Stolen Vortex 777 Repairs

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

Some of you know that i recently got a smokin deal on a Vortex 777. However, after getting it home i discovered a list of repairs that needed immediate attention.

The biggest (so far) was the E-1 heat exchanger. It was completely busted! So I sent it to Johns Custom Machine for a quick repair. John said he usually fixes about 80% of them and turn around time is same day. Unfortunately, my heat exchanger fell into the 20% that had to be completely rebuilt from scratch. A $400 one day repair turned into an $1800 four week repair.

Here's a pic of the new heat exchanger:

All the plumbing on the Vortex is made of 100% stainless steel tubing. The new heat exchanger was 8" diameter instead of the stock 6" diameter. This meant none of the stainless steel plumbing threads lined up with the heat exchanger threads. In other words, a complete headache to install! Here's a pic taken at midnight of stainless steel tube bending. We had a total of 4 lines to bend by hand to get all the threads to lign up exactly.

Also, the 280 gallon stainless steel fresh water tank had a crack along the passenger side front edge which required intensive care. Here's a pic of dude with what he called a TIG welder. Whatever a TIG is it sure fixed the leak.

Just when i thought all the bugs were worked out, it sprang a leak from the water pump on the Nissan UD. It was a $450 part and the dealer wanted another $200 to install. Using air tools it took about 1.5 hours and 3 beers to do ourselves. Actually, the hardest part was scraping the old gasket material off the engine block. Peace of cake!

It also needed a pair of waste tank filters (something like another $250 delivered) and waste tank lid gaskets. I tried to use “bell hose” (gas station ding ding hose) but it’s still leaking. Still need to get not BS lid gaskets.

Rebuilt the CAT pump. New tires, new Xentherm, etc etc… All-in-all, I’d say I’ve got close to 5k in repairs so far.

Even with the repairs I’m extremely, extremely pleased with the Vortex. It’s everything and more than expected!
Never seen carpets get so clean and dry so fast. The heat is outstanding! I’m haulin ass and getting more work done with less effort. I still feel fresh and ready to "go" at the end of the day instead of totally wiped out.

Would recommend. A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Mountain View Carpet Care]

Looks like some of the carpet cleaners from around here. Shot glass and cigs

 

[steve frasier]

the red looks nice, looks like you cleaned up the outside as well

 

[Mikey P]

Get some wheel simulators when you recover from that screaming deal.

 

[Chris A]

Pall Malls? You cheapass... shiteatinggrin

 

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

Get some wheel simulators when you recover from that screaming deal.

It will probably take till spring for me to recover from this screaming deal.

Still need to pimp it with 2.5 hose. And, the vacuum activated (exhaust) heat diverter isn't 100%. It stays on 100% of the time (might start a new thread on the topic).

BTW, anyone know a good place to order wheel simulators?

 

[Mikey P]

do a search, I found a great deal on ebay a few months back

 

[Greenie]

[quote="Mikey P":3omp8qm0]Get some wheel simulators when you recover from that screaming deal.

..And, the vacuum activated (exhaust) heat diverter isn't 100%. It stays on 100% of the time (might start a new thread on the topic).

[/quote:3omp8qm0]


Would that by chance be the .99 Vortex Slayer?

Does yours use a little .99 breather stone/ and is yours all caked up with road grime?

I don't remember...is the tongue depressor Forward or to the Rear when it's in divert mode?

 

[minuteman]

What ever you have into it, it looks as though it was worth it.

Greg

 

[Jim Martin]

wheel simulators 1-800-215-8007

 

[BradFenstermaker]

George you may need to break down your Diverter Valve for a deep clean and emory clothe polish.

Check that Solenoid located on the crossmember under the box close to DV. Replace if it looks old. It also has a little stone breather that may be clogged up.

My DV was frozen with soot build up, she is loose as a goose now.

Man that cab and box painted to match is very nice.

Be patient the truck is worth it.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

Oh yeah, your waste tank lid probs?

Go get two large semi-truck tire tubes. Stretch them around top of tank and place lid on. Try to pull tube down evenly around.

Once they are both in place start the pto and SLOWLY idle up a little. The lids will suck right down. Check for air whistle's if you have one redo til she seals up.

Both my tanks in back are air tight with tubes. Jim or Mikey told me this trick.

Another good place is a rafting or tubing outfit for the tubes.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

TIG Tungsten Inert Gas

 

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

[quote="Mikey P":1ad6hqhp]Get some wheel simulators when you recover from that screaming deal.

..And, the vacuum activated (exhaust) heat diverter isn't 100%. It stays on 100% of the time (might start a new thread on the topic).

Would that by chance be the .99 Vortex Slayer?

Does yours use a little .99 breather stone/ and is yours all caked up with road grime?

I don't remember...is the tongue depressor Forward or to the Rear when it's in divert mode?[/quote:1ad6hqhp]

The tongue depressor is forward when in divert mode. During the cleaning process it never moves from that position. If i set the wand down for too long the temp shoots deep into the red zone. When i disengage the PTO the tongue returns towards the rear of the truck.

I'll snap a pic tomorrow.

Thanks for the help everone!

I'm sure with your help we'll get it dialed-in.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I'm sure with your help we'll get it dialed-in.

and then the tranny will blow.... :shock:


..l.T.A.

 

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

I'm sure with your help we'll get it dialed-in.

and then the tranny will blow.... :shock:


..l.T.A.

Yup! I've already started a tranny fund just in case...

 

[Ed]

My diverter is toward the rear of the truck when it is engaged.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

If your EDV is moving then the problem is most likely the solenoid. It is on the crossmember under the box close to the EDV. Follow the hose from the round black vaccuum bod on the EDV up and it will lead you right to it.

 

[Ed]

Where do you get one of those solenoids? I want an extra on hand just in case. We just had an "episode" with ours. Water was WAAYYY over heating. I'm pretty well versed in the operation of the heating system now. Our problem was that the guy that I bought the machine from had just replaced the temp controller and the one he installed has no set limits and there was no way to tell what was low setting and what was high setting. On high, we were heating the water to as high as the truck would heat it...scary. The temp controller goes to 650. With Vlad and Ted's help we got it under control.

 

[Mikey P]

It is a Parker product.


Take it down and get a part number and order from your hose shop or mcmaster/carr

 

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

Pall Malls? You cheapass... shiteatinggrin

Hehehe.... the dude w/ the Paul Malls in the pic is a buddy of mine who likes to earn extra cash by helping me turn wrenches. And yes, he is a cheap ass!

I should clarify, the diverter got to the forward position and stays there durring the cleaning process. After the PTO is disengaged it returns to the rear position.

It seems to work fine, and does need PM'd, but I wonder why it won't kick off while engaged? Do you think cleaning the diverter will fix it? Or, is the selinoid bad, or is it most likely a temperature controller problem?

I'll try to PM the diverter this week

 

[Jim Martin]

If the diverter is going back and forth when you turn the PTO on and off...(normally the cat pump runs this )...then it appears it is working fine...solenoid and the breathing stone are probably OK...(might want to clean the breathing stone anyway..it is located on the top of the solenoid )....Sounds to me more like it may be the temp sending unit that tells the controller to turn itself to turn on and heat up or turn off and cool down......This controller is monitoring the threm oil temp.....not the water temp....you regulate the water temp by how hot you put the therm oil.....Seeing how you mentioned that yours has been replaced...there is also a chance that it is the wrong type of probe/unit for your application.....One can't just throw any type they find on this and expect it to work......May also explain why the E-1 needed replacing......might of cooked it....and if you don't correct the problem ..there is a chance you may cook your new one.....another thing that you may want to check is start your truck and with out turning on the machine go over to the E-1 and see if you are getting any exhaust coming out of it..a little is OK but you don't want to much coming out of it.......

Let me know...............