Hi again,
I live on a hill. I spent a while on the ignition system, and the alternator is reading at 14 now.. so all is good.
I was just trying to move it, but It stalled and will not start.
Admittedly, I did not let it warm up much. certainly not for an older vehicle.
oil gauge suddenly reading low, but it was normally been reading at 50. no major oil beneath the car to indicate a sudden burst.
As I check the engine coolant levels and the oil, does anyone have any thoughts aside from cancelling my weekend plans?
[updated topic title to include coach year and model. OP - highly recommended to put that info in your forum profile signature so it shows up in all your posts - Michelle]
For starters what are you driving or did I miss something.
"For starters" is a nice play on words. Love it. :D Think all of us missed something.
Pierce
From previous posts battery not charging 87' GrandVilla (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=41598.0) '87 GrandVilla
;D
nice!
I live in Southern Oregon. At this point, I was headed to the gas station. Currently stalled in the street out front.
The oil pressure builds as I turn the key, but is reading low. Is there an emergency shut off with low oil readings?
The gauge has been reading at 50 until now, so I am not sure that this is or is not accurate. I am reluctant to check thin on a hill, unless there is an emergency shut off valve.
We did manually add gas, so there could be air in the line maybe.
Basically, I got it running, then it moved 5 feet ( i did not really let it warm up enough) and now it does not go.. :(
battery is charging...
mechanic found the broken wire, battery is new. amps when moving were 14, so alternator is also working.
OH!
so sorry, its an 87 GrandVilla OREG
If it's gas, try a little gas in the carb or fuel injection intake. If it kicks over, you may just not have gasoline to the carb/injectors. Be careful and don't catch yourself or coach on fire.
Pierce
Sorry you are having a problem.
Low fuel tank letting fuel pickup suck air ?
Not relating to start problem: Do you chock wheels when parking on a hill? Is hill steep?
Add RV specs & your name on your forum signature so others who have ideas can help with an answer.
Let us know what you find.
May add enough gasoline to the tank to be sure it can pick it up while doing as Pierce mentioned.
is there a fuse for the fuel pump? i should check that.
Does your Ford 460 have a carburetor or fuel injection?
If carbureted it could have a mechanical fuel pump or it could have a electric fuel pump.
If fuel injected it definitely has a electric fuel pump. I don't know where the fuse (if any) might be located. Look under the lift-up dash.
Is the gas fresh or stale? Have you changed the inline fuel filters between tank and engine? There may be more than one...
Some fuel injected engines will shut off the fuel injection if oil pressure is low, so your low oil pressure reading might be the problem.
So, the rig will not roll backwards into a parking spot.
So, I'm locked I to gear which also means it won't start, right?
So now what?
How do I tell if it is a fuel injection or a carburetor?
87 should be a carburetor. It could be flooded. It has an automatic choke. It does have an electric fuel pump. I don't remember but think that the roll over switch is under the lift up dash. It has been a lot of years since I worked on those coaches. Take off the air cleaner and while looking into the carburetor move the linkage to see if it squirts gas. If it does then you need to check if there is spark. If no spark check the wiring to see if the ignition module is getting 12 volts. I think that it is mounted on the firewall.
Easiest way is to take your smart phone, take a photo of the engine and post it here. Not hard to do as there are directions on this forum.
If it's has a carb, it will have an air cleaner right in the middle of the engine and probably a wing nut in the middle to you can take the top off.
This video shows what a carburetor looks like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXP5qnpVtwo
Just trying to show him where the carb is located. I'm trying to watch Manx, eat dinner and post at the same time.
The first minute is all he needs to identify it. I'm going to graciously hand the task over to you.
Pierce ;D
ok... in exploring the reason that the engine suddenly will not turn over...
the low oil pressure gauge does seem to play a part.
From my research, seems the low pressure will stop the fuel pump.. and voila- no ignition.
I have checked, and there is enough oil. the pressure suddenly plummeted, so I will be looking at the sending unit.
Some people have mentioned jumping the pressure gauge. is it better to replace the sending unit or bypass the gauge ?
I see videos how to replace the sending unit. I do not see how to bypass the pressure gauge, however.
Hello all.... Um for the record, I am a female.
and I watched the video, ( thank you, by the way) yes, I do have a carburetor. I will inspect the filter tomorrow.
Question: if i put fuel down the carb, then the engine would start ( theoretically) and then the low pressure reading would not matter and the pressure would be able to climb back to the normal 50 psi, right?
Whatever you do, do not torque hard on the wing nut on top of the air cleaner when tightening it down. Too hard and you will distort the carb housing enough to cause the choke to stick.
Bet you can guess how I know.
love the hard earned lessons. :(
Thank you for sharing the knowledge.
If you pour gas into the carb, don't pour a lot. Maybe about a teaspoon. If it tries to start you can add a little more after it stops running
If you get a backfire and flame shoots out of the carb, you put too much. Others may have a better suggestion on how much to add at a time.
If an electric fuel pump, you can try turning on the key for 10 seconds, then off and on again. May need a few times, This will build pressure in fuel system
Hey, we were all new at stuff at one time. Putting fuel down the carb is sort of tricky. You don't want to have a container in one hand as if the engine backfires, you could catch on fire. We only want to put a couple of tablespoons in it to see if it will try to spring to life. If it does, we know it needs more fuel to run so either the fuel tank is low or the fuel pump is not working. So, best to put in a couple of tablespoons, get behind the wheel and crank it for a few seconds. Then we can go from there.
Pierce
Your Ford 460 engine should have a Ford C-6 automatic transmission. Just because the engine stalled should not prevent you from shifting into
Neutral, or into
Park. Even with the transmission in
Drive the coach should still roll backwards on any kind of noticeable slope.
There may be a safety interlock that prevents the starter from cranking the engine unless the transmission is in
Park.
When you say the engine "won't start" do you mean it does
nothing when you turn the ignition key to "START" or do you mean the engine turns over (cranks) but does not start running?
there is a full tank of gas.
the oil pressure is suddenly only 5 psi. it has been reading 50 psi every day this past month, so I am looking at the sending unit.
I read the entire service manual AGAIN, and there is in fact an oil pressure shut off. so with this low of oil pressure reading, it will not start as a preventative measure.
I will replace the oil pressure sending unit. Apparently these fail a whole lot in the older fords, and it seems like a pretty easy swap out.
I will try the gas in the carb though and let you all know what happens.
Oh, and more interesting.... the ignition wiring harness is directly next to the volt regulator I had replaced the other day... so, I will check this too...
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For short term I would not be afraid to by pass low oil pressure switch but long term it is nice to have working for obvious reasons.. You will get her her going. Let us know when she starts.
Instead of using gas I use to spray wd40 in the carb
Two things:
1. When you have the air cleaner off, try moving the linkage to actuate the choke. IF the choke does stick, put the wing nut on the threaded hold down rod down about 1/2" . Then give the end of the rod a few light whacks until the choke snaps open. Remove the wing not, install the air cleaner and reinstall the wing nut, just enough to not be able to rock/rattle the housing.
2. Pierce hit the nail on the head when he said don't have a container of gas in your hand after pouring a teaspoon in the carb.
{Here is what some dumbass did (no name here please) while trying to get his 1932 Model B sedan Ford with a Wiend Drag star six carb intake manifold on a beefed up Cadillac V8 started on a rainy early spring day. No gas tank because I had boxed the rear frame where the tank used to mount. Trying to sell the rod and needed to start it for potential buyer. Took a soup can 3/4 full of gas and poured some gas in one of the carbs while cranking the engine. BOOM!! BACKFIRE!!! Engine started to die so I poured some more gas in . Backfired while gas was going in. Dumbass panicked and threw flaming soup can of gas on the vinyl roof of potential buyer's BRAND NEW (sticker still in the side window) 1967 Chevell SS. Then I ran over and , because my hair above the collar was on fire, dove into this little bank of snow and tried to swim the fire out. Long story short: car got sold to the guy, I was missing eyebrows, eyelashes, and had short, short hair on my head and forearms until everything grew back. And I smelled like burnt hair for a week!
Nitehawk,
I cleaned a rusty go kart gas tank with acid but could not see if it was completely clean so while I was looking in the tank, I lit a match. I remember the flame just before it hit my face and burned my eyebrows and hair off. This was in high school. Perhaps this is why I became a fire fighter.
Firewhirrl, keep us in the loop.
Pierce
Firewhirrrl, Yes your problem is with the oil sending unit under the air cleaner, after chasing this on my 87 460 carb, for close to 2yr, 3 shops, and 2 tows.
A 3 inch piece of wire and 2 quick wire connectors are needed, tap in to the wire at the oil sending unit about 3-4" from where it attaches to the unit, "think its a brown wire" make a U In the jumper wire and attach to the other brown wire running along side of the oil sending unit, this wire goes to the fuel pump and attach wire there, this will bypass the shutdown safety system and will let you start and drive your MH. Do let it warm up though! Good luck, done mine on the side of the road in 15mins
Anyone know where my steering fluid reservoir is?
Under the bed, drivers side, rear of motor, big round canister, dip stick on top, uses type F transmission fluid, if no dip stick on hole, fill to about 3 inches from the top
This reservoir is also for your Parking Brake
Does the '87 OREG have conventional hydraulic brakes? Disc or drum? How does the parking brake work? Just curious...
Yes the 87 OREG has conventional hydraulic brakes, with a master cyl. That also is ran off the power steering unit with a Hydro-boost unit, 4 wheel disc brakes, the parking brake has a brake drum at the end of the transmission/driveshaft, also Ran off the power steering unit, still takes dot 3 brake fluid in the master cylinder
Power steering pump runs the power steering, Hydro-boost brakes system and the parking brakes.
The reservoir holds about 4 qts. Of type F transmission fluid
There will be no oil pressure if the engine is not running -- there will be an oil level.
If the starter turns the engine over, the engine needs fuel and spark to start.
Running out of fuel is not advised in a large vehicle like a motorhome, especially in areas with steep hills.
After reading this thread from the beginning....... I was wondering why no one made this point until now?
Ive' never heard of an older engine that required "oil pressure" to start, but will shut down after a time delay if running.