mazdeuce wrote: Does it have a vacuum actuated valve that opens when you turn the heat on to let coolant into the system? I'd be checking that to make sure it's operating correctly.
I don't know. Java, temps up there like normal. It's just always had really lukewarm air with the heat on high. Below 50° ambient it's never warm enough. Look at the forecast for Redmond Oregon. I'm in Weed California and it's pouring rain and windy. Still in shorts and flip flops until I see snow.
Whats your vin, ill grab the HVAC info and email it to you. It should be lava hot in my e series experience.
Thanks Ross
Made it home to a foot of fresh snow. BFGoodrich All Terrain tires did really well in the snow. Dropped down to 50 psi in the rear and 40 psi in the front. I'm pretty certain my heater core is clogged. If I turn the fans off for a few minutes and then back on I get a little bit of heat and then it cools off again.
Google says you do have a vacuum actuated heater control valve and the one valve controls coolant flow to both cores. And they go bad. I'm not saying you HAVE to start there but it seems more likely than both cores being clogged.
In reply to mazdeuce:
Thanks, seems like a good place to start. Too cold to do anything about it now.
How do you like the portable solar panel? I going back and fourth on my new build, a couple portable vs a few hundred watts on the roof.
java230 wrote: How do you like the portable solar panel? I going back and fourth on my new build, a couple portable vs a few hundred watts on the roof.
It was enough to keep the batteries charged with the fridge running. If I had to do it over again I'd mount panels to the roof.
I originally went with the portable panels so I could park in the shade and put the panels in the sun. Well, I don't think I camped in the shade the whole trip. Plenty of times I parked during the day on the beach or in a town, and roof panels would have kept the batteries topped up. Plenty of places I wouldn't have deployed the panels. If I was going to camp somewhere for more than one night, I put the panels out. It just didn't happen that often. I wanted to sleep some place new almost every night. If I ran the van engine for more than a few minutes, the batteries had plenty of power. The lowest I ever saw the house batteries go was 12.1 while the fridge was running.
In reply to Petrolburner:
Thanks, I am leaning towards roof panels too
I'd look at those flexible panels for my van, but on a rig like yours I'd use regular glass panels. Would be nice to have the ability to tip them up, even if you rarely ever did it.
In reply to Petrolburner:
Im trying to keep height down, and no holes, flexible is nice there, just glue down. But they have some issues it seems from my reading. They overheat and warp, doesnt hurt them, but makes dirt build up. The roof is already ~11' off the ground, not getting up there to tilt easily.
With traditional glass panels you could have a slight air gap for cooling up on top. Of course the downside would be an additional aerodynamic penalty to a rig that's already pretty poor.
I swear there were porch light discussed in here but I cant find it now....
These perhaps? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ODSBW66/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_img?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1W9T1VHESHHDF&coliid=I8O24WM4ER414&psc=1
Not sure, but Dream Lighting is the company I'd come across from another thread that had under awning porch lighting that looked good and had a good review. Pick your size and color and let me know how it works out.
In reply to Ian F:
i just did a road trip from charleston wv to charlotte nc in my E350 towing a uhaul car trailer with a golf 4 on it, i got 10mpg we dropped the golf off at the bottom of fancy gap about halfway then fueled up and headed to charlotte towing and empty trailer and got 15mpg loaded a 73 beetle and headed back to charleston getting 10-11mpg a couple days later a topped the tank from half and averaged 15mpg on 91 octane but do to the cool air it was rattling so i topped it off with e85, it loves e85 but the mpg does go down about 30% on 91 it gets 14-15mpg on 50/50 e85 91 it gets 10-12 in 50/50 driving so so far. i track it on fuelly.com under toe van
In reply to tdrrally:
Wow that is way better than my tall and unaerodynamic van gets.
In reply to Petrolburner:
Yeah I think its really the aero that does it in....
I can't believe I never posted any pics from Baja here. As a farewell tribute to Gertrude, here they are 
Is she sold??
java230 wrote: Is she sold??
No, but it's the beginning of the end. I bought a replacement. I've always wanted a box van and I found one that I just couldn't resist any longer.
1997 E-Super Duty with 7.3l Power Stroke diesel. 204k miles and I bought it from the original owners with service records. The box is made by Grumman Olson and it has barn doors in the back instead of the roll up door.
Drove it to the river the other day and it has no problem fitting a couple SUPs in the back!
It seems to be softly sprung for a 14,050 GVW rig. We did a few miles of washboard and bumpy dirt road and it wasn't all that bad even unloaded! Not nearly as nice as an aired down Gertrude, but not that much worse than Gertrude with highway tire pressure.
Looks great! 
<img src="
" />
My new house in Crooked River Ranch was in the path of totality, with parking for plenty. I invited many people and was able to get a good shot of all the vans now in my family. On the far right we have my Motovan 1.0 which my Mom and Stepfather are now camping out of, 2nd from the right is my brother's Gallivanter, 2nd from the left is Gertrude my Motovan 2.0, and on the far left we have Grumman the Backcountry BoxVan, my Motovan 3.0
Your brother is out vanning you, isn't he? 
Is Motovan 2.0 for sale?
In reply to mazdeuce: It's not the first time he's one upped me. I'm going to win this one though.
Ian, it will be once I get going far enough on Motovan 3.0
In reply to Petrolburner:
Cool. I might be interested, depending on the price. Unfortunately, much of the suspension upgrades are wasted on me as that is not likely to be the sort of driving I'd ever do. If anything, I'd want it lower with some aero mods for better MPG. Mainly, I like the extended, raised roof part along with the reasonably sorted/trusted mechanicals.
I'm still debating a van like yours or going more stealth with another conversion van.
You'll need to log in to post.
