Community Forums

LeeB · 07-29-2017, 07:20 AM

First a little history/background; Coach is a 2004 with 350 cat on a Freightliner XC Chassis. About a year ago, my MH would not start, turned the key and nothing. Discovered that a 250 amp fusible link had blown. Replaced the fuse and never really found out why it had blown. Worked fine for almost a year.
Yesterday it happened again Hmmm replaced the fuse again and it fired right up, before I took off I decided to shut it down and make sure it would start and low a behold NOTHING it had blown again. I talked to my local Freightliner dealer and he suggested I replace the fuse and just turn the key on and then check to see if had blown, it was fine. It did not blow until I tried to start and the MH started but the fuse had blown. After talking to several people as a temporary fix I could jump the fuse to start the MH. (I was stuck between a rock and hard spot) if need be.
So off we go after about 40 miles all of a sudden, ALL the dash lights came on and buzzers were going off, I started to pull off the freeway and it re-started for about a ½ mile then the lights flashed and buzzers on off. I made it off to the shoulder and nothing worked flashers NOTHING worked. (I discovered that the coach side worked so I started the generator and turned on the A/C) As we sat the waiting for the tow truck and traffic was flying and shaking us but every once in a while the windshield wipers would turn on and the flashers would work along with other electrial, just for a few seconds.
The Motor Home now sits at Truck repair facility, hopefully to be worked on next Monday.
I am seeking help from here and suggestions so when the dealer open Monday I can not only tell them the background I can also tell them suggestions I got here.

Thanks LeeB

Admin feel free to move this to the Freightliner Thread I posted here hoping to get more exposer

nothermark · 07-29-2017, 07:28 AM

I'd stick with giving them the history. Good techs will want to start over no matter what somebody else did. What somebody else did to fix their coach is generally just noise. If it's a repeating problem on the same chassis then the tech has probably seen it before. If it is not a repeating problem then what worked for somebody else is probably not what you have.

Winemaker2 · 07-29-2017, 07:28 AM

Sounds like it could be a lose or poor connection in the main starting circuit.
Remove clean & tighten all connections is whete i would start.
You could also check voltage and v drop from batty to the starter.
Don't forget the grounds as well.

LeeB · 07-29-2017, 07:39 AM

Thanks...

rvbiker45 · 07-29-2017, 07:51 AM

LeeB,

It sounds like you have a major short in progress. Just some food for thought while you are waiting to get into the repair facility.
Check your grounds coming off of the battery and inverter box, the ground coming off of the alternator, and the ground coming off of the starter. All of these will be attached to the frame rail running front to rear. They will be attached by a bolt and most likely have several wires at each location. They will be mounted close to the unit, alternator, starter, and batteries. I have an '04 and all of my grounding straps were loose and they all had rust and corrosion preventing a good secure ground. With a little help, it would not have been inconceivable for them to get loose and short to something electrical.
Short war story. We were in a campground and a new RV came in with no electrical power, engine would start, but nothing else. With closer examination the problem was exposed. The wiring from the genset was routed through a hole in the genset box that allowed the wiring to contact the metal opening. The wires were sawed in two and shorted out all of the electrics. It also started a fire.
If you have access to your unit now, it might be good to crawl under the engine and look for your grounds. They will be dirty and perhaps even hard to find, but they are there.
I hope this gives you something to consider.

LeeB · 07-29-2017, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvbiker45

LeeB,

It sounds like you have a major short in progress. Just some food for thought while you are waiting to get into the repair facility.
Check your grounds coming off of the battery and inverter box, the ground coming off of the alternator, and the ground coming off of the starter. All of these will be attached to the frame rail running front to rear. They will be attached by a bolt and most likely have several wires at each location. They will be mounted close to the unit, alternator, starter, and batteries. I have an '04 and all of my grounding straps were loose and they all had rust and corrosion preventing a good secure ground. With a little help, it would not have been inconceivable for them to get loose and short to something electrical.
Short war story. We were in a campground and a new RV came in with no electrical power, engine would start, but nothing else. With closer examination the problem was exposed. The wiring from the genset was routed through a hole in the genset box that allowed the wiring to contact the metal opening. The wires were sawed in two and shorted out all of the electrics. It also started a fire.
If you have access to your unit now, it might be good to crawl under the engine and look for your grounds. They will be dirty and perhaps even hard to find, but they are there.
I hope this gives you something to consider.

Thanks for the input, I wish I could get to my MH but it is locked up in their yard for the weekend. However I will be there Monday morning to talk to them and suggest they CHECK all grounds... I am sure they will anyway but just in case. I want to stay proactive and learn as much as I can.

Sehc · 07-29-2017, 10:32 AM

You are much better served by telling the technician the symptoms and what you 'fixed'. Not how they should do their job.

Vicr · 07-29-2017, 11:44 AM

The fuse blew for a reason. By "jumping" the fuse connection a cable started overheating probably cause a wire loom to melt and that's why your coach went crazy. Your lucky it didn't go up in flames.

LeeB · 07-29-2017, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sehc

You are much better served by telling the technician the symptoms and what you 'fixed'. Not how they should do their job.

Your so right..... I am going to tell them "How" I'm going to tell them what I have done and maybe that will help them. Plus I am going to say something about as suggested here about "Grounds"... Which I am sure they will do on their own....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicr

The fuse blew for a reason. By "jumping" the fuse connection a cable started overheating probably cause a wire loom to melt and that's why your coach went crazy. Your lucky it didn't go up in flames.

Yes I realize this and just as a F.Y.I. it was only jumped once and that was a year ago....

LeeB · 07-30-2017, 09:12 AM

Thanks Admin for moving this from Class A to here......

LeeB

Rkesselus · 07-30-2017, 09:32 AM

What you describe,if I understand it correctly a bad ground could cause this problem but I might suggest that you do have a major short in a circuit(s) that is protected my a multi-beaker kicking off and then resetting and as soon as it get hot kicking again. This would be on the chassis circuit as your ability to start the generator would be on the house circuit Wish you the best with the repair shop.Richard

B and B · 07-30-2017, 09:38 AM

This could be as simple as a shorted starter winding. Like other have said tell the tech the whole story.

LeeB · 07-30-2017, 09:49 AM

Thanks...... For your inputs

siggyd · 07-30-2017, 03:29 PM

A fusible link of only 250 Amp ? Is that enough amps to start /crank the
350 ? Your 2 good batteries can supply up to about 1900 Cold Cranking Amps.
Call Freightliner about the rating of this link.
Do these fusible links have a rating ?, like fast or slow acting ?
Siggy