Diesel Pusher losing power

Change the fuel filter

When you lose power is the exhaust blowing black smoke? If so it could be the turbo going bad.

This is just a guess, but sounds like it has gone into "Limp Mode" which many things can be the problem.

Wjohns02 wrote:
Just curious as to other have had similar experience.

Have a 2006 Tiffin Phaeton, currently on a road trip in WY and motorhome seems to loose power on even small inclines. Had the air filter changed in Odessa Mo. which seemed to correct the problem for a while. Currently we go from the ability to travel at highway speeds to literally having to climb the entrance to the rv park we are staying at for a couple of days at 5 mph because the unit wouldn't go any faster.

Am trying to find a diesel shop in Cody, WY to check the coach out but just wondered if other members have experienced anything similar.

Appreciate any feedback.

We had those symptoms when we got a cracked exhaust manifold which apparently reduced turbo boost. (I’m not a mechanic so don’t understand this). Have your mechanic check the exhaust manifold. Ours was a Cummins ISC. 2003.

Tyler0215 wrote:
Change the fuel filter

Yup, always the first thing to do with a diesel with performance loss.

Replace the fuel filter or if two be sure to replace both of them.

Cut open the old primary fuel filter to see if there is a contaminated fuel issue.

Thanks for the quick feedback. Attempting to connect with a diesel mechanic in Cody today.

Recently had air filter and fuel filter changed. Not sure if unit has two filters but will find out.

Unit is not blowing black smoke even when we are crawling from a speed standpoint.

Will provide update once we can figure out the issue.

If you got a bad tank of fuel you may have to change fuel filters 2 or 3 times to get back to normal.

Thanks for the quick feedback. Attempting to connect with a diesel mechanic in Cody today.

Recently had air filter and fuel filter changed. Not sure if unit has two filters but will find out.

Unit is not blowing black smoke even when we are crawling from a speed standpoint.

Will provide update once we can figure out the issue.

Thought I would come back with an update. So we were able to find a mechanic to check out the motorhome. Recommended changing the air filter (again). Explained that we had just done that two weeks earlier but followed his advice and changed it again. Seemed to correct the problem but really seems odd it could need to be changed so soon.

Has been an interesting 5 weeks on the road. Had one slide stop working altogether so now have to override it by using power directly from the battery. Had a pin break on another slide but was able to repair it. Replaced the onboard surge protector with a external one.

Still it has been a great trip, but expensive trip. We have done fine towing the Jeep on the interstate and relatively level ground but the motor home really struggled in higher elevations which was not what I expected with a DP. Often we did well to hold 25 mph when climbing hills out west.

Have several things to get checked out when we get home on Saturday as we continue the motorhome journey.

Sounds like it’s still not running right.
Have to provide more data. I presume a fancy coach like that has a full complement of gauges? Are you making full boost, what are egts, is the trans downshifting properly?
Could be rail pressure, weak FPR blowing off too early as well.

It’s wholly improbable that you plugged up 2 air filters in a week unless you drove thru the great dust storm of 1929 or a swarm of locusts, lol. What did the filter minder say? What did the filter look like? Did the mechanic actually ever look at it or did you just have a quick free phone call w him?

Sounds like this is a new purchase and no previous history with the unit?