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Fuel shut off solenoid failure

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08-21-2015, 08:11 PM
MWrench
Fuel shut off solenoid failure
Have had quite a bit of grief with the Breakaway lately!

At Mojave two weekends ago, I had a sudden loss of power, one minute it was fine and then the next time I started it, no power. NO smoke. All the diesel mech I talked to said fuel filters. It had been some time since I changed them so the adivce seemed good. I was sure it was a fuel delivery problem and not a turbo problem as there was no smoke.

I got filters and was going to change them after the event before I headed over the hills. The more I thought about it the more I talked myself out of fuel filters being the culprit. This was a sudden loss of power not a gradual loss.

After the event I stopped at the hotel lot and got ready to change the filters but I thought to check a few things first. Throttle linkage--free-- Turbo bypass--free, all hoses to and from the injection pump and turbo, --good, lift pump would get stiff after 3-5 pumps--good.

Went to the fuel shut off solenoid, linkage and found it a bit strange, wiggled it a bit and it went "PLINK" then I could not move the linkage, wiggled things a bit more and then another sound and everthing was free. Started the engine and it was back to full power. Drove home over the hills and everything was normal, didn't shut it off until I arrived home.

Everything appeared normal since my arrival home but as a precaution I seached for a fuel shutoff solenoid. MAN is Cummins proud of these things! $390.00 for the repair kit. A friend who owns a diesel repair shop got me the kit for $290.00

When I got the kit, the solenoid said "MADE IN CHINA", Hmmm, I got the part number off the solenoid and did a web search, Same exact kit for $33.00! Guess which one I used! I compared solenoids to pull power, input current and heat rise over 4 hours, both solenoids were the same, no difference.

Servicing the RV now to get ready for Monday trip to LV and Colorado, Filters changed, Oil changed and guess what, wouldn't start. Went to the fuel shut off solenoid and sure enough, it was jammed again! 5 minutes later I had 3 pieces of what was once a shut off solenoid in my hands. The plunger had separated from the linkage.

All back together and normal now. I had to fabricate a connector adapter as the new solenoid had a BIG triple flat blade connector instead of a triple round pin connector.

Front right wheel developed a valley all around at the outside tread ege and then just before I got home, the tread started to separate. Bridgestone did replace the tire at no charge!

Chassis to frame connection bolts as reported earlier seemed to be lossening or pulling thru the chassis floor frame, Well, two bolts in the far rear are gone! Replaced those two with 1/2 inch grade 8 bolts and checked the others, that is my next big job and more on that later. will be my winter time job


Ed
94 30' Breakaway #3864
30-BS-6B side entry
New Cummins 5.9L, 375+ HP
Allison 6 speed
Spartan chassis
K9DVC
Tankless water heater
08-21-2015, 10:01 PM
Dana
Ed You and I have nearly the same. Would you share the kit part numbers of the $33 kit please. I am sure somewhere down the road I will need to fix same.


Dana & Lynn
1997 38ft Monarch front entry
Spartan Mountain Master Chassis
Cummins 8.3 325hp
Allison MD-3060 6 speed
22.5 11R
Cummins Factory Exhaust Brake
8000 watt Quiet Diesel Generator
9608-M0022-38MI-4C
Christened Midnight

1972 22ft
72081169MC22C
Christened Camp Barth