# More Auto-Sleeper Berkshire problems. Worth checking yours.



## Medallionman

Hi,
Thanks to Spannerman007 for the better name for of this crap vehicle.
Just a word of warning to fellow Marquis/Auto-Sleeper owners. We were travelling through a French village (30KPH Zone fortunately!) today when there was a loud bang. We stopped immediately and found that the freshwater tank had dropped onto the road! It was full, 110l of water pouring down the gutter and the van immobilised. I had to call RAC Arrival who responded well and a breakdown truck duly arrived. The mechanic was very insistent that the 2 aluminium straps holding up the tank were not up to the job and should have been steel. 
He made a 'lash-up' and we are now safely on our way (but without water). The tank is heavily scored down one side from contact with the road (and probably too weak to take full load of water now) and the inlet and outlet pipes have been severed in the drop. The whole lot will have to be replaced.
So, I would check your freshwater tank fixings. The aluminium 'strap' had completely broken where it is fixed to the floor, to the front of the tank. 
I dread to think what might have happened if we had been doing a reasonable speed on a motorway!
On our last trip the tank had worked lose and started to drop (mysterious bangs from under the van whenever we slowed down??) but I had managed to rescue it and tightened up the J-bolts which has become loose (I fitted locking nuts to prevent a repeat).
This has been the last in a series of disasters with this vehicle, which I am not allowed to talk about.
So, thanks to Spannerman007 for the better name.
Cheers,
Brian
P.S. Oh, as I was waiting at the side of the road another (new)Auto-Sleeper owner stopped to see if he could be of any assistance. Thanks if you were him! 
However he was not too pleased when I said how crap this Auto-Sleeper had been (I have had it from new, Dec 2008) and he said "Oh, it's one of those Marquis Auto-Sleepers", as if that was an excuse!*

Admin edit - title edited.*


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## Spannerman007

*Berkshire Problems*

Hi

I had the same problem with my fresh water tank. Fortunately, when I was having a towbar fitted they spotted that the tank was "swinging in the breeze". The problem was compounded by the tank being distorted by the straps. I made them mount the tank on a wooden board to stop the base distorting. I also added an extra strap. 
I often wonder who owns the vehicle now and if it is problem free. It was a sad experience and I had spent a lot of money adding a lot of extras. Mine was a 2008 model as well.

Spannerman007


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## Medallionman

*Re: Berkshire Problems*



Spannerman007 said:


> Hi
> 
> The problem was compounded by the tank being distorted by the straps. I made them mount the tank on a wooden board to stop the base distorting. I also added an extra strap.
> 
> Spannerman007


Hi Spannerman007,
I was going to do exactly that on my return. The tank had started to leak as it distorted and 'bellied'. I had to buy some sealer and refit the sump plug, we were losing a tank full of water a night! 
My old Medallion did have a board under the tank and steel braces to hold it in place. Long gone are the old values of Auto-Sleepers!
Cheers,
Brian


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## Spannerman007

*Berkshire Problems*

Hi Brian

Another problem with the water tank was the gap between its top and the underside of the floor. There were two pieces of wood jammed in there acting as packers. Mine were loose as the top of the tank was also distorted. Did you lose yours after the tank fell out?
The water level gauge also never read full even though water came out the overflow!
I was really disappointed that a van with such a lovely layout and with such great features should literally destroy itself by such a rough ride and poor construction.
Mine was intended to be my last motorhome to see me to the end of my motorhoming days. Instead I am back to an American RV. Only a small one this time but they sure know how to build a motorhome (it is my third Winnebago - the first was purchased in 1980. It cost £10,500 new with all taxes paid!!)

Regards

Spannerman007


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## Medallionman

*Re: Berkshire Problems*



Spannerman007 said:


> Hi Brian
> 
> Another problem with the water tank was the gap between its top and the underside of the floor. There were two pieces of wood jammed in there acting as packers. Mine were loose as the top of the tank was also distorted. Did you lose yours after the tank fell out?
> The water level gauge also never read full even though water came out the overflow!


Hi,
Fortunately the 2 wooden blocks are still there. They seem to be stuck with gorilla snot.
Yes the gauge in mine is the same. Water pours out of the overflow and it only registers 3/4 full.
I will probably need a new tank as the road contact has made one corner/edge very thin. I hope I can source one from CAK Tanks on my return as I don't ever want to deal with Marquis!
Cheers,
Brian


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## Medallionman

I have now made a proper tank support, out of steel, to replace the crap Auto-Sleeper one that failed. Also the two original aluminium straps allowed the tank to sag under the weight of water causing the drain plug hole to distort and leak. The strap that failed broke next to the nut that anchored it to the underside of the floor. It is worth checking yours. If the tank is loose and swinging then the straps will have work hardened and are likely to break.
I had to buy a new tank. You can see where it had worn (front edge) as it scraped along the road. Also I was fed up of trying to stop the drain plug leaking.
Cheers,
Brian


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## Spannerman007

Hi Brian

I am pleased to see you have made a decent cradle to support your fresh water tank.
On another tack, does the water drain from the bathroom washbasin ok? On mine it used to take two and a half minutes for a litre to run away. Underneath I found that Autosleepers expected the water to run uphill over the chassis rail. They must have different laws of gravity in Worcestershire!
By the time I had rerouted the plumbing I had got it down to twenty seconds.

Regards

Spannerman007


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## Medallionman

Spannerman007 said:


> On another tack, does the water drain from the bathroom washbasin ok?


Hi Spannerman007,
No, it is slow. I will have a look at the route of the pipework. 
I have already had a problem with this pipe. It was too short and it came away from the tank so I pulled it to reconnected it, only to find that it then had come away from under the bathroom sink. Only discovered this when the bathroom floor was repeatedly getting wet. Marquis replaced it; but it is slow to empty the sink.
Cheers,
Brian


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## Spannerman007

Hi Brian

The washbasin mod was quite straight forward. On the waste tank the drain outlet has an elbow where it exits the tank. I replaced this with a tee piece.
Having found which waste pipe was the one from the washbasin, I extended it to fit on to the tee piece. This gave the waste water a drop down to improve flow. When the waste tank was fairly full the rate of flow obviously decreased.
I think I joined the other pipes together with "y" pieces. I must admit I cannot remember now but I think it was quite straight forward.
I did quite a lot of these mods. and they were issued as bulletins by the ASOC.

Regards

Spannerman007


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