Hi all I am considering buying a 1979 Barth with a Chevy 454. Are there any problems in particular that I should look for. Adivise and help are always needed.

The tech forum is nice and if I make this purchase I will probably be a frequent flyer.

Thanks
Mike

There are tons of things to check out, but tires are one of the main things. Just because they "look" like new doesn't mean a thing. RV tires always do, unless they are weather cracked. Get the serial numbers stamped into the sidewalls and take it to a dealer to find the age. 6-8 years is the max recommended age for tires, much less if they were uncovered or not turned regularly. Can you get a picture of the coach so we can see if it's one we know something about? If it's Richards in Deltona many of us have seen it and could highly recommend it.

quote:

1979 Barth with a Chevy 454. Are there any problems in particular that I should look for

Mike, It's a 31 year old house sitting on top of a 31 year old truck - you'll have tons of issues and concerns. Depending on the quality of previous care, almost anything could be broke, worn out, frayed, leaking, misaligned, too tight, too loose, installed incorrectly, etc.

As far as "problems in particular", here's a couple that I discovered from my coach of that era:

1. The front cap is virtually designed to leak. It's the meeting point of fiberglas, aluminum, steel tubing, rubber and glass - the various pieces WILL move independently from each other, creating leaks and eventual corrosion around the "A" pillars. Plan on maintenance/sealing being at least an annual event.

2. If you're satisfied that all vacuum lines, connections & fittings are good and are still experiencing vacuum related performance issues, check the Q-jet's throttle shaft hole for being oblong....a design issue that allows for a substantial vacuum leak. It can be drilled out & bushed to better-than-new......

3. Snapped-off heads on the exhaust manifold bolts (particularly right bank)is a constant 454 issue. Mine was a yearly problem. A 4" cold air induction tube from grill area allowed for ram air across the manifold, and I haven't had the problem re-occur in the last four years. (2-3 minute idle for cool down helps too)

4. For sloppy steering, your first possible culprit should be the bell crank assemblies. They can be tightened to some degree, or better designed after-market ones with bearings are available. ($$!)

Other than that, start where the tire tread meets the road and end with the top of the A/C shroud......
Everything in between is fair game for repair, adjustment or replacement

Good luck!

I think the most glaring of the 454 problems is heat damage to ignition wires, particularly the right rear.

Unless you know the wires are recent, replace them with a good spiral silicone rubber wire, and put a heat boot on the right rear. I use cut sections of thermo tech sleeve on 1-7 and a Taylor woven sock with HD aluminum foil around it on #8. I replace the foil yearly. Shiny counts.

There will other things after my morning tea.

Well, Lee if your list doesn't scare mikedb away it will certainly make him a strong lifelong Barth enthusiast. I would add cooked starters as a possibility for older 454's. Good luck, hope you get a Barth.

quote:

Originally posted by bill h:

There will other things after my morning tea.

I have had a number of 454s in different vehicles, including three MHs and several trucks, cars and boats.

The weaknesses I have noted are all minor:

1. As Dick mentioned, the starter solenoid does not work well when hot, or when damaged by heat. This was addressed by factory upgrades, and can be further mitigated by heat shielding and avoiding heat soak by idling as Lee mentioned or installing a thermostat-controlled puller fan behind the radiator. Mine runs for a few minutes after shut down to prevent heat soak. This prolongs the life of starters, coils, ignition modules, plug wires, vacuum hoses, and smog stickers on air cleaner lids.

2. The Q jet fitted to all GM V8s can leak at a float chamber plug. Any good carb guy can fix that.

3. The small fuel filter on the inlet of the carb gets neglected, and the threads can gall. There are repair kits make for that.

4. The small fuel filter on the inlet of the carb gets neglected, and is designed to by-pass by pushing against the spring if clogged. This allows crud in your carb. I use two springs instead of one. I would rather have my engine balk and stumble than dump crud into the carb.

5. The short hose from the water pump to the intake manifold is often neglected because it is hard to change. I use a steel reinforced marine hose.

6. As previously mentioned, the right rear of the engine suffers from poor air flow. This is addressed by a right side air flow director/splash shield on later models. In addition, I use silicon spiral wires and a Nomex and foil boot over the plug boot.

7. In motor homes, the oil cooler lines are too small and failure-prone. Look at the cooler end of one of the lines and observe the reduced diameter. I believe everyone should have an oil temp gauge just to keep track.

8. The right exhaust manifold can crack or break its bolts. This is addressed by a factory bulletin.


Not 454 related, but some companies cheaped out on the chassis, and built their motor homes on a chassis that was too light. The ones with 19.5 wheels and rear disk brakes were the heavy-duty chassis, and feel much better going down the road. Many of the complaints about P30 handling are related to this issue.

Another reason for P30 handling complaints is the inability of many front end aligners to do a good job. First rule is to set ride height front and rear so the frame is level. Second rule is to recognize a motor home when you see it. Third rule is to use the motor home settings, not the potato chip truck settings. This is particularly important regarding caster.

If you are looking at an older P30, I would suggest buying only an all-metal one, like a Barth, if you plan on keeping it for any time.