After everything else, thought I'd try one more thing. Now the generator has been running just fine for the last half hour. Go fig.
I did find a fuel check valve on Ebay I'm going to install this afternoon. Hopefully that will resolve my 'priming' issue.
I do have to clean the carb. Not running quite as smooth as I would hope, but that is my fault... Over the winter I'd run it religiously once a month. But since we started camping... uh... nope. Too busy camping and racing. It's gotta be a little gummed up.
* This post was edited 07/07/11 10:05pm by Jer&Ger *
Jerry & Gerry, our pets (dogs), Byron, Coco
1976 Monaco, 440 ci. Dodge Sportsman chassis
Check to see if you have fuel pressure! Take the fuel line off and run the gas into a can or jug to see how much it pumps. Put finger over line does it spray nicely or does it stop? Fuel pump? Fuel filter?
It's got a carb? Take the air cleaner off and look down into the carb and work the linkage to see if it sprayed(accelerator pump).
You have good blue spark? If not, add coil. Replace points & condenser, or stator/rotor and condenser. Coil makes the spark blue.
Check compression as previously advised. I think 20% deviation on the older motors is the tipping point? Check that in the book/call the machine shop.
But you can troubleshoot the perifferals for an easy fix. Just stay away from the ether.
Hoppe
2011 Dodge 1500 C'boy Caddy
2000 Jayco C 28' Ford chassis w V-10 E450
Doghouse 36' or so Trophy Classic TT
Now.. what do ya'll think we should look at? Off the tank we have a Regulator, to a hose, connected to black pipe running under the frame, branching off to 3/8 copper line running to the appliances. There's no kinks in the copper I have found... so... regulator? Piping?
Have you already seen this refer troubleshooting page?
And this page on how to test the gas pressure using a homemade manometer?
eyeteeth wrote:
Here's the latest on the Fridge... this past Saturday at the track, we turned off the RV gas, and hooked up a 20lb tank straight to the fridge. This time we were able to keep the fridge around 40ish. When we got back to the campground, I disconnected the tank, reconnected the RV gas, and let it run... starting heading up to 50... So. Current apparent problem is the RV gas supply. I show half a tank. The water heater seems to work well, the stove and oven works well, but the furnace seems weak. We've had this fridge a year or two, and previous fridges have worked better on gas than electric. But, the Furnace had lower heat output last fall than it did during the spring. I had chalked it up to having to put a new board in it, but possibly now thinking its an LP problem.
Now.. what do ya'll think we should look at? Off the tank we have a Regulator, to a hose, connected to black pipe running under the frame, branching off to 3/8 copper line running to the appliances. There's no kinks in the copper I have found... so... regulator? Piping?
Here's the latest on the Fridge... this past Saturday at the track, we turned off the RV gas, and hooked up a 20lb tank straight to the fridge. This time we were able to keep the fridge around 40ish. When we got back to the campground, I disconnected the tank, reconnected the RV gas, and let it run... starting heading up to 50... So. Current apparent problem is the RV gas supply. I show half a tank. The water heater seems to work well, the stove and oven works well, but the furnace seems weak. We've had this fridge a year or two, and previous fridges have worked better on gas than electric. But, the Furnace had lower heat output last fall than it did during the spring. I had chalked it up to having to put a new board in it, but possibly now thinking its an LP problem.
Now.. what do ya'll think we should look at? Off the tank we have a Regulator, to a hose, connected to black pipe running under the frame, branching off to 3/8 copper line running to the appliances. There's no kinks in the copper I have found... so... regulator? Piping?
Regulator or tank.
The %#&@$# OPD valves on tanks tend to disintegrate much faster than the old POL valves. If you're lucky, they're just hard to fill.
Regulators do wear out and most regulators have a legally defined service limit. Any good propane service company (not Home Depot, Lowes, or gas stations) should be able to tell if your regulator is out-of-date or malfunctioning.
The same service company should be able to tell you if there's problems with your piping. (Pressure test, leak-down test, etc.) You may have an accumulation of the aromatic oil they put in propane to provide a detectable odor when leaking.
Black iron pipe is the preferred (best?) distribution system, BTW.
1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A
This past weekend when we hooked up the tank again, it didn't cut it at all. Right now I have it hooked up and am going to let it run all night and check the temperature in the morning....
Just dunno... I'm feeling pretty darn frustrated about it about now. Most everything else has at least made headway. This has us no closer to boondocking and it's been going on for maybe a year.
See Picture In My Profile
I have a 1989 Dodge XPLORER RV Class B - Purchased 10/15/10 IN CASH
Fiance' purchased a Class C 2002 Dynamax Carri-go on 5/1/15 IN CASH
We've got the best of both worlds
We took it out today in preparation of a trip. Started up perfectly. Went to pick up some oil and a fuel filter...and it cuts out on me. Begins to sputter (similar to losing electrical power/fuel) and dies. I let it sit for ~5 minutes, and it starts right back up. Travel ~ 4 miles and it repeats the same. Won't start unless I let it sit for ~5-10 minutes, at which point it fires right up. I finally get it back home with it cutting out at an increasing rate.
Thinking it could have been a bad fuel pump, I replaced it. Start it back up and it runs ~6 miles. Thinking "ok it is fixed!" - it hiccups and begins to cut out. If I don't push the accelerator it will idle perfectly, but once I hit the accelerometer...it cuts outs and stalls.
Any ideas on troubleshooting? I'm thinking electrical ground...but I'm probably way off. I would appreciate any help, let me know if you need more info.
'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo