Hello, I have a 2001 Damon Ultrasport with a 24 valve 5.9 ISB. I have run into a problem. When driving home from the campground sunday it was raining. I had the generator running so the kids could watch TV. Every so often the check engine light would come on and the tach would get real jumpy and I would loose power. If I was pulling a hill then it would not downshift. Then the light would go out and the power was back. No other gauges would be affected. So then I turned the generator off and the check engine light would not come on. In my regular maint. I changed all filters, oil and etc. Even the generator fuel filter. which was less than 150 miles ago. Does anybody have any clue what this could be??? Maybe a ground wire loose? Fuse?? Please let me know what you think I should check.Thanks, Chris

I know nothing about that particular rig, but from general info, I can suggest a couple things. Since it was raining, it is possible that you have a pending short somewhere in the electrical system, and the water caused arcing. Obviously, the higher the voltage, the more easily this occurs, so I'd start looking at the generator 120 volt lines first. Obviously you have no spark plug wires to worry about, but 12 volt wires could be the problem, too.The other possibility is the engine air intake sucking in water. I don't know that this rig is prone to the problem, but I have known of people with OTHER diesels that did suffer it until the fixed it. It had to do with the air filter getting soaked with water, thus not passing air and temporarily choking the engine. The fix involved relocating the airbox intake so the wheels didn't splash water into the intake.Best of luck tracking it down.

I also have no experience with your particular rig, but my (and may other) monaco's tend to turn on the ALT light on the dash if the genny is run at the same time as the main engine.Sounds like something similar, tho also more severe.

I don't know where to really start looking because it is intendment. The loss of power and not downshifting thing has be stumped. Its almost like it goes into limp mode, but when the check engine light goes off the power is back. The other thing is the tach bouncing around while all this is going on. I guess I will start at the fuse block and check my fuses.Thanks, Chris

If the check engine light comes on, it usually does put you in "limp" mode. It may be a fuel problem, since when you turned the genny off, the problem didn't occur.

Yes, I would start by checking battery connections as well as ground connections at the engine.If everything clean and tight, I would rig a volt meter to the OUT side of the ignition solenoid. See if it is dropping power when this happens. If so, see if the signal wire from ignition switch to the ignition solenoid is dropping, of if it is a problem with the solenoid.BTW, other symptoms of this would be for other things like the dash HVAC fan to cease working when power out of the ignition solenoid is failing. Is that happening?

Class A diesel help | Good Sam Community

noswad
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
I don't know where to really start looking because it is intendment. The loss of power and not downshifting thing has be stumped. Its almost like it goes into limp mode, but when the check engine light goes off the power is back. The other thing is the tach bouncing around while all this is going on. I guess I will start at the fuse block and check my fuses.

Thanks, Chris
JimM68
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
I also have no experience with your particular rig, but my (and may other) monaco's tend to turn on the ALT light on the dash if the genny is run at the same time as the main engine.

Sounds like something similar, tho also more severe.
naturist
Nomad
Oct 01, 2013
I know nothing about that particular rig, but from general info, I can suggest a couple things. Since it was raining, it is possible that you have a pending short somewhere in the electrical system, and the water caused arcing. Obviously, the higher the voltage, the more easily this occurs, so I'd start looking at the generator 120 volt lines first. Obviously you have no spark plug wires to worry about, but 12 volt wires could be the problem, too.

The other possibility is the engine air intake sucking in water. I don't know that this rig is prone to the problem, but I have known of people with OTHER diesels that did suffer it until the fixed it. It had to do with the air filter getting soaked with water, thus not passing air and temporarily choking the engine. The fix involved relocating the airbox intake so the wheels didn't splash water into the intake.

Best of luck tracking it down.

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