Buying 85 IDI ATS turbo motorhome!

Check the transmission fluid too... if it's black and smells burnt, it's time for a rebuild. May just be low, need a filter change, or both.

I wonder if the guy put ATF in the master cylinder in a half-assed attempt to "condition" (swell) a leaking seal someplace...

Here is the poor idling when warmed and stall. I might try turning up idle for now.

DrCharles said:

Check the transmission fluid too... if it's black and smells burnt, it's time for a rebuild. May just be low, need a filter change, or both.

I wonder if the guy put ATF in the master cylinder in a half-assed attempt to "condition" (swell) a leaking seal someplace...

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It feels all gritty with something and yes it's slippery, its trans fluid

For the idle stalls I'd give it the atf treatment (no pun intended) and the trans check the fluid like drcharles suggested

Oledirtypearl86 said:

For the idle stalls I'd give it the atf treatment (no pun intended) and the trans check the fluid like drcharles suggested

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Atf treatment? Filling a new fuel filter with atf you mean? What kind do you use? I don't know how old the filter, or diesel is for that matter.

I use the cheapest I can buy an yes new filter filled with atf run it for a few then shut it down also I treat the diesel Iv been using stanadyne lately and been happy with it haven't been able to to find hotshot that lots hav been talking about around the fourm

Oledirtypearl86 said:

I use the cheapest I can buy an yes new filter filled with atf run it for a few then shut it down also I treat the diesel Iv been using stanadyne lately and been happy with it haven't been able to to find hotshot that lots hav been talking about around the fourm

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I'm at a Walmart with an Advance and Oreilly right around here so yeah I'll see about that after I get it to the shop about the brakes. I was going the posted minimum (40mph) on a freeway with the hazards on and was using both feet to stop. On top of that, the wiper blades are in shreds and it was misty rainy. It was daylight still so i could see good enough to get to the Walmart here. Then it started trying to stall. Im hoping its not an IP issue but it sounds like it might be.

The throttle is sticking some. Any advice about how to help that?

I put full coverage on this old sucker, about $56/mo. RVs are pretty cheap to insure.

It's possible that the ATF treatment could help the sticking throttle too, if it's sticking inside the pump.

Cubey said:

I was going the posted minimum (40mph) on a freeway with the hazards on and was using both feet to stop.

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So you don't have a soft pedal that goes to the floor, but a very hard pedal with weak braking?
That's not likely to be rubber components leaking - check out the power brake booster. Also the drums and shoes could be completely glazed and rusted... please don't drive it any more until you are sure you can stop!

Like idibronco said the atf could help the sticking throttle if not it's the cable you can give it a shot of lube or change it and the brakes like drcharles said if solid pedel it's booster issues like vacume or booster is shot if squishy then booster is ok an it's brakes also could be glazed drums and rotors if it was me I get the brakes fixed first then move on to the rest because you can have all the power in the world but if you can't stop it it's useless

It sounds like you bought a motorhome that has been sitting. As others have said, run atf through the fuel system, check the vacuum on the booster pump, and get the transmission fluid out of the master cylinder.
I can tell you from experience (my wife did it) that the ATF is not good in the brake system in the long run, but with Dot 3 back in it you can probably go for a while. The rubber parts will get soft from the ATF eventually, but if its just in the master cylinder and you can get it out fast, the rest of the rubber parts might be ok.
I think its too early to say whether you got duped. It sounds like you bought it from someone who might not have had any mechanical idea about it.
It will be great once you get the bugs worked out.

The throttle pedal is hard to press. The linkages and all might just need some lube. I will pick up a can of Walmart spray lube.

The booster has vacuum, though I suppose it could be the booster check valve. I can hear suction if I tilt it, letting air into the booster. I can press the pedal a few times with the engine off and the pedal gets harder, so I think its within the hydraulic side. I will get them to test the vacuum pump pressure. It sounded kind squeaky from the suction going straight to the pump when I pulled the hose off of the distribution block, but it did have some suction.

It could very well need an entirely new hydraulic brake system: hoses, calipers, wheel cylinders, master cylinder. It wont be cheap, but I'm not going to drive it 300 miles like this.

The guy I spoke to said he'd have to examine the brake hoses to see what state they may be in, ie: if they are ballooning. It looks to be a reputable shop, and they have extra tall garage doors so it looks like it might fit in their shop. Plus it's very close, within 1/2 mile of this Walmart.

Advance didn't have a fuel filter in stock when I went in earlier. I'll walk to Oreilly in the morning while they are looking at the brakes. I have pretty much no tools with me beyond a couple screwdrivers, a small adjustable wrench, and a flare nut wrench that fits the IP lines, so even to do the fuel filter, I have to buy another tool, either a strap wrench or an oil filter wrench. Mildly annoying since I have all that stuff already.

Oh, and has anyone here really seen the ATS turbo on a van? I thought the air cleaner lid might be "gone" but no! I don't think it's supposed to have one. There's no room to even get one in. There is a k&n sticker on the dash board and the filter looks to be in it. That could very well also be a problem with warm idle, a clogged filter. Its being held down tight to the lower half of an air box with the clamps that you would normally find for holding a lid on. The CDR is noticeably missing, but you can see where it should be. There is a curved, hard as a rock rotten old hose going from the valve cover to the air box. It's oil leaky pretty badly so I will tend to that. I have an extra CDR from my truck that might just need to be cleaned, so I can put it on when I get back to my truck.

There is no diesel smell in the oil. Smells like the oil in my truck with a cheap electric fuel pump, so there's no fuel leaking into the crankcase at the moment from the mechanical pump.

You know, actually it's not supposed to have a CDR. There is no doubt that it is an 085 kit, and the diagram has no OEM CDR.

In my opinion ditch the k&n they don't catch anything smaller than a vw beetle unless serviced every 3 weeks

Oledirtypearl86 said:

In my opinion ditch the k&n they don't catch anything smaller than a vw beetle unless serviced every 3 weeks

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I will look into that. I can cross reference the K&N filter number for others.

Does anyone have any experience with Power Service Clear Diesel? With questionable diesel in it and it has sat a lot, I wonder if this rig is a good candidate for it.