Thinking that I should replace the fuel lines to the engine. I know most of the procedure and how to get to the fittings on the tank. Anyone know if I have to remove the grey fabric covered box in the picture in order to remove the sheet metal cover? The sheet metal does extend into the box about an inch. I think the grey box is just a cover for some wiring, and it is on the front side of the bulkhead that is in front of the water and waste tanks.
I did not, just took the screws out from the galvanized channel.
If you want to just drop the cover on one side like I did when I changed my fuel lines, yes. If you want to remove it completely no.
But it will be hard to screw it back up if you take it off completely. 2 people for sure. I always just drop mine on one side when I have gone into the wires. Done that many times on many coaches
The grey one comes off super easy. Tap the tip of the screw gun around, you'll find the screws. They are also imprinted in the cloth.
Chris
When I replaced my fuel lines a couple of months ago, I removed the felt-cover (transverse position) box so that I just dropped one side of the metal cover. (Be prepared for a mess.... lotsa pinon nuts shells and so on had been stored in my grey covered box.)
Would advise having the new line made up and pulling it into position using the old line (and a coupler) as the old is removed.
Also, using a chop saw, we cut in half a large (I think it was 22mm or 23, whatever the metal ends of your line require.) box end wrench to use in the cramped space above the fuel tank. A fellow, much skinnier than I now am, squeezed himself in between the fuel tank, the propane tank, and the overhead wires, cables, air lines, etc to disconnect the old line, and install the new line. We did not removed the fuel tank.
andy1
Here is a link to mine change out:
Fuel Line replacement (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=31903.0)
If you replace the generator fuel lines (GV side generator), you don't have to even slide the generator out. Don't follow the YouTube Foretravel video and I don't recommend attaching the new lines to the old and pulling through. A long brake line (auto parts store) with the new line attached can be pushed through the opening as you can see light from the other side if the opposite side compartment door is open. Makes a relatively straight path to the tank. Attaching to the old line means it has to snake around other lines and is more difficult. Use a "crow's foot" to loosen tank fittings. Foretravel used different sized fittings on the tank and generator for some reason. Don't be surprised if yours is the same. Just harder to push the hose on one side. I purchased a 25 foot roll of hose online and had plenty left over after doing both lines.
If either one of your generators hoses is damp, it has millions of tiny cracks. Double it over tightly and look at it with a good light and strong glasses. Symptoms will be the generator dying after a minute or two, even faster with an AC load on it. Double check by fitting a short piece of hose to the electric pump and the other to a gallon bottle on the ground a couple feet away. If the generator runs fine under load, you need a new supply line (and return line). Using the bypass valve if you have one or loosing a fitting on the return side, you can bleed all the air out using the electric pump in the "glow plug heat" position.
Pierce
Thanks to all those that replied. I went to the coach this morning and did some more investigating before I read most of the comments. I removed the sheet metal cover and what was inside was not like the pictures from gracerace. I did not have any loops of excess wire or hoses. There was a little bit of loose fiberglass that a mouse had carried in there and 3 poopies. The cover was not very heavy. I could hold it up with one hand as I took out the last couple of screws while lying on my back. The fuel hoses are Eaton Aeroquip; FC350-08 AQP-23 for the supply and FC350-06 AQP-23 for the return. I looked in Eaton's catalog for information on the hoses, can be used for fuel, hydraulic, and air. Ok for diesel and B-20 biodiesel. This is the current hose of course as biodiesel did not exist when mine was manufactured. The end fittings on the old hose are the reusable type, but crimp type can also be used. Having said all that, I don't see any cracks, or damp areas on the hose even though it is almost or may be 23 years old, unless a prior owner had it replaced more than 10 years ago which I doubt. Thinking that maybe I should just leave it alone and not replace it. At one time I did wedge myself between the propane and fuel tanks when I replaced the generator fuel hoses. Not as limber as I used to be.
The reason I did not see the comments posted by others this morning was that a moderator had removed it from new posts and I thought only one person replied. They have to do that from time to time. When I looked up my topic in tech talk there they all were.
The hoses usually look good to like new in the bay areas. Mine did on my 96' U320, however you need to check in the engine compartment and anywhere there are bends in the hose--- where there is heat and sharp bends is where the cracks will appear. I did a temporary splice on my hose in the engine compartment and ran the coach for months before replacing the hoses without problems.
Jerry as Kemajohn posted check the exposed areas of the hose for hardness etc if they look good I would run them. If you see a questionable section splice a new section on if it's in the rear engine area.
I replaced all of mine last fall, engine ,generator and aquahot. What was interesting was the lines looked fine until you started to remove them, the slightest bend and they would start weeping. I also had an issue with pulling the tank out far enough to remove the lines, as there was no extra slack in the lines to pull the tank out! Oh and one other thing, after replacing the lines it's good to hook up a pump or something to pull the fuel through the lines to get the air out. Whatever you do, if for some reason, your trying to pull or push fuel through the lines and it appears that it's not working, do not walk away and do something else for 20 minutes. About 30 seconds after you leave, whatever vacuum or siphonage you created will start to work. Which is good because now your lines are full of diesel fuel, but bad because your driveway is also!
An update to replacing my engine fuel hoses. I bought a 29' length of each size, supply and return, Aeroquip FC 350 - 06 & 08 from hosewarehouse.com since I wasn't in a hurry and purchased local almost twice as much per foot. Still about $360. I decided to replace the return line first as it seemed to be the easy one with the tank connection near the tank fill. That line only has one reusable fitting, however the fitting broke when I tried to remove it from the old hose. The local supplier has the fittings for about the same price as hose warehouse??? Not too sure how reusable these fittings are after being on the hose for 23 + years. Fittings not too expensive at about $12 in the 06 size. Installing the fitting is not hard, just screw on the outside part first in a CCW direction until the hose bottoms out and back off 1/4 turn. Put some heavy oil on the threaded part that screws into the hose and turn it CW until it is all the way to the collar. I used a rotary hand saw with a thin abrasive cutoff blade to cut the old hose near the broken fitting. A lot of sparks, but no fire. This hose has a wire mesh just under the fabric cover, so it would be difficult to get a clean cut with a saw. Decided to wait with the supply line until the fuel tank is mostly empty, so that I can pull out the tank part way. All of my hoses seem to have large bends, and at the tank the hoses have large loops and plenty of slack. At the tank the return hose which carries hot fuel is almost like new, and I don't see any damp spots anywhere. May be working on a problem that doesn't exist, but at least I will feel better when it is finished.
Got the new return line in yesterday with the help of a friend, but the old hose fought us like it didn't want to be removed. Hard part was getting the hose off the injector pump return tube. Seemed to just be secured with a hose clamp, but the end of the tube has a bulb. The old hose rubber very hard. Had to cut through the metal braid with a hack saw blade in a pull handle and be careful not to nick the metal tube. About 30 min of sawing and cutting with a knife before it came off. Used the old hose to pull in the new. About 30 lbs of pull before the hose would move. Used a 1/4 " lag screw and wire clamps made with a Clamptite tool to fastened the hoses together. Duct taped the join so it didn't catch on something.