1999 Winnebago 36L turbo diesel

[oran42348]

Looking at a chieftain that is priced within my budget for an upgrade to my present fleetwood southwind,the rig has 65400 miles and tires are dated 2011..the front suspension air bags are new..Other than the obvious is there anything particular to watch out for on this motorhome. Looking for suggestions or advice to be aware of before purchasing..Thanks in advance.

[bsamole]

What brand diesel engine does the coach have?

[ladagobago]

Originally Posted by bsamole

What brand diesel engine does the coach have?

That model has a cummins isb. Same as mine.

[ladagobago]

Originally Posted by oran42348

Looking at a chieftain that is priced within my budget for an upgrade to my present fleetwood southwind,the rig has 65400 miles and tires are dated 2011..the front suspension air bags are new..Other than the obvious is there anything particular to watch out for on this motorhome. Looking for suggestions or advice to be aware of before purchasing..Thanks in advance.

From the outside look down the body and see if there are any bulges. this would indicate a leak and delamination of the body skin. Same on the inside. look at the ceiling rat fuzz for stains around openings. Also the paneling near the windows especially the front passenger area.

How long has it been sitting around? make sure the fuel cap is venting properly and as well as the roll over valve on the fuel tank and that the discharge hose for the valve is not full of insect nest. Mine was and it cost me a new fuel pump. $3800.

Make sure the Dash air is in good condition, Generally the batteries are crap by now, check the radiator by lifting the bed, remove the engine cover and inspect the inside top of the radiator beyond the CAC. Plan to get dirty and crawl on you gut to see it. check the bottom of the engine from the fan belt to the trans for oil leaks. run the generator for about 30 minutes with the air conditioners on. Make sure the furnace functions too. Most likely the battery charge is working. it is under the norcold refer. It will be an older one and plan to replace it with a progressive. make sure the refer makes ice when power is on and make sure it runs of Propane too. While at it check for LEAKS AROUND THE WINDSHIELD. this is found on almost every single Winnebago. The only way to see it is removal of the decorative rubber molding. No you want to check the water pump and the hot water heater. you should get hot water in about 10-15 minutes. nest check the leveling systems and make sure the hydralics return to the resting position. Now run the slide in and out a few times and make sure it works. Check to see if the stove lights up on all burners then put some water in a cup and run the microwave.

Check the propane tank for rusting. The tire should be OK if they are Michelin but will need to be replace someplace down the road. I replace mine with TOYO but warn against is as the handling is different and the really stink badly. no much different than the black water tank.

Now if all the above is functional, take it for a ride. I mean a ride like 75 miles or so. make sure it will accelerates well into traffic and the pac brake works. look for excessive smoke white or black and that it shift nicely into 6th gear at about 58 mph. If the road allows speed then get it up to 70 or so for a mile or two and check the temperature. If you have any good hills make sure it can get up them without overheating. let loose of steering wheel on a level road, to see if it crawls to left or right. Make sure the lights all work and that the radio and other dash board items are ok. Like the remote mirror etc.

Chances are if all these things are OK it may not be a bad deal. I wonder why the front bags are new however. The price should be around $30K or less. I bought mine for $38 about 6 years ago.

[lavamanz]

I have a 99 Itasca Sunflyer with the 5.9 cummins, about the same as the chieftan. I purchased mine 6 years ago with 70K miles, I now have 93K miles.

I would suggest looking at the exhaust manifold, mine was cracked and I had to replace after purchasing it. The parts alone were $400.

i agree about checking windshield for rust. mine had rust & i had to have one windshield replaced. i think it was caused by rust.

Ive had to replace quite a few things over the 6 years Ive owned it. Many of the items were because the first owner hadnt kept the unit up the last 2-3 years.

[oran42348]

Thanks for your replies ..lots to consider when purchasing ..found issues with the hyd. jacks ,leaking ..oil leak near engine and trans..the coach is dated needed upgrades..will continue my search..Thanks again...

[mtnmike]

ladagobago did a great job of what to look for. Wise move to move on with a coach that has not been taken care of. The right one is out there. The western states, AZ, NV, UT, CO, and others have nearly corrosion free RVs and when one is looking at an older coach, that is one danged important element. We bought a 9 year old coach from an individual in Phoenix and most people thought it was brand new.

Good luck in your search.

[ladagobago]

Originally Posted by oran42348

Thanks for your replies ..lots to consider when purchasing ..found issues with the hyd. jacks ,leaking ..oil leak near engine and trans..the coach is dated needed upgrades..will continue my search..Thanks again...

keep looking there are still lots of value in the Chieftain. Even though we have put about $10K back into our MH over the last 6 years, I still feel we have a good purchase. When considering a purchase one should look at the price as compared to market value and/or what it would cost to purchase a "brand new" or newer MH. It may be hundreds of thousands of dollars different and you may still have problems as is read on the many threads of new MH owners.

If the value of the prospective MH is below market value and is in reasonable condition then that is a good purchase. If there are repairs to be made and the estimated cost elevates the price to the same as other more expensive units, then possibly the other unit may be more practical.

When I purchase my Chieftain - most were selling about $10-15K more than $38. Many of the more expensive ones were in poorer condition. I felt that there was a cushion of many thousands for future repairs. Over the 6 years we have spent about $10K in repairs or upgrades.

When looking I forgot to mention - remove all drawers and look for infestations of insects and animals. The old stereo system is really not all that great. there is a speaker under the refer and under the couch for base. Chances are the rear camera is not working, and the old TV's are junk. There will be time to worry about all that later.