| Author |
Message |
Eric Brown (Ericb) (209.224.158.193)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 10:07 am: | |
871 DD was running fine last week. I went to start it this week and it won't hit a lick. The shut-off sel. is in the correct posistion, and it turns over. It has always started right up no matter how cold. I have checked the tank and it seems to have fuel. You can smell fuel when you turn it over. Any suggestions? |
Steven Gibbs (12.148.43.6)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 10:20 am: | |
Eric,
How cold is it? They simply will not start if too cold and since there are no glow plugs you either need to preheat the engine or use ether when it's cold.
FWIW,
Steve |
DrivingMissLazy (65.207.109.181)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 11:02 am: | |
I have been told that ether will possibly collapse the rings. A better choice is WD-40. Not as potent as ether.
Richard |
jmaxwell (66.42.92.133)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 1:12 pm: | |
May just need a shot(small) of ether into the air intake, or WD40, but have u checked the air valve on the blower. The solenoid can retract and the air valve remains tripped. Richard makes a good caution, so use ether sparingly. I put 1 quick shot into the air intake ahead of the filters, wait about 10 seconds, and then hit the starter. |
Richard (205.188.198.59)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 1:47 pm: | |
Eric
I had the same problem with mine. Spent days checking everything. I have learned now to check simple things first as all that was wrong was the valve that shuts down the bus was stuck.
Hope this helps Richard4905 |
Rich (24.147.234.166)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 4:34 pm: | |
I had my bus sit for about 9 months and it didn't want to start. I looked around and found a couple solonoids stuck, not sure what they did but I just moved them to free them up and vrooooom, first kick.
Good Luck,
Rich |
Scott Whitney (24.205.234.21)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 04, 2002 - 7:20 pm: | |
If it is getting fuel, compression and air, it will run. These DDs just love to run! Low power, black smoke, pistons hanging out the side of the block are all side issues. If you have the three crucial ingredients, it should run.
I think the most pertinent suggestions have already been made. Maybe you can give us more details. Are you getting white smoke upon cranking? Is it teasing you and making sounds like it wants to start? What is the ambient temp? Are you sure you have fuel? Might pull the filters off and make sure they are topped up.
I have started mine with no preheat and no ether or WD40 at 35 degrees. Billows of white smoke when cranking and more cranking required, but she fired up. Also, you probably already know, but don't over heat the starter. I usually crank for 10 seconds. Wait about 10-15 seconds and crank again. Not sure if that is by Da Book or not, but worked for me. When it is warm (from running or just the ambient temp), about a second or less seems to do it.
Scott |
Glenn (Paso) (216.244.31.5)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2002 - 10:54 am: | |
I have used wd 40 on a cat,it didnt work.
If it's too tired wd wont work.
heat gun in the intake did, it took a while though. |
Eric Brown (Ericb) (209.224.158.193)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2002 - 12:50 pm: | |
Here's the skinney. When I try to crank it, I get white smoke but not a hint of starting. I have tried several times. I sprayed some ether, and it cranks, then shuts right back down. The engine shut-off sel. is in the right pos. to run. I have a guy coming to put in fuel today. It was running fine the last time I shut it down. Is it possible that I got so lucky as to run out of fuel at the same moment I shut it down? Don't know if even I am that lucky, but it is worth a try. I agree that if it has compression, fuel and enough battery, it should run!! What am I missing? |
Tuck-04 (207.144.133.155)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2002 - 1:39 pm: | |
Check your skinner valve connection. It may be stuck in the off position not letting the rack go to full fuel. |
FAST FRED (209.26.87.56)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2002 - 3:13 pm: | |
You prpobably have a very slow leak in the fuel supply line and or a lealing check valve.
Simplest solution is to suck (or push)fuel thru the set of filters.
My method is to have and use a "Handy Vac"which is a metal hand pump , usually used to blead brake lines in cars.
Simply pull the last plug in the fuel system , insert suction hose ,
squeez hand pump ,, and wait for fuel to get there.
If the last filter is full , the DD pump will pull the fuel, from there.
I find this vastly simpler than adding an electric fuel pump , and by pass instalation.
At most it will be used once or twice in a coaches life,
so no added parts count .
And no extra added air leak sources is worth more than the work
of pulling a plug , and squeezing a hand pump.
FAST FRED |
Scott Whitney (24.205.235.27)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2002 - 4:42 pm: | |
Hi Eric,
Just how cold is it where you are?
Scott |
Eric Brown (Ericb) (209.224.158.193)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 8:21 am: | |
Temp has been around 38-45 days, and 25-30 at night. We are in Spartanburg, SC. |
Steven Gibbs (12.148.43.8)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 9:22 am: | |
Eric,
Sounds like engine is simply cold. Even with outside temps getting up to 45 your block is going to remain a little lower than average because the days are short and nights are longer.
Thaw out the engine with a "redi-heater" pointed into but not inside the right side service door (if MCI, or other access). Heat engine for about 1 hour and it should start fine.
This is why I've heard of guys building charcoal fires under their busses at ski lodges and snowmobile camps when they have no electric for the block heater. (I would not recommend this myself). Another source of heat could be a small kerosene heater with a fan moving air into the compartment or two or more 1500 - 3000 watt electric heaters.
Good Luck,
Steve |
Scott Whitney (24.205.239.26)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 5:49 pm: | |
My only experience with unheated engine starts in cold weather was at 35 degrees. It did take some cranking and lots of white smoke at first. Good batteries are a must. I wonder if Steve is right . . . maybe you just have a cold engine and not an actual engine failure. I'd certainly try heating that baby up and try starting again before disassembling anything looking for other problems.
Scott |
Henry, eh (24.70.95.206)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 12:20 am: | |
I met a gentleman who plumbed a propane catalytic heater at the engine compartment in his '64 GMC. He took it skiing on a regular basis. He would park the coach at the hill, pull out the heater and plug it in at the back and ski the whole day. No problem starting after a full day. Makes a coach year-round useable.
Henry |