Welcome, Brentengle!
Some suggestions (for you and for other new members with a problem)...
- Post the specific make and model furnace if you can. Few WTW readers know what furnace is in what year camper. Generally speaking, RV furnaces show a model number somewhere easily seen when you take off the cover. Another possible source for a model number is a furnace manual or brochure received with the camper (not real likely on a 1983 camper but you never know). If you can't find a model number, post photos of the furnace.
- Find a manual (If you identify the model, I can help do that). The manual should have a Sequence of Operations section which give you clues on what to listen for during the starting sequence. It should also have a Troubleshooting section to give you possible causes of the condition you're seeing. In this case, the section to look for is something like "Fan Doesn't Run" and it's probably the first section.
- Search YouTube for videos where someone has worked on your furnace or a similar furnace. This can be hit-or-miss as it's fairly rare to see model numbers identified. But you may see your furnace in the video. You should also understand that these RV furnaces don't change a lot over time so it can be helpful to watch troubleshooting on various models. Here's a playlist of 24 RV furnace troubleshooting videos by a guy that seems to do a good job of it...
My RV Works RV Furnace Repairs playlist.
- If possible, contact the previous owner of the camper to learn what you can about the furnace. That too can be hit or miss but it's also possible you'll learn something useful.
Also-- it is indeed important to recognize that a furnace with a rust-perforated heat exchanger could leak carbon monoxide into the camper. I was able to remove an air vent and see into the heat exchanger on my 20-year-old furnace and was surprised to see how good it is. I suppose that depends a lot on where the camper was used and stored over the years.
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