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?

[Scrooge39]

RV: 2000 HR Ambassador DP, Cummins ISB engine with Banks Power System.

Symptom: On a 6700 mile trip out west, about ¾ thru the trip had dash “WARNING” light, loss of Exhaust temp. gauge and Boost gauge, engine went into “derate” mode (fastest I could go was about 45mph). Above symptoms occurred intermittently then went solid broke.

Cause: Fault code posted was 123, which is Intake Manifold Pressure Sensor circuit malfunction. When the Cummins computer detects problem in the above-mentioned circuit, it goes into “derate” mode in order to protect the engine. The Banks Ottomind is in circuit between pressure sensor and Cummins computer. Cabled around Ottomind black box and was able to make it back home with full power. Upon removing cover of Ottomind, discovered all sorts of road dirt on the circuit board. This, I feel, caused the demise of the black box.

Resolution: Replaced Banks Ottomind black box (not cheap either).

A word of caution to those with the Banks System installed on their units: check the location of the Ottomind box. Mine was located in the engine compartment (about 2 feet above the road) where it was exposed to moisture and road dirt. I installed the new box inside the coach under the bed where is free from moisture and road dirt.

[SNOPRO711X]

This was the trip from hell a few years ago.
I bought my brothers 1992 Tioiga Class C from him. Before we went on our first trip that summer I discovered that the refrigerator did not work, replaced the refrigerator. Went into the local tire shop and asked them if it was time for new tires, they said I was good for another year. We decided to travel from Mn to an area South of Butte MT then back to MN via the Big Horn mountains. On the second day of our trip the motor home lost power and quit near Columbus MT. The temperature was about 100 degrees, I got towed back to Columbus by the local body shop/wrecker company. Since it was a Sunday he towed us to his shop and got us plugged in to power for the night. The next morning the motor home started just fine. The wrecker operator told me that I probably needed a new fuel pump and that the Ford garage in town would tell me that I did not need one. He was right, the Ford garage said the only problem was the fuel filter and they sent me on my way. I made it as far as Bute MT before it quit again. The local Ford garage wanted nothing to do with fixing a motor home. I convinced them that I needed a new fuel pump, they agreed to farm the job out to a truck repair shop. I got the MH back the next day and everything worked great for the rest of the trip until we were on our way home. I then had a blow out on the inside right rear dual tire. We were in the middle of no where but I did have a jack with me and was able to change the tire. Naturally the fender liner, exhaust pipe and storage drawer under the refrigerator were destroyed.
The next Summer I took this same MH into the shop because it was making a noise from the drive train. The mechanic could not find anything wrong. I figured it out 700 miles later in the middle of Montana, bad U-joint on the drive shaft. I was able to limp into Sheridan WY and find a shop that could fix it that day. The repair was very reasonable and I gave the mechanic a nice tip for his prompt service.

[shonrt1]

2001 National Caribbean 35' DP - Allison Transmission
260 HP Cummins ISB
Overheated about 100 miles into trip.
Made it to a Cummins Repair Shop
This was our first trip in the used DP we purchased in December.
Cummins shop found charge air cooler was shot and filter was clogged.
Asked shop to replace CAC and filter, change coolant, change thermostat and clean and flush radiator.
When degreasing radiator, fins started to fall out. Radiator was corroded from road salt (purchased from individual in Chicago area).
Radiator had to be replaced.
RV nows run beautifully.

Do not rely on CAC air gauge, which is supposed to show when airflow is becoming restricted. Our gauge, which I checked regularly, showed all was normal. My CAC was so clogged, I'm surprised the RV would even start. Cummins tech told me they see this all the time, RV'ers rely on the gauge without checking the filter in the CAC and they've seen cylinders scorched because of dirty air reaching the cylinders.

[MickeyBrennan]

We had to stop to get out the duck tape. The new windshield came loose! I kept telling her that the door was not closed tight! Sorry hun!

[snakesvt04]

RV TYPE: 1993 WINNEBAGO BRAVE
i am new to this sit and i have no idea if anyone can help me but if you can that would be great. We just got this class A RV and i try to turn the generator on and it kills all the power in the motorhome i checked all the fuses and nothing was wrong with them the generator isn't even making any noise when i push the start to turn it on. it was working last week i used it now nothing and info will be great thanks

[newxmar]

I have had gas engine units for 10 years, have analyzed the same gas vs diesel question when I purchased. My thoughts are:
1.Rear radiator in diesels leads to overheating problems---if not properly manintained.
2. Fuel/filter problems lead to many diesel engine problems.
3. Accessory items seem to fail on diesels, believe the basic engine is long life, but some of the many switches, etc. seem to fail or cause problems.
4. With a new gas unit I could pay cash, but a new diesel costs quite a bit more and I did not want to borrow $$$$$.
5. Maintenance costs (parts and labor) seem higher. Believe with a gas engine you are dealing with automotive/individual type of charges vs industrial/corporate type of charges with a diesel.

Now, if you want a big (over 38 foot), heavy, powerful, smooth riding coach, diesel is the only way to go. Also I now only put on about 8,000 miles a year and half time it, so the justification of a diesel is very difficult. Coach is sitting and being lived in most of the time.

Selection depends on your own situation, use and thoughts.

[inspectorudy]

I am learning a lot to help down the road if problems come up. Who ever thought this discussion up was brilliant. There is one thing that I have noticed from reading almost this entire forum, and I don't mean to step on any toes but it seems like there are as many diesel engine problems as there are gas. I sort of had the idea that because diesels are so much more expensive than gas MH's that there was an inherent understanding that they were more reliable. If they are both prone to fail about equally what is the big reason for diesel? I have never owned a diesel and would like to hear from some of you who own them.

[CruisinJ]

Driveline (Engine, Transmission): Chevy 350 with T400 trans
Miles:59,000
Year:85
Break Down Description: Would turn over, but not run. would sputter if I held the accelerator to the floor, but still not run.
Symptoms:Flooded carbs/cylinders
Effect:Spark plugs not producing spark, getting fouled
Cause:excessive fuel in cylinders
Outcome:Replaced plugs, allowed cylinders to dry out. starts and runs perfetctly.

[kdk]

Own a 2006 Holiday Rambler Ambassador with Cummins 330hp and Allison. Left home in Mi. on 26 Dec 2008 with snow on the roads. Arrived in Pensacola, Fl for 6 weeks then on to Sebring,Fl. for 3 months. When returning home I discovered the Pac Brake would not come on. After arriving home and some troubleshooting I found the Pac Brake shaft to be frozen solid in the open position. Extended service contract paid for a new upgraded PRXB and installation. Cause was from corrosion and not getting proper lubrication. After the new Pac Brake was installed, I called the manufacturer if it would be to rotate the brake so the shaft would be vertical and allow the lubricant to run down the shaft. I also installed a double throw toggle switch in the engine compartment so I can manually actuate the Pac Brake while lubricating it. So far this year I have checked it and it is still working OK.KDK

[chcgm]

MH2004 Monaco Knight

problem:rear trailing arm

We are currently in Slidell,La. Our mh is sitting at Empire Truck Sales.We left Foutainbleau State Park in Mandeville,La.,heard a noise that my wife said came from the rear of the coach.Stopped & looked around,didn't find anything but suspected a bad u-joint.Called Coach-net & they had it towed to Empire Truck Sales(they are anauthorized Freightliner repair facility).Been sitting here since Mon. the 15th.All I can say is don't break down around New Orleans around Mardi Gratime &don't have a Monaco.I called Monaco & they said it wouldn't be covered under the recall because my mh was made in Elkhart,In. & not in Or.,& they wouldn't cover it anyway because Monaco went belly up & weas taken over by Navistar.Now we're out $$$$ because of this thing,oh well,It's been pretty good up until now,considering we're fulltimers.

[sd1209]

2006 Gulfstream 30' Class A, Ford V-10, 6000 miles.....

Problem: MH running fine then all of a sudden immediate overheat indication, then immediate drop back down to normal....

Going up the 405 thru LA and overheat gauge goes rapidly to max for a few seconds, then drops back to normal....Does this every few miles...I knew it was not overheating, engine was normal temp and coolant was full....Heading to a repair facility when gauge goes to max and stays there....After about a minute, engine goes in "fail safe" mode, operating on 5 of 10 cyls......Really fun in LA traffic...Pull off and engine feels normal, coolant fine, so I know it is some type of false overheat.....Engine off and on re-start operates fine....Get to a GREAT Ford dealer in Arroyo Grande, Ca (Mullahey Ford) who diagnose the problem as "false overheat", covered by Ford TSB.....They fix the problem and all is now fine after another 1000 miles.....

This Ford dealer knew we were just "passing through" but treated us great.....

[Jackjagt]

We were in Phoenix,filling up on Diesel when I noticed some coolant dripping under the back of my 06 Monaco Safari Cheetah Diesel pusher. The hose from the low point to the header tank had a leak near the low point where it did a 180 degree curve under a frame member. I was unable to buy a replacement hose, so I loaded up on extra antifreze and pressed on Eastward.
We were driving thru Kansas on a windy and very cold day when I noticed that the dash heater was not putting out heat! Why? I found out 15 minutes later when the low cooling fluid light can on. I pulled over and found the back of of the RV was wet with cooling fluid. The cause was the hose from the header tank to the low point had split where it made 180 degree turn under a frame member.
I limped to the next service station and made temp repairs by cutting off the degraded part of the hose and routed it more directly to the low point and clamped it. We bot enough antifreeze to refill the cooling system.
On the way home we stopped for warranty service in Elkhart,IN and added this problem to the list. When the defective hose was replaced I rescued the hose from the garbage and dicovered that it was "zero pressure Marine exhaust hose"!
This is the same Monaco that later went Bankrupt and my waranties are thus usless.

[Dutch_12078]

mobilefleet wrote:
I've had AAA and Allstate in the past and got bad service- found a better motor club that apparently is veteran owned...www.usa-roadside.com. Used them once and they were pretty quick

USA Roadside's RV towing is limited to 10 miles, and your other non-RV vehicles are not covered. At $99/year, the feature list is very short compared to Coach-Net or Good Sam.

[mobilefleet]

I've had AAA and Allstate in the past and got bad service- found a better motor club that apparently is veteran owned...www.usa-roadside.com. Used them once and they were pretty quick

[islandvagabonds]

2003 Discovery Cat C7 330HP. Diesel began idling roughly at stop lights in Hermasillo Mex. Stopped at Pemix just south of hermasillo to check ful filter for water but none there. Diesel would not start again. After towing to a service location turned out to be a bad oil pressure sensor. I highly recommend the tow company Gruas Garcia in Hermasillo . They took great care of me and the coach.


islandvagabond