Generator possibly not getting fuel

Question

I am new to RVing as I just purchased a 1985 Coachmen.  I checked everything out and it was working fine including the generator.  I had the Rv serviced for an exhaust leak and oil change.  I now started to come home and I origianlly was using the front gas tank as I drove it around a few days before I took it in.  I was coming home and I noticed it was on the rear take so I switched it to the front and in a few minutes the rv shut off so I switched it back to the rear and it came back on and I drove it home. I know when I bought it starting out it did hesitate and would sometimes shut off and you had to feather the gas pedal to get it running. Once going it was fine. Now it runs perfect on the rear tank. To my other problem now the generator will not start and it was working fine before I took it in.  My question is if the fuel pump is out on the front tank does it effect the generator getting gas at all? So my two issues that I need help on are when I use the front tank the RV shuts down when it runs out of fuel and now my generator isn't working.  Does the generator pull gas from tank 1?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks

teacher_s_pet · Answer

Which tank I don't know, but problems would be hard to say with a coach of that age. Our 2004 B+ ran great when we got it in 2012 with 8000 miles on the odometer. In the 1st few months we had to change the in tank fuel pump/filter, generator fuel filter, generator carburetor, generator fuel lines all due to it sitting for a few years unused with non-stabilized ethanol added fuel in the tank, per mechanics. No problems since repairs in 19,000 miles.

j-d · Answer

Generator PROBABLY pulls from the Rear Tank. Given that it does, tank needs to have 1/4 or more gas in it. Idea is to prevent the genset from being able to run the tank so low you can't get off the campsite for more gas.
I think you're gonna have to try and trace the genset fuel line. I added a genset to one that had an '83 E350 chassis and was able to get limited info from the coach builder. Tech there said that an OEM install would pull from a dedicated connection in the tank. BUT if the coach had no genset but was "prepped" for one, that included only wiring, NOT the fuel line. Big help...
In my case, I tapped into the feed line, just before the Tank Select Valve, for the Rear Tank.
Your Chassis Year could be 1984 or 1985 if you have a "1985 RV" so have you looked at Chassis Manufacture Date in the Door Frame? I really hope this isn't a Fuel Tank(s)/Fuel Pump/Tank Select issue. Those can be messy. Pumps aren't cheap and dropping a tank is a pain, but the Select setup with all its wiring and relays gets confusing.
This diagram might match yours.

eddard49 · Answer

I previously owned a 1986 class A with duel tanks, and the genny got fuel from the "main" tank. On mine it was easy to crawl under and trace the fuel line from the genny to the tank.....maybe yours is the same.

gambler2344 · Answer

Thanks for everyone's help.  So far I have fixed the generator problem.  Pump on gen was fine, something had the line clogged.  My 85 seems to draw fuel from the rear tank. Now I need to understand why the carb is not getting fuel from the front tank.  Thanks again for your help.

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Generator possibly not getting fuel

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