1986 holiday rambler cranks but won't start

Rickf1985 · March 29, 2017, 10:17 AM

Full tanks, I don't know where you are located but I have a guy not all that far from me that sells 55 gallon oil drums that he takes back in as empties when he sells full drums. He would normally get a 20.00 deposit from the oil company for the returns but he sells them locally for the same amount to save himself the hassle of transporting the empties all the way to the refinery. I use them to store diesel fuel, stale gas, old motor oil. No reason why you could not use one or two of those drum to hold the gas from your tanks if you had to. The only thing left in the drums is a little bit of motor oil which when mixed with 55 gallons of gas would do nothing to the gas. Just do a search for "55 gallon drums" Or "used 55 gallon oil drums". The thing you would need to watch out for is if the drums were used for something other than clean motor oil before you got them. I even saw a guy selling new 55 gallon stainless steel drums, he was selling them to be used with wood stove door kit for making wood stoves. They were kind of pricey at $100.00 each though.

DRMousseau · March 29, 2017, 12:00 PM

Quote from: dakattack on March 29, 2017, 10:04 AM
morning guys, since I filled both tanks just before this problem, you can bet I'll be checking all those things! dropping a full tank is NOT something I look forward to. The relay, I hadn't even considered that, thanks again guys. Stay tuned, I'm going in!! lol!

Wait. What? BOTH tanks?!?

dakattack · March 29, 2017, 02:13 PM

Quote from: DRMousseau on March 28, 2017, 08:02 PM
Yes Rick!!! And it would be SO nice if my John Deere Chassis had an external fuel pump. I so dreaded possible problems when I experienced similar symptoms of fuel flow and unable to hear the pump runnin'.

But an external pump would ALSO have possible connection problems that many experience this time of year, being exposed on the frame below the vehicle.

John Deere made the basic chassis with Fords setup,... depending on chassis model they were all about the same, with later ones being injected engines. But RV manufactures had their own steering columns, and a few other variations and setups specific to THEIR make and model. It might be unfair for me to assume that's it's the same chassis as I have, but given a it's a year older than mine, and about the same length,.... I think I'd be guessin' close. But of course there were variations even on the long heavy chassis. It appears the big 90gal fuel tank had BOTH internal and external options of fuel pumps, the small tanks had only the external pumps.

And like Rick said,... check that relay too! I've had 'em suddenly fail, and inside found it was jus a big ROCK of corrosion. Still worked, till the change in weather caused too much dampness in the corrosion.

hey dr, I pulled that relay switch and its definitely gunked up, I had to factory order the part so i'll get it in about a week, thanks for the tip.

dakattack · March 29, 2017, 02:16 PM

Quote from: DRMousseau on March 29, 2017, 12:00 PM

Wait. What? BOTH tanks?!? yessir, is this not standard? maybe the previous owner added one? new remember? lol!

dakattack · March 29, 2017, 02:17 PM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on March 29, 2017, 10:17 AM
Full tanks, I don't know where you are located but I have a guy not all that far from me that sells 55 gallon oil drums that he takes back in as empties when he sells full drums. He would normally get a 20.00 deposit from the oil company for the returns but he sells them locally for the same amount to save himself the hassle of transporting the empties all the way to the refinery. I use them to store diesel fuel, stale gas, old motor oil. No reason why you could not use one or two of those drum to hold the gas from your tanks if you had to. The only thing left in the drums is a little bit of motor oil which when mixed with 55 gallons of gas would do nothing to the gas. Just do a search for "55 gallon drums" Or "used 55 gallon oil drums". The thing you would need to watch out for is if the drums were used for something other than clean motor oil before you got them. I even saw a guy selling new 55 gallon stainless steel drums, he was selling them to be used with wood stove door kit for making wood stoves. They were kind of pricey at $100.00 each though.

just saw an add for these 55 gal tanks. He wants 20.00 apiece so ill be grabbing a couple.

Rickf1985 · March 29, 2017, 03:04 PM

Dak, where are you located?

dakattack · March 29, 2017, 05:53 PM

watertown, So. Dak

Rickf1985 · March 29, 2017, 08:04 PM

Not familiar with So.? South Dakota maybe? If that is the case definitely not the same barrel guy I use here in NJ.

DOH! I just realized the So was for SOUTH! And Dak was Dakota. I was thinking that was your signature. W%

DRMousseau · March 30, 2017, 12:52 AM

Quote from: dakattack on March 29, 2017, 02:13 PM
hey dr, I pulled that relay switch and its definitely gunked up, I had to factory order the part so i'll get it in about a week, thanks for the tip.

Well it's nothing unusual, but it's hard to spot hidden clues of corrosive trouble sometimes. Add the galvanic of copper, zinc plating, and other metals with a tiny electric current, and parts fail,... often slowly until weather changes come.

While I DO find the issue of two tanks a bit unusual on these, it's not unheard of. Each coach manufacture had their specific manner in adapting and overcoming unique issues and limitations of various chassis, and it may well have been an available option of the coach model.

dakattack · April 07, 2017, 03:26 PM

Afternoon guys, and or ladies!, Can you guys give me an idea where I might find the fuel pump relay switch? Had a cpl good days here in bi-polar South Dakota so I got up under the rig and checked connections and such, haven't been able to get at the fuel pump itself but hoping when I replace the relay, I wont have to. I pulled the switches up on the firewall, by the radiator, and those look nothing like the switch my parts guy showed me, any assistance is greatly appreciated.!

DaveVA78Chieftain · April 07, 2017, 06:06 PM

Location

However, no longer available

Please see this thread: http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,13285.0.html

CapnDirk · April 07, 2017, 07:51 PM

Dave:

Was it the same on the Chev And Ford setup?

DaveVA78Chieftain · April 07, 2017, 08:42 PM

Aww Geeze. I need to read before jumping in. I am getting to old I guess.

Dakattack, are you sure this is a Ford Chassis rather than a John Deere chassis? I only ask that because far as I know, the Ford F53 chassis did not start until 1988.

If it is a JD chassis, I think the fuel pump relay (ford p/n e4tz-9c392A) is in the right front of the radiator or right side of the engine compartment.

There is also may be a inertia switch (Ford P/N E1AZ-9341B) in the area of the steering wheel or brake light switch inside the cab area. It is used to detect the vehicle has been in an accident.
EBAY

CapnDirk · April 07, 2017, 08:51 PM

You're old? My Winnebago needs a walker! And the side walls of the rubber things on bottom are all cracked out

Did they put inertia switches on motorhomes to?

DaveVA78Chieftain · April 07, 2017, 09:13 PM

John Deere did however they used a Ford system (e.g 460 engine and components). I do not have a early Ford F53 manual yet so not sure about that chassis.

359 days till retirement

TerryH · April 08, 2017, 12:28 AM

Retirement is very enjoyable.

plockit007 · April 08, 2017, 01:09 AM

Hi I am going through the same thing on my Dodge 440. Rebuilt carb no start changed the coil, then looked at the plugs fired fine, then went back to hard starting, getting fuel next is the fuel filter and then the pump or even the fuel electric relay sensor.
1975 Dodge 440

Good luck we all have to try to remember when we were teens what we did to soup up our rides then. Gas mileage. probably not going to get any better carrying 14K pounds. D:oH!

:)rotflmao

DRMousseau · April 08, 2017, 02:17 AM

So after 6months in a "bubble",... I finally see the sunrise, but I haven't looked under the hood, dash or engine compartment of my Ford powered JD chassis since last year sometime. And I can't remember what I did with any wiring diagram I might of had, if any. But I'm gonna peak tomorrow and see jus what I got.

I luv retirement,... 'cept I still got no time to get everything done!!!

Rickf1985 · April 08, 2017, 09:23 AM

Can you imagine how hard the hit would have to be on a Class A rig to set off an inertia switch? W%

You would pretty much have to hit the switch itself!

CapnDirk · April 08, 2017, 10:03 AM

Quote from: TerryH on April 08, 2017, 12:28 AM
Retirement is very enjoyable.

Though not currently retired, I have found that during my few times of unemployment the lack of stress from not having to choke back the urge to tell someone where to stick it to be delightful.

CapnDirk · April 08, 2017, 10:07 AM

That was kind of why I was asking Dave about it Rick.

When I was a car mechanic we had a large number of Ford Tauruses come in on the hook because someone backed into them at the grocery store and it was a minor tap. They were too sensitive when they came out.

DaveVA78Chieftain · April 08, 2017, 10:28 PM

Quote from: plockit007 on April 08, 2017, 01:09 AM
Hi I am going through the same thing on my Dodge 440. Rebuilt carb no start changed the coil, then looked at the plugs fired fine, then went back to hard starting, getting fuel next is the fuel filter and then the pump or even the fuel electric relay sensor.
1975 Dodge 440

For reference: unless someone added a electric fuel pump, none of the Dodge Class A chassis had one.

dakattack · April 11, 2017, 11:14 PM

Quote from: DaveVA78Chieftain on April 07, 2017, 08:42 PM
Aww Geeze. I need to read before jumping in. I am getting to old I guess.

Dakattack, are you sure this is a Ford Chassis rather than a John Deere chassis? I only ask that because far as I know, the Ford F53 chassis did not start until 1988.

If it is a JD chassis, I think the fuel pump relay (ford p/n e4tz-9c392A) is in the right front of the radiator or right side of the engine compartment.

There is also may be a inertia switch (Ford P/N E1AZ-9341B) in the area of the steering wheel or brake light switch inside the cab area. It is used to detect the vehicle has been in an accident.
EBAY

Ok, thanks guys, this is the relay I pulled off, located on the right side of the radiator, you ready for this? there were 2 of them! hahaha!!! , ill let you fellas know how it turns out.

Rickf1985 · April 12, 2017, 08:52 AM

You said you had two tanks didn't you? If that is the case it is unlikely that both relays and both pumps are bad if in fact you do have two of each. I would be looking at a bad oil pressure safety switch if that is the case.

edog1973 · April 14, 2017, 01:01 PM

I had a bunch of wiring issues with wiring for the fuel system in my Holiday Rambler. Mine is a class C on the e350 chassis. So I'm not sure how much of this will apply in your case.

I have the Ford wiring diagrams and the fuel system does not match at all. So, I ended up making my own wring diagram to document how mine is currently wired up. I started with a diagram I found on the Internet that was mostly correct and updated to match wire colors. Hopefully yours is somewhat similar.