I have a 1987 Establishment P30. It will start and run, but as soon as I take my foot off the gas it stalls out. It started during a trip when I began to lose power going up a hill. Things got better after the hill, but 2 or 3 hills later we stalled on the side of the road and had to be towed home. It's a chevy 454I've replaced all the:-fuel filters -and put in a new mechanical fuel pump. -sprayed "gum out" into the carburetor Any ideas for an Austin area mobile mechanic?Ryan

rubber vacuum advance lines are collapsing is my first guess. Replace them. Notorious problem with them as they age. $10.00 BUCKS OF RUBBER HOSE WORTH A TRY.Not mobile but try Fleet Maintenance of Texas4800 E 7th Street, Austin, TX 78723

Have you checked to see if you have fuel at the carb by cranking it with the fuel line unhooked?The rubber lines at the tank may have rotted out and are not allowing the pump to draw fuel from the tank (it needs a vacuum). Happened to my '84 P30. I had to replace all the rubber lines.

Check the electric fuel pump that is located by the right rear tire. It gets the fuel to the mechanical fuel pump. rubber fuel lines might be a problem, but that would show up more when you are stepping on the gas than dying at idle. Mine acted the way you are describing but that was after a complete rebuild of the carb and no fine tuning was done when it was installed. One FYI I always add Lucas fuel treatment to our MH, 1 cup for every 10 gallons of gas. It is expensive, but not having fuel problems makes it worth it to me.

Grandpere wrote:Check the electric fuel pump that is located by the right rear tire. It gets the fuel to the mechanical fuel pump. rubber fuel lines might be a problem, but that would show up more when you are stepping on the gas than dying at idle. Mine acted the way you are describing but that was after a complete rebuild of the carb and no fine tuning was done when it was installed. One FYI I always add Lucas fuel treatment to our MH, 1 cup for every 10 gallons of gas. It is expensive, but not having fuel problems makes it worth it to me.Mine was the opposite. The mechanical pump would draw through the failed electric pump up until about 45 MPH and it would run out of fuel. It would run great below that speed.When the rubber lines failed, the fuel pump couldn't suck any fuel out of the tank at all. It would cough and sputter at idle.EDIT: I should have emphasized Grandpere's advice. Whether it's your problem or not, make sure that fuel pump is running (behind the right rear wheels mounted on the frame). I still suspect fuel rotted fuel lines. Again, unhooking the fuel at the carb and cranking (into a coffee can or something - not letting it spray all over the place) will tell you for sure.

Also check for a mid-line fuel filter. My Airstream 345 had one behind the steps in the center. It also had an electric pump in the rear and the mechanical one up front. It sounds identical to issues I had with the P-30 in my Airstream. A fuel supply issue. Mine also showed up going on hills.

1987 Establishment P30 starts but dies in idle | Good Sam Community

43 Replies

Grandpere
Explorer
May 30, 2015
Check the electric fuel pump that is located by the right rear tire. It gets the fuel to the mechanical fuel pump. rubber fuel lines might be a problem, but that would show up more when you are stepping on the gas than dying at idle. Mine acted the way you are describing but that was after a complete rebuild of the carb and no fine tuning was done when it was installed.

One FYI I always add Lucas fuel treatment to our MH, 1 cup for every 10 gallons of gas. It is expensive, but not having fuel problems makes it worth it to me.
turbojimmy
Explorer
May 30, 2015
Have you checked to see if you have fuel at the carb by cranking it with the fuel line unhooked?

The rubber lines at the tank may have rotted out and are not allowing the pump to draw fuel from the tank (it needs a vacuum). Happened to my '84 P30. I had to replace all the rubber lines.
darsben
Explorer II
May 30, 2015
rubber vacuum advance lines are collapsing is my first guess. Replace them. Notorious problem with them as they age. $10.00 BUCKS OF RUBBER HOSE WORTH A TRY.

Not mobile but try Fleet Maintenance of Texas
4800 E 7th Street, Austin, TX 78723

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1987 Establishment P30 starts but dies in idle

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