Check Engine - Stop Engine Alarm

[Planocat]

This is weird and I need some help.

Preparing for Holiday weekend and my 2004 370 6c8.3 Cummins on Spartan Chassis is acting as it has never done before. 100,000 miles and it has never done this in the past.

Turn on the key and dash shows all icons. With the exception of the "wait", "Parking brake", and "seat belt" icons, all others go off as they should. Before cranking, the "check engine", "stop engine" and audio alarm come on.

As soon as the engine is started, these 3 items diasppear and all is well. Drives normal without any indications of something being wrong. Above situation repeats itself every time the engine is stopped and restarted.

Called Spartan..... first time they had heard of it. Asked about voltage reading and it is fine. Suggested I call Cummins. Called Cummins and original person said he hadn't heard of that one and would have the "troubleshooter" call me back to discuss. 2 days and I haven't heard from them.

Weekend is upon us and I am reluctant to embark on a journey without having some indication that I can make the trip. Scangauge D does not show any codes but I know that isn't as thorough as a Cummins diagnosis - which I would gladly do if someone would call me back.

Any thoughts or experiences you have had with the above situation that you can relay would be much appreciated.

FYI: ScangaugeD was recently installed but disconnecting that does not change anything, so I don't think that has anything to do with it. Had lift pump replaced, routine engine service recently done but it ran several hundred miles without problem before this latest situation developed.

Planocat

[Skip426]

The Cummins ECM, has 5 fuses supplying battery power have you checked them all, could be one has gone bad or has poor connection, these fuses are near the engine , some times in a compartment other times in the engine bay it's self.
Here are pictures of what to look for , it's the 5"X5" box and the lid has to be removed for access.

[Planocat]

Had the coach into Cummins in Dallas yesterday. Ran the diagnostic computer and could find nothing. Assured me there shouldn't be any issues with using as once engine is running all is well. Suggested it might be a Spartan or Newmar problem. I could take it to them to troubleshoot. Called Newmar and they conference called Spartan. Were both of the opinion I don't have a problem. Spartan CS said I could spend for hours of diagnosis and never find the problem. If it were his, he'd just drive it as nothing abnormal shows once started.

I explained my situation to a friend in the used Motorhome business who has seen it all. He relayed the story of paying for 14 hours of diagnostic labor on an electrical gremlin and never finding the issue. His suggestion, if nothing appears out of the ordinary once started and driven hundreds of miles, ignore it.

So, I will hunt down and check all fuses in the ECM per Skip's suggestion (although Spartan CS guy says if bad fuse something wouldn't work). But, if the fuses all check out, I guess I'll just drive it. It runs great.

Thanks to all for the responses.

Planocat

[dennis45]

Further to Skip's suggestion, I was plagued by a check engine light off and on for 3 years. I chased it round and round (paid Cummins to find No Problems) until last summer, I had an alternator failure. Replaced the alternator and still No Charge. So during the course of trying to find out why the alt was not putting out, I ran across a loose connection on the BIRD solenoid. The nut on one side had fallen down off completely and the wire was just sitting on the terminal threads. Found the nut and installed it back onto the terminal. Finally found the ALT Fuse on the Bussman box in Skip's photo that powers the alternator field terminal and found it had blown. Likely blew the fuse while changing the alternator.
Now, since all of this, some 3000 miles later, no more CEL. I am sure it was due to the loose connection on the BIRD Solenoid and causing a slight power blip.
My suggestion is to check all these type of connections for loose or corroded and I think you may find your problem. Hope this helps.