Breakdown Information

[Badeye]

Moderators Note: This thread is intending to report a problem and its resolution. If you are seeking help or information to help you resolve a problem you would best be served by initiating a thread on the class A forum proper

After some conversation with Diesel-Lover and others on this forum I thought I would try to start a thread concerning breakdowns on the road. We try to prevent this by good maintenance and driving reasonably but it can still happen. As I observed in a previous post, on a roughly 350 mile northbound drive on I-75 I saw 4 class A MH broken down. All were southbound.

If we should have a breakdown and would post the following information on this thread it could be a resource and reminder for others.

RV particulars:
Driveline (Engine, Transmission):
Miles:
Year:
Break Down Description: (You can add any description of the problem here that you think would help others in understanding the situation and problem.)
Symptoms:
Effect:
Cause:
Outcome:

This is the type of information that is recorded in the aircraft industry and other maintenance activities to track failure trends. It will take a while before we see a lot of value in this. If it continues for a time and sufficient data is available, I will analyze the data and put it into a form that I can send by email to any interested parties. I would suspect that an initial report could be done in about three months or when we have about 100 to 150 cases.

What do you think?

[1989_chief]

i too put in cheap fuel i was in so. dakota wont happen again & i carry extra fuel filters

[Hammus]

RV 2001 37K Bounder Diesel
Freightliner XC Chassis
Allison 3000mh
275 Cummins ISB

Right front Bilstein shock shaft stripped threads on shaft to lower mount. Loud noise on any right side of coach front on any imperfection in road -- occurred W of Whitehorse, YT Canada. Solution, weld shaft to lower mount and replace both under warranty when return to US.

Hammus

[bbartonwx]

I'm an "old iron" owner. First coach was an '84 Blue Bird FC35. Because I bought during winter, I never heard the electrically-operated radiator fan kick on. I figured it just ran like my car's fan did on an engine-driven fan belt. Further, I didn't really understand the manual override switch on the dash that kept the fan running constantly, if desired.
The bottom line is..the wire powering that radiator fan was broken. We didn't overheat seriously until we were on highway 385 going up two lane switch-back roads through Custer National Park on our way up to Mt. Rushmore. It was incredibly difficult to find a place to pull over..and a very dangerous tow off the mountain.
Moral is...make sure EVERY component and accessory is demonstrated in working order when you take delivery of a new or used coach..even if that accessory may not be necessary at the time.
Currently driving an '86 Newell we thoroughly enjoy..no breakdowns in the last 2-3 years. But thanks to an alert mechanic who noticed by u-joint was about shot just before a 4,000 mile trip.

[XCountry]

Lil Truckr:

Same thing happened to me "almost Identical" . Corroded fuse to lift pump. "No Lift Pump - No Diesel".

[BIGCAJN]

I HAVE BEEN OWNING AN ALLEGRO BAY 34FT WITH THE CUMMINS 230 FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW. THE ONLY PROBLEM I'VE HAD THIS PAST YEAR WAS A DIESEL LEAK AND A NON FUNCTIONING EXHAUST BRAKE, IN CALIFORNIA.

MY BROTHER IN LAW AND I REMOVED THE EX BRAKE AND WORKED IT FREE AND IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THE FUEL LEAK WAS FIXED AFTER LIMPING INTO BEND, ORE. ON A SUNDAY. AFTER BEING UNABLE TO GET A MECHANIC TILL MONDAY, I CRAWLED UNDER THE UNIT WHILE BROTHER IN LAW STARTED IT AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE DIESEL RETURN LINE FROM THE INJECTOR PUMP TO THE TANK THAT WAS LEAKING. SOMEBODY HAD APPARENTLY CHANGED THE RUBBER HOSE PART OF IT AND TIED IT TO THE METAL CONNECTORS ON THE POWER STEERING LINE AND THIS RUBBED A HOLE IN IT. I WAS VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT, WITH NEW HOSE AND CLAMPS FOR $5.30.
BIGCAJN

[tjtheoneway]

lost a belt on my cummins diesel pusher approchin timmerin hill in idaho. unhooked the jeep grand cheroke and pulled the 38ft holiday rambler to the rest area with the jeep! no problem! went and got two belts the wrong size,had to go back and get the right size. the wife had to pull up on the tensioner with a ratchet wrench while i was underneath directing the belt. then i got topside with her and got evey thing okayed, looked at my wife and she was sweatin as bad as i was. i had to commit! i said, NOW DO YOU SEE WHY MEN CUSS AND DRINK BEER? she just laughed.

[rdweeter]

EXCELLENT IDEA! how do you plan to collect and summarize?

However, I think it should include ANY breakdown - for example mine occurred while I was at home. I bought a '90 Winnebago 36 RQ with tag axles on ebay and drove it back to OKC from phoenix - it performed flawlessly until I got it home. Then it kept konking out - like it wasn't getting gas - checked all the obvious things like filters, etc. and finally decided it had to be the fuel pump. I called the local dealers and they said it would be about $800 to drop the tank and replace the pump. I thought, man, I screwed up on this purchase but crawled under the big beast again to look at the tank (desperate thoughts of doing it myself). WAIT - there was the fuel pump on the outside. I reached up to touch it and the positive wire to it fell apart in my hands. 3' of wire and a connector and it has run VERY well for about 12,000 miles....

[SteveRit]

RV particulars: Soutwhind
Driveline (454, 3speed tran):
Miles: 63k
Year: 1985
Symptoms: Freeway driving, engine backfires, dies
Effect: no go, need tow
Cause: 1st time found the coil and rotor had disentagrated, replaced coil, modulator, cap, wires
Outcome: ran for a bit, did it again

Symptoms: Freeway driving, engine backfires, dies
Effect: no go, need tow
Cause: This was the 2nd time this happened, still electrical. Turned out oil was getting up into the bottom? sensor on the distributor, replace distributator, coil
Outcome: ran good

[Richmeister]

RV particulars: 2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor
Driveline (Engine 330 Cat, Transmission Allison 3060):
Miles:40,000
Year:
Break Down Description: (engine quit)
Symptoms: I was driving west on I 12, when the engine started surging. I pulled into a rest area and all the alarms and warning lights started flashing and the engine quit.
Effect: Engine would not restart, oil was all over the toad and dripping from the mudflap on the rear of the coach
Cause:A high pressure oil line failed. Apparently this oil line affects the operation of the injectors.
Outcome: Called Allstate RV Road service, was towed to Big Wheel garage in Hammond, LA. The oil line had dry rotted and was replaced. I will pickup the coach this moning. (A Cat Certified facility is not the same as a Cat Authorized Service facility. No warranty help.)

[Teal_Turtle_Tea]

Breakdowns? I could write a book! Front tires gone at 5,000 miles - dealer wouldn't check alignment so manufacturer bought two new ones. Fuel injectors, 5 of them in 70,000 miles. Blown water hose in the hills of southern Oregon - one hour for the service truck just to get there and only big enough to move the toad; you need a class "C" tow truck for a class "A" MH. All this and lots more on a 1998 Overland 37', Freightliner chassis, CAT 3126 engine. Slide out drive gear stripped. Slide out support rollers crushed. Manufacturer installed a bracket that punctured suspension air bag. The failures go on and on but I've fixed them all and still love it.

[9lives]

RV particulars:
Driveline (Engine, Transmission):Ford V-10, 4R100
Miles: 22000
Year: 1999
Break Down Description: Severe Vibration
Symptoms: Vibration which appeared to be in the front end. Ford TSB about wheels not self centering, holes in wheels larger than hubs.
Effect: Caused a severe vibration usually between 25MPH and 65MPH. I could feel it in the steering wheel and because I had knowledge of the TSB, I assumed it was the wheels/tires on the front. Had front end alignment and all tires rebalanced. No change. Next trip had front wheels manually centered. No change. Front tires were cupping irregularily, rotated tires per Ford and Goodyear specifications, no change. Put airbags on the front, no change. After 22,000 miles took the motorhome to dealer. Took it for a test drive with the shop manager. (NOTE: I have been the only driver) After he walked around the M/H while in motion, he drove and had me walk around the coach. Vibration was extremely severe over the rear axle.
Cause: 3 of the rear axle bearings shot. Replaced all the wheel bearings in the rear end
Outcome: Vibration non existant now. (NOTE: I was only able to test drive the M/H for about 40 miles before I put it up for the winter, but so far so good.)

Apparently the vibration had traveled up the driveline to the transmission and then to the steering box. Lesson learned, don't assume anything and check everything. Luckily Most of the attempted repairs and the major repairs covered by warranty, after about $4000 worth of repairs, I am only out about $400.

[1989_chief]

have 89 winnabago 454 eng. had trouble with a in line fuse line . burning out it turned out that a wire that runs by the compresser was rubbing fixed wire no more trouble

[Pachura]

93 Vectra, 107,000 miles, Cummins 5.9

Traveling on interstate, got light wiffs of diesel fuel, decided that noone was close enough for us to smell their fuel, pulled onto ramp east end or Yuma to do a walk around, got to the back & had fuel spraying onto pavement, ran for the ignition key.

Opened the engine compartment, had wet fuel everywhere (luckly not on the exaust manifold), cranked the engine & got the fuel spray from the side of the secondary fuel filter. The almost new filted had developed a 1/2 inch split in the side of the filter. Used toad to find a NAPA store, I had the filter receipt for a change, they replaced filter as warantee & allowed me to return to their store & hose off coach compartment & toad.

An earler problem was engine overheating: I ended up with a recored oversized radiator & the experience of removing the radiator, after cooler, transmission cooler package four times. I also had an auxilary radiator fabricated & sized to fit behind the front grill along with the airconditioning condenser. I connected the auxiliary radiator to the heater hose with an inline heater hose valve that can be opened from the cockpit. When I put water through the auxiliary radiator the engine temp. will drop 15 degrees within seconds. The front radiator is getting fresh air plus I wired the front airconditioning fans so that I can turn them on if more air is needed.
I did all of the labor & designing myself. I can now have my radiator/cooler assembly out of my coach in 4 hours. The dollar cost to me was $530. The low cost was because the radiator shop made mistakes that forced me to do 3 of the four removals. The local RV dealer wanted $875 to just R&R the radiator without any repairs.

[mustangman]

Thank you so much for that idea on replacing the intank pump with an outside frame mounted pump,where can i find that pump,please
post it when you have the time thanks,i have heard so much about the intank pump going out on the f53 460,,want to have on on hand ,i have a 1992 f53

[ccxnola]

I had and Interesting situation that could have cost me BIG bucks except for the honesty of a good mechanic that wanted to go home.

RV particulars: 1988 Fleetwood Limited
Driveline (Ford 460 Engine (yes, it has a CARB), C6 Transmission) on a John Deere chassis
Miles: less than 50,000

Break Down Description: Quick Trip - New Orleans to San Diego (HA!) Fill-up the gas tank on the way out of Louisiana (OK, I was trying to save a bit of change and use the cheap stuff at a station right outside of the refinery) Hot to Trot!

Symptoms: Got about 300 miles into texas and started to loose power
Effect: Slowing down and even dying on the highway - kept going by pumping the floor pedal several times - over and over to get to the next town - Late in the evening (8PM). Crawled into a repair shop just closing for the night - explained I needed to get to SD quick. Mechanic listened to my sad tale and said 'If you are here in the morning I'll fix it and charge you plenty - but if you want to go across the street to the parts store and get a fuel filter and put it in yourself, you can be on your way in less than an hour'.

Cause: Fuel Starvation due to gunk cloging the primary fuel filter at the tank - most likely from the cheap fuel

Outcome: He was right - but back then I looked sort of hopeless and asked 'Fuel filter - where it is and what does it look like'? Now, I have all the owner, technical and parts manuals for the chassis, drive train and coach. And the tools to fix most minor problems if they arise. Fuel Filters? Two in the kit - plus spare belts (4 different-no two alike), and about 60 lbs of other spares I hope I never have to use - but have used several times!! There are many things I can not (or due to my ignorance or intelligence will not) do, but it pains me to pay big bucks to do the simple / minor things.