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Old 08-11-2019, 03:07 PM   #1
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Little Things Mean a Lot

While returning from our recent trip to Wyoming (Longmire Days ) about 40 miles west of Hutchinson, KS, our 2013 A.C.E. just died. No indication of pending issues, it just died. We coasted to a stop on the shoulder of very busy U.S. 50 and pondered our options. Our roadside assist contact was no better than our own efforts but we were able to secure a tow out of Great Bend, KS, back to Great Bend where we had able to secure a place to drop the vehicle at a diesel truck repair service who had agreed to trouble shoot our problem.

We had to wait about 7 hours for the tow truck to arrive so I searched the web on my iPhone for reasons that would cause a Ford V10 to just quit. The most common response was a failed Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. Not having any way to test the thing myself and certainly no way to replace it, I just waited for the tow truck. We spent the night in the rig parked in front of the repair service among about 2 dozen dump trucks, grain trucks, and long haul diesel rigs also awaiting attention.

The following morning, the crew arrived and promptly hooked up an OBDC reader and found that there were no codes set. That and the fact that the engine would try to start then promptly shutdown led to the conclusion that the fuel pump had failed. The tech crawled around underneath and determined also that there is no fuel filter so that was ruled out as a possible cause. As it would be several days or weeks before they could turn their attention to this gas rig, we offloaded as much of our belongings as we could into our Mini Cooper toad, now referred to as the lifeboat, and drove the remaining 3+ hours home.

10 days passed and we received a call that the A.C.E. was repaired and running just fine. The problem turned out NOT to be the fuel pump but rather a moth, about 3/8" in size, that had made it past the air filter and slammed into the MAF sensor causing it to send a "shut down" message to the computer. Removing the offending the critter instantly restored life. Before draining 60 gallons of fuel and dropping the tank to replace the pump, they tested fuel pressure at the rails, 40lbs, indicating the pump was working. The tech then moved down the line to the throttle body and the MAF sensor and found the moth.

So, how did that little moth get into the airbox and past the air filter? I recalled struggling with the airbox lid while replacing the air filter a couple months earlier . I remember that it took a lot of effort to get the driver side front corner of the lid into place to secure the clip. What apparently happened was that the clip was not totally secured and flipped open allowing that corner of the lid to spring up exposing sufficient space for the moth to be sucked in.

I'm not sure what the takeaway from this exercise is except to do a better job when replacing the air filter in the future, which is about now. I am indebted to Jim Murphy at Murphy Truck Service in Great Bend, KS, who, despite their focus on diesel rigs graciously agreed to take a look at our A.C.E.

While our roadside assist contract provides more than just finding a tow service, that part of the contract is no better than a cell phone with an Internet connection. While I was on the phone with the insurance dude, my wife was calling around Kansas and was able to get a commitment from the same tow service that had already turned down the insurance company. Expensive but it got us off the side of the highway.

That little moth is going to be pickled and prominently displayed at home. It is a very expensive example of Insecta Lepidoptera. Priscilla will be cleaned up, oil changed, new air filter fitted, and be ready for the next adventure sans tow trucks … but not until fall and cool weather.
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Old 08-11-2019, 03:15 PM   #2
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So which roadside assistance plan do you have?
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Old 08-12-2019, 06:46 AM   #3
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So which roadside assistance plan do you have?
Compass RV Protection extended warranty and roadside assistance. Incidentally, the policy provides $300.00 for a tow to the closest point of repair. That $300.00 will cover about 25% of the cost of the tow.

For those who might not know, the tow service requires you sign a damage waiver before hook up. While the driver was very professional and careful, the lower front cap apparently came in contact with the tow apparatus causing a small trim piece in front of the driver side front wheel to come loose. Should be an easy fix.
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Old 08-12-2019, 06:53 AM   #4
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Compass RV Protection extended warranty and roadside assistance. Incidentally, the policy provides $300.00 for a tow to the closest point of repair. That $300.00 will cover about 25% of the cost of the tow.

For those who might not know, the tow service requires you sign a damage waiver before hook up. While the driver was very professional and careful, the lower front cap apparently came in contact with the tow apparatus causing a small trim piece in front of the driver side front wheel to come loose. Should be an easy fix.
You need to get a better roadside assistance plan. I have Coachnet and had in 1 tow a $1100 bill that they paid.

I have never signed a damage waiver for a tow. I know you were in a bad spot, but I would have disagreed signing a waiver.
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Old 08-12-2019, 07:23 AM   #5
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Glad you muddled though that ok....except maybe for your wallet. Guess this is part of the adventure. Thanks for sharing that "got-ya". Just purchased a MH with the v10 in it. Will try to learn from your experience.
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Old 08-12-2019, 08:57 AM   #6
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Thanks for posting. I second the message suggesting you get a real roadside assistance plan since a $300 limit isn't worth much.

Some years back I was stranded along US 1 in northern California and coach.net had both my motorhome and car trailer towed at no additional cost to me

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Originally Posted by norrirn View Post
Compass RV Protection extended warranty and roadside assistance. Incidentally, the policy provides $300.00 for a tow to the closest point of repair. That $300.00 will cover about 25% of the cost of the tow.

For those who might not know, the tow service requires you sign a damage waiver before hook up. While the driver was very professional and careful, the lower front cap apparently came in contact with the tow apparatus causing a small trim piece in front of the driver side front wheel to come loose. Should be an easy fix.
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Old 08-13-2019, 08:10 AM   #7
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You need to get a better roadside assistance plan. I have Coachnet and had in 1 tow a $1100 bill that they paid.

I have never signed a damage waiver for a tow. I know you were in a bad spot, but I would have disagreed signing a waiver.
It's quite possible, in fact quite likely, that had I refused to sign the waiver, we'd still be sitting on the shoulder. This was RURAL Kansas, 40 miles in any direction to a town of any size. As it was my call, I weighed the potential consequences and signed the waiver.

I guess the other issue is that in these 6 years this is the very first time, and I hope the very last time, that this service has been employed.

Where were you guys when I purchased that contract?
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Old 08-13-2019, 09:14 AM   #8
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Agree. Armchair quarterbacking is always perfect and none of us were in your shoes .

There is lots of information on towing and service contracts, and it's easy to say everyone should use SEARCH to find this. We had Good Sam and two bad experiences so changed to Coach.net after reading about it here. Our one use was very satisfactory - if any breakdown can be satisfactory

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It's quite possible, in fact quite likely, that had I refused to sign the waiver, we'd still be sitting on the shoulder. This was RURAL Kansas, 40 miles in any direction to a town of any size. As it was my call, I weighed the potential consequences and signed the waiver.

I guess the other issue is that in these 6 years this is the very first time, and I hope the very last time, that this service has been employed.

Where were you guys when I purchased that contract?
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Old 08-13-2019, 10:38 AM   #9
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You may want to monitor the engine oil level more often then you have in the past.

You don't say how long you ran with unfiltered air, but if a moth got in, lots of dust did too. Dust thru the engine can cause increased oil consumption.
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Old 08-14-2019, 05:25 AM   #10
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You may want to monitor the engine oil level more often then you have in the past.

You don't say how long you ran with unfiltered air, but if a moth got in, lots of dust did too. Dust thru the engine can cause increased oil consumption.
Thank you! As it turns out, an oil change was scheduled at the end of our trip. I hadn’t thought about that issue.
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:11 PM   #11
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Quote:
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It's quite possible, in fact quite likely, that had I refused to sign the waiver, we'd still be sitting on the shoulder. This was RURAL Kansas, 40 miles in any direction to a town of any size. As it was my call, I weighed the potential consequences and signed the waiver.

I guess the other issue is that in these 6 years this is the very first time, and I hope the very last time, that this service has been employed.

Where were you guys when I purchased that contract?
You did what you had to do. I said I've never had to sign a waiver. I didn't say I wouldn't sign the waiver in your situation. I said I would have disagreed. I would let the driver know it was horse puckey.

I'm glad you had minimum damage. Some have not been so lucky.
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:25 PM   #12
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If you ever suspect a bad mass air, unplug it. I haven't tried it, but I've been told it will start and run.
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:42 PM   #13
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Quote:
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You need to get a better roadside assistance plan. I have Coachnet and had in 1 tow a $1100 bill that they paid.

I have never signed a damage waiver for a tow. I know you were in a bad spot, but I would have disagreed signing a waiver.
I had a tow out in CA. CoachNet paid the standard fee and then the driver held me up for $400 more. So far CN has not offered to reimburse me the $400 nor the two front end alignments. It's been 3 months and I filed a complaint with CoachNet too.
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Old 08-14-2019, 12:52 PM   #14
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I had a tow out in CA. CoachNet paid the standard fee and then the driver held me up for $400 more. So far CN has not offered to reimburse me the $400 nor the two front end alignments. It's been 3 months and I filed a complaint with CoachNet too.
Did you sign a waiver?

I'm wondering how much a waiver would hold up in court? Seems if the driver was negligent it wouldn't be hard to get some repair money from the tow company. Not sure though, I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night
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