[rheavn]

I went to open the engine cover & only the left side latch would unlatch. I had access to the right latch through the right engine access compartment on the right side. I was able to unlatch it using a 3 foot screwdriver. Don't know what I would do if the left side hadn't unlatched as there is no access. Both locks were stiff from lack of lubrication. I saturated both latches with spray lubricant until they worked smoothly. Now it opens & closes easily. Obviously I have neglected lubricating these latches. I offer this as a reminder to others so you don't get stuck with an engine cover that won't open. Also remember there are two grease fittings on the engine cover door.

Hope this helps someone.......................

[ron skeen]

[quote='rheavn' pid='2572' dateline='1353801484']
I went to open the engine cover & only the left side latch would unlatch. I had access to the right latch through the right engine access compartment on the right side. I was able to unlatch it using a 3 foot screwdriver. Don't know what I would do if the left side hadn't unlatched as there is no access. Both locks were stiff from lack of lubrication. I saturated both latches with spray lubricant until they worked smoothly. Now it opens & closes easily. Obviously I have neglected lubricating these latches. I offer this as a reminder to others so you don't get stuck with an engine cover that won't open. Also remember there are two grease fittings on the engine cover door.

Hope this helps someone.......................
I broke the cable going to the latch on the driver side. The way to get to the latch is remove the tail lights on that side and you can get to the latch. Hope this might help also.

[rheavn]

Great tip Ron. I've made a note because that cable always has worried me.

[RussWhite]

I went to open the engine cover & only the left side latch would unlatch. I had access to the right latch through the right engine access compartment on the right side. I was able to unlatch it using a 3 foot screwdriver. Don't know what I would do if the left side hadn't unlatched as there is no access. Both locks were stiff from lack of lubrication. I saturated both latches with spray lubricant until they worked smoothly. Now it opens & closes easily. Obviously I have neglected lubricating these latches. I offer this as a reminder to others so you don't get stuck with an engine cover that won't open. Also remember there are two grease fittings on the engine cover door.

Hope this helps someone.......................

Done! That was easy. Thanks, Russ

[rheavn]

My engine cover situation continued. I got the latches to unlatch, but then the top edge of the engine cover was hitting the bottom edge of the area above the cover between the tail lights. Enough so I had to press down hard to get it to close. I noticed shiney metal showing by both the left and right pillow blocks that mounts the engine cover. The pillow blocks had moved up about an 1/8" on the right and a 1/16" on the left.

I saw that I had to take loose the gas springs that hold the engine cover in the open position. Since I haven't made a compression tool, I looked for an alternative. I decided to leave the gas springs connected and remove the bottom gas spring mount on each side. I made a tool that fit on a bottle jack. I put the jack under the gas spring mount on the coach frame and jacked the tool up to the mount. The engine cover gas springs are compressed 1" at full open. I braced the cover open with two long tree stakes. Removed the bottom bolt of the gas spring mount. To keep the mount from trying to move back toward the engine I placed a 6" c-clamp loose enough to hold, but not tight on the bottom of the mount. For additional safety I placed a 1/8" thick piece of steel, that was about 6" X 36", between the jack and the engine. I removed the top gas spring mount bolt and let the jack down, holding the c-clamp so it lowered with the jack. Same process on both sides. The gas springs & their mount were now hanging loose.

I had to remove the chrome pipe that goes from the cold air charger for access to the top bolt on the left pillow block. I then loosened the 1/2" mounting bolts of the engine cover pillow blocks on both sides. I brought both pillow blocks 1/16" lower than they were originally. I torqued the mounting bolts down so they wouldn't move again.

I then used the jack and tool to compress the gas springs 1", the c-clamp and piece of metal to keep the mount from moving back toward the engine and a long punch to align the bolt holes. I aligned one hole, bolted and then aligned the second hole and bolted. It took 20 minutes a side to remount the gas spring mounts.

I removed the tree stakes that were holding the engine cover open. Closed the engine cover and it fits and closes easily.

In retrospect I'm not going to make a compression tool for when the engine cover gas springs need to be changed. I'm going to use the above method to remove the mounts, change the gas springs and remount.

Hope this helps someone.....................................

[smagown]

Nice work Steve!

[Chester Stone]

Steve, great job and many thanks for posting the pictures on how you did it. I wonder if a pipe clamp would do the job.

[rheavn]

I looked at using a pipe clamp as I have used it on other gas springs with success. I think using the bottle jack is easier & probably safer.