| [GMCnet] It is not always what you think it is..... [message #276435] |
Tue, 21 April 2015 22:21  |
glwgmc
Messages: 1014
Registered: June 2004
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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We left this morning in the Clasco for a 1000 mile jaunt to see our grandson perform at the Washington State High School Music Championships. He will be competing in three venues, solo violin, trio and chamber orchestra for which he is the concert master.
About 80 miles out the new Clasco engine began to run a bit rough, feeling much like what we all normally call vapor lock. Trouble is, it was no different whether the electric fuel pump was on or not. A short time later the engine would belch periodically and stumble. I then thought it must be the module even though it is only 1600 miles young. I had a replacement so found a flat spot and swapped it out. On the road again and things seemed sorta fine for another 15 miles when the symptoms returned. I rethought whether it might be filters but this coach has a massive water separator and fuel filter up front and there is no evidence of anything aberrant in the fuel and the last time out it ran fine.
My next thought was perhaps the coil is bad. About that time I remembered that I thought there was a replacement distributor up in the pod which I seldom visit since my fall off the roof in Mexico. We stopped at another flat spot and I did a Very careful look in the pod. Sure enough there was a cap with coil, a second coil and a full distributor body. So, I opened the hatch again, marked the wires and removed the cap. As I turned it over to check the inside of the cap I noticed that one of the wires on the three wire connector was further out of the connector than the other two. It was the 12vdc wire and was apparently only making contact intermittently.
As I was already that far in I replaced the whole cap and coil with the other one and made sure that connector was fully seated. Seems the lock tab had broken off inside the plastic body of the connector.
We are now close to 200 miles north and the coach is running like a top. What seemed at first to be vapor lock, then seemed to be a bad module, then seemed to be clogged filters, then a bad coil turned out to be nothing more than a broken tab on a connector! So, it is not always what you think.
Jerry
Jerry Work
The Dovetail Joint
Fine furniture designed & hand crafted
in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building
in historic Kerby, OR
http://jerrywork.com
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Jerry & Sharon Work
78 Royale
Kerby, OR
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| Re: [GMCnet] It is not always what you think it is..... [message #276474 is a reply to message #276435] |
Wed, 22 April 2015 14:10  |
cbryan
Messages: 451
Registered: May 2012
Location: Ennis, Texas
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Jerry,
Good catch! I remember the lady saying (Was it Gilda Radner?) "It's always something." That on Saturday Night Live. I have enjoyed your posts over the past months especially, with the new S&J engine. Sounds like it's perfect.
Carey
Carey from Ennis, Texas
78 Royale, 500 Cadillac, Rance Baxter EFI.
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| Re: [GMCnet] It is not always what you think it is..... [message #276475 is a reply to message #276435] |
Wed, 22 April 2015 14:29 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Jerry, you eased my mind more than you know. Glad it was just a loose
conductor. I have often cussed those plastic clips. I am half convinced to
soldering a short pigtail in place of the upside down plug in clip, and
then join the conductors where they can be seen more easily. If I remember
right that is an aftermarket distributor in the clasco. The factory clips
aren't much better. Have a good time. We are in Abbotsford, B.C. working on
a coach. Will we see you in Port Angeles on the 30th?
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon
On Apr 21, 2015 8:22 PM, "Gerald Work" wrote:
> We left this morning in the Clasco for a 1000 mile jaunt to see our
> grandson perform at the Washington State High School Music Championships.
> He will be competing in three venues, solo violin, trio and chamber
> orchestra for which he is the concert master.
>
> About 80 miles out the new Clasco engine began to run a bit rough, feeling
> much like what we all normally call vapor lock. Trouble is, it was no
> different whether the electric fuel pump was on or not. A short time
> later the engine would belch periodically and stumble. I then thought it
> must be the module even though it is only 1600 miles young. I had a
> replacement so found a flat spot and swapped it out. On the road again and
> things seemed sorta fine for another 15 miles when the symptoms returned.
> I rethought whether it might be filters but this coach has a massive water
> separator and fuel filter up front and there is no evidence of anything
> aberrant in the fuel and the last time out it ran fine.
>
> My next thought was perhaps the coil is bad. About that time I remembered
> that I thought there was a replacement distributor up in the pod which I
> seldom visit since my fall off the roof in Mexico. We stopped at another
> flat spot and I did a Very careful look in the pod. Sure enough there was
> a cap with coil, a second coil and a full distributor body. So, I opened
> the hatch again, marked the wires and removed the cap. As I turned it over
> to check the inside of the cap I noticed that one of the wires on the three
> wire connector was further out of the connector than the other two. It was
> the 12vdc wire and was apparently only making contact intermittently.
>
> As I was already that far in I replaced the whole cap and coil with the
> other one and made sure that connector was fully seated. Seems the lock
> tab had broken off inside the plastic body of the connector.
>
> We are now close to 200 miles north and the coach is running like a top.
> What seemed at first to be vapor lock, then seemed to be a bad module, then
> seemed to be clogged filters, then a bad coil turned out to be nothing more
> than a broken tab on a connector! So, it is not always what you think.
>
> Jerry
>
> Jerry Work
> The Dovetail Joint
> Fine furniture designed & hand crafted
> in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building
> in historic Kerby, OR
> http://jerrywork.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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