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• 2004 RIALTA 22FD

2004 Winnebago Rialta, 22FD (built on Volkswagon Eurovan T4 chassis).

Oil last changed: 14 Mar 2025, 119,709 miles.

The 2004 Winnebago Rialta 22FD is a Class B motorhome known for its compact size and versatility. The FD model has a single, full-size bed in the rear, driver side. With a mileage of 121,071 miles, this vehicle has seen its fair share of adventures but is still reliable (with the exception of the generator) and ready to hit the road. The Rialta is a popular choice among travelers looking for a comfortable and efficient way to explore the open road.

I bought the vehicle in Silver City, NM, with roughly 10,000 less miles than now, and drove north through scenic mountain passes, heading to Bozeman, MT. I didn't know to put it in low gear and the transmission cooler developed a leak (o-rings disintegrated). I got this (and a shredded belt tensioner pulley) fixed in Idaho Falls, then headed east. The transmission started acting up on the way. Fluid level was fine, so some transmission damage must have occurred. I had it rebuilt in Providence, RI. Heading south from there, the transmission misbehaved again (but differently). After a minimum of 2+ hours driving, the transmission would (eventually) not upshift properly (have to seriously let up on gas to get it to shift). Turning the engine off and on again immediately (< 10 seconds) and the problem disappears... for a while (if continuing to drive). I've consulted with multiple Aamco mechanics and a Eurovan specialist out in Washington state. One opinion is that the problem might be the TCM. Another, the valve body. I spent the whole winter in the Clearwater, FL area, never driving too far and never had any problem with the transmission. When i left, heading to Arkansas, the first time i drove for over 3 hours, there was no problem, but the next day, after a bit over 2 hours, the problem reoccurred. I'm now at my destination and the vehicle is no longer being used (i lived in it from Aug 2024-Apr 2025). There are some engine misfire codes (that don't cause the check engine light to come on) that have been there since i first had the vehicle scanned (before transmission rebuild). They're still there, but when the problem reoccurred after leaving Florida, and i shut off and quickly restarted the engine (a troubleshooting tip i received), the check engine light came on. I scanned again and there were 2 new codes, which might be illuminating, but i've had no one to consult with about this. The check engine light went out once i arrived at my destination and has stayed off since (only driven a few times, short distances).

I've got well over $30K into this. Had solar installed before departing. The details of that:

3 100W solar panels on roof.
Victron BlueSolar MPPT 100/30, Victron BMV-700 display
2 100AH WattCycle LiFePO4 lithium batteries (< 1 year old)

The Norcold fridge in the vehicle when i bought it didn't work at all so i bought and installed a DSP-85BY1 12V only Chinese manufactured fridge. Small propane/electric fridges are no longer available and the 12V only Dometic/Norcold fridges were hugely expensive so i took a chance on a Chinese unit. The manual doesn't even say who manufactures it, but it seems to be a SMETA/SMAD unit. Two "separate" (?) companies that make the same exact refrigerators (I had a propane/110/12V SMAD previously and they seem to build fairly reliable refrigerators). It's 85 liters -- significantly bigger than the original Norcold. It also has a freezer compartment. I was hesitant to go with a 12V-only unit but it turned out to be, by far, the best solution for my needs. I've never had a bit of trouble with the unit, it maintains a consistent temperature (easily), and draws about 60W... *max*. Even with multiple consecutive cloudy/rainy days, the fridge never even made a dent in drawing down my batteries. They say it's best to let the batteries discharge to at least 80% periodically. The problem i had was that my batteries virtually never went below 90%, so modest was the draw from the fridge.

I had a new skylight put in, a new macerator pump (for draining the shower sump), a new water pump, a very expensive going over of the engine (installing new hoses, plugs, coils...) The generator worked until the fuel pump crapped out in Florida. I had that fixed and they told me it also needed a new carburetor. Both breaking at the same time seemed too much of a coincidence, so I declined getting a new carburetor installed and it worked fine... for a while, then died. I recently restarted it (after it had failed once) and it started instantly, ran for 9 minutes, and quit. Guess it might need a new carburetor.

The heater/furnace works fine but is original. I had it pulled out (3 times) and thoroughly cleaned this last winter (it turned out the sail valve was hanging up, which wasn't found immediately). When it gets down to freezing, it has failed to restart 3-4 times. Then works fine when it warms up a bit. It's the ignitor and there is no replacement i've been able to find so... it'll need a new furnace to fix this problem (i found one for around $800 and it's an easy install).

The heat exchanger which heats the water when the vehicle is being driven seems to have a small leak as i found the floor in the compartment damp right next to it. Despite the engine codes, it's always run very well, and never failed to start instantly.

The hot water heater (electric, which i rarely used) works fine... but you have to be plugged in or running the generator to use it. Just driving gives you hot water, though, so...

Brakes were done (pads & rotors) all around last fall. Tires were like new when i bought it. A front axle broke when i was in Florida and i had both replaced (wish i hadn't, the other was fine). That was around Christmas. The cab heat doesn't work very well. Fixing *that* is ridiculously difficult, considering how easy it *should* be (disassemble the whole dash?!?)

Sometimes, after the engine is well warmed up, if you turn it off and restart within a couple of minutes, it will stall unless you give it a little gas. This behavior is consistent and only a (very) minor annoyance.

Asking $22K or best offer.

I'll probably have a mattress (full-size) for it before too long. The thing behind the swivel seat beside the rear door (in one of the pics) is the old (perfectly good) passenger side axle, which i replaced when the other one broke.