Click on the to go to its Tip:
	Air Cleaner & Smog Test
	Gas Lines will Crack
	Fuel Injector Troubleshooting & Part Numbers (off page link)
	Fuel Injector
	Fuel Injector Nozzle Drip
	Carburetor
	Ignition
	Throttle Control Cable (off page link)
	Throttle Control Cable Replacement (off page link)
	Fuel Pressure Regulator
	Pat Mogan's "Mini-Blower"
	Gas Mileage from Pat Mogan's "Mini-Blower"
	Tom's version of Pat's "Mini-Blower"
	Updated Gas Mileage from several "Mini-Blower" Installations

Subject:  Air Cleaner & Smog Test
 
Tip:  Word of caution, if you live in California, any modifications to the emission control system, particularly to the air cleaner, will fail you at the smog test facility. So, be prudent about what you do. In California the Smog Information sticker is located on the original air cleaner and it must be retained.  
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Subject:  Gas Lines will Crack
 
Tip:  A number of members have had to replace the gas lines. As our coaches get older the gas line get brittle and have a tendency to crack. This results in hard starting and sometimes the smell of gas in the coach.  It can also cause you to fail a smog test in California where they sometimes pressure test the gas tank and associated lines including lines to all of the pollution control equipment.  For more information, check out the following tips: Gas Tank and Gas Lines, Generator Fuel Line and Honda Generator Won't Start.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject:  Fuel Injector
 
Tip:  Tom Heald had a problem that was in the making for a long time when his engine starting running on 4 cylinders just outside of Death Valley.  The electrical prong on the Fuel Injector was not seated properly in the the mating socket (it was just touching the side) and after working for many years, failed without warning.  Follow the link to read about Diagnosing Tom's Injector Problem. 

If you need to replace the injectors, make sure you replace them as a pair and that they are the same color code. “O” ring is critical and has to be the correct one for the injectors. Also, they are controlled in two ways; by vacuum and electrical input from the on-board computer.
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Subject:  Fuel Injector Nozzle Drip
 
Tip:  If your engine is fuel injected, it is prone to what’s commonly referred to as the “nozzle drip”. That is the situation where the gasoline will drip in the throttle body uncontrollably as the result of film buildup in the injectors. The cure for this phenomenon is the fuel injector cleaner that can be purchased at any automotive store but the best prices have been found at Wal-Mart and Costco. Make sure you follow manufacturer’s direction since some formulation caution you not to use it more frequently than every 40,000 miles. It’s not clear what would happen if you did use it more frequently.
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Subject:  Carburetor
 
Tip:  Frank DeRemer reported that Paul Reimer merely had his carburetor tuned and improved the gas mileage by 2-3 MPG.
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Subject:  Ignition
 
Tip:  If you have a carbureted engine and would like a little more power, you may look into installing Jacobs ignition. To find more on the subject, go the Jacobs Electronics web site at http://www.jacobselectronics.com
#441 Mondeel 
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Subject:  Fuel Pressure Regulator
 
Tip:  Everyone was surprised to see George Kinnison show up without his Aero Cruiser. Apparently, every time George came to a stop, his engine would stop as well. He was still trying to identify the problem but in the process he did discover that the fuel pressure regulator went out. Replacement part from Chrysler is part No. 4095704.
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Subject:  Pat Mogan's "Mini-Blower"
 
Tip:  Pat Mogan installed a fan in the air cleaner intake (carbureted engine but it works for fuel injection also) and reported increase in mileage by about 3 MPG. He could have used either 3” or 4” boat bilge pump but choose 4”.

Pat showed off his innovation for engine power increase. As you can see on the left, he secured a house heating vent to the grille and connected the air intake hose (purchased extra length) to the vent with a PVC fitting...

A marine blower was installed between the extra length of hose and the original air intake hose. The motor is controlled by a switch on the dashboard. That way when extra power is needed, such as going up hill, he turns on the blower.

Pat calls his innovation “A poor man’s turbo charger” and reports noticeable increase in power and gas mileage.

Pat Mogan
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Subject:  Gas Mileage from Pat Mogan's "Mini-Blower".

Tip:  At the Zion Rally last May, Pat Mogan reported that he had added a bilge blower fan to his Aero Cruiser.  It blows into the air intake.  He reported significant increases in power and gas mileage -- from 6-something MPG to 8-something MPG.  Having tried such things in the past that did not do much good, I was skeptical.  Still, it only required about a $35 investment and a half hour of labor, so I thought I would try it.  So, on the way back I stopped in Las Vegas, bought such a fan at a boat store, and installed it.  Wow, am I glad I did.  It has long since paid for itself in saved gas on my 29 footer.  (Thanks, Pat!)  Here are some statistics:

On the way from Bakersfield to Las Vegas, I had gotten 9.27 MPG.  On the return trip, after adding the blower, I got 11.89.  That seems to be a 28% increase!   My prior all-time-high mileage measurement was 10.47 MPG.  Even that indicates a 14% increase.  Of course it IS about 2000’ downhill from Las Vegas to Bakersfield.  Nawh, I don't believe it, so here's more data.

Counting from Santa Cruz to and back to Las Vegas on that same trip, I got 9.19 MPG.  In returning from Las Vegas, I took a round-about trip through the mountains (Lake Isabella above Bakersfield, over a 6000' pass, then down to 500', then up to 7000' and on to the very bottom of King's Canyon National Park at 3000', and back to 7000' and on home through Fresno); even with all those ups and downs and 12 days of camping, I got 9.33 MPG.  That's only a 1.5% increase but the two legs of the trip were quite incomparable: the return leg was much worse driving conditions -- I would have previously expected low 8's MPG or worse.

Prior to the blower, I was getting 9.3-9.5 MPG on unimpeded trips from Santa Cruz to the LA area down Hwy 101.  On a round trip in 2004 to Quartzite I got 9.2 MPG.  On my trip to the Gold Beach, OR, Rally in 2004, I got 9.07 MPG.  Now I am getting better than that on trips involving many steep, windy, slow roads.

Next trip was for the Pismo Beach Rally.  I took the coast route (Hwy 1) from Santa Cruz to Pismo, then slow, windy 101-58-229-41-198 to Visalia.  I got 8.78 MPG for that leg.  Then I went through Sequoia National Park up 7000' on a slow, windy road not recommended for vehicles over 22' (mine is 29') to Kings Canyon National Park (staying at 7000' for another 5 days this time) and returning to Santa Cruz again through Fresno.  On that leg I got 8.99 MPG.  Again I don't have a comparable trip before the blower with which to compare, but I might have expected low 8's MPG.

Funny, isn't it, how the first trip after a change seems to indicate a great increase in gas mileage!    I doubt I am getting 28% better MPG, but it seems clear I am getting at least a 1 MPG improvement, perhaps 10%-15%.  That is a little more than I got when I changed my 4.10 rear end to a 4.88, and that cost me $800.  I highly recommend the blower (see the July 2006 Aero Cruise News) for increased gas mileage. 

By the way, the tailpipe is cleaner with the blower, seemingly indicating a leaner gas mixture.  Also the sparkplugs look very clean.  Finally, I computed that a 360 engine takes in 240 CFM of air at about 2300 RPM, and that is just what the fan generates.  Obviously the fan is not strong enough to force air into the motor, as a real blower (supercharger) does, but is does seem to help the engine breath just enough to help.
Happy Aero Cruizin', --Frank DeRemer 

Update: After further measurements, Frank reports that he is seeing maybe one-half a MPG improvement in gas mileage; however, he has seen a noticeable increase in power on hills and when passing.
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Subject:  Tom's version of Pat's "Mini-Blower"
 
Tip:  I did not want to reroute the engine's air intake into the engine compartment  behind the grill where it is crowded and the air get hot.  I decided to leave the air intake in the same general location as the original intake, under the drivers compartment where the air is cooler.  

The original "Ram Air Scoop" performs two functions: It provides "Ram" air to the carburetor and provides cooling for the Engine Computer.  The addition of the "Marine Blower" enhances the air flow into the engine, letting it breath better and increases cooling flow over the engine computer.  Overall, it should improve engine efficiency and give you better mileage on the road.  In-fact later measurements (see below) showed a disappointing 0.45 MPG improvement in gas mileage ; however, there is a noticeable improvement in power going up hills and when passing .

I wired the blower to a new switch that I installed to the left of the steering column and ran the wires down to ground and the ignition side of the Coach Electrical Box.  Position 20 and 21 are normally free.
 

To mount the 4 inch Marine blower I used a 2x4 about 10 inches long. I cut the top side at a 15 degree angle and mounted the blower on the bottom, left end so the input side was lower than the output.  I attached the original 4" air hose to the output of the blower and mounted the 2x4 to the floor of the drivers compartment -- cantilever style -- with 2 lug bolts as seen in Picture 1. To the input end of the blower I attached a short piece of 4" air hose and ran it to the original "Ram Scoop".  To attach the "Scoop" to the body, I ran an aluminum strap from the 2x4 the "Scoop" was original attached to, down to the mounting fixture on the scoop. This is the end that was original attached to the wheel well and can be seen on the side opposite the smaller hose that goes to the "Engine Computer" to draw air through it and provide cooling as seen in Picture 2. I covered the air intake end of the scoop with a quarter inch square galvanized mesh to keep any rocks out of it.  Then routed it beside the steering-gear housing to an area behind the front bumper. Just to the right of the opening seen in Picture 3.  I was concerned that the input scoop might be in an eddy and not get enough air so I installed an "Air Dam" behind the opening below the fender to divert air to the scoop. The input "Scoop" can be seen in Picture 4 on the right behind the bumper.  The  "Air Dam" can be seen to its left and from the outside in Picture 3.

Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4

Update: I will experience a back-fire if I turn the engine off with my blower running.   I assume it is the extra air / fuel mix in the manifold.  If I turn the blower off before the ignition, I don't get any back-fires.  I don't want to blow a gasket, so I always try to remember to turn the blower off before the engine.  If I don't remember, it reminds me with a bang!   
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject:  Updated Gas Mileage from several "Mini-Blower" Installations
 
Tip: I have spoken with several club members who have installed marine blower on the intake line to the air filter.  All report very little up to maybe one-half a MPG improvement in gas mileage.  However, all report a significant increase in power going up hills and when passing.  Personally I have driven over the "Tejon pass and the Grapevine on US 5", Tehachapi pass on CA 58, and Pacheco pass on CA 152 all of which have caused me to go into second gear in the past.  With the blower installed, I have driven all of them without having to downshift my 1990 23 foot Aero Cruiser with a standard drive train without a Gear Vender or rear end change. 

I log the odometer reading, gallons pumped and cost every time I fill up so I have a complete history of my mileage from when I purchased it in July of 1996.  Going back 1057.0 miles just before I installed the Mini-Blower I averaged 9.49 MPG.  After the installation, I averaged 9.94 MPG over 1138.3 miles.  So I have seen a 0.45 MPG improvement driving over similar roads and conditions.  In both case the majority of the miles were on the highway driving around 60 MPH.  Both the before and after numbers include trips over all of the passes listed above. 
 Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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