Electrical Problem - Check Engine Light

[DADHART]

WHEN I STARTED MY 2000 BOUNDER DIESEL THIS SPRING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AFTER MOST WARNING LIGHTS WENT OUT IT STAYED ON. WHEN I TRIED TO START ENGINE, NOTHING HAPPENED.

I PRESSED THE HOUSE /ENGINE BATTERY CONNECT SWITCH. THE ENGINE STARTED BUT WHEN I LET GO OF THE CONNECT SWITCH THE ENGINE DIED. I CHECKED ENGINE BATTERIES [2] AND CHECKED HOUSE BATTERIES [ 4 ] AND THEY WERE CHARGED UP AND OK JUST A LITTLE CORROSION ON HOUSE BATTERIES.

CHECKED ALL FUSES AND BREAKERS AND ALL OK.

SWITCHED HOUSE AND ENGINE DISCONNECT SWITCHES A LOT AND HEARD THEM SWITCHING OK AND THEY SEEMED TO BE WORKING. I CHECKED BREAKERS AND RELAYS UNDER DASH. HEARD A CLICKING WHEN CHECK ENGINE LITE WENT OUT BUT COULD NOT LOCATE WHERE CLICKING CAME FROM AFTER STARTING AND STOPPING ENGINE A FEW TIMES. IT WILL RUN AND NOT SHUT DOWN, BUT I AM SCARED TO TAKE OUT FOR DRIVE IN CASE IT SHUTS DOWN AGAIN AND LEAVES ME STRANDED ON THE ROAD.

I HAVE CHECKED ENGINE BUT CAN NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM WHICH IS SHUTTING DOWN MY ENGINE . DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SWITCH IS LOCATED OR WHAT COMPONENTS ARE ATTACHED TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I HAVE TRIED TO LOCATE A WIRING DIAGRAM BUT HAVE HAD NO LUCK .

HELP PLEASE AS SUMMER IS COMING VERY QUICKLY.

BOB

[NavyDad89]

You did not comment on the chassis battery voltage while you were having the problem, so I am not certain but it sounds like the chassis batteries were not charged during the time your coach sat idle. When we full timed in one of our former coaches, the chassis batteries were not charged while hooked to shore power and ran down over the months we were parked in Florida. I also had to start the engine with the house/chassis battery connect switch and had the engine quit when I released that switch as soon as the engine started just as you describe. I believe that you needed to hold in the connect switch long enough for the engine run generator to put enough charge into the chassis batteries for them to have enough voltage to keep the engine operating. (at least 5 minutes) I solved my problem by keeping a battery minder hooked to the chassis batteries any time that the coach was on shore power for longer than a couple of weeks. This happened on that coach even after I had installed a new pair of batteries and cleaned and made certain that all cables were clean and tight on both ends so I'm confident that this was a similar problem that you encountered since your coach is a similar year model on a similar chassis to what I had at the time.

[desertdeals69]

You might check to see if you have a relay (solenoid) that does the power switching for the ignition circuit. The key triggers the relay so the current load doesn't have to go through the key switch. Mine had a dead spot and it took me 2 years to figure it out. Sometimes it wouldn't start, but would still crank, but the dash was dead, and sometimes it would quit just going down the road.

[DADHART]

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.

WHEN THIS PROBLEM KEPT REOCCURRING ON INITIAL START UP I PUT A METER ON BOTH SETS OF BATTERIES [ ENGINE START BATTERIES 2 ] AND HOUSE BATTERIES 4] THEIR VOLTAGES WERE UP TO 14.5 AND 15. VOLTS. WHEN I HAD PARKED AND PUT M/H IN STORAGE LAST FALL I PUT A MAINTENANCE CHARGER ON MY HOUSE BATTERIES AS I DID NOT WANT TO USE THE INVERTER / CHARGER ALL WINTER JUST TO MAINTAIN 4 BATTERIES. I WAS THINKING LAST NITE AND I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT MY ALTERNATOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY BECAUSE IN MY TESTING AND OBSERVING WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LITE WAS OFF AND THE ENGINE WOULD STAY RUNNING BUT OBSERVING THE AMP GAUGE IT FLICKERED AND WENT DOWN TO 10 VOLTS AND RIGHT AWAY THE CHECK ENGINE LITE CAME ON AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. WHEN I SHUT OFF THE KEY AND PUT IT BACK ON BEFORE STARTING THE AMP GAUGE INDICATED BACK UP TO 12 VOLTS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LITE WAS OFF. WHEN KEY WAS TURNED TO START THE ENGINE STARTED UP FINE BUT 4 OR SO MINUTES LATER THE SEQUENCE STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN, THE NEEDLE FLICKERED AND THE LITE CAME ON AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN .

CONCLUSION: I THINK AND WILL CHECK OUT LATER IS THAT WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LITE BECOME ACTIVE IT SHUTS THE ENGINE DOWN THRU THE COMPUTER OR ENGINE MONITOR, AND WHEN MY ALTERNATOR PUTS OUT A NEG CHARGE IT SPARKS THE CHECK ENGINE LITE TO COME ON WHICH SHUTS THE ENGINE DOWN.

THE REASON BEHIND MY THOUGHTS IS THAT WHEN I FIRST TURN THE KEY ON I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE INTAKE HEATER TO WARM UP AND THE WARNING DASH LITES ALL GO THRU THEIR CHECKS AND AS THEY ARE CHECKED THEY GO OUT .AND THEN WHEN ALL GO OUT EXCEPT THE PARKING BRAKE I CAN START UP THE DIESEL ENGINE AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO RUN OK TILL THE CHECK ENGINE LITE COME ON THEN IT WILL SHUT DOWN.

THAT MY STORY FOR TODAY'S VENTURE. ANY HEL , IDEAS OR THOUGHTS WOULD BE GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED. I AM WORKING ON THIS MYSELF AS WE DO NOT HAVE MANY EDUCATED AND CHEAP R/V DEALERS UP HERE IN CANADA THAT WILL HELP OUT WITHOUT PAYING THEM $ 125.00 AN HOUR TO DO WHAT I AM DOING WHICH IS TRIAL AND ERROR AND PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AND IN MY CASE IN AN INEXPENSIVE AND TIMELY MANNER AS I AM RETIRED WITH LOTS OF TIME AND LIMITED WHEELBARROWS OF MONEY.

THANKS AGAIN

[hermanmullins]

DADHART

As my old English Teacher would say when you write in capitols it mean you are shouting. I know you are not shouting but with the problem your are having I wouldn't blame you.

I believe your coach has a rear radiator and makes it difficult to do, but if you can remove the Alternator take it to one of your parts stores. We have Auto Zone, O'Rileys down here in Texas and they will check it out for free. If it is not working as it should then you are half way there to replacing it.

I am as dumb as dirt on Diesels engines. I didn't think there was any thing electrical to keep a diesel running, just the starter to start it. Again I may not know what I'm talking about.

Hope your problem is solved soon and you can get on the road.

Herman

[wolfe10]

As Herman suggested, please do not type in solid letter caps-- hard to read and is interpreted as shouting. Thanks.

Before pulling the alternator, I would suggest eliminating the batteries and battery connections as the source of the problem.

Your voltage readings of 14.5 to 15 suggests severe overcharging, if that is the voltage they were maintained at for any period of time.

So, start by checking battery water level. Next, I would load test them-- have someone crank the starter while you check voltage at the batteries.

And, yes, 12 VDC power is needed to keep your diesel running/keep the fuel shutoff plunger in the run position.

Brett

[hermanmullins]

As Herman suggested, please do not type in solid letter caps-- hard to read and is interpreted as shouting. Thanks.

Before pulling the alternator, I would suggest eliminating the batteries and battery connections as the source of the problem.

Your voltage readings of 14.5 to 15 suggests severe overcharging, if that is the voltage they were maintained at for any period of time.

So, start by checking battery water level. Next, I would load test them-- have someone crank the starter while you check voltage at the batteries.

And, yes, 12 VDC power is needed to keep your diesel running/keep the fuel shutoff plunger in the run position.

Brett

That Answers my question. Could Dadhart have a bad solenoid fuel shutoff?

Herman

[wolfe10]

Herman,

He could, but with the other electrical issues, it wouldn't be where I would start.

[HenryPatterson]

OK...ok hehe

[DADHART]

IN RESPONCE TO MY IMPUTTERS .

FIRST OFF I AM USING A 2V STAGE AUTO CHARGER AND /MAINTAINER WHICH PUTS OUT 13.4 TO 14.2 VOLTS .WHEN BATTERY IS CHARGED UP TO ITS 14.2 VOLTS , IT MAINTAINS THAT VOLTAGE INDEFINABLY WITH NO WORRY OF OVERCHARGING OR BOILING THE WATER OUT AND DESTROYING THE BATTERY . NOW AS TO MY STATEMENT THAT I HAVE OVER CHARGED MY BATTERIES I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I WAS CHECKING MY BATTERY VOLTAGE WITH A CANADIAN TIRE OHM /AMP / VOLTAGE TESTER COSTING $ 7.50.

NEW 15 YEARS AGO SO THE ACCURACY IS A BIT OFF WHICH ANY TESTER CAN BE BUT I KNEW THAT I HAVE NOT OVER CHARGED THE BATTERIES AS THE WATER ELECTROLYTE LEVEL IN THE BATTERIES WAS STILL FULL AFTER BEING ON THE MAINTAINER FOR 6 MONTHS .I USED IT ONLY AS A REFERENCE TESTER ONLY . ALL THE FOLLOWING TESTS I USED MY FLUKE METER WHICH IS VERY VERY ACCURATE.

NOW WITH THE M/H IS RUNNING AND VOLTAGE BEING MONITORED AT THE BATTERIES, THE ALTERNATOR WAS PUTTING OUT 13.2 / TO 13.7 VOLTS

NO MATTER WHAT LOAD I PUT ON THE BATTERIES . THEN THE VOLTAGE STARTS TO DROP OFF AT THE BATTERIES WHILE STILL RUNNING WITH NORMAL LOAD AND THE M/H AMP AMP GAUGE FAILS TO SHOW A CHARGE ANYMORE AND WHEN THE TESTER ON THE BATTERIES SHOWED 12 VOLTS AND THEN 11.9 VOLTS THE ENGINE THEN SHUT DOWN.

THE ENGINE IS CONTROLLED BY A COMPUTER MODULE WHICH MONITORS 10 SAFETY FEATURES AND I HAVE A ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP SO A FAIR AMOUNT OF VOLTAGE IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING .

I THINK I WILL BE REMOVING THE ALTERNATOR AND HAVE IT CHECKED OUT .AS WAS MENTIONED IT IS A DIESEL WITH THE ENGINE BEING UNDER THE BED AND THE ALT. IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET AT SO WANTED TO KIND OF MAKE SURE OF MY DIRECTION OF REPAIR .THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INPUTS IT HELPED ME KEEP AN OPEN MIND .

AND THANKS FOR REMINDING ME THAT I AM SHOUTING AS I HAVE A HEARING IMPEDIMENT AND I DO NOT LIKE TO WEAR MY AIDS .

YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WHEN YOU ARE RETIRED AND TAKE A LAID BACK ATTITUDE

.

NOT A SCHOLAR BUT AM A SURVIVOR .

BOB