I'm on I-20 near Midland texas. Drove 325 mi yesterday without any problems. Stopped at a rest/picnic area to let Chief go out and shut the engine down maybe 10 minutes. When I restarted it silverleaf said no oil pressure although the dash gauge was reading 20 lb. The accelerator pedal would not work, and then I got a shut engine down light. I shut it down. Opened up the engine compartment oil level was fine engine seem to be running okay other than the error and now the pedal not doing anything. Coolant level in the overflow was fine as well.
Turned off the salesman switch waited a few minutes turned it back on again just to see if that might reset something tried starting the engine again and had the same problem.
How many coach bucks is this going to cost me I wonder.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Silverleaf diagnostics is reading a engine no oil pressure reading. I'm guessing it's the sensor? Since I do have adequate oil unless it would be the oil pump... But then the dash gage would have been zero as well...
I called progressive to try to get a roadside mechanic out here and all they can do is tow me which of course I do not want to do.
I added a half a gallon of oil and waited a while started it up now I have oil pressure reading on the dash but silverleaf is still saying no oil pressure. I think it's just a sensor I now have the ability to use the throttle the engines running it seems like it's running just fine with the dash oil PSI reading above 30 but I have a check engine light on the dash. I'm heading to balmorhea Texas for the night and I'm not sure if I should give it a try or what maybe I'll add a little more oil since that may have helped I really don't know...
If you are in a good spot now, I wouldn't move until you get this figured out.
Is voltage to engine 12+ VDC? Chassis battery terminals tight?
Low voltage can cause all kinds of erroneous readings.
Brett I put a voltmeter to the battery terminals and I was getting 12.8 volts. The engine starts but not able to use the throttle. After a while I get a check engine light and then a shutdown engine light. It worked for a while which made me think it was just an intermittent glitch I got on I-20 headed west and 2 mi or so before Stanton it started doing it again so I pulled to the side and then I had to continuously restart and creep I finally was able to get off the highway. I called three mobile mechanics and because of the weekend and probably holiday weekend nobody answered. First thing I did was to call progressive and they are no help although they're looking for a tow he told me that they couldn't find anybody so I would need to call myself and then they would reimburse me. There's an RV park nearby I'm going to call and see if I can creep into there and then wait for tomorrow and then see if I can get a mechanic out. Texhub on the forums is working the problem for me while I did that. The oil pressure gauge on the dash is showing 20 lb as I'm creeping so I really think it's either an ECM or a sensor issue. Or it could be a wire.
I wasn't able to get underneath to check to see if the ECM wires were intact but this came up all of a sudden.
Once I get to the RV park I'm going to call crane man and see if he has any ideas.
If anybody else has any thoughts I would like to hear them.
In reading results from the search. There is mention of "grey box" which is no longer made. "Blue box" which maybe made. Anyone have experience? This is where the silver leaf data cable goes.
Current thinking as Bob said. Is connection physical repeating. Yes take apart, replug, see if any changes. Checking of grounds.
Where and how is limiter turned off. This is the system that is preventing normal throttle usage.?
At no time have any abnormal sounds been heard from engine. No leaks. Everything points to electrical gremlins!
"Might" just be the oil pressure sensor.
Did you try starting generator and turning booost switch on in case it is just a low voltage issue? You should be seeing 13.2 to 14,2 on chassis batteries with engine running.
The '99 doesn't have the boxes that came later either '20 or '21 There is 2 pressure switches one for the dash and one for the ECM. I can't find the thread that gave numbers. I believe the ECM one is behind the air compressor near the fuel pump. If the ECM sensor fails it causes the same symptoms Bob is having.
The limit is controlled through the ECM.
It (ECM) looks at coolant, intake manifold temp, oil pressure, oil temp, and ambient temperature to determine several parameters. Throttle amount is one. If it was me I would stick a new oil press. sender on it and try again. NOW the big thing is location and on his engine I think the sensor is screwed in between the air compressor and the back of the gear housing above the power steering pump. Said another way passengers side of engine in a hidey hole. There ain't no way I can get a pic. of the location.
Mike
Cross posted in Facebook
If you have a Cummins m11, and if the same as my 1998, then there are two oil pressure senders.
The one to the ecm is at the back of engine on right side. Just below and to the left of the ac compressor.
I needed a crow foot wrench to reach mine
Yes saw that in a 2020 post. You answer is great for filling in gaps. Thanks
It took a min. to go out to the RV and crawl up and around to get to where my spare sensors are kept but I had success. The one for our engine ECM oil sensor and should be the same as Bob's 492-1487
Mike
Thank you everybody for the response and Mark thanks for posting it on Facebook when I was too busy to do so.
After limping two and a half miles and having to restart the engine multiple times, I finally got off the highway. I'm in Stanton Texas near Midland. Stanton East RV which is a field next to a guy's home that he put in some 30 and 50 amp back ins for people that work in the area. He was a godsend to me but at the same time it's all dirt and gravel with goat head thorns everywhere. I had to pull about eight of them off of chiefs Paw's on a quick walk around. The neighbor Jim is a mechanic and so the owner called him and he said no I don't know that engine but there's two Mennonite mechanics in town. He told me which one he prefers I talked to the owner here Gary and he told me yep they're good. So in the morning I will be at their shop. In the Jeep to get him to come out here if possible. Just in case it's not a simple fix and I don't think I'd be able to reach that oil sensor personally.
Midland is a pretty big area for trucking so I'm pretty sure that I should be able to get that part. If not I'll get in the Jeep and drive there. When I let it sit and relax for a little bit it allowed me to use the throttle for almost a mile before cutting out again.
But yeah I'm 99.9% sure it's a sensor issue and nothing else. That 0.1% though could bite me in the butt....
Unfortunately my boost switch was disconnected when AM solar put in the lithium batteries. But I am pretty sure that it's not a voltage issue since I was able to restart multiple times and it started right up with no issue. Right now I'm plugged in and the batteries will get topped off overnight with the trickle charge but I'm pretty sure it's not that issue.
Dakota slim yeah I probably should have stayed there but in the end it was better to leave it was just the middle that was a little terrifying. Driving on the shoulder for two and a half to three miles is not for the faint of heart. Traffic was pretty heavy everybody's trying to get home after the long holiday weekend so for a lot it was unable or impossible to move over to the passing Lane. No fun there.
Recently there was a thread about mirrors being in or out. Mine are in and I was really glad right then that they were because if they were sticking far out like I had them a couple years ago, probably somebody would have connected with it. And that would not have been good.
Thanks for the part number Mike. I called around on the auto parts stores that are open today and nobody has it but they do have the dorman part # 904-7104 which is considerably cheaper than the Cummins part.
Cummins $342
Dorman $153
Nobody has it in stock though that's open right now. Napa's are closed. Mark found some on Amazon that are showing $20 for the part and it says it's compatible with an ism. How is it that they can do that? That's just crazy.
I can get it from find it parts Tuesday maybe, but I'll wait till tomorrow and see what the mechanic says because he may just have one available.
It is better to have someone look at the coach if they are available before you just start throwing parts at it. That Dorman I would trust the almost as good as for $20 I would most likely pass on if it wasn't anything but the difficulty in remove and replacement.
Mike
As always thank you fellow Foretravel people. Will post final results on here and forum.
For conversation please pull up this listing on Amazon.
DUNSIHUI 4921501 Oil Pressure Sender Switch Sensor 904-7113 for N14 M11 Engines I S M Replace 3084521 Amazon.com: DUNSIHUI 4921501 Oil Pressure Sender Switch Sensor 904-7113 for... (https://a.co/d/haCYiqb)
Scroll down look at writeup from seller.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/394904213931?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=tijapc5prvy&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Best price for 492-1487
I agree Mike. I'll go see a mechanic in the morning and hopefully he'll be able to come out tomorrow and look at it. I sent a message to a guy on eBay that is selling the original Cummins part for $20. Texhub found that for me, he's shipping it from Houston I asked him what it would be for overnight shipping. I'm pretty sure it's that sensor though unless it's just a wire leading to it.
In the meantime I had meatloaf and mashed potatoes and I'm drinking a Guinness. The coach is warm and plugged in and I'm not being rocked by semis going past me at 75 miles an hour so all is good.
Texhub,
The one you listed on Amazon won't work on my engine as the electric plug is not correct. My plug is like the one on eBay. The difference round verses flat/oblong electric plug. A check of the plug would be of order. The one on eBay looks like an OEM Cummins box and if it is that is a supper price.
Mike
"all dirt and gravel with goat head thorns everywhere".
I feel sorry for the dog -- and you, because I know how it hurts you when the dog hurts.
I ran into goat head thorns while out with my dog when I was in Idaho and South Dakota. Worse yet are cholla cactus in AZ and elsewhere so if you see any, keep the dog as far away as possible.
They make boots for dogs that are around goat heads and other thorns on a regular basis.
Is the oil extra black and fuel diluted?. Give it e sniff and wipe test on your hand .
It could have low pressure and the nannies are working.
As your dash gauge shows good oil pressure I would go with a bad ECM\sensor and hopefully it isn't the
ECM.
Ism oil pressure (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=40766.msg414969#msg414969)
If you need me to send you the tool let me know. It's a pain to change.
4921487 3083716 3080406 PS398 Oil Pressure Sensor For Cummins N14 M11 ISX US... (https://www.ebay.com/itm/394904213931?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=tijapc5prvy&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY)
Best price for 492-1487
The oil is black but it doesn't smell like fuel. I did add a little extra oil and it seemed to run okay for a while but I think it was just a glitch. After about a mile running down the highway at 40 miles an hour the check engine light came on again and then the engine shut off.
I last changed the oil about 8 months ago and was going to have it done in quartzsite.
Thanks. That's quite a tool you made!
But after seeing you in action I would expect no less. I'm going out now to go see a Mennonite diesel mechanic hopefully he knows and has to correct tools.
If the pressure switch completes the circuit try unplugging the switch and jump the 2 wires in the plug,you know you have oil pressure,if it runs good you know for sure it's the switch.
I'll try that David. The mechanic can't do it he won't work on RVs and doesn't have the help right now I found a really good diesel mechanic near Midland but they can't see me before next Wednesday I ordered a new sender on eBay the Cummins part, and it should be here by December 1st if not sooner.
Owl Tools Jumbo Crows Foot Wrench Set 1/2 Drive - (14 Piece Set in Large SAE Sizes from 1 1/16" to 2") Black Oxide with Laser Etched Sizing Crowfoot Wrench Set Owl Tools Jumbo Crows Foot Wrench Set 1/2 Drive - (14 Piece Set in Large SAE... (https://a.co/d/bK0n5RZ)
Who doesn't need some more tools? I went with this hopefully that will suffice.
If it's on the top of the engine, I'd expect little to nothing in oil loss.
That MAY be just fine. But, I would conform with Cummins before sending any closed/zero Ohm "signal" to the ECM.
You would need to know if the pressure switch is an open or closed contact type or .... an analog signal type to the ECM.
If it's an analog signal, then you would definitely want to check with Cummins or a knowledgeable person familiar with their ECM.
I'm going to err on the side of caution and not try that. Since I have a new part coming anyway I'll just switch it out. It can't hurt and at 20 bucks plus tax and free shipping it was a good deal. I paid three times more for the tools. They do sell a one and one quarter inch Crow foot single on Amazon for $15 but I figured I might as well get the whole set just in case.
Also bought some booties for my dog from ruff wear.
There's not much in this area except for oil, gas, drive thru liquor stores and way to many churches... One I passed today was called whisper Jesus..
Appreciate everybody's help and input, especially Mark who found that excellent deal online for the oil sender. Really guys for 20 bucks if you got an m11 you might as well get one, if I had had a spare it would have been great but I can't have a spare for everything.
Good idea. I hope he doesn't need them again but you will both be happy if he does.
Well my $20 eBay Park arrived yesterday, and it took me about an hour and a half to install it. I had to take the big air pipe off to get better access. The old part and the new part uses a slightly different size claw with the new one being slightly smaller. Pictures were hard to take as my hands were dirty and my phone's already got it cracked in the screen protector, getting the new one screwed in was really the hardest part. A few scrapes and scratches on my right arm otherwise I'm good.
I fired everything up and good oil pressure readings on both the dash and silverleaf and they matched which they haven't been doing lately which I guess could have been my clue that maybe that part was failing. Don't know how much money I saved but if I had gone to the diesel mechanic I'm guessing that it would have been something in the range of a thousand dollars or more not to mention the fact that I might of had to tow it there...
I could make Balmorhea today but I'm going to wait till tomorrow. Dog boots came in too and chief is doing good with those although he didn't like the socks.
Feels good when you accomplish something and save money....
As always I appreciate your comments and especially part numbers.
Congratulations Bob. Another story to tell around the fire ring at Q.
Chalk up another inexpensive do-it-yourself task to the Foretravel forum and it's members.
And great instructions preserved for future searches ^.^d
Bob, your oil pressure is excessively high more so on the VSMpc
It was cold and I had just started it up. As I let it run they came down. When I get to quartzsite I'm going to change the oil and filter.
My oil pressure is way up there when cold. Glad it all worked out Bob.