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Topic: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power (Read 2093 times) previous topic - next topic

Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Just travelled from Nacogdoches to Albuquerque no problem. Stopped for fuel near son's house and then drove one mile and parked for a week. Leaving to visit a State Park I could make no power leaving the neighborhood. With the accelerator  floored was barely making 25 to 30 mph. Went back a few blocks and changed my primary and secondary fuel filters. Filters looked fine and the new filters are not making any difference. Parked in driveway.


Considering Rocky Mountain Cummins coach care center which is about 7 miles away. Can limp there on side streets. They aren't answering the phone. Getting ready to check air filter.

1997 Cummins C8.3 mechanical with 85,000 miles. Have been driving a lot in last two months with no problems.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #1 –
Check the rubber boots and clamps on the air charger if you haven't.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #2 –
How does it start and idle? Smoothly? Possible lift pump partially failed. Does your Cummins have a fuel solenoid that may be stuck? Did you cut open the filters to check for contamination?

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #3 –
Have a compression brake?  Make sure it is not activated.  I had the same issue three times.  Twice it was towd wiring activating the brake lights and Jake brake.  One time, I was resting my left foot on the activator pedal - I won't comment on how long it took me to figure THAT out!

Another incident - the chassis battery connection was loose.  The 8.3 apparently did not require battery to operate, but the accelerator did.

Here is hoping it is already fixed!
Matt B
1998 u-320

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #4 –
Possible fuel line fault allowing air in the system. Check for cracks in the hose where it has a clamp. How does your generator run with your AC on?

P
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #5 –
Could also be air getting in around changed out fuel filters

When in neutral does engine rev up to red line?

This is one time you wished Foretravel would put a boost gauge on their engines. 

1998 engine is computer controlled or still mechanical?  If computer, now also would be a good time to have a silverleaf monitor.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #6 –
This engine is mechanical, 12 valve. No compression brake, retarder. Disconnected toad and no change in performance. Generator pulling34 amps with both ac and running smoothly.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #8 –
Check the throttle position return springs on the throttle,2 3/8th's diameter springs about 8 inches long,on the passenger side
near the middle of the engine,the ends have a habit of wearing out, Lowes has them in stock.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #9 –
Karen and I will be coming thru Albuquerque day after tomorrow and will check on you then.. Glad you have a son in town. Make that Friday morning. Hope your fixed and rolling before then but if not we may see you.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #10 –
Could be the king cruise control. Check that your brake lights work. Also was any work done to the coach while it was parked?
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #11 –
Quote from: red tractor –
Could be the king cruise control. Check that your brake lights work. Also was any work done to the coach while it was parked?
Brake lights work. No work on coach of a mechanical sort.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #12 –
Repeating Turbojack's question........... does the engine rev up in neutral under no load condition?

Sure sounds like it's starving for fuel.
You had no issues before filling up with fuel?
Justin & Cathy Byrd
1995 U280 "Old Faithful"
36' Build #4673
C8.3 Cummins
Allison MD3060R 6 speed - retarder
Powertech 10KW  4cyl Kubota

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #13 –
What you are describing is the same as a typical King Control Throttle failure. I have had that happen to my coach maybe a dozen times during the last five years. Many other owners of Foretravel, Monaco and Country Coach rigs have experienced and are experiencing the same. In each of my instances, the problem resolved itself. Let's hope that is also your experience. 

You can check now to determine if it is, indeed, the King. With the engine running, raise the bed and grab the throttle lever which is attached to the block with two springs (passenger side of engine). Pull the throttle to rev the engine. If you get normal response than I'm betting the King is the problem

If you want to learn about it, there are a number of threads here and on other forums that discuss the King issue. The problem is that the King is obsolete so when the circuit board finally gives it up, we are out of luck. I've found a couple of guys that have replaced the King with an air throttle and one member here that replaced his with an hydraulic throttle.

.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #14 –
 Rocky Mountain Cummins coach care center in Albuquerque did fine with my previous Bluebird - and have a couple of sites for "camping".

Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #15 –
I've had air chargers split and it would keep the truck at 55 max that's why I mentioned boots  first which is the luckiest culprit.. thing is it can be anyone of the things listed above. At the least Patrick will have a list to offer a shop foreman which with my luck would piss off the Foreman. I would be forced to do that right after it appeared they were on a snipe hunt. I hope it's simple and it certainly can be.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #16 –
I have had with the problem with the King. I believe if the brake lights come on the King
will only give 1/3 throttle also. Do what Jor said that is a simple way to trouble shoot it.
If one of the boots come off the intake air line you won't have any power.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #17 –
I've looked over the boots on the turbo and air intake. They appear okay. Going to replace the air filter and then do the throttle test. Throttle springs look okay. Looks like we will lose our camp reservations  Fortunately we are back in son's driveway.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #18 –
Most likely the fuel shutoff solenoid is hanging up and not allowing the fuel rack to fully open. It's happened to me. You can disconnect the solenoid and tie wrap it fully open to get full power. Everything will be normal except to shut down you have to cut the tie wrap.
1994 U280, Build 4490
Deming, NM.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #19 –
Quote from: oldmattb –
Have a compression brake?  Make sure it is not activated.  I had the same issue three times. 

No the Cummins 8.3. If it has any kind of engine brake (more likely to have the transmission retarder), it would have an EXHAUST BRAKE. 

But equally important to verify that the butterfly is OPEN.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #20 –
Quote from: wolfe10 –
No the Cummins 8.3. If it has any kind of engine brake (more likely to have the transmission retarder), it would have an EXHAUST BRAKE. 

But equally important to verify that the butterfly is OPEN.

If the pacbrake is stuck closed you would bellow black smoke like a coal factory.
1994 U280, Build 4490
Deming, NM.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #21 –
Sounds like a possible fuel filter clogged up. I had a tank of crud to work through and each time the filter clogged I would lose power like that. Easy thing to try.  It also sounds like a stuck PAC brake but you said it doesn't have one...

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #22 –
Quote from: nbluesky –
Sounds like a possible fuel filter clogged up. I had a tank of crud to work through and each time the filter clogged I would lose power like that. Easy thing to try.

From original post:

Quote from: Realmccoy –
Went back a few blocks and changed my primary and secondary fuel filters. Filters looked fine and the new filters are not making any difference.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #23 –
Alternative to Cummins
Contact Us - Statkus Engines - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Give Wendy a call at: 505-765-1614

I live in Albuquerque, have used both, and prefer Statkus
-Mike-

2001 U320 3610 WTFE, build 5863
'97 Land Cruiser

Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

Re: Broke down in Albuquerque Cummins not making power

Reply #24 –
Update:
1: cut open both fuel filters and did not find them clogged. They appeared normal to me for miles, etc.
2. the air filter was dirty, carefully cleaned air cleaner box and reinserted air cleaner. Called two truck parts places and they don't have Donaldson or the Baldwin crossover. Reinstalled to continue with testing. What other air filters would you trust to replace the Donaldson? P148043.
3. I found two wires on the top of the engine intake that are broken. They are attached to two different sensors. At this time I don't know what they do. There are a pair of sensors on either side of the air coming into engine from CAC. One of those pairs is disconnected via broken wire. The wire connects the two sensors. The second sensor connects to both of those sensors via a small tube. This sensor also has a broken wire. Need help identifying these parts as to function.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.