09-11-2025, 12:56 PM
As many of you know I purchased coach 435 about a year ago. Rewired a ton of it and other major work. New tires and airbags. Tons of work done and ready to roll.
Took the summer to sell my house and prepare for the trip from Alaska to Maine.
Well we started out last Friday from Anchorage and everything went smoothly. Made it to Tok roughly and called it a day. Woke up Saturday morning changed an airbags that had a factory defect and had been sent a replacement. Easy enough got that done in 45 minutes. And... the governor on the compressor dies. Thankfully I'm 15 minutes from NAPA so I go grab a new one and a spare. Get back k swap that out and get a late start.
Knowing the road is extremely unpleasant we didn't go far. Made it to Destruction bay and called it a night. Sunday morning coach starts a bit sluggish but we're on our way. Notice the volt gauge is pretty low and discovered the alternator is not charging. Flip the generator on and continue onward.
Stop for the night at watson lake since everything is closed in Canada on Sunday.
Monday we make another 450 ish miles of progress with the gen running all day and all goes well.
Tuesday...
No power at the key. Not a big deal. Run 2 hours away and get new ignition switch as this had been troublesome before. Swap with new switch. Still nothing. All fuses are good checked each one. Checked each circuit breaker all in order. At a loss and getting late with park closing for the season on Wednesday at noon. I start to panic a bit and call Newell.
Get call back in 10 minutes and was directed to the back panel box where there's a Klixon breaker. Power in and nothing out. Seems problem solved. Had a spare marine breaker with me so quick 10 minute swap out.
Using the mechanics switch in the rear coach will spin for days but not fire.
Called it a night since it was getting late.
Yesterday morning I call Newell since I've got 5 hours to get my coach out of the park I'm at. Never get a return call. Call a service shop in Fort St. John and they give me the number for a tow.
He shows up in a shiny white kenworth tridrive with tri axle landol. He briefly checks a few things and realizes I was a commercial driver for years and have already narrowed it down to a fried ECM. He agrees and loads it up. Couple hours later and we are at the shop waiting in line. They say it could be Monday before they can get to it.
So anyways. Here's a few nice pictures of the coach going for an adventure after being stationary for about a decade.
I did get a new alternator when I got the new ignition switch.
Took the summer to sell my house and prepare for the trip from Alaska to Maine.
Well we started out last Friday from Anchorage and everything went smoothly. Made it to Tok roughly and called it a day. Woke up Saturday morning changed an airbags that had a factory defect and had been sent a replacement. Easy enough got that done in 45 minutes. And... the governor on the compressor dies. Thankfully I'm 15 minutes from NAPA so I go grab a new one and a spare. Get back k swap that out and get a late start.
Knowing the road is extremely unpleasant we didn't go far. Made it to Destruction bay and called it a night. Sunday morning coach starts a bit sluggish but we're on our way. Notice the volt gauge is pretty low and discovered the alternator is not charging. Flip the generator on and continue onward.
Stop for the night at watson lake since everything is closed in Canada on Sunday.
Monday we make another 450 ish miles of progress with the gen running all day and all goes well.
Tuesday...
No power at the key. Not a big deal. Run 2 hours away and get new ignition switch as this had been troublesome before. Swap with new switch. Still nothing. All fuses are good checked each one. Checked each circuit breaker all in order. At a loss and getting late with park closing for the season on Wednesday at noon. I start to panic a bit and call Newell.
Get call back in 10 minutes and was directed to the back panel box where there's a Klixon breaker. Power in and nothing out. Seems problem solved. Had a spare marine breaker with me so quick 10 minute swap out.
Using the mechanics switch in the rear coach will spin for days but not fire.
Called it a night since it was getting late.
Yesterday morning I call Newell since I've got 5 hours to get my coach out of the park I'm at. Never get a return call. Call a service shop in Fort St. John and they give me the number for a tow.
He shows up in a shiny white kenworth tridrive with tri axle landol. He briefly checks a few things and realizes I was a commercial driver for years and have already narrowed it down to a fried ECM. He agrees and loads it up. Couple hours later and we are at the shop waiting in line. They say it could be Monday before they can get to it.
So anyways. Here's a few nice pictures of the coach going for an adventure after being stationary for about a decade.
I did get a new alternator when I got the new ignition switch.
Carl Little
1996 Coach 435 Detroit 60
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