will also bring the total of waste oil up more then 32 quarts.

An additional note worth mentioning. Buy your oil in 5 gallon buckets. Buy 5 gallon containers and keep the extra pails to do the drain thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill G:
I was thinking of adding the ball valve oil drain so that I could change the oil myself. I can't imagine how I would handle 30+ quarts flowing out all at once.

The Cummins 8.3L takes a 18mm x 1.5 valve

There is also an additional way to make it safer. Install a clamp ring to keep the valve from opening up.



The other problems is a tire casing or other road debris snapping the valve off, not getting all of the oil to drain out and the magnet that is now gone from the drain plug.

I would suggest after the first oil change you should remove the valve and see how much more is really being drained out. It might be next to nothing so then your ok. If it's a lot then make removing the ball drain part of the oil change ritual and get extra pan to valve gaskets.

Cat 3208, 3116 & 3126 takes a 3/4 x 16 unf thread.

Cummins 8.3L & 5.9L takes a 18mm x 1.5 thread.

Cummins L10, M11 & N14 takes a 1 x 18 unf thread.

Detroit 8.2L takes a 1/2 x 14 thread.

I found a site on the net that explains more. Check out this site for more info. http://www.fumotousa.com I would order the part number with the N at the end to get the extra nipple for the snap ring.