2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Vents

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KevinVT
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:04 am

2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Vents

Post by KevinVT »

Hello folks,

I have been reading posts, and this is my first post. I bought a 2001 Born Free 24 RB a few weeks ago. We (my wife and I) are going to take our 9 and 11 year old daughters on a 5 week cross country trip this summer... we can't wait! I had a few questions that maybe folks might be able to answer:

1) Air not blowing from the dash vents - Our motor coach is in excellent condition - almost everything works, 72,000 miles, very clean. However, the one thing that did not work when we got it was the air vents. I can hear the blower motor working and changing speeds and feel some air movement up by the window vents (defrost) but no movement out the dash vents. The motor coach is at the Ford dealership now, and they said they already have 3 hours of work into it and still have no answer for what is wrong. They want me to pay for more diagnostic work - next they are going to start taking the dash apart. I live in Vermont and just registered it here... and it will not pass inspection if the vents do not work. So I am kinda stuck paying their $164/hour Motorhome Labor rate :-(

Anyone ever have an issue like this? Anything it might be that I can share with them they might not already know?

2) Gas Tank size - The invoice on this model, the paperwork from this year all state this E450 had a 55 gallon fuel tank. However, the first 1,100 mile I did, every time it hit E the most I could add was 32 gallons. Today, the Ford dealership said based on the vin it would have had a 35 or 37 gallon tank. I asked Kim about this too, he seemed to think these had 55 gallon and they didn't change it.

So, thoughts? Any other 2001 24 RB's -- what size is your tank? 35 or 37 or 55.

Thanks!

--Kevin
--Kevin
2003 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6685 -- 11/2003

(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6176 -- 9/2000)
(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6185 -- 3/2001)
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whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by whemme »

Kevin,

If your Born Free is built on a Ford E350 chassis, then the gas tank capacity will be 37 gallons. If on a E450 chassis, then the gas tank capacity will be 55 gallons. Yours being a 2001 24 RB, it most likely should be on a E450 chassis.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
tomzleapin
Posts: 485
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:15 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by tomzleapin »

I had the vent problem on my 2005. The problem was a broken vacuum line that feeds through the firewall on the passenger side. Here's a YouTube video that shows the fix:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Wo9fgcBoQ

I was able to feed a new hose through the spot where the old one feeds through. This bypasses the vacuum accumulator but it functions most of the time. Hard acceleration will cause the vents to switch to defrost.
Tom
2005 24' RB
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
New Hope, MN
KevinVT
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:04 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by KevinVT »

Thanks Bill,

I do have a E450 chassis, but based on the Vin the Ford dealership is telling me it is either 35 or 37. And as I mentioned, on "E" when I fill up only about 32 gallons fits. I was hoping it was a 55 gallon - but a 20 gallon discrepancy seems like a lot. I guess the only true test would be to run it dry and then fill it up.

Thanks for the link Tom, that makes me scared.. I think I am going to swing by the Ford dealership tomorrow and ask them to look at that link before ripping apart my dash. Who knows if it is the same or similar issue - but maybe that will help them narrow it down faster. I found this similar video as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9rbZCwrp1Y

--Kevin
--Kevin
2003 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6685 -- 11/2003

(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6176 -- 9/2000)
(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6185 -- 3/2001)
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by whemme »

Kevin,

Below are the tank capacity specs copied from the Owners Manual for all 1999 thru 2002 Born Free models. For your 24 RB model it shows 37 gallons but note the double asterisk which refers to a note at the bottom that says when built on a Ford Super Duty chassis, the tank capacity is 55 gallons. The E450 is the Super Duty chassis.

Do you have a copy of the owner's manual for your Born Free? To my knowledge all E450 chassis were equipped with a 55 gallon fuel tank. Yours appears to be a puzzle.
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Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
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Eric Sandstrom
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 8:07 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by Eric Sandstrom »

We had the same vent problem... a few times. Problem was vacuum hoses eaten by mice when coach was being stored. Now we store the coach with old fashion naptha mothballs under the hood. So far so good for several years now.

Just filled our 2002 E450 coach that was reading just above emty. Took 35 gallons to fill.
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Steve
Posts: 204
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:46 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by Steve »

I also have had that same problem from squirrels. Ford wanted around $500.00 to fix, I was able to fix it by joining the ends together and then using heat shrink over the joint. It has worked fine for 4 years.
Steve
KevinVT
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:04 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by KevinVT »

Thanks folks,

Well looks like I won't be as lucky as Steve - Ford is estimating $1,000. They found the source of the leak - an old hose that goes to a vacuum reservoir (I think), but the issue is getting it back on, they are having to dismantle a bunch of stuff to get it back on... bummer.

As for the fuel tank, thanks Bill, yes I have that sheet too from the Owners Manual.

I managed to get a part number off the fuel tank from Ford: F7UA 9002 UA - but a google search is coming up short on giving me any good detail on 35, 37, or 55. My guess (based on my own fill up observations) is that it might only be 37 - despite being a E450 Superduty maybe even only 35.

A replacement tank for this year is only a 35 gallon on some auto part sites: http://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/E- ... 70113.html

This of course is assuming Born Free didn't change the tank when they built it, if they changed the tank then it could be a 55 gallon - and my gauge is just way off... allowing for over 20 more gallons in the tank when I am on "E" (I would be find with that too!).

--Kevin
--Kevin
2003 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6685 -- 11/2003

(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6176 -- 9/2000)
(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6185 -- 3/2001)
KevinVT
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:04 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by KevinVT »

Hi folks,

Just wanted to close this out (in case it helps someone in the future).

Ford did confirm for me that fuel tanks size was a 55 gallon. The part number on the tank was F7UA 9002 UA. So when I hit "E" I still have about 20+ gallons in the tank (I can usually put in about 33 gallons when I hit "E").

As for the vacuum leak, it was a small deteriorated hose.. but getting to the small part was a bit of a pain and the total bill saw several hundred dollars because they had to remove a bunch of stuff.. bummer. They had it in the shop 3 1/2 days.

--Kevin
--Kevin
2003 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6685 -- 11/2003

(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6176 -- 9/2000)
(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6185 -- 3/2001)
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by whemme »

Kevin,

I would hazard a guess that your tank level sensor, which is located inside of your 55 gallon tank, is faulty in showing E when there is still maybe 15 or so gallons still remaining in your tank.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
KevinVT
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:04 am

Re: 2001 24 RB General Questions - Fuel Tank and Dash Air Ve

Post by KevinVT »

Bill,

I had considered that. But as long as it stays consistent I can live with it :-). It isn't bad to force me to fill up early, we still cover decent distance with 30+ gallons.
--Kevin
2003 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6685 -- 11/2003

(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6176 -- 9/2000)
(Former 2001 Born Free 24' RB - No. 6185 -- 3/2001)
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