Please help me find my Allison VIM

[RVJeff]

Hi, I have a '98 Tourmaster 8404 with the 8.3 mechanical Cummins and the Allison, Spartan Mountain Master chassis. I recently reinstalled the chassis batteries and had an unlabeled red wire with black tape. Wasn't sure on hooking this back up, but in the process of sorting that out, this wire brushed against the positive terminal. Briefly. Saw sparks.

I believe that this is the negative/ground wire to the Allison (why red wire?!?)

Now I have a "do not shift" light on the dash, no power to the trans shift pad, and no start. I've searched and searched the web, this and other forums, etc, and I believe I'm looking for the "VIM" that apparently contains two fuses and some relays. Problem is, I can't find this sucker on my coach!

I'm hoping someone might have a late 90's Tourmaster that can help me out? Mine is the 8404 with two slides, and with the rear slide I don't have an access panel to the engine compartment from inside the coach. I've checked the compartment in the pass. rear (contains battery shut-off, relays etc), the compartment under the driver's feet (lots of fuses there, none blown, no VIM). I read some coaches have this VIM under the shifter. It's not there. Some have it inside the generator slide. Not there either. I've been under the coach, looking around the engine and transmission etc, not seeing anything that looks familiar to what's pictured online.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice!

[RY469]

Many times there are large fuses (the kind that are black square block with a red arm that pops out when tripped) mounted near the battery compartment on the frame. Have you tried physically tracing the renegade wire you "brushed to power" to see where it goes?

[RVJeff]

I did end up finding the vim, for anyone's future reference it is on the driver's side sidewall, near the floor, under the dash. Mine has a black plastic foot rest that had to be removed to get back there, then push all the ducts and wire looms out of the way to see it.

Unfortunately, the fuses inside this vim were not blown as I had hoped. So I still have not found my problem.

The wire in question disappears into a loom that appears to run along the frame. and taking apart wire looms under the coach was something I was hoping to avoid. There are Allison troubleshooting guides that I found online, might see where that leads but would welcome any further ideas.

[RVJeff]

Well, after finding circuits all intact, I ended up discovering that I had the wiring wrong at the battery. The wire that "sparked" turned out to be an unrelated wire.
On my coach, the positive and negative supply for the Allison are in a single loom. Positive is orange with a fusable link. Negative is black. All is working now.
Happy camping.

[ronaldmartel]

I just want to say thanks for sharing. I have the 2000 8403 with the K2 option.
And even though there may not be a lot of people responding, they’re probably reading and learning.

[RVJeff]

Thanks for the reply... good to know that at least a few of these grand old ladies are still around!

[ronaldmartel]

FYI
I’m also from Lititz.
Went to Kissel Hill, Elementary. Lived with my grandmother on Owll Hill Road.
Small world.
Still lotta family there. Kroeck's

[RVJeff]

It is a small world! We live closer to the quarry, but we have good friends on Clay Rd. I'm a transplant to the area, but we love it.