Community Forums

clyon51 · 12-06-2018, 04:48 PM

Been fighting this problem for about a year.
Just about every part has been replaced. Photo eye, all thermostats, nossel, Control Board, ect.

Last spring in Colorado the electric and diesel quit working. I eventually fixed the electric via a new control board (not sending the proper signal to the relay). At the time the diesel also would fire up, but I didn’t need it at the time. Later towards the fall, I did an annual on the diesel. At 8300ft, I opened the air intake all the way (did this the previous year in the same place with good results).

The problem was it would only run 5 mins and shut down with black smoke. Since we were heading to New Orleans for the winter, I figured I would wait until we got there. At 20ft AGL I figured this would clear up the rich condition..... nope! Cleaned the photo eye again due to soot and put in a new nozzle figuring the old one was defective.

The new nozzle ran black for awhile and did turn white, but never clear. The exhaust doesn’t seem to be blowing like it did, smoke rolls out slowly.

Since this thing ran rich for so long, me thinks the exhaust pipe is super sooted up and restricting the proper flow.

Thoughts?

falconman · 12-06-2018, 05:17 PM

Fuel pump pressure, ignition coil or maybe an air leak in the fuel supply. Check the fuel bowl for signs of bubbles. Ours had all of the above resulting in black smoke and inconsistent ignition.

saddlesore · 12-06-2018, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconman

Fuel pump pressure, ignition coil or maybe an air leak in the fuel supply. Check the fuel bowl for signs of bubbles. Ours had all of the above resulting in black smoke and inconsistent ignition.

If everything else has been replaced...and the burner pot cleaned with no cracks evident), no air bubbles in the filter bowl, good fuel pressure, igniter tips adjusted to spec, then yes, would suspect the coil could be the culprit..
We have the older brother of yours..EXE-100-02s

vito.a · 12-06-2018, 05:49 PM

Ours blew so much black smoke the park manager complained we smoked up his electric meter. I changed the fuel filter and refilled the new filter with Lucas fuel additive and added a new fuel nozzle. It cleaned everything up and the smoke is completely clear now.
https://www.amazon.com/Lucas-LUC1001...+fuel+additive

96 Wideglide · 12-06-2018, 06:09 PM

John, when you're servicing it, are you pulling out, and taking a wire brush to the burner tube, and swirler? There are holes in the swirler, that I'm thinking if they were plugged solid, would cause exhaust flow issues.

K7JV · 12-06-2018, 08:48 PM

Google John Carillo. He posts his travel schedule on his website, and he is coming to Yuma in early February, I believe. I have a lot of faith in his AquaHot competency. He will also be in Indio, and Quartzite, I think. He's good, and he's reasonable, if you don't succeed on your own.

I use guys like John, now, because my body doesn't bend, twist and fold like it used to, and I'm not interested in going in a couple of times because I missed something, or did something not quite right. He gets it right the first time. Also, I think John is based in Colorado, if that is "home" for you.

Randyman1 · 12-07-2018, 09:53 AM

I have the same unit as you and was experiencing blue smoke and it not sounding as throaty as it used to. Arrived here in southern Arizona and called Ken at Cameron’s as he is the local and well experienced AquaHot guy. He found the rubber gasket where the AquaHot takes in air to be half collapsed and restricting the air intake. He said they were junk and he throws them away anytime he services a unit with one on it. Serviced the unit and she purrs like she used to. Just a thought if you haven’t looked at that yet.

saddlesore · 12-07-2018, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randyman1

I have the same unit as you and was experiencing blue smoke and it not sounding as throaty as it used to. Arrived here in southern Arizona and called Ken at Cameron’s as he is the local and well experienced AquaHot guy. He found the rubber gasket where the AquaHot takes in air to be half collapsed and restricting the air intake. He said they were junk and he throws them away anytime he services a unit with one on it. Serviced the unit and she purrs like she used to. Just a thought if you haven’t looked at that yet.

Darn good tip!!!!

K7JV · 12-07-2018, 12:23 PM

Clyon51, you have the same AquaHot that we have in our '06 Dynasty. I'm bummed that you had to do a control board replacement. I hope that wasn't too expensive of a proposition, but glad it got you running again.

Randyman, you're a brave lad! I've used Ken, too, and despite his crass language and attitude, I actually think he knows his stuff. And his wife is a pretty good hand, as well. I watched her repair a roof heat pump unit while he hollered up advice and stayed on the ground and terrorized the neighbors. He is in Tucson, and I actually would keep his phone number at hand, if you are in that area. Also, I've found him to be fair priced and to give good advice.

He removed the same rubber boot from our unit, and yes, it had deteriorated and was blocking the intake as well. Made all the difference in the world in the exhaust opacity. Also, he's really good about not recommending expenses that you really don't need.

That said, good luck with your AquaHot issue, this time. Just a thought, Lowe's and Home Depot have little fiberglass rods with threads on the ends to daisy-chain them for fishing wire thru walls. You could get eight feet of that, and duct tape a small rag to the end of it and at least swab the straight portion of your exhaust to the first bend. That would probably clean 90% of your exhaust pathway. Then launch it on diesel and see how much particulate comes out. That should give you an idea of how sooted up it might have been. But IMHO, I doubt if back-pressure from soot would be a huge factor. That said, I've been wrong many times before, though, and probably will be again, before this day is out.

clyon51 · 12-07-2018, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconman

Fuel pump pressure, ignition coil or maybe an air leak in the fuel supply. Check the fuel bowl for signs of bubbles. Ours had all of the above resulting in black smoke and inconsistent ignition.

I’ll need to check fuel pressure I guess, just seems to me to run so rich, It would be very high. No problem with ignition at all. Running a standard fuel filter, so no bowl to see air bubbles. However, I can’t see how extra air would create an over rich condition. Please elaborate. Thanks!

clyon51 · 12-07-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vito.a

Ours blew so much black smoke the park manager complained we smoked up his electric meter. I changed the fuel filter and refilled the new filter with Lucas fuel additive and added a new fuel nozzle. It cleaned everything up and the smoke is completely clear now.
https://www.amazon.com/Lucas-LUC1001...+fuel+additive

Hmmmm something I might consider.

clyon51 · 12-07-2018, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

John, when you're servicing it, are you pulling out, and taking a wire brush to the burner tube, and swirler? There are holes in the swirler, that I'm thinking if they were plugged solid, would cause exhaust flow issues.

Yes Ben, I have been doing that. The problem I suspect is a lot of this soot is going down into the exhaust pipe. Yes when firing up, a lot of this soot is expelled out of the exhaust pipe. What I’m thinking is after a year of running rich, the exhaust pipe is partially blocked with soot. There are 3 90 degree angles in my exhaust system, which is about 12ft long . The pipe is about 1” OD, no idea what the ID is.

Just MyHO at this end. Certainly still open to suggestions!

Randyman1 · 12-08-2018, 12:18 PM

Randyman, you're a brave lad! I've used Ken, too, and despite his crass language and attitude, I actually think he knows his stuff. And his wife is a pretty good hand, as well. I watched her repair a roof heat pump unit while he hollered up advice and stayed on the ground and terrorized the neighbors. He is in Tucson, and I actually would keep his phone number at hand, if you are in that area. Also, I've found him to be fair priced and to give good advice.

He removed the same rubber boot from our unit, and yes, it had deteriorated and was blocking the intake as well. Made all the difference in the world in the exhaust opacity. Also, he's really good about not recommending expenses that you really don't need.

Jim, I know exactly what your saying! He and Rachel do great work, but his mouth is hard to tolerate. Not to mention how loud he is so all your neighbors are wondering what is going on. Fortunately for my neighbors I pass out beer with my apologies and all is good in the neighborhood

distaff · 12-08-2018, 05:20 PM

I have another thread here about my last experience with my 100 04S. In my case it was a bad fan motor. Seemed fine out of the unit, but it would produce a lot of smoke.

The test that caused me to give up and buy a new one was I ran it off a 12v supply out of the coach and when I held motor stem between my fingers I could slow it down to a stop.

New motor and it has been working like a charm. BTW, when it was running rich it melted the aluminum casting at the base of the combustion tube - it provides a swirling motion to the air and fuel mix. Pictures on my other thread.