86 P30 Cheiftain 31 Electrical Issues

boogie_man · May 01, 2016, 06:05 PM

Hi guys, was at in-laws for New Years and while driving home, it started to act strange like falling off the throttle (especially under load-popping) lights started to dim etc. Suspecting an alternator, it made it approx. 8 miles from home. Had it towed and came back the next morning to find one of my main power wires to starter area was worn & barely on there. I put a quick butt connector on it and she fired back up and I was able to put her back in it's storage place. I have now replaced that power wire with the correct gauge wire and connectors but still have issues on the dash as my fuel gauges dance around, the red light to my aux tanks no longer works, temp gauge stuck at about 3/4s hot and there's a slight "buzzer" sound coming from under the dash I've never heard before. I was able to find the fuse block under the stereo at center dash as all fuses checked out ok, did some searching on this board as will as the coach and can't find the fuse block to check more fuses. Did I overwork something else electrical trying to get it home (Alt/reg?)

Stumped for now..

Thanks

Scott

Rickf1985 · May 01, 2016, 06:22 PM

Sounds like a bad ground

DaveVA78Chieftain · May 01, 2016, 06:28 PM

QuoteHad it towed and came back the next morning to find one of my main power wires to starter area was worn & barely on there.

That sounds like it was a fusible link not a standard wire. There should be 2 of them attached to the large battery post on the starter solenoid. Each one then connects to a red wire (~ 10 gauge) that are part of the main power circuits.

Power to gauge come from one of those 2 wires -> ignition SW -> IGN Fuse in main chassis fuse block then up to the dash.

Dave

boogie_man · May 01, 2016, 07:06 PM

Thanks to both of your answers, will check and report back as everything seemed to work fine until that fateful night which makes me think i damaged something while that wire was below arcing that might have strained something else.

Scott

boogie_man · May 02, 2016, 01:21 PM

Here is the culprit, I see what you're saying as we put a little bit thicker wire and eyelet on it, need to go back in there and change it back to a fusible link type thinner wire to avoid further damages. I guess the question would be what would make this go out? What to test ? Bad Alt ? Bad regulator ? I'm no electrical genius.

Thanks again guys

Rickf1985 · May 02, 2016, 01:31 PM

A lot of times they will go just because of age, you figure it is 30 years of load, no load over and over. It gets fatigued. Now if you replace it and it blows again you have to look at what circuits went out and try to narrow it down from there. Did you have any problems with anything in those circuits in the recent past? Usually I always tell people to go back to the last thing they did if the problem started after a very recent repair.

boogie_man · May 02, 2016, 01:59 PM

No Rick, out of the blue that night as I drove it approx. 20 miles while it go worse and worse. I will match it up at O'reilly's and change it back out. Also, even by putting a thicker wire and connector on it didn't solve my temp gauge staying 3/4 hot and my dancing gas gauge and the red light when aux tank is selected, we'll start by changing that and inspecting more links down there or ??

Rickf1985 · May 02, 2016, 04:49 PM

Check all of your grounds to make sure they are clean and tight.

boogie_man · July 11, 2016, 12:04 PM

**Update*** worked on it this past weekend. Installed new house batteries, installed correct fusible link at starter wire. Checked all grounds I could see and all seemed intact. The buzzing noise is the fuel pump relay that I hear is no longer available and even though it's buzzing it still runs and drives fine. Hot jumped the temp gauge to test it and the sending unit and it stays stuck at 3/4 hot, won't move either way leaving me to think it's the gauge itself inside the cluster? Also I can't get the red light showing that I'm on aux tank to light up but I can hear selector valve work each time I switch tanks. Any ideas??

Thanks

Rickf1985 · July 11, 2016, 04:47 PM

The dash clusters have a ribbon plug that looses contact over the years. It sounds like a lot of the problems are dash related so I would suggest trying to get access to the rear of the dash and see if you have one of those ribbon plugs. Even if you do not have a ribbon plug you will have some sort of plug or plugs, undo them and plug them in a couple times to clean up the contacts. While you are there check all of the solder traces to see if any burned. You can solder in a small wire if need be.

tmsnyder · July 12, 2016, 11:44 AM

Do what Rick says, take off all the grounds you can find, clean them until they shine, then reattach them. Simply looking and trying to wiggle them doesn't mean they have good contact.

The buzzing fuel pump relay I would worry that it's sending spiky power to the fuel pump, could fry the pump. Or maybe your hearing a bad ground at the fuel pump ground. That should be investigated.

boogie_man · July 15, 2016, 12:23 PM

All ground cleaned and checked all seem ok, fuel pump relay still buzzing which is that famous part# 15528707 that GM no longer makes. Trying to get one thru Oreily's to splice in? Any ideas on what relay to get or any part numbers???

M & J · July 15, 2016, 12:45 PM

Most bypass or remove the relay and wire it to the ignition or install a manual switch on the dash.

Rickf1985 · July 15, 2016, 12:48 PM

I would not wire it direct to a switch, I would still go through a relay like a universal Bosch relay and socket available at most parts stores.

boogie_man · July 15, 2016, 02:35 PM

That will be the next step Rick, oh and temp gauge is toast, pulled it and had it checked, non responsive and stuck at 3/4 full not sure if I could send to someone to rebuild ?? (anyone?). All was fine on this rig until that fusible link went south and now I'm chasing what appears to be damages from the continued driving on surging wiring ??

boogie_man · July 18, 2016, 01:11 PM

Ok fuel pump relay fixed, no more buzzing as I used a ford explorer relay which was very close to original. Made a pigtail for it and no more buzzing or spiking the main fuel pump. Got the red light for aux tank to work too so I think we're back in business as we have a trip coming up(very short trip to beach campground) Thanks to Clydesdale_Kevin's post for making it more clear. I still have the temperature gauge stuck just past 1/2 way, not responding to jumping or anything we put on it leaving me to think it's fried inside. Was trying to locate a gauge cluster in wrecking yard or someone who rebuilds them. I could also put in a small gauge cluster too but am trying to stay as original as possible. Thanks for all your help guys

BrianB · July 24, 2016, 01:41 PM

Where is your fuel pump relay located?

boogie_man · July 24, 2016, 08:14 PM

Mine was on the left front side of the engine bay (zip tied) just behind the a/c compressor. When you take off your dog house, should be right there top left....this helped me a bunch:

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,8795.msg43828.html#msg43828

boogie_man · August 02, 2016, 12:45 AM

Update ! Camped in it last week mostly trouble free: rear a/c would start dripping on the bed gonna have to check that out. When I dumped all tanks and went to fire up had a very slow/dead turning engine which I felt was strange as I was plugged into 30 amp for 5 days. When I hit the MOM switch , it didn't help either. I sat there thinking ok perhaps I can jump one of my two brand new house batteries or seek jumping assistance when I put the switch back to dual it cranked and fired up !! I then drove it home and even shut it off and re-started it no problem. Looks like I might have to dig deeper in this electrical thing, maybe bad/worn battery cables ?? Check inverter ??

Rickf1985 · August 02, 2016, 07:30 PM

Are you sure the MOM switch is hooked up? If you switched to Dual and it fired right up that tells me that it then went to the house batteries on dual but not on MOM. They should both work off of the same solenoid but different sections of the switch. The one section may not be connected correctly. This does not explain why the engine battery went flat in just a few days. Maybe there are issues with what is hooked up to the coach and when.

boogie_man · August 06, 2016, 08:38 PM

Got temp gauge working again purchased and shipped from Mills https://www.millsupply.com/stepvan-parts/electrical-2/dashboard-gauges/ they have a lot of cool stuff. At 1st the gauge pegged hot, installed a new temp sending unit, still pegged hot, cleaned and tightened grounds on gauge cluster and it now works, changed all bulbs in front turn signal and rear lamps too(turn-brake-running-reverse) having sanded and cleaned contacts. Getting better for sure as I wll keep digging into more grounds and will also inspect and clean that switch Rick, thanks again.

dickcarl · October 22, 2016, 01:36 AM

Can't emphasize "Check And Clean All Connections" enough. Been chasing a hot-starting problem on my Itasca with 454 -- all the battery cables, grounds, ignition, new battery, etc.

Finally pulled the starter out entirely, and the top post was corroded. Can't get at it with the starter installed. Put it back together, and 1000 miles later it starts every time, hot or cold.