[encantotom]

howdy all, success at last.

i got the new mac valve today and some more fittings from newell. (thanks to forest for picking them up for me).

i started my first retirement day off by having a dental implant. but after i got home and slept for 4 hours to wear off the general anethesia, i hopped outside and tackled the door (dont tell darlene, she was gone for the afternoon).

first i made a test jig to test the old valve. (actually, the first new valve i put in). i hooked the air compressor directly to the inlet of the valve. then i put a cap on one side of the valve that would be normally going to the upper plate of the air cylinder. then i rehooked up the solenoid to the door button that opens and closes the door.

there was no air leaking through the valve to come out either the B port or the exhaust port. that is what i saw when it was installed on the door.

then i pressed the door button and it opens the valve and exhausts and sends air to B port. that is what it is supposed to do.

next i switched the cap to the B port. this is the config i had the air leaking out of the exhaust port when it was closed.

so, when i hit the door button to get in that valve position, air came out the A port like it was supposed to and when i pushed the button again it switched the valve to the door closed position and low and behold....air was hissing out of the exhaust port and a little out A port.

it should be holding air and it isnt. that is what i heard inside the coach when the door was closed.

so i had either gotten a bad valve the first time (from ebay) or.....because i changed the valve without taking the cylinder apart and cleaning and resealing it, a bit of water, junk or a piece of the plastic seal that was broke got in the new valve causing EXACTLY the same problem as the original. that really threw me off.

i was a little nervous as to what i would do if the new valve didnt fixt it. but it did. i hooked it up to the test jig first and then when it worked i installed it in the door and it still worked. should cut my compressor cycle time wayyyy down. it was quite a leak.

this all started when les said to lube the pin on the door. if i had not taken the big cover off, i would have never heard it. especially lucky was me sitting in the stairwell when i closed the door and hearing it because that was the only way i would have found it. it is down low in the stairwell and covered very well.

now i just have to button things up (i took the screws out of the various wood pieces in there to get more room for my sasquatch sized hands. )

and i learned that the adjustments for the airdoor opening and closing speeds are NOT the same between valves. so you need to turn it wayyyy slow both ways (clockwise) and then open and close the door and adjust one at a time till you get the opening and closing rate that is optimum.

i wanted to thank jim at newell for talking me through it. i would have been ok if i had not gotten a bad valve as a replacement the first time, but it did cause me to really take the time to understand how it all works and how to adjust it all. plus i rebuilt my air cylinder.

the black rubber round piece in the pictures is the rubber piston inside the cylinder. i replace it and the seals and o rings. cleaned and greased it all up and it is like new again!

you can also see pictures of my test jig. (richard is turning me into a test jig guy)

happy friday!

tom