Community Forums

HamboneTHW · 04-08-2018, 07:39 PM

I flew down and picked up the new (to us) 2005 40FDTS this weekend. I made a 6.5 hour drive on Saturday followed by a 13 hour drive today. We are very happy with the purchase so far. It drove very well the entire trip. I did have one brief issue...

When we backed into the driveway (a rather steep slope), I couldn't get the generator to start. It tries to start, but seems to be starved for fuel. The tank is around 1/2 full, so the safety shouldn't have caught it. As far as I know, no error is showing on the generator itself. I tried to start it at the generator and opened the fuel cap on the bus to make sure it didn't vapor lock. Before I start blindly taking things apart, any ideas of what to check?

Thanks in advance.

**TonyDi** · 04-08-2018, 08:34 PM

If your gennys' fuel pickup is on the high side of the tank, it may not be getting fuel as you are on a steep slope. Pull out onto level ground and try again.

HamboneTHW · 04-08-2018, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyDi

If your gennys' fuel pickup is on the high side of the tank, it may not be getting fuel as you are on a steep slope. Pull out onto level ground and try again.

Tony, thanks for the quick reply. It is now on level ground and leveled with auto leveling system. It didn’t crank at the final stop (about 4 hours from home) or when I got home. I was going to start with the fuel filter. I’ll pull the manual out this week.

1100 miles in 2 days having never driven a Class A took its toll.

Mr_D · 04-08-2018, 09:05 PM

Didn't crank at all, or cranked but wouldn't start. Very different things and possible solutions.
First you said it tried but wouldn't start. Then you say it wouldn't crank.

1doodadd · 04-08-2018, 09:08 PM

When you push the button to start the genset, does the fuel primer pump start priming? Mine would not and I had to replace it, it now starts and works just fine.

HamboneTHW · 04-08-2018, 09:16 PM

It’s trying to turn over every time, but won’t actually start. Can you explain exactly what I’m looking for on the prime pump? When I push the start button, it immediately starts trying to turn over.

DrDaveMA · 04-09-2018, 06:41 AM

Tommy, the start button works 2 ways, press and hold it on the “stop” it stops the genny, but it also primes the fuel pump. The fuel pick up for the genny and HydroHot are at the 1/4 tank level (while on level ground). If while you were on the slope you tried to start the genny and the pickup was not in the fuel you could have pumped air into the lines. While on level ground, press and hold the stop side of the button, you should be hear the fuel pump running. Hold it down, you should hear the sound change (fuel getting to the pump, purging all the air from the lines). After about 2 minutes release the stop and press the start, if it was fuel starved that should clear it.

One other pointer, keep you fuel tank full when not using the coach, there will be less room for air, thus less chance for condensation in the tank ( water in your fuel). I also add Howes Diesel Treatment during each tank up. It prevents gelling of the fuel and will increase your fuel mileage, I see about a 1 mpg gain!

HamboneTHW · 04-09-2018, 09:57 AM

Dave,

Thanks so much! I will try the prime function when I get home to see if that is it. Here is hoping that it's a simple fix!

We are excited to start our RV journey!

Janet and Todd · 04-09-2018, 09:59 AM

And, if you're thinking about servicing the generator, Cummins just sent out an email blast giving a 15% discount on Generator parts. If you're a Power Club member, you get 25% off.

HamboneTHW · 04-10-2018, 03:41 PM

Thanks everyone for the quick responses and insight. Apparently fuel was lower than the guage led me to believe. The guage (on level ground) was showing between 1/2 and 1/4 of a tank. It would not take suction on fuel. That seems a little high for the safety cut off.

I put 71 gallons in it yesterday, which is still 38% of the tank being full. Is that typical for the cut off to catch with 38% of the tank still full? That seems a little excessively safe.

DrDaveMA · 04-10-2018, 05:48 PM

Tommy, you need to look at your fuel tank, (there is a label on the tank visible from the genny compartment) although the 2005 specs call for a 125 gal tank, my ‘05 came with a 100 gallon tank. If I remember correctly you are only a few serial numbers from me. The spec changed in ‘05, but WRV continued to use up stock (this was a common practice) before making a change on the product line. If you added 71 gallons to a 100 gallon tank you would have been very close to the 25% (which is what they advertised as a cutoff).

RVPioneer · 04-10-2018, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HamboneTHW

Thanks everyone for the quick responses and insight. Apparently fuel was lower than the guage led me to believe. The guage (on level ground) was showing between 1/2 and 1/4 of a tank. It would not take suction on fuel. That seems a little high for the safety cut off.

I put 71 gallons in it yesterday, which is still 38% of the tank being full. Is that typical for the cut off to catch with 38% of the tank still full? That seems a little excessively safe.

Tommy,

The fuel gauge works like this:
1st half tank, coach goes 500 miles
2nd half coach goes 300 miles

2005 specs state a 115 gallon tank. At least through 2007 WRV never used a tank larger than 115. Some early ones had 100 gallon tanks. With the 115 gallon tank the low fuel light comes on with 15-20 gallons remaining. I did it once as a test and then added 100 gallons. Sounds like you have the 100 gallon tank and were at 29%, which would be very close to the level where fuel is cut off to the generator.

HamboneTHW · 04-10-2018, 08:50 PM

Ok, I’m following. So the fuel gauge is actually kind of full of crap then (500 miles on the first half and 300 on the second half)? Makes sense if I have a 100 gal tank. I will check the generator compartment this weekend to see what the tank actually is. I guess the minor hills in Mississippi headed to Tennessee could have had the fuel drop below the mark and feed air.

On the plus side, it wasn’t a hard or expensive fix

Thanks everyone for the comments.

DrDaveMA · 04-10-2018, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDaveMA

Tommy, you need to look at your fuel tank, (there is a label on the tank visible from the genny compartment) although the 2005 specs call for a 125 gal tank, my ‘05 came with a 100 gallon tank. If I remember correctly you are only a few serial numbers from me. The spec changed in ‘05, but WRV continued to use up stock (this was a common practice) before making a change on the product line. If you added 71 gallons to a 100 gallon tank you would have been very close to the 25% (which is what they advertised as a cutoff).

Tommy, this posting has a typo, RVPioneer is correct, the spec is 115 gallon, I missed the error when I proofed my post.

I reset the T1 trip odometer each time I fill up, then start looking for fuel around 350 miles, knowing I have up to 500 miles to safely travel before I run out of fuel. I only use the gauge as an approximate measure of what I have in the tank and tend to run on the top half of the tank. 350 to 450 miles with rest stops works out to be 6 - 9 hours of travel.

When you drive place the tranny in “eco” (causes the tranny to down shift a bit later, upshift a bit earlier) and use the cruise control as much as possible. The CC will keep up your speed, but not limit the top speed so watch your down hill sections and use your Jake brake. If I am driving in the mountains I watch my both my engine and transmission temperatures and if it starts to rise I will downshift to keep the engine RPM’s near 2,000, this causes the fan speed to increase and cools everything down.

I also add Howes each time I fill up and I normally see 8.8 to 9.8 MPG towing a Jeep GC and running 65 - 68 MPH unless of course we are running a lot of steep hills.