Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #50 – October 22, 2014, 09:04:20 pm Quote from: Roland Begin – October 22, 2014, 01:54:10 pmBarry, I called Joe Trianna three days ago to ask where the schematic for the fuel shutoff solenoid was. THEN I googled wiring diagram for fuel shutoff solenoid and it brought me right to Beamalarm. Joe returned my call after I had the information and I told him where I found it. Shoulda gone to Beamalarm first. Heck if I would have gone there first I would have saved a lot of heartache and $$$.RolandRoland, Glad you found what you needed.Lots of input from lots of people helped build the site. We are all doing what we can to further our knowledge of our Foretravels. This is my contribution to the effort. Quote Selected
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #51 – October 22, 2014, 09:51:34 pm Quote from: Twig – October 22, 2014, 07:16:54 pmEVERYBODY with a Foretravel should have Beamalarm book marked. Sheesh.I agree, mea culpa,mea culpa. I sure did my penance with $$bills. In my defense though I really really wanted to get off that fuel isle. Poor defense as twenty minutes on Beamalarm would have saved many hours and $$.Roland Quote Selected
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #52 – October 23, 2014, 07:14:19 pm OK, installed the fuel shutoff solenoid today. Only one small hiccup. It doesn't fit. Could not bolt the solenoid down with both bolts, holes did not line up. Pulled the solenoid out and compared to the he old one. The old one had been ground down to fit. Tried that but still only one bolt hold down. The body of the solenoid is right up against the bracket that the throttle cables are attached. Did fire it up ran well, all solenoid was warm not hot AND I can shut it off with the key. Guess I will have to drill a hole on the bracket and use a nut and bolt.Roland Quote Selected
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #53 – October 23, 2014, 10:13:00 pm Quote from: Roland Begin – October 23, 2014, 07:14:19 pm The body of the solenoid is right up against the bracket that the throttle cables are attached.This is the exact problem that I described in my post on page 2 of this thread. I also described my solution, which is not difficult. Quote Selected
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #54 – October 24, 2014, 02:24:26 pm Quote from: cajk – October 23, 2014, 10:13:00 pmThis is the exact problem that I described in my post on page 2 of this thread. I also described my solution, which is not difficult.There are two I solutions to the problem, one that is elegant, yours, and one that is functional,mine. I usually go for functional. Went for elegant this time and used your modification on the mounting plate. Don't think I would have attested without a grinder. Also discovered that my plate had broken and been welded by some PO.Roland Quote Selected
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #55 – January 16, 2015, 10:39:12 am My homebound friends like to hear of our adventures this is the anecdote I sent them when I was stuck on the fuel isle. Grab your coffee a bit of a long rad.......or skip it altogether.HiY'all want an adventure story, well I just happen to have one. Probably should make a song out of this one.We were in Big Spring Texas on our last leg to Lakewood NM. I told Carmen she was going to drive the rest of the way. She said "but that's two hundred miles". Yes I know was my reply. Before she started to drive I thought I would fill the tank as diesel is a bit cheaper in Texas than NM. And that's where the adventure begins.I pulled into the fuel isle, shut off the engine and filled the tank. It was a bit tight in the isle and I was in at an angle so I told Carmen I'll get it off the island and you can take it from there. AH the Gremlins were watching. Turn the key to the start position, nada, nothing, rien, zip. Called a local Truck Stop, a T/A, and asked if they could send their mobile repair unit out. No problem until I told them we were in an RV. "We don't work on RV's". I then called a local wrecker service to haul me out to their repair facility. No problem until I told them I was in a motor home. "We don't tow motor homes, but we will be happy to get right on it as soon as you get it here". Oh the Gremlins were working overtime for Carmen that day.I thought I knew what the problem was and decided I would test out my theory. Crawled under the coach and located the aux start solenoid. So far, piece of cake. Removed the starter wire from the cold side of the solenoid and placed it on the hot side. BRRRRRRRRM, started right up. In my excitement I got out from under there and figured I would get the coach off the fuel isle, get a new solenoid and have Carmen take the wheel. Ah but the Gremlins were watching and they were on her side. As soon as I got behind the wheel the coach stopped running.Well crap, what now. Well that's when it hit me. The aux start solenoid is a MOMENTARY ON solenoid. It is only activated and only provides power to the starter in the start position. I had left the starter lead on the hot side of the solenoid. It hit me when I walked back to the engine compartment and smelled my toasting starter. I hurriedly removed the wire and refrained from screaming. We have been on the fuel isle several hours now. I did manage to get the number of a local independent mobile mechanic. A very busy mobile mechanic as it was several more hours before he returned my call, and several more hours before he showed up, twelve to be exact. At one thirty AM he had not only diagnosed the issue as a burned out starter, well Duh, but also found out that there was none to be found at that hour of the day. We are still on the fuel isle. The Gremlins are laughing.Early the following morning a nice man was knocking on our door. The nice man was the manager of the station. "I have to get movement on that pump", he says "you have to move your coach". There were a lot of ways I could have responded to that and I picked the helpless "this could be your grandfather" approach. Guess the Gremlins weren't watching as it worked. I explained our circumstances, showed him our texts to the mechanic and promised I would keep him up to date. And what do you mean by "movement" on the pump I asked. He explained that all the pumps were monitored at the district level and if the pump showed no movement (no pumping of fuel) in twenty four hours the crap hits the fans. Sneaky Gremlins were watching all along.Not an hour later the "suit" shows up. And he doesn't look like the type that will bend to the "grandfather" approach. I explained my circumstances and lauded his employees telling him that I have never been treated with such consideration and sympathy at any time in my life. "You have the best people in the world working here; they know how to treat a customer. I poured it on so thick the Gremlins didn't have a chance. Understand we have now been on the fuel isle for over twenty-four hours. Well the mechanic could not get a new starter locally; we would have to wait until the next day to get a new one from Odessa Texas. However he had some "spare parts" and said he could rebuild my starter. OK whatever gets us off this island the quickest. So he rebuilt the starter with parts that he had and installed the thing. Ah but the Gremlins were still watching and with glee. It seems that when I toasted my starter, with the Gremlins help, I also melted the fuel solenoid, no fuel to the injectors no running of the engine. Da@# Gremlins!Ah but our mechanic was a lot smarter than the Gremlins, he mechanically strapped the fuel solenoid open and so, forty hours after fueling we were ready to leave. Of course it is now two AM, I don't dare to shut the engine off, Carmen doesn't like to drive at night as the lights bother her so guess who drove to NM, not Carmen. Gotta get those Gremlins on my side.Roland Quote Selected 4 Likes
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #56 – January 16, 2015, 10:58:35 am Roland, I've bumped into those same Gremlins a time or two over the years. Not fun at the time, but a good laugh down the road. See you in Q. Quote Selected
Re: Stuck on the fuel isle Reply #57 – January 16, 2015, 06:46:47 pm Thank you Roland for the "rest of the story."I will tell you that I haven't shut off the Cummins at a fuel island since I read your original post. This makes me even firmer in my commitment. Quote Selected
Topic: Stuck on the fuel isle