2015 Note: After our awesome 2014 experience documented below, we returned to Master Tech RV in Summer 2015 for a new paint job, hydronics installation, generator swap out and other projects. This time, after a year of getting to know Tim better across the country, we’d be dropping our bus/RV off for 6-8 weeks while we […]
Bus Projects
Shopping for RV Seats in Elkhart, IN – Our Flexsteel 517 Seats, Peeling Haloleather & Replacement
When you own a bus, or well, any home actually – there’s always a to-do list a mile long of potential future projects. Our lovely Zephyr is no exception. We bought her almost 3 years ago for a song, but knowing full well that it would unending upgrade projects. So when we have access to […]
An Unexpected Brake-Down
Our last travelogue post ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. We started the morning off in Hohenwald, TN driving south on the beautiful Natchez Trace for a few miles, and we then headed westward on Highway 64 towards Memphis to rendezvous with our dear friends Kristin & Jason, who we hadn’t seen since our […]
Failure Analysis: Did a Baldwin PA2721 Filter Failure Kill our 8V71 Engine?
The story of our summer was our major breakdown in remote Montana, and the subsequent full engine rebuild we carried out at Interstate PowerSystems in Billings, MT. The question we have been asked a million times since we first posted about the breakdown has been – “just what went wrong?” The symptoms defied a clear […]
Rebuilding an 8V-71 Detroit Diesel Engine
It took longer than any of us imagined it might. When we broke down on June 14th, the thought that we might still be in Billings when Cherie’s 40th birthday rolled around on August 4th seemed like something to joke about. That was over a month off! Even considering the time it took us to […]
On the Road Again!!!!
We can’t thank the team at Interstate PowerSystems in Billings, MT enough for their efforts this past week during our engine re-install after the rebuild. They all put in long hours. They tackled each obstacle head on. All with one goal – to get us back on the road in time for my birthday yesterday. […]
We Can See the Light!
Lots of progress this week, and we’ve been super super busy. Our team here at Interstate Power has been pulling extra full days to get this job completed while still being meticulous. We’re working overtime trying to keep on top of everything, especially trying to stay ahead of the shop with our own projects. Our […]
Art of the Diesel Engine
“Art without engineering is dreaming; engineering without art is calculating.” – Steven Roberts, the original technomad – Microship.com
Vroom Vroom!
It took a little longer than expected, but yesterday morning we got to see and hear our engine fire right up on dynamometer (aka ‘dyno’). For those who have been wanting MORE video of the momentous occasion, here you go: Direct link to the video There is nothing like that sweet sweet sound of a […]
Still Keeping Positive in Montana
Despite the reality that we have now: Witnessed two full moons over Billings Are considered regulars with our sewer tank pump out service Done laundry 3 times Know the menus at every restaraunt nearby by heart .. we are still keeping positive as our engine rebuild progresses. It’s gone a bit slower than anticipated, that […]
