Folks,
Looks like I am dead in the water at the moment. I started the coach up for the first time in six months today; fired right up, but in maybe 20 seconds or so it stumbled and died like it was out of fuel.
In a classic case of putting the cart before the horse, only then did I remember to check the Davco (FuelPro) and found some crud at the bottom, but more importantly the filter cartridge itself seems to have rusted.
I cleaned it all out, put fresh filters in it, and re-primed but now she won't start -- cranks but does not catch, and I see a bit of white smoke and smell a mix of unburned fuel and something "burnt".
I fear some of the rust may have made its way to the injectors, but it may also be something a lot simpler. I've pulled the hoses off the secondary housing and I see clean fuel flowing while cranking.
The engine is an 8v92TA with DDEC-IV. There are no codes on the DDEC.
I'm now out of my league and need help, pronto. The person who won the auction for the bus is theoretically coming tomorrow to close, and I really need to get her running.
If anyone knows someone who can come out to Lottsburg and help me with this, please post or email me directly, slwelsh@gmail (dot) com, or text me on my wife's phone (my phone barely works out here) at 408-313-1792 and I can call you back.
Thanks!
-Sean
Sean, if you are blowing white smoke you are not fully primed
Thanks, Cliff. If I am getting clean fuel out at the secondary what else can I do besides continue to crank it?
-Sean
Unless rust made its way into his pump
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Does it run on ether?
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Sean, is the collar tight and the o-ring in place it should prime unless the check valve is leaking by, If only I was closer we could get going in a few minutes with a pump
Sean - was the run switch in the off position?
Might have been a simple oversight.
-Sean
this is a Lehman dealer, and the closest potential resource to you..
http://americandieselcorp.com/ (http://americandieselcorp.com/)
804-435-3107
American Diesel Corp
101 American Drive
Kilmarnock, Virginia 22484-1838
info@americandieselcorp.com
Phone: 804-435-3107
Fax: 804-435-6420
they are 21 minutes away.
perhaps..unless i am on your ignore list :)
Perkins Diesel & Auto Service
17175 Richmond Rd
Callao, Virginia 22435
Phone (804) 529-6927
Sorry... been busy. Mechanic is here and we are trying to get it going with ether. One can so far with little success. One of the guys here at the marina referred me to this guy.
Cliff, I put a new O-ring on both ends of the bowl and tightened a smidge beyond hand-tight with the special wrench. I have no secondary, it has the little blank-out device that Davco sells, but I pulled the lines off both sides of the housing and get good fuel on each side.
Perkins in Callao were the first guys I called -- they're close. They don't work on two-strokes. I don't need to call American Diesel -- I know those guys personally and they are not Detroit guys. Also, they are mostly a parts and phone support outfit, I don't think they have a guy with a truck to send on service calls.
I'll post an update if this guy can get it going. Thanks everyone.
-Sean
Well, he came back with two more cans of ether, but we're still not running.
The engine fires up on the ether and will run for as long as we keep feeding it some. But it dies in short order when we stop.
During this process, all the fuel that I've put in the Davco bowl disappears, so fuel is being pumped. And it ran for maybe 20 seconds when I first started it up, which suggests the injection pump and injectors were working at least initially.
The mechanic has left... he ran out of his depth. Young guy with not nearly enough gray hair for two-strokes...
I'm going to make some more calls in the morning but things are not looking rosy here. I'm open to further suggestions while I try to find someone local to come out and help.
-Sean
Are you sure you have good diesel and that someone hasn't tampered with your fuel?
Motor runs on ether, fuel is being pumped. If it was an injector issue it should run...albeit rough. What are the odds all 8 injectors got clogged by a that flake? So I think you're still dealing with a lack of prime...somehow. Do you have a nipple you can stick a garden sprayer hose onto? fill the sprayer with diesel, pump
It up, and squeeze the trigger, then try to start coach. It was the only way (ONLY) that I could reprime my 6v92
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Is this DDEC II or IV? Are both fuses to the ECM good? Check engine and stop engine lights come on when you first turn on the key? I have a DDEC II and DDEC III troubleshooting manual if you want to go down that route. - Steve
You are sucking air someplace Sean be sure the Davco is not cracked
Sean:Don't mean to but in,but I would Go easy on the either!! In the dead of winter ,it only takes a short squirt to get mine going .After putting two or three cans of either ,I'm surprised that the piston's ain't jumped out and swapped holes.I had a deal like this happen to me one time with a Cummins engine and it turned out to be the transfer pump.
Steve, this is a DDEC-IV. I suppose it could be the fuse that powers the injector solenoids... I have no idea where that is but I will hunt for it. I would have thought that would throw a code, though... the ECM is running because I have a Silverleaf VMS on the dash that reads it and it's getting data. No faults at all.
Cliff, the Davco does not appear to be cracked and I have now triple-checked the O-rings. Also, would't it at least catch a little before the air became a problem if that was the case? It does not sound like it's firing at all.
Scott, I am in the middle of nowhere. I don't have a garden sprayer or access to a selection of fittings to connect it, one of the reasons I was looking for a mechanic with a truck. Just getting a new filter for the Davco took three hours, and I was lucky the closest Napa had it in stock.
Bigred -- I don't use ether as a rule; this was 100% the mechanic who came out to help. He was very good at modulating the spray to keep the rpm down. I'm wondering myself if it's the lift pump. I'm seeing fuel flowing from the secondary, but it does not seem all that vigorous; I have no basis for comparison, though.
I'm going to keep hunting for an air leak this morning as soon as I've made a few more calls. Thanks everyone.
-Sean
If you have a wrench and some fuel you could break the connection loose on the Davco where it ties into fuel pump side and trying filling the line and turning it over to check and see if the pump is working
Sean did you check the oil for any diesel in it? If it is disappearing and no signs of leaks anywhere it might be a leaky injector or o rings in the head?
Next try putting a rag on your tank opening with an air hose in the tank opening giving it about 8 to 10 lbs while someone is trying to start it and see if it stays running.
Dave5Cs
So I am now thinking it is the transfer pump.
I checked all ECM circuit breakers and I have good power all around.
When I look at the fuel delivery pressure reading on the VMS display while cranking, it's reading zero.
I see fuel come out at the secondary when I crank, but it's possible that it's just not enough pressure for the ECM to run the injectors.
If I had a way to put 20psi or so of fuel to the inlet side of the secondary I could confirm this. My last test involved filling the bowl on the Davco and leaving the upper cap loose while I cranked. There's enough fuel in that bowl to get the engine running and yet it is not firing. I see the fuel level in the bowl lowering, but very slowly; the bowl holds maybe a quart, and in perhaps 20 seconds of cranking about half of that has disappeared, probably right back to the tank via the return.
BTW, I have no way to put air pressure to the tank -- too many openings. But, really, this problem can not be between the tank and the Davco -- there's already enough fuel sitting in that Davco to run the engine. If there was an obstruction or an air leak between the Davco and the tank, it should run fine until the Davco empties, and then and only then should it quit. That's not what's happening here.
Anyone have a line on a rebuilt fuel pump for an 8V92?
-Sean
Sounds like your fuel pump is air locked. If you haven't pressurized the fuel through the pump, you probably haven't got the air out of it.
This is why we install electric pumps in our systems to re-prime when we make a mistake and run out of fuel.
I'm hunching on the fuel pump or an airlock like Craig mentioned. I really wish he could get a garden sprayer hose to slide over the fuel filter nipple because that would tell the story. I've been there and I feel like maybe he still hasn't built prime....
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I agree with Craig and Scott. Air in the line and the fuel just hasn't got far enough up the line to fire and stay running. Air will hold it back if its in front of it but also push it through if its behind it. Home Depot will sell you a garden sprayer for cheap and get it filled with a gallon of diesel take end off hose and shove it on the nipply at the filter and let her rip.
Dave
just a bit of info first ether does not kill detroit's if it did there would be none left in the oilfields. i have seen cans of it empty laying around when finally the operator calls for a mechanic...
an electric fuel pump can deliver enough fuel to run a detroit under no load.
but possibly not under full load.
were i you, i would temporarily bypass the filter and try even if i had to put a 5 gallon bucket and a syphoning hose with a fitting directly into the transfer pump.. put the bucket on a ladder...
need a minimum of 11.6 volts to ddec for it to work. Many have had one bad batt and it was one to feed ddec. =engine will crank but not fire because ddec shuts down at 11.6V...Been there. Bob
Yeah I second the ether comment. I've used it many times for years...if you're careful you're not blowing anything up
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Update:
I got it running on the very first crank by pressurizing the secondary with a garden sprayer. I removed the inlet fitting that comes from the pump by way of the ECM.
I have a fuel pump coming overnight from Western Branch Diesel in Portsmouth. If I don't need it I can send it back.
One it was running I got a lot of fuel back out the delivery hose from the ECM. So it would seem that it flows plenty of fuel but not enough pressure to run the injectors.
Does this still sound like an air lock on the transfer pump? Or does it sound like the pump seals dried out while it's been sitting?
-Sean
possible, but not likely. again there have been countless Detroits mothballed with nothing but slam the door, and a tin can over the exhaust pipe/or wire closed the rain cap... and walk away in the construction industry, waiting on a future contract.
priming the fuel and oil (holding the governor in the no fuel for 30 seconds x's 3) and we used a 40v 200amp DC Lincoln welder for jumpers (not recommended for DDEC :) often at 30 below zero....
fuel and air...
i would run it on the garden sprayer for 3-5 minutes at least and try again with out it and the port used sealed.... if it does not start...it's sucking air down stream.. or the stand pipe fell off. or... ??? someone stole your diesel... or
Runs on the garden sprayer; won't start without it.
Won't run on whatever fuel is in the Davco. That's just the same as bypassing the entire tank/supply line and running the suction line into a bucket.
I connected everything back up and put the garden sprayer into the priming port; it starts and runs but quits as soon as the two-gallon sprayer is empty, which is less than a minute.
When I had the sprayer on the inlet fitting and the line from the ECM loose, a gallon out of the sprayer resulted in only maybe a quart coming out of the supply. So the fuel system wants a gallon but is only getting a quart from the transfer pump....
A new pump will be in my hands tomorrow around noonish. I'm thinking my next step is to replace the pump, unless someone has a different suggestion.
As far as I can tell I have to drain the coolant and remove the crossover pipe to get the pump out, unless someone has a trick. What else do I need to know about the pump replacement? It looks like it comes off with three bolts and it's a square drive. Anything else?
-Sean
Had same thing many years ago with transfer pump My memory is getting bad but think I loosened clamps and rotated it enough to fit in. If not there might be a plug on the crossover that you can drain down to the level required to change. Clifford has changed many more than me hopefully he will chime in. Mine would suck out of a 5gal can but didn't have enough suction to pull from tank. Your return line flows all unneeded fuel back to tank so you can only use part of supply. Think you got it! Good luck in your future adventures and thanks for your past participation on this forum. Bob
And we are sure the fuel ball valve is open? Sorry Sean, I had to ask :)
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Well now we know. Sounds like a plan. That should do it.Hope that is all it is. Thinking positive thoughts for you guys.
Clifford is on the road to Texas to eat Mudbugs all weekend.
Dave5Cs
It sounds abnormal for the fuel in the sprayer or the Davco to be going through so fast. I once ran out of fuel on a mountain in the Northeast, I poured fuel in the Davco, started up, and drove up the mountain for several miles to an exit. Something is wrong with the pump, the Davco, or the fuel lines, in my opinion.
normally the t-stat crossover pipe is arched enough to clear the fuel pump IIRC... In fact i thought that was the reason it was arced.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Fimages%2Fg%2FneYAAOSwHJhXNKHL%2Fs-l1600.jpg&hash=22c43e82d920e903d4503b6779242316bb374ae9)
Quote from: DoubleEagle on May 27, 2016, 07:56:41 PM
It sounds abnormal for the fuel in the sprayer or the Davco to be going through so fast. I once ran out of fuel on a mountain in the Northeast, I poured fuel in the Davco, started up, and drove up the mountain for several miles to an exit. ...
Really? On an 8v? I normally get about 6.3 mpg, and that's on level ground. My Davco bowl holds about a quart, so the furthest I could possibly go on just what is in that bowl would be 1.6 miles, but, and this is key, that would be if the engine itself used all that fuel. My recollection is that the 92 series actually returns far more fuel to the tank than it burns; even if that ratio is 1:1 that would be at the most 0.8 mile before the bowl was empty. At 30mph that would be 100 seconds. Of course at idle things might be slower, but for sure I could not drive my coach several miles even on level ground with just what is in the Davco bowl.
Quote from: eagle19952 on May 27, 2016, 08:23:03 PM
normally the t-stat crossover pipe is arched enough to clear the fuel pump IIRC... In fact i thought that was the reason it was arced.
Mine is not nearly as arched as the one in your photo, because the ECM is right above it. Also I have a slightly different pump.
UPS says the pump will be in Richmond by 10:30. I should have an idea before we leave to get it whether or not I will need to drain the coolant. I first need to get the Davco out of the way and the giant bracket it's bolted to.
I have my fingers crossed that the pump is the culprit here. Before I install the new pump and make it unreturnable. is there something I can look for on the old pump once it's out to confirm that it's bad?
-Sean
After taking it off look at the drive plate ( small plate with a hopefully square hole in it). If it is egg shaped its time to replace that if possible otherwise replace the pump.HTH
Dave Walker
The drive yoke may be striped, you can spin the pump with a drill and check it, that is a high capacity fuel pump I hope they send you the right one,if your pump feeds each head separate the cross over has to be removed.It fairly easy except for the 1 bolt it's a bitch without a "C" wrench
good luck
Quote from: Sean on May 28, 2016, 05:08:40 AM
Really? On an 8v? I normally get about 6.3 mpg, and that's on level ground. My Davco bowl holds about a quart, so the furthest I could possibly go on just what is in that bowl would be 1.6 miles, but, and this is key, that would be if the engine itself used all that fuel. My recollection is that the 92 series actually returns far more fuel to the tank than it burns; even if that ratio is 1:1 that would be at the most 0.8 mile before the bowl was empty. At 30mph that would be 100 seconds. Of course at idle things might be slower, but for sure I could not drive my coach several miles even on level ground with just what is in the Davco bowl.
Don't forget to allow for the fact that your bus is probably heavier, has more horsepower, and more wind resistance. Your mileage will differ as a result.
Quote from: Sean on May 28, 2016, 05:08:40 AM
Mine is not nearly as arched as the one in your photo, because the ECM is right above it. Also I have a slightly different pump.
-Sean
Well i could have hoped. :(
I keep forgetting the ECM part :(
Best Luck and wishes...
Has your buyer appeared ?
Well, wouldn't you know that Western Branch diesel screwed up and did not check the Saturday Delivery box, so my part is locked in Richmond until Tuesday. I called their emergency roadside number and the parts manager is meeting me in Portsmouth to give me a different one, but we're now in the middle of a 5-hour round trip down there to get it. Grumble.
My crossover is arched but the arch points "forward" rather than up, due to the ECM. Still, by loosening the clamps I am able to rotate it up and down a bit to get to things, with some loss of coolant but not a complete drain. We'll see if I can squeeze the pump out.
Now the challenge is to get the pressure-side hose off. Hard to get a tool in there. Can anyone tell me what size wrench it takes, and which fitting I want to try to turn:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vauOn50irIdux16P1xqy3GmwlA-4jv3ZhqPoFFFZvRuHFXY_LfaHVlmkq9MaNw9MUO0XilPveOBaT3e-gW-BfW33OYV0r9q7Z_FbbpeP3IEXzZSr-iHmeHwXdAkSgUHTQhV9eVHPi8gZGG8z81WYejiUaWYVn43qTUrxnAWOvDATexay8JPoGqkhSPOI4srklVSqtlPY-81zkKn2asBpcRVPIfZ2N1p63ImJh62GUgLjSWaCMXieHzFAJ2hDRllp3u9PpLyUobDl5g-YqOzcTl9en7OvKFG-DTxXeRRuu1FEs_1LaKGTan7B59AP3qgWXO38JYSS72RFYY1hfImPBgCZ2JojDF5GNlRAcTUeDDc_Rii8s_XyG6hH8Mi-TtpUS0ymUn0PqJ4aWBoJ5-qDynqUd3xbKdDv9Xp0crQypulhyyDTCZvxeLhbWztsqMgXFgEBKF-spCiC2Ubcx2kvjwxXgrxIOJTZ3xOdUig1_qXLfzgSqRIxueEaICxDfbRCjWweveG6Ppd_9Cw4JAzsp8F3cM1JCLd7Yb_e9SqEY-YMRtL7isS7bvyNzQP83XfLwjShFRlmjwUkaqT_W-3Z5BdjtflHxBQ=w407-h305-no)
I'll be stopping somewhere on the way back from Portsmouth to try to get a crows foot or something to squeeze in there and loosen it.
-Sean
6 point offset (15 degree) open box SEARS/SK-WAYNE..probably 5/8, 9/16. and 11/16 turn wrenches and hold wrenches...
http://www.sears.com/sk-hand-tools-sk-378-superkrome-6-point/p-SPM7970342023 (http://www.sears.com/sk-hand-tools-sk-378-superkrome-6-point/p-SPM7970342023)
these are my absolute favorite go to's for hoses and hydraulics... spendy in today's money, i have them to 2 inch....
http://www.mactools.com/en-us/Wrenches/Open-End-and-Angle-Wrenches/SDA11K/11-PC-SAE-Angle-Wrench-Set-
(http://www.mactools.com/en-us/Wrenches/Open-End-and-Angle-Wrenches/SDA11K/11-PC-SAE-Angle-Wrench-Set-)
Well, I got the *&%$# pump off with great effort. I ended up taking out the three bolts that hold the ECM on, then rotating the crossover pipe down, up, down, up as needed to get the bolts out and the pump off. Lost some coolant each time I rotated the crossover, but not as bad as draining the system. I'm now the proud owner of a new set of crowfoot wrenches and stubbies from Lowes, and I needed both.
I have the new pump and it appears to be an exact match, which I would hope considering they looked it up by engine serial number. There are a couple of numbers stamped on top that differ, which I would take to be date or manufacturing codes. As a side note, the parts manager met us at the shop wearing a clerical collar, we figured on his way to officiate a wedding.
The drive yoke looks fine. I can see it is going to be a challenge lining that up on re-installation.
I can spin the old pump just between my thumb and forefinger -- very loose. The new pump is much tighter; I hope that's a good sign.
In the morning I will put it all back together. I don't have whatever dope they use at the factory that dries to a hard finish in a burnt orange color; the stuff I have (RectorSeal Tru-Blu) is rated for fuel and high vibration so hopefully it will be sufficient.
I'll post the results when I try to crank 'er up.
-Sean
Quote from: Sean on May 28, 2016, 07:07:06 PM... I'll post the results when I try to crank 'er up.
-Sean
Please do. Here's hoping that this is the end.
Please keep us updated. I've been biting my nails for you.
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Good luck and at least you are on dry land!... ;D
Dave5Cs
Sean:: It look's like your baby just wants to stay with you!!!!lol
Success.... sort of :-(
I got the new fuel pump in place with a minimum of fuss. It did require another 3-hour round trip, this time to the nearest Ace Hardware open on Sunday (the much closer one is not) for a 3/16 key.... the pump has three weep holes spaced around the shaft housing and there are plugs in two of the three, and they needed a 3/16 square drive. No such thing, near as I can tell, at least out in these parts, so I bought the key stock and used a Crescent wrench to turn it. So far no leaks and my Tru-Blu dope worked fine.
Now she starts up and runs on whatever I put in the Davco bowl. Sometimes she'll run well beyond that; we managed maybe five minutes at high idle. Then she runs out of fuel.
Watching after shutdown, the Davco gradually fills back up, telling me that the new pump is drawing a good vacuum and the Davco bowl is holding vacuum. I thought maybe the main supply line was obstructed; took it off and blew compressed air through it all the way back to the tank.
After horsing around with the supply for way too long I decided to just stick a hose from the Davco inlet to a 2-gallon can, and, lo and behold, it has the same problem. Eventually quits due to fuel delivery, but then the Davco fills back up.
I am now suspecting a problem inside the part of the Davco I can't see. Or maybe it's the check valve, which I think is right at the inlet. Anyone taken one of these apart? I'm hunting for an exploded diagram right now.
-Sean
Maybe water accumulated in the bottom of the Davco before you stored the bus, and now there is internal corrosion in it or any check valves. Open the drain valve and collect what you get and see if water separates out. Check the body of the Davco for any sign of cracks.
Ta Da. And now, I've seen everything. Including a two-way check valve (or maybe that's a zero-way check valve, depending on how you look at things).
I took the check housing off the Davco, and was surprised to find a cage and a spring but no ball on what was obviously a ball-check arrangement. Peering down inside, past the ball seat, I could see what looked like a ball.... After taking the inlet fitting off the other side (a street ell mated to an angled flare fitting), I found the check ball more or less wedged on the end of the street ell:
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XaIXB04uPFg/V0uYNeAouTI/AAAAAAAAK1A/O90I1dGKprw0OuATxjtZ6Sq5xXQQr4rbgCLcB/s1600/BadCheck.jpg)
Stuck to the end of the ell like this, it was very effective in preventing backflow to the tank, but it was nearly equally effective in preventing forward flow as well. This is the actual ball seat, where the ball *should* have been resting (the cage and spring that would go over it have been removed):
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lUv1aX74jKY/V0uYNdXr0EI/AAAAAAAAK08/MSV46xdKJXoV9KqhFTdeTpGBgdlPsCpzwCLcB/s1600/BallCheckSeat.jpg)
I was able to get the ball off its perch, clean it up, and put it back on it's seat with the spring and cage over it. The spring is a bit sloppy and I stretched it a bit to fit; Davco makes a "check valve service kit" that includes a new ball, spring, and cage, and the buyer should probably service this soon, but for now it is working mostly as intended. I suspect the damage to the ball means it will leak down over time.
I'm scratching my head as to how this could happen. I'm thinking that perhaps a day with a large temperature swing caused the fuel pressure in the bowl to rise just as the orifice expanded, thus pushing the somewhat malleable ball back past its seat and out the housing orifice. I'm sure I'll never know, but it's one of the weirder failure modes I've seen over the years.
Once I had the ball/spring check valve back to mostly normal, the engine fired right up and ran normally. It's quite possible that, had I discovered this obstruction earlier, I might have gotten the beast primed and running without replacing the fuel pump. Then again, I could not get it running even with the Davco bowl full and the top cap open, so clearly the lift pump was tired if not finished.
I am very relieved to be past this particular hiccup, and I am grateful to the folks here who helped steer me in the right direction. It's been a long three days.
-Sean
This the kind of thing that happens when things sit for a long time, but it is always satisfying to solve a problem like this. I hope the new owner appreciates what you have gone through.
Quote from: Sean on May 29, 2016, 06:56:18 PM... it's one of the weirder failure modes I've seen over the years. ....
-Sean
Yeah, definitely ... but a good illustration of my fave motto "never assume that you only have one problem ..."
my guess, the check valve diminished the pumps useful life.
who knew :(
ps clifford did say "unless the check valve is leaking by" ... which i guess it would if the spring did not hold it on the seat...
tho i am unsure of the Davco flow ...
Simply amazing. Wow. So glad you solved this and so glad you can wish the buyer farewell and Bon voyage! Now go relax on your boat somewhere :)
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Quote from: Oonrahnjay on May 29, 2016, 07:35:28 PM
Yeah, definitely ... but a good illustration of my fave motto "never assume that you only have one problem ..."
X2
Glad you got it going, Sean.
TOM
Sean, I knew that you would eventually get to the bottom of this challenge. Well done!
Glad you got it going the Davco can be a real PITA,I had my doubts about the fuel pump being bad but I was to far away to help you
Quote from: Sean on May 29, 2016, 06:56:18 PM
Ta Da. And now, I've seen everything. Including a two-way check valve (or maybe that's a zero-way check valve, depending on how you look at things).
I took the check housing off the Davco, and was surprised to find a cage and a spring but no ball on what was obviously a ball-check arrangement. Peering down inside, past the ball seat, I could see what looked like a ball.... After taking the inlet fitting off the other side (a street ell mated to an angled flare fitting), I found the check ball more or less wedged on the end of the street ell:
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XaIXB04uPFg/V0uYNeAouTI/AAAAAAAAK1A/O90I1dGKprw0OuATxjtZ6Sq5xXQQr4rbgCLcB/s1600/BadCheck.jpg)
Stuck to the end of the ell like this, it was very effective in preventing backflow to the tank, but it was nearly equally effective in preventing forward flow as well. This is the actual ball seat, where the ball *should* have been resting (the cage and spring that would go over it have been removed):
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lUv1aX74jKY/V0uYNdXr0EI/AAAAAAAAK08/MSV46xdKJXoV9KqhFTdeTpGBgdlPsCpzwCLcB/s1600/BallCheckSeat.jpg)
I was able to get the ball off its perch, clean it up, and put it back on it's seat with the spring and cage over it. The spring is a bit sloppy and I stretched it a bit to fit; Davco makes a "check valve service kit" that includes a new ball, spring, and cage, and the buyer should probably service this soon, but for now it is working mostly as intended. I suspect the damage to the ball means it will leak down over time.
I'm scratching my head as to how this could happen. I'm thinking that perhaps a day with a large temperature swing caused the fuel pressure in the bowl to rise just as the orifice expanded, thus pushing the somewhat malleable ball back past its seat and out the housing orifice. I'm sure I'll never know, but it's one of the weirder failure modes I've seen over the years.
Once I had the ball/spring check valve back to mostly normal, the engine fired right up and ran normally. It's quite possible that, had I discovered this obstruction earlier, I might have gotten the beast primed and running without replacing the fuel pump. Then again, I could not get it running even with the Davco bowl full and the top cap open, so clearly the lift pump was tired if not finished.
I am very relieved to be past this particular hiccup, and I am grateful to the folks here who helped steer me in the right direction. It's been a long three days.
-Sean
Sean,
You are the Clint Eastwood of busnuts.
Im truly inspired by your ingenuity and tenacity to solve problems.
Sad to see you leave the bus world. You will be missed.
-Sean
Ditto the above post.
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Thanks everyone.
And now for today's disappointment: The buyer emailed me over night; his dad passed away last night. I suspect this means the deal is off, but at the very least it means he's not going to have the bandwidth to even think about it for at least a week if not longer. It seems we will be leaving Virginia with the bus unsold.
If I dig far enough into my files I know there were a couple of "call if it falls through" lookers, and we're going to see if any of those can make it out here in the next, say, 27 hours or so; it would be worthwhile delaying our return trip another day if it means I won't have to come back here again later.
It's always something.
Anyone want a nice bus with a brand new fuel pump and fresh filters? It's clean and ready to go :)
-Sean
Boy!!! Sometimes you just can't win!!!As a matter of fact ,when it comes to buses ,you will never win the war!! Best you can hope for is to win a small battle every ten years or so !!!lol
My wife, who raises Paint horses, often has people back out of sales for all kinds of excuses, including death in the family. A horse, or a bus, is not sold until you have the money in your hand...
All the best.
JC
Sean I saw Michael and Christy Hargas on your site this morning thinking about it!...Keep it in the family eh... ;D
Dave5Cs
When you get back to boating, If you pass through Morehead City/ Beaufort NC, we can have a beer and I loan you some wheels. Call me. 252*342@3202. Art
Oh man. Of course. This is how bus life is. You'll sell it. It's an amazing coach.
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