Hi all,
I sure miss this forum when I am gone for awhile!! That said, I have an issue.
I took my bus to camping world for an insurance estimate, and when I went to pick it up they could not get it to start. I took the batteries and got them charged back up and went back on Saturday. It had been cold but on this day it was 50 degrees. I was able to start the generator but could not get the aqua hot to fire up. The coach is on a slant and my tank is not full but I did warm the bus with the heat pumps. With many tries behind me I was unable to get the thing started. It would crank strong but it seemed as if there was no fuel or some type of idiot switch I do not know about.
Any ideas would be helpful!!
When you lift the engine hatch do you have the prime buttons on the overhead start panel. If so push the bleed air button.
Fuel filters. If bleeding doesn't work.
I do and I pushed those and nothing happened. I have had a problem in the past of the starter cranking and found it was the start button, that problem was resolved by disconnecting a wire to the button. I assumed the stop button could be a problem now and I disconnected a wire there and it DID NOT help.
Fuel filters are not very old but I could try to bleed them. What is the preferred method to do that?
You're saying the prime buttons are not functional? Do you have a Racor 300200 prefilter? If so, is there fuel in it? If not, you'll need a way to get fuel to the engine and that may mean cranking the engine multiple times until fuel reaches. You may also need new orings if there's bubbles in the prefilter.
Put in 5 gal of fuel
Prime
Crank
I believe I have enough fuel since the generator will run. The bus is parked on a slope, could the motor loose prime but the generator is not affected?
What are the best practices for priming the motor's fuel system?
You have nothing to lose by adding fuel and a lot to gain if it is the problem.
Since this is a 2000, is there any record of the fuel lines being replaced?
With the key on and you push the prime button does it run and pump fuel into the plastic filter? If it is not running then you should replace it with a newer updated filter. If it is running and you see air bubbles in the fuel or very little fuel the orings could be bad at the plastic filter. There are 2 on the top and 2 on the bottom to replace.
Since you're stuck at Camping World, maybe you should find the local mobile service technician and book him to get you going and out of there. Think of it as a chance to learn.
FWIW I'm with craneman, add 5 gallons of fresh diesel, if you have an auto-prime system; use it. Eliminate the easy "ifs" first.
I got back from a trip and backed coach into covered storage, shut it off. Went back 30min later and decided to pull it out and wash it, wouldn't start, just cranked. It was not getting fuel so after making sure fuel pump was good I just took of fuel filters got out new ones filled with diesel and put back on. Cranked about 10 seconds and started right back up. Thankfully this happened at home. It is also why I travel with at least 2 filters for everything on the coach. Doesn't make sense to me but I'm used to that.
Larry
Remove the fuel line and blow back into the tank . Listen for bubbles. It would be possible that the dip tube is broken.
Does your model have a fuel shut off solenoid? Those seem to be a common failure and stick. I know several folks have wired them open as a temp fix to get going.
He has a M11 so no solenoid but it could be electrical. I had my coach not start and it turned out
to be a fuse holder that rotted out, so a cheap fix and I was home. I was also lucky that I had a
Silver Leaf and it gave out a code.
I was afraid of that: Mobile service tech is the solution. I dare say the Joly-Shackelford household has the knowledge and skill sets to find the fault*, but this is something for which you can't go in cold.
*With much high level negotiation along the way.