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FYI on a coach no start problem and the fix
Parked the coach Sunday afternoon after we got back from a weekend short trip. Went out yesterday afternoon to move it and it would spin over fine, but not fire and start. I checked all the obvious things like breakers and connectors but couldn’t find out why it did not want to start. I had a guy I know come out today and we went over everything we could think of and still no start.
I then called the mechanic at the Detroit shop I use for services and he talked us through checking a couple of more things that still did not make a difference. As a last resort he had us use some starting fluid to see if it would fire on that, which it did. We tried it a couple of more times and then it started and ran on diesel as it should.
It appears that the fuel check valve at the rear of the head must have stuck open when I parked it Sunday and allowed all the fuel to drain out of the head. For some reason, even though the filters were full, it would not pump it through the head to the injectors until it got spinning faster with the starting fluid.
I have an appointment for oil change Tuesday and they will also test the fuel pump at that time to verify that it is operating as it should. The series 60 has had some issues with this before according to the mechanic, and it usually is some very small piece of crud that gets past the filters and lodges in the valve at just the moment it closes and causes leak down. He said that most of the time it will never happen again, but it could under the right situation.
Just thought I would submit this in case it happens to anyone else…..
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8 Replies
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good to know…I have nightmares about doing anything with that fuel line, especially after reading PeterC ‘s ordeal with changing it.
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Good info Mark…
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Got the bus in for service today and the fuel pump tested bad. Only 10psi at idle…should be between 15 and 25. At full throttle only 30psi..should be 60 to 70. Getting new one installed tomorrow. $1710 for a reman, which is all that is available. Probably about 2 hours labor total on top of that.
The mechanic still thinks the check valve stuck open a bit, but since the pressures are so low, it could also have something to do with it. Should be interesting to see how it runs after the swap..he thinks it will have lots more power and should do better on fuel mileage as well. Time will tell I guess.
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I can’t remember the last time someone had a fuel pump problem, just your luck Mark. Could have been much worse though, along side the road or BFE.
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to quote my wife this morning “everything has to be fixed or I’m not going”
We are leaving Friday for a trip. She does not want to sit in the Freightliner shop in Belgrade,MT again!,
New pump just finished. 25 psi at idle…68 psi at full throttle! I think it should be good, but I am road testing it first.
edit…
Runs great. Climbed the long hill on I-35 at about 4 mph faster than yesterday. Smoother when starting out from a stop too. I think we are a go for the trip.
edit again…Thursday night
Still AFU. Started right up this morning and ran for 5 seconds and then died. Will not re-start. Nobody answering at the shop that did the pump work, and nobody else can take a look until next week at the soonest, so we are taking the Ford and going that way and staying in hotels this trip. Then the you know what can hit the fan when we get back. This is getting a bit ridiculous…..
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Buses and planes have so much going on I do a happy dance upon a safe return from a trip.
I don’t defer any repairs unless there is a dam good reason. It is too easy to have things pile up. So nearing home I have Di write down anything we can think of that needs attention. Most of the time it is small stuff like a light bulb in a cabinet or a hinge that needs to be tightened. Some times I end up with an item more serious which is rare. This last trip the Bose stopped making sound so that went in for repairs. I hope I get it back before OKC but if not I can always listen to the radio or play CDs.
My point is by attacking problems as soon as they are seen, and sometimes attacking problems that don’t yet exist such as replacing batteries on a time schedule rather than waiting for them to poop out shelters us from having each trip being an adventure.
In the plane I used it the last 25 years almost entirely for business. During that time I had one engine failure and two cylinders stop working. I lost about 5 vacuum pumps, at least as many electrical issues ranging from voltage regulator failures to broken belts to failed alternators. On one of my last trips in really shitty weather I was in the gunk when the alternator quit, followed a little later by a vaccum pump failure. That made all the partial panel practice worth while.
On our coaches we have had alternator failures, a broken linkage on the fan gear box drive, a failed emergency brake diaphragm, and a failed air bag. We had problems with the transmission that put us on the side of the road. We have had house batteries expand and pop. and we have had chassis batteries fail overnight. All of that helped shape my maintenance schedule that I now follow as preventative. Since doing that the on road disruptions have been minimal.
Di knows what Kristy will get to know, and that is stuff happens and most of the time it is an inconvenience and not a show stopper.I know Mark is taking care of the coach and being proactive in preventing issues, but nobody can foresee or prevent the two recent failures he has had.
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Mark, several years ago I posted on POG about what your situation sounds like.
Check all your fuel lines by drying with degreaser. Presurize your fuel system at the filter or shut off valve port ( this relative to Liberty, you may not have the port) , or wherever you can.
If the fuel lines get wet, they are leaking/sucking air. In that case have SS coverd teflon hoses made up and change out all hoses.
JIM
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I will check the lines out when we get back. I also need to get that check valve inspected too. Don’t know what else it could be as it sure runs good, when it runs….
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