Hello everyone, my name is Curtis, I'm 20 years old and attend the University of Kentucky. I've been reading this forum for sometime and finally decided to post. So here's my story...

Like I said, I'm 20 years old, but I pretty mechanically minded for my age. One my 16th birthday, I bought a 1978 Volkswagen Camper. I spent about 18 months restoring it (with the help of my dad) and now I've enjoyed camping in it all over Michigan during the summers.



My grandpa has owned many motorhome's in his lifetime, and his favorite was no doubt his Barth. He was always talking about how much better it was built then the rest of them! Unfortunately, he passed away about 2 years ago. He traveled all over the U.S., going to Las Vegas every year in it for many, many years. Some of my best memories are when my grandparents would pull into my parents driveway after a 4 month excursion out west. So, to say the least, I have a bit of a connection to his Barth.

Before he passed, he wasn't feeling so well, and the motorhome sat for a few years, at least 5, without even being started occasionally. I would like to get it up and running, all tuned up, cleaned up and take the same route he did out west when I graduate from college. Like I said, I am mechanically minded, and I know that I can't just throw a battery in it and fire it up. I'm well prepared to put a fair amount of money, and even more time into this.



Here is what I am planning on doing first:
Heat up block with space heater and drain oil
Remove all spark plugs and fill cylinders with a penetrating oil
Replace spark plugs if necessary
Drain all fuel and replace fuel lines
Clean carb
Visually and physically inspect all wiring

I know the coach has about 50,000 miles on the body however the engine only has about 10,000 miles. From what my grandma tells me, a belt broke in a one lane construction zone in Texarkana, TX, and he had no choice but continue driving, seeing there was no place to pull over. I do believe it is a 454 Chevy engine. He had a brand new crate engine installed.

Hopefully, if all this turns out alright, I can get it back home to my driveway, and really go through it there. It is currently located about 200 miles away from my house. Obviously I'll need new tires, but that's the last of my worries.

Here are some more pictures








From talking to my grandma, I believe it is a 1985 Regal 28, but I'm not sure. From looking at other members pictures, it looks like it is.

Sorry for such a long post. Please let me know what you think, or feel free of offer me any advice in getting the Barth started up after sitting for so long

Thanks everyone
-Curtis

Welcome to the forums, and thanks for the photos! It does appear to be a Regal.

A comment on the penetrating oil in the cylinders: Don't. A squirt of 2-cycle engine oil is safer; try to squirt the top of the cylinder - the side towards the center of the engine. Just a squirt - don't overdo it. Then turn the engine over by hand to check for binds. The Chevy 454 is pretty robust.

Here's what I suggest - other members will no doubt add what I've overlooked:

Change all belts and hoses.

Change all fluids and filters - engine, transmission, ppower steering (thoroughly flush the cooling system when you get the engine running).

Check the exhaust system for obvious leaks.

You may need new spark plug wires.

Once you get the engine running, before test driving:

Lubricate all chassis lube points with NGLI Grade 2 grease (the most common).

New batteries.

Repack front wheel bearings.

Check brake pads for wear.

Flush the brake system.

Once its roadworthy, then there's a check of the interior things, but that's another list

Good luck - a Barth is worth time, effort, and expense.

quote:

Originally posted by MalibuLx3:
Hello everyone, my name is Curtis,

Hello, Curtis, and Welcome

quote:

Here is what I am planning on doing first:
Heat up block with space heater and drain oil
Remove all spark plugs and fill cylinders with a penetrating oil
Replace spark plugs if necessary
Drain all fuel and replace fuel lines
Clean carb
Visually and physically inspect all wiring
-Curtis

I would add a few things.

New belts, hoses and ignition wires. Don't forget the short hose on top of the water pump. It is no fun, but worse when it leaks on the road. Use hot water to help manipulate it.

New brake fluid.

New plug wires.

Replace fuel filters. One is in the carb inlet, the other half way back.

If you are going inside the carb to clean it, replace the float. The nitrile floats in Qjets deteriorate with age.

There is a soft plug on the underside of a Q jet that can drool and start a fire, so when the carb is off, deal with it.

Clean the inside of the distributor of any red dust.

Make sure the PCV valve is free.

Free up the heat riser valve.

Try to break the brake flex hoses. If they don't leak, you will probably make it home, where you can change them.

Battery.

Leave the plugs out and spin it with the new oil to assure oil in lifters and other places.

On edit: Looks like Rusty and I were thinking some of the same things. Great minds, etc.............

Yep, and there are several other mechanically-inclined Barthmobile forum members too, who have yet to chime in.

With regards to the filter on the carb housing inlet, I'll add to bill h's suggestion, BE SURE to use two wrenches - one to back the inner fitting. This is a flair fitting, and the fuel line is probably stuck, and not backing the inner nut can cause the whole assembly to rotate and split the fuel line...(so I'm told; I've never done that of course... )

BTW, if the new engine was a short block, the fuel pump might have been moved over from the old engine. GM mechanical fuel pumps are suspect after 50K miles - I've never gotten more than 57K (and I got to replace on a 106°F day on adphalt...)

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:


With regards to the filter on the carb housing inlet, I'll add to bill h's suggestion, BE SURE to use two wrenches - one to back the inner fitting. This is a flair fitting, and the fuel line is probably stuck, and not backing the inner nut can cause the whole assembly to rotate and split the fuel line...(so I'm told; I've never done that of course... )

It also helps to use a flare nut wrench on the line nut for that job. The even forces are less prone to cause distortion and the resultant binding than an open end. Also, a flare nut wrench will achieve a leak-free seating with less force and be easier to deal with next time. Over-torquing is a prime cause of what Rusty describes.

Oh yeah, be sure to use anti seize when putting the big part back in to the carb casting. It is really disappointing to have the threads gall on the next filter change. A little behind the flare on the tubing will help, too.

Don't use an anti-seize with graphite - it can accelerate corrosion in aluminum. Better is a good thread sealant like NAPA's aircraft-approved one. I'll look up the part number tomorrow. It's no-hardening.

Amen on the flare-nut wrench. NAPA has a decent crow's foot that's nearly closed (~$17) that's also good.

From experience with Rochester Quadrajets I would suggest you get the Barth home and then throw away the carb and replace with an Edelbrock Performer Series for the 454 truck application. Not only is it more reliable and fuel efficient it has an electric choke and no leaking bowl seals. For the money it is much better than trying to struggle with the old technology and it is a direct bolt in. You can get these that are tuned for max fuel efficiency or performance. I have changed at least a dozen of these old Qjets for customers and they have always been happy.

Curtis: A sincere welcome. If you look over and behind you as you sit in the driver's seat ( not when you are driving), you will see a manufacturer's plate which gives a wealth of information. Please send or post a photo of this plate to Nick Cagle (keeper of all that is sacred). He is salavating as I type. Again, a sincere welcome and keep the photos coming

Welcome! Regular readers already know what I'm going to say but it's important enough to repeat [for the 10th time or so]. Old Chevys are notorious for swelled up rubber brake lines. You'll think the calipers are sticking and spend a few hundred non-necessary buck replacing them, when the problem is ALMOST always clogged rubber lines. Check the entire brake system and replace everything that's rubber.
Glad to know you're aware of what you have and plan to treat her accordingly. Keep us informed of your progress, and NEVER be afraid of asking a stupid question, cause there ain't no such thing!

Hi there Curtis! I am in Roseville, Mi. Anything I can do to help you along with the project would be my pleasure. Keep in mind that all of the info you receive here can sometimes be overwhelming at first ..but know that you are working from a solid foundation with that unit, and that these are recommendations only to try to help you avoid future problems when you are on the road. You are going to love all of the attention you get when you drive...(the name tag seems to attract a lot of attention from rv veterans especially),and I hope this site is as helpfull to you as it has been (and continues to be) for me. Enjoy!

"Replace fuel filters. One is in the carb inlet, the other half way back."
"Half way back" is usually on the inside of the curbside/passengerside/right-side chassis frame rail; about "halfway back". It will be an inline cylinder with short neoprene hoses connecting to the inlet (rear) and outlet (forward) steel tubing.

Better check and see how old and what shape your tires are in........you really don't want to have one blow out on you, it can do a lot of damage. Also make sure you have one or two good fire extinguishers with you, an rv just burned to the ground on I-8 just outside of Yuma yesterday.

Hey Bill h did you get the 2 emails i sent to you a couple of days ago? I think my computer may have put them in a file somewhere and not sent them even tho it said it did. Ed

A: This is worth every penny paid
B: You don't know until you look, try etc.
C: Refer to A:
If someone gave me this coach I would take a set of plugs, a set of wrenches, a new battery, a small boat type fuel tank (filled), a boat type fuel line with bulb, a hose barb compatible with the fuel lines of both the tank and fuel pump inlet.
A can of ether (starting fluid) a can of WD40, a can of that special purple creepy penetrating oil that I can't remember the name (if you are so careless as to take my advice post your mea culpa and I will look in the garage for the name) and a 6 pack of my favorite beverage.
I would remove a plug just to see how easily it came out and how it looked. No rust? put it back in, rusty put in the new ones. Install the new battery, clean the connections of the old cables and check the other ends of the cables. Check the dip stick, oil and no milkyness then do what ever it takes to try moving the belts to turn the engine over. If it is free thennnnn................make whatever overtures to your grandfathers memory you can, pull on the switch to the parking lights and see if they light up, and if so turn the switch off, connect the boat tank to the fuel pump inlet, pump the bulb until it is hard, squirt starting fluid in the carb, replace the air filter
I would request all the luck that had ever been available and turn the key and hope for the cough, pop, sputter, bang of a 454 that has not been lit off for 6 years to catch and go. Don't be surprised if it does. If not you also should have emery paper to pull through the contacts to polish them, maybe no contacts, can't remember when the distributors changed, probably no contacts, just need a new module and if memory serves this was in the period of don't leave home without a spare module in the glove compartment (that is the small box in the dash behind a door with a button, never holding a pair of gloves in the nearly 100 years of using the nomenclature.)
The 454 is not a noble beast but it is a reasonably faithful beast. Feed it, sooth it and it will do your bidding until it is beyond suffering. It would like a gallon of gas every 5 miles but if you restrict it to a 3/8" gas line and reasonable tuning it might return favorable response at 7 to 8 miles per gallon. It would love a quart of oil every 500 miles but sometimes will diet to as little as one every 1000, we figure a quart per 10 hour day on the river (2000 rpm cruise speed).
If you get it running, go around the block checking the brakes, transmission etc. If you get back to the starting place, leave it running, check the tire pressure, vital signs etc. Try shutting it off and restarting. If it will restart turn it off, reconnect the fuel tank and see if it will run on it. If it will WHOOPEEE! Go to the gas station and fill the tank while it is still around $1.60/gallon.
If the thing is running the fluids are good and you can drive in temps below 60F at speeds between 45 and 55 make sure the tires are at pressure, kiss your grandmother goodbye and head for home. Make sure you are in the 45 to 50 range for the first hour, less if it is not a limited access highway.
When you get it home you will have plenty of time to make things perfect, you only need them acceptable to get it there.
I once took my Grandfather's 1946 Chevy pickup nearly 400 miles to my home. When I arrived home and performed the autopsy on the engine I found I had left his barn with 4 cylinders operable and arrived home with 3 still working. You have better than babbit bearings and 6 reluctant cylinders so figure that you are moving up from the kneecap impact zone of a VW bus to the ankle impact zone of a real RV.
Best wishes and post updates.
Tim

quote:

Originally posted by Shadow man:
Hey Bill h did you get the 2 emails i sent to you a couple of days ago? I think my computer may have put them in a file somewhere and not sent them even tho it said it did. Ed

Yeah, but I missed them. Your "FROM" name on them is rather cryptic, and I missed them.

Reply forthcoming.