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Fuel Delivery? Fuel Filters?
Hello, everyone on the PC. Every other weekend I start up the coach, roll her forward and back from the garage, bring her temp, and then shut her down. I am sitting at 1/2 tank of fuel.
For the first time since last September I took the coach for a run, and to fill her up However, ten minutes into the drive, and really close to my home, the coach started sputtering with white smoke emitted. I had to floor it to get back to house and put it back into the garage. It starts fine and idles fine. Sitting and cycling the RPM’s results in no cut out/sputtering.
Could this be fuel, or fuel filters? Suggestions appreciated. NAPA is a three minute drive from my home so if it is the fuel filters, which were changed in February 2020 but less than 1,000 miles on them, I can get them changed out here at the home.
Ron
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10 Replies
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Have you checked your coolant level? Usually white smoke is unburned fuel at startup, but white smoke at normal temps could be coolant entering the engine.
That is a guess and I am not to be believed.
But, one thing leaped out at me and may have nothing to do with your engine problem. Storage with less than full tanks presents the risk of algae in the fuel. I would definitely suggest you keep the tank full. And I would change fuel filters immediately. Cut open the old ones and see if you can detect algae or some sludge blocking the filters. If it is algae and fuel flow is restricted that may be your issue. Again, I am guessing.
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Thanks, Jon. I will give a check to the coolant but the last check it was fine. Speedco did the last engine service which included the fuel filters. I did put treatment into the fuel before the last fill up. I will give the fuel filters a change.
If I find the algae you mention, what are my options? BioborMD, or something similar to that?
Hope that you and the Mrs. are safe and warm.
Ron
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As Jon suggested, cut the filters open, you may find black slimy algae. If the tank has algae, one way is to get the fuel polished, other than that maybe some treatment.
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Ron:
Be care full with Biobor, It defiantly reduces algae growth and works Very well. Problem is it works so well at breaking down algae it will clog your filters quickly if you do have an algae build up in your tanks. Have plenty of spare filters available.
Chuck
2000 Featherlite H3-45
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Leesburg, FL -
What jumps out at me is what you mean by starting it every weekend and rolling back and forth. If you are not leaving the property and giving it a good run up the road you would be better off not starting the coach at all.
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Thanks, Tom. I will google this, but what exactly is “fuel polish”?, Would that be available in a mobile service since this sputtering was severe enough I would be concerned with driving a distance to have it performed
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A lot of marine dealers can polish fuel because boats are not used frequently and spend time in areas high in humidity. If there is algae in the fuel it is often on the sides of the fuel tank. If treated with a product that kills algae that which is in the fuel and on the tank walls ends up as a sludge of dead algae that ends up clogging filters.
The absolute best thing to do is prevent algae. To do that keep the tank full of fuel. If possible keep the coach where temperature is constant to prevent the coach from “breathing”. By that I mean when it gets warm the fuel expands and pushes some air out the tank breather. Then when it cools the fuel shrinks and air is drawn in the tank. Whatever moisture is in the air condenses and drops to the bottom of the tank providing moisture to allow algae to grow. A full tank minimizes how much air is entering and leaving the tank because of the small volume of air space. If the coach temps are constant, such is out of the sun, or better in a building with temperature control the production of moisture is almost zero.
When fuel is polished what is used is a pumping system that includes multiple filters and a line inserted into the tank that draws fuel through the filter system and a second line that returns fuel to the tank. The two hoses tend to stir the contents of the tank so within a short period of time any water or algae is drawn out of the tank and only clean fuel is returned.
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Thanks again, Tom and Jon. I found a company, FuelTec Systems in Granite Falls, NC that I have contacted. I will first try to get the fuel filters off to see if there is sludge.
R
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Changing clogged fuel filters is not fun, but if you have algae sludge a substitute for fuel polishing is a lot of use of the coach.
But that likely is going to require frequent and unplanned fuel filter changes until the algae has been flushed out.
But right now we are only speculating as to the problem you described initially. If you find Alga is plugging your filters post what you find because over the years a lot of Prevost owners have the potential to experience this problem and this thread may help them.
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I will post, Jon, what I find. My grand daughter visited this past weekend and will be here next weekend. She gets all of our attention when she is here. I will try to get to the filters off during the week before she arrives this Friday.
As you recommended I am going to check coolant level, clamps, etc. We really want to get a trip in soon.
So far, I have no response from fueltecsystems.
Ron
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