help! broken down! Alternator Issues

Topic: help! broken down! Alternator Issues (Read 4751 times) previous topic - next topic

help! broken down! Alternator Issues

May 09, 2016, 04:17:39 pm

Hey guys....can anyone help us right now? We are on the side of the road. I need someone to talk to now if you're available by phone. We were low on fuel and planning to stop, but suddenly things started going weird and lights coming on the dash. We pulled off and exit with a gas station, but got stopped on the ramp. Shut down and tried to restart and now just getting a click sound in the dash by passenger seat. Did we just run out of gas and it has shut us out from restarting? Also the transmission heat light came on but the silverleaf said the trans heat was fine. Ugh...help!

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #1 – May 09, 2016, 04:22:18 pm

You need min 8-10 gal Diesel in the tank.
Same happened to me once with my former FT. I kept driving, thinking that once the fuel low light comes on .... it never did come on.
It was hard to start, 5 gal did not ... once I had 9-10 gal it started with a lot of pumping. Long fuel lines need to be filed up.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #2 – May 09, 2016, 04:24:49 pm

Can you start the generator? If so, you are not out of diesel. The generator will cut off before the engine such that one can hopefully make it to the next gas station (about 1/4 tank). If it is propane generator then of course not applicable.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #3 – May 09, 2016, 04:25:38 pm

Even with no fuel, engine should still crank. Are you sure you're not still in gear?

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #4 – May 09, 2016, 04:26:59 pm

Maybe check battery connections to be sure all of those are still good (thinking about your flashing dash lights = voltage problem?).

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #5 – May 09, 2016, 04:31:05 pm

Ignition solenoid also comes to mind.

Clarification needed - dash solenoid issues

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #6 – May 09, 2016, 04:32:23 pm

Quote from: bogeygolfer – May 09, 2016, 04:25:38 pm

Even with no fuel, engine should still crank. Are you sure you're not still in gear?

It says N

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #7 – May 09, 2016, 04:37:27 pm

Finally got a call back from Foretravel Tech Dept. Husband is on phone with them now

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #8 – May 09, 2016, 04:39:23 pm

My first guess would be electrical. Double-check the connections to the starting batteries. We had a problem last summer and the connections seemed to be tight, but additional tightening solved the problem.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #9 – May 09, 2016, 04:39:49 pm

Things to try:

Turn ignition switch to "ON", try the fan switch on dash A/C. If fan blows, then ignition solenoid is OK.

With ignition switch in "ON" position, read voltage on dash volt meter. Should be above 12 volts, closer to 13 volts is normal.

Push BOOST switch to "ON", see if dash volt meter changes reading. If volts are good, try starting engine. If no start, go to next step.

If generator will start, start it. Let it run a few minutes, then try starting engine again, with BOOST switch still on.

If engine starts, leave generator running and boost switch on.. Alternator may have failed, causing low voltage condition in engine start batteries. You can run down the road indefinitely with generator supplying voltage to engine. Get alternator repaired/replaced at earliest opportunity.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #10 – May 09, 2016, 04:42:08 pm

Ok...Foretravel had us engage the boost button up front. Never knew what that was and we suddenly got a boost of power enough to start!

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #11 – May 09, 2016, 04:43:46 pm

See if you threw the alternator belt. Don't know if you have a separate belt on the U300.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #12 – May 09, 2016, 04:44:41 pm

Nice response from Foretravel!

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #13 – May 09, 2016, 04:50:41 pm

Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie – May 09, 2016, 04:43:46 pm

See if you threw the alternator belt. Don't know if you have a separate belt on the U300.

Sorry...non mechanical here...where is the alternator located?

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #14 – May 09, 2016, 04:51:16 pm

That suggests that your chassis batteries are bad/bad connection.

You will still want to verify that the alternator is charging both banks with the engine running.

With engine running, the dash gauge should show 13.5+ VDC-- that indicates that the CHASSIS batteries are charging.

With the engine running the monitor should show 13.5+ VDC-- that indicates that the House batteries are being charged.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #15 – May 09, 2016, 05:02:27 pm

Can any U300 (I assume CAT 3176) owners tell Trent where to look for the alternator? I can't help him with that (wrong engine).

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #16 – May 09, 2016, 05:06:16 pm

Huh....we now have a beep and a stop engine light :/

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #17 – May 09, 2016, 05:08:32 pm

Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie – May 09, 2016, 05:02:27 pm

Can any U300 (I assume CAT 3176) owners tell Trent where to look for the alternator? I can't help him with that (wrong engine).

Trent, I send you my home number on a PM. call me

Hans

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #18 – May 09, 2016, 05:12:19 pm

Is boost switch still on? If engine start batteries are low, you will have to leave the boost switch on while you drive until the batteries are recharged. If you haven't tried running the generator, crank it up and leave boost switch on. This will recharge the engine start batteries. The beeping and "Stop Engine" light can be triggered by low battery voltage.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #19 – May 09, 2016, 05:20:46 pm

Boost is still on and battery is slowly recharging. We are going to get to the FMCA campground in Cincinnati where we can stay and plug in and charge the batteries up and get ahold of the service center first thing in the morning. Good thing to know about the stop engine light being battery related. That makes me feel a little better.

Thank you so so much for your help. We were almost going to have to shell out $400 for an $800 tow. Nothing like being in the moment and finding out your roadside assistance is insufficient. :/

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #20 – May 09, 2016, 05:24:29 pm

Do not ASSUME that your chassis batteries are charged from shore power unless a previous owner added a means to do that.

From the factory, the chassis battery was ONLY charged from the alternator.

Yes, with boost switch on, the on-board charger will charge the house bank and through the boost switch the chassis batteries will be charged as well.

And 1995 was a transition year. In the back of my mind, I remember thinking that JOR had a Cummins M11 engine in his coach.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #21 – May 09, 2016, 05:28:34 pm

you might need a belt or an alternator. It sounds like low voltage and the reason you did not hear anything is there is not enough voltage to crank the engine. Also do not let your fuel get so low. It is not an issue to fill up at half a tank for me. I do it mostly because I want a full tank and because the less fuel you have the hotter it will get in the tank as you are running. Also keep your boost switch on when you plug in. You need to verify that the alternator is running but until then start the generator and that will keep everything charged up if you have the boost on.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #22 – May 09, 2016, 05:33:51 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – May 09, 2016, 05:24:29 pm

In the back of my mind, I remember thinking that JOR had a Cummins M11 engine in his coach.

Absolutely correct. Now that you mention it, I remember lots of posts about Jor having a "unusual" M11 in his U300. So now we need a M11 owner to help Trent out with alternator location and what kind of belt setup it has.

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #23 – May 09, 2016, 05:40:05 pm

Yes. Its an M11 that has been modded or something to 425 hp, I think?

Re: help! broken down!

Reply #24 – May 09, 2016, 05:41:06 pm

Also, Walkerfam7, I'd suggest joining Coachnet just in case you ever have something happen again. They covered our towing when we broke down one time and I was glad we had it.

Chris

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