I'm stuck on a fuel island and all indications it's my ignition solenoid.
I can't find it.
Can anybody tell me where to look?
Bob Carbone
I had the same problem (at a fuel stop, no less) found a loose battery connection, back on the road. ^.^d
Bob don't know much about you model heard the guys talk about the panel in front of the co pilot seat might check there? I take it your dash panel does not swing up?
Andy is correct. Pop off the panel in front of the pax seat. The solenoid is near the floor in the middle if it's like my 99 320.
jor
There are two solenoids on that relay panel. They are black plastic Bosch units that divid the loads that are active when the ignition key is on. That is the way it is on our 99' U270 anyway... previous years had a single solenoid that is like the boost solenoid under the bed. Each of the two Bosch solenoids on our coach power up different bus bars that feed the various relays that are active when the key is on.
Don
This is how mine looks with two Bosch relays.
How do you troubleshoot these relays? Or, do I just start replacing them?
When you turn the key on is there any lights on the dash, does the dash blower fan run, does the wait to start light come on, if so the solenoid is working, and your problem is else ware.
Quick and dirty testing which will likely supplemented by the clever members of our forum, use a test light or a meter to see which bus bars are powered when the key is on vs off. You can likely trace the heavier gauge red (on ours) wires that run from the solenoids to the bus bars. Remember, some of them are powered through the house bank switch and are powered when the ignition switch is off (as long as the "salesman switch" in the stairwell is on). If the bus bars connected to each Bosch solenoid are not powered when the ignition switch is on, it is suspect.
Don
It seems the bus bars on the right are powered by the house batteries.
But I have very little voltage, 2 VDC, at the heavy gauge red wire on the stud lower left and no voltage on the left side bus bars.
Problem solved, loose battery cable.
Bob, glad you found the loose battery cable. We only fill at truck pumps and NEVER turn engine off. A motorhome is no place to be stuck at fuel pumps, especially if trucks are waiting.
Too many times, we all go to the "dark side", sometimes it's easy peasy. ^.^d
I finally got the Foretravel parked in the coach-house around 6PM.
Yes, the 'Dark Side', it seems I always expect problems to be more complicated than there are in real life, sigh.
I think Barry is on to something. It's practically fool-proof, do not turn off the lump in the back (engine).
As I sat at the Love's fuel island for about an hour, it occurred to me that not one of the commercial trucks that pulled next to me to fuel up, ever turned off the engine. Experience?
Before I found my starting issue and after searching my electrical diagram for an ignition solenoid, I couldn't find an ignition solenoid there, I made a couple of phone calls.
The last call I made was to Beau Reece, Mobile Diesel Mechanic. He did not hesitate to try to help me. He said let me grab a few tools and I'll be there in an hour and twenty minutes.
Well, at about one hour I found the loose cable and was off the fuel island and in the parking lot. Beau shows up on time and says he is happy he has nothing to do, when he sees me running in the lot. I says what can I pay you and he says nothing, just remember me next time, sweet.
If I'm on I-20 near the Texas/Louisiana border and I'm in need of a diesel mechanic, I'll remember. Or maybe even before then, I don't live too far from there, in the winter. I think he might help me with service work too.
Thanks to everyone's help.
I learned today my model of Foretravel does not have an ignition solenoid. Perhaps the two Bosch units sharing the loads is a more robust design?
Cheers
Bob
What a good end, Bob. But your coach does have an ignition solenoid. Ignition key electric switch can never handle all the loads that turn on with key, that is the purpose for the solenoid. Assume every auto also has this solenoid. Relays can be another name for solenoids & contactors.