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?

[HappyCamper1954]

I have been "caught" on this one before.... did you change the fuel filter????

[grm77979]

RV particulars: Mountain Aire, 40’
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Cummins, Allison
Miles: 100,000
Year: 1997
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: Front left tire blew out
Effect: Pulled me into the left lane
Cause: Michelin
Outcome: Replaced with Goodyear

[lharnage]

Central california coast on a four day trip with daughter and son-in -law's 2003 Southwind 32 with 8.1 workhorse.
On two lane mountain road fourteen miles in from main highway and no cell reception oil light came on. stopped and checked oil stick, coach had just been serviced and had full oil. hopeing it was a sensor we babied it the last few miles to pay phone, lifters were rattling by then. Had towed to workhorse contract dealer in Lompoc. Three weeks later picked coach up with new engine on warranty and a few personal items that had been taken from the coach while at the dealers service center, of course their employees had nothing to do with the ripped out stereo and greasy foot prints on the bed.
cause of problem was a broken shaft in the oil pump, have read other posts of this same problem with the work hoarse but no recall as yet,it must be a corporate buisness decision.

[San_Benito]

Same rig, plugged fuel strainer inside left frame near the door. This takes a half inch inline filter.


RV particulars:Southwind 32-K
Driveline (Engine, Transmission):454-4bbl
Miles:48000
Year:1989
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: engine popping and backfireing under load,( going uphill)
Effect: a pulsation feel in the coach and a popping sound while driving up some grades. Cause:never really found out. I did change all the plugs & wires, cap,rotor,ignition control module
Outcome:This did work for a while but the problem came back after about 2 to 3,000 miles. Also I did replace burned out #8 plug wire twice during this problem time frame. Traded in the coach with 52,000 miles

2001 suncrusier, V10, 32-v, dinning slide, 1 wife, 1 westie, life is good! 03 malibu toad sometimes,

[San_Benito]

Re: No start faulty relay, fan belt breakage, 1989 Chev P30 454 w/Quadrajet carburator, gasoline, Turbo 400 trans, 32'Southwind

Drivers, I have had the same trouble as nantra, but it will eventully start. Where exactly is the relay and what does it look like. I thought it may have something to do with the shift lever and neutral switch.
1989 Southwind P30 chassis, 454Chev.
My Chev. has broken the serpintine type belt driving the water pump twice. This installation turns the water pump in the standard direction whereas the newer serpintine belts turn the pump backwards from what we are used to. The problem seems to be that the contact covers less than 45 degrees of surface of the fan pully. When the fan clutch engages, the belt will slip and burn up.
I am installing Flexolite m/n 295 and removing the driven fan entirely. I hope the earlier chassis has the "V" belts.
Check list format is a great idea! Good Sam ERS has saved me twice. Jesse

[San_Benito]

Nantra, I have had the same trouble, but it will eventully start. Where exactly is the relay and what does it look like. I thought it may have something to do with the shift lever and neutral switch.
1989 Southwind P30 chassis, 454Chev.
My Chev. has broken the serpintine type belt driving the water pump twice. This installation turns the water pump in the standard direction whereas the newer serpintine belts turn backwards from what we are used to. The problem seems to be that the contact only covers less than 45 degrees of surface of the fan pully. When the fan clutch engages the belt will slip and burn up.
I am installing Flexolite m/n 295 and removing the driven fan entirely. I hope the earlier chassis has the "V" belts. Jesse

[hoodbird]

You need to check your dryer. I had the same problem and each time the mechanics told me it was the governor. After five governors, one showed me how to go around the dryer if it should happen again (and it did) so I rebuilt the dryer, no more problems. check the wet air tank to see if it has water in it. If it does (dryer) easy to rebuild.
hoodbird

[tuckerin]

Make: 92Country Coach/Magna/ 50K miles
Driveline: Cat/Allison
Headed North out of Nashville back of coach filled up with hazy smoke and an excited dear wife describing same. Did an immediate pull off with bad thoughts overloading the frontal lobes. The discharge line from the AC compressor came loose at the flare nut connection, obviously never properly tightened, lost the freon and blasted the hot motor with the oil entrained in the freon, lots of smoke but luckily no fire, shut off AC and finished the trip with roof air only. Have since lost two alternators and one set of belts to the hydraulic pump, am very happy with the overall quality of the coach.

[SteveRit]

Please add me to your list as well. I have posted some breakdowns with my old motor home, just bought a new one and no problem so far. Outside of a nail in a tire.

Thanks

[mombum]

My feeling exactly, Old Easy. I'm a full-timer and those checks you mention are routine for me. So far no goof-ups due to inattention on my part.

[OLD_EASY]

cwdavis... I know this too late to do you any good, but you could have stopped the leak if you could have seen the hole. just take a bar of soap, any kind and rub it into the hole it,ll stop the leak for hours and even while going down the highway, we used to use this method to seal off leaks in our gasoline tankers that would develop a leak to get us safely off the highway and unloaded before repairing it, I hope someone can benifit from this as that is a miserable and dangerous position to be caught in, you could have been injured very bad if the product runs over and gasoline is even a worse fire hasard and while fighting the leak you get wet from it and it,ll burn your skin just from being wet. This is not a repair but it could by you some time to find the right repairs with out having to let some one that knows you are in a bind and charge 3 prices....Haaapppy Holidays....

[cwdavis]

Diesel tank leak!

particulars: Monaco Windsor
Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Cummins 275 6 sp Allison
Miles: ~72,000
Year: 1996

Break Down Description: A while after parking in a campground between Ann Arbor & Detroit, noticed a wet spot under the motorcoach, well away from the water compartment. It was diesel fuel, the drip rate was high, and this was a Sat evening! We had driven I77 north thru Ohio, possibly the roughest road we've ever been on. Went out to a Walmat, bought a metal pan & funnel, and spend the next 36 hrs pouring fuel back into the tank. On Mon, drove to a Cummins Service Center near Grand Rapids, which was near our destination.

Symptoms: fuel leak
Effect:
Cause: split seam on tank
Outcome: Spent 2 nights camping in the service bay while tank was pulled, sent to a local company to be rewelded, & reinstalled.

[Big_Katuna]

1998 Holiday Rambler Vacationer
Ford F53 460 V8
38,000 miles, bought in 2002 with 22000 miles
2004 Honda Element toad


1. Right front blowout on a five year old Michelin, properly inflated with no cracks. Replaced with G rated, 14 ply GoodYears. Will replace fronts every four years from now on.

2. Lost brake pedal in slow rolling, stop and go traffic; both fronts hot and boiled fluid out. Mobile RV guy recommended new Hydra booster and vacuum booster ($1400). I passed. Pedal returned after it cooled. I drove home re-bled with hight temp fluid, drove another year, no repeat UNTIL I got stuck in a bridge closing detour with SLOW ROLLING, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. Both fronts hot again and boiled out fluid again. FORD Truck dealer blamed it on sticky caliper slides and replaces all four calipers $1200. Fine for another month UNTIL I GOT STUCK IN SLOW ROLLING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AGAIN (sound familiar?) This time I caught it early. Both fronts hot again, ( I bought a Sears infrared temp gun heh, heh, heh) but I figure out the fronts drag for about 5-10 seconds after you take your foot off brake, so in slow stop and go traffic, they keep getting hotter and hotter. I searched this (wonderul) forum and replaced both front hoses, which seems to have fixed it, but every once in awhile, I can hear them drag for a few seconds when leaving a fuel stop. I am going to replace the master cylinder paying close attention to the piston rod spacing, as one contributer said there was a TSB on improper spacing.

3. Drove this coach for 10,000 miles before losing power, sputtering, backfiring, etc going up a mid size incline in SC. You could turn the key on and off and it would be OK for another hour, day, two days, etc. Got really bad the higher you went. Ford truck dealer in Philly wanted $4500 to replace gas tank saying filter was clogged, tank rusty. I told him to attempt aeronautical intercourse with a motivating pastry, limped it back to FL. Did a search of this (wonderful) site and diagnosed a bad fuel pump WHICH IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT ALL FORD TRUCK DEALERS HAVE RECEIVED A TSB about (TSB #97-23-9). I have a new pump and am trying to find a Ford mechanic that has done it a few times.

NON-SHOW STOPPPERS
4. Rear camera intermittent, found a bad solder joint on a PC board in engine compartment.

5. All four HWH jacks needed rebuilding at purchase.

6. Woke up about 6:00AM one morning to the sound of water running in the bathroom; washer machine valve (never installed) decide to cut loose. GLAD we were there for that one!!!

7. Right rear tag brake not working. Took apart and put back together and it works. I think the magnet was hung up on its slide. Greased and seems fine.

8. HWH jack controller went dead, no lights, power to control panel fine. Went to take cover off and as I started to unscrew the first screw the lights came on. There are spring loaded contacters that provide power to the LEDS and switches. I used a pencil eraser to clean, fine ever since.

9. Onan quit outputing at 750 hours. I bought troubleshooting guide from Onan, and narrowed it down to a bad rotor. I didn't have a garage then and you can't return it if that isn't the problem, so took it to dealer, who confirmed and replaced. $750 for rotor, $350 labor. SOlved.

10. A year later, at 1100 hrs. Onan starts surging and would sometime shut off, voltage probably out of spec. On a whim, I bought a can of carb cleaner. When I touched a wrench to one of the nuts holding on the carb, it was less than finger tight. Tightened and it was fine. Removed carb and cleaned anyway. Fine now at 1500 hours.

11.Right exhaust manifold repaired twice, broken bolt replaced the first time.

12. Kwikee step motor burned out and replaced. Suspect cruddy crimp job from factory a contributing factor. Works like it never worked before now.

13. Leak under kitch sink due to loose drain pipes. Dam rough roads!

14. Toilet valve developed leak. Could have replaced valve but bought new ceramic toilet which was one of my better decisions in a while.

15. Lots of other minor things that justify bringing tools along.
Replaced all hoses and belts within a few months of purchase. Bilsteins, new steering damper, etc. No leaks, no problems with slide, fridge, AC's, dogs or wife. Check engine light came on once. On the Honda, not the wife.

GOD, I LOVE MOTORHOMING!!!

[BirdWoman]

Hello Badeye,
Please add me to your list of interested RVers to receive Breakdown information. This is quite a task you have offered to undertake. We are in the process of purchasing our first MH (35' 1999 Winnebago Chieftian) and any information regarding breakdowns will be very valuable.

Thanks in advance for all your work!

Sandy & Aubrey

[Toot_Mc]

RV particulars:Beaver Monteray
Drive line: (3129 cat 300 hp, Allison 6 sp.)
Miles: 34,000
Year:1997
Break Down Description: Friday 10/22/04 noon stopped for lunch on Natchez trace at miss./Tenn. Border Could not start Engine to go on to Nashville.

Symptoms: Engine would turn over at normal starting speed but would not start. Acted like it was not getting fuel but would not start. Called road side service but wrecker was too small to tow M/H. Mach held rag soaked in gasoline over intake, engine would start and run for a few seconds. (please don't try this trick as it looked very dangerous to me.) I found One in line Fuse holder From Chassis Battery's but it was good. engine would still not start.

Effect:Saturday 10/23/04 afternoon late Tow company sent big tow rig and towed M/H 150 miles to Nashville Fraightliner garage. Rig sat all day Sunday 10/24 Finally late Monday 10/25 after noon the tech started to work on M/H. Tried to start engine but would not start, Disconnected wiring Harness from engine computer Inserted cat shop diagnostic computer into Harness Engine starts and runs like brand new. Reattached chassis wiring harness and engine would start bur shop computer said it was getting very low voltage (about 7 to 8 volts) Shop Foreman was not satisfied they had found problem and I was not satisfied ether. I gave them Two Hours labor to see if they could find real problem.

Cause: Fraightliner M/H tech found Two more In line fuse holders that had fallen down behind Chassis battery's (if I had seen the holders I would have checked same) holders were full of water and fuse (15 amp and 20 amp) spades were corroded so bad that engine computer was getting low voltage. Fuse holders replaced new fuses and holders filled with dio-elect grease to keep water out in the future.

Outcome: Engine ran perfectly 2'200 more miles to get us back home with out a hitch.

Cost: Insurance tow 150 miles (Mad at insurance co because it took a night and 1 day to convince them we needed a big tow rig with a 10 ft reach to tow M/H to nearest shop that would work on M/H's.)
$731 parts and labor
$200 Motel bill

Update: Called Monoco "Beaver" Motorcoaches and they went back through there records and run me a copy of all the electric schematics for my coach. People at Monoco Company were very helpful and went out of there way to find schematics for my 7 year old coach.