Chinook RV

Well one of the last major components which could leave me stranded has now been replaced. While descending a mountain I was coasting in gear. At the bottom of the hill I touched the throttle and nothing. While rolling I put in neutral turned the key off and tried to crank the engine and nothing. No warning of pending failure.

I coasted to a semi-safe spot to trouble shoot. The engine would "start" on carb cleaner sprayed into the air intake. I checked continuity on the fuel pump relay (#17 under the hood) which was good.

Nothing to do but get a tow to a shop which is easier said than done 31 miles from a town and in a wilderness area in New York. Thankfully I had one bar of 1x cell (barely). This has moved to the top of my upgrades the Weboost cell booster for the rig.

With my Progressive insurance with $500 tow protection, I only had to pay $148 out of pocket. The fuel tank/hose locations on the 1997 are a bear with no room to work. Two mechanics worked 7 hours and got me in and out in a day. Total bill was $750. Thought this might help others if it happens to them.

Geez, no prior warning at all? That's rough.

And yeah, the fuel pump is expensive to replace on these Fords. My buddy with the 2003 E-450 cutaway RV had his done (because his generator fuel line was cracked/leaking so "while they were in there" he had the fuel pump done proactively). They had to drop the fuel tank to do the job. Not cheap.

I sometimes think about getting mine done "ahead of time," but so far I haven't. I have around 70,000 miles now.

I suppose yours is the original to the rig, right? Not replaced when you had the new engine put in (cause why would you). So at least you got a good number of miles out of it.

Did you by any chance see or note how the generator fuel line goes into the tank? I've always wondered that. My buddy's was not a Chinook, so that didn't tell me how mine would be.

Sorry to hear that you were stranded. Thanks for reminding us about cell boosters; I'm going to look in it. $750 to replace a $60 part probably stings a little, but that's cheap for 14 man-hours. Here's to another 200k miles!

Blue~Go wrote:I sometimes think about getting mine done "ahead of time," but so far I haven't. I have around 70,000 miles now.I suppose yours is the original to the rig, right? Not replaced when you had the new engine put in (cause why would you). So at least you got a good number of miles out of it.

I would get my fuel pump done every 100,000 miles vs getting stranded. Also gives you a chance to price shop and get the genset line replaced. I needed to get back so my genset line was NOT done. Figured I could do that in my driveway with my son if needed.

Blue~Go wrote:Did you by any chance see or note how the generator fuel line goes into the tank? I've always wondered that. My buddy's was not a Chinook, so that didn't tell me how mine would be.

I did not see it. The shop was very particular about folks being in their work bays. Plus I could hear the mechanics bitching about reconnecting one of the fuel lines. Took them 3 hours just to do that.

Scott wrote:Sorry to hear that you were stranded. Thanks for reminding us about cell boosters; I'm going to look in it.

I feel cell boosters are more important than a first aid kit. If I had been trying to make a call to 911 vs progressive roadside service, I would have been freaking out with all the dropped calls and miscommunication. Wind was blowing 30+MPH, temps were in the upper 20's with snow, and I was walking an talking trying to find a sweet spot of coverage vs chilling in the RV...My next trip is with my wife rafting WV in May and one will be installed for sure. Looking at this one weBoost Drive 4G-X RV/Truck Cell Signal Booster 470510 which will benefit all in the RV vs a cradle style ($500 vs $200.)

Scott wrote:$750 to replace a $60 part probably stings a little, but that's cheap for 14 man-hours. Here's to another 200k miles!

That's my plan. Hope to see 400K!

Bring on the miles!

Thanks for the reply on the generator line - obviously you were not in a situation to be picky with the shop and/or to "bug" them.

I carry one of the Wilson Sleek cradle boosters (they evolved into WeBoost). I very rarely use it anymore, but it's there if necessary. It does help (have used it to make satisfactory phone calls when that was impossible without it). A friend with an aluminum-sided RV used one pretty much 100% of the time for his Jetpack/Internet. Interestingly, if we were camped in the same place, he'd get about the same reception with the Sleek as I'd get without any boost at all (thanks to his living in a metal cage vs. a fiberglass shell). Of course I'd be visiting that same metal cage during an electrical storms

I've read of cutting a trapdoor in the coach floor just above the fuel pump location, so there's no need to drop the tank.

If that tale is valid, then it's tempting to do that ahead of time just in case it is needed!

I've also heard of people installing a second pump just behind the fuel filter on the chassis rail, as an alternative to replacing the bad tank pump.

Kev

kdarling wrote:I've read of cutting a trapdoor in the coach floor just above the fuel pump location, so there's no need to drop the tank.

If that tale is valid, then it's tempting to do that ahead of time just in case it is needed!

I've also heard of people installing a second pump just behind the fuel filter on the chassis rail, as an alternative to replacing the bad tank pump.

Kev

I like both ideas. Its funny, I was ready to cut a hole in the floor 4pm Monday when they got it attached 15 minutes later!

Years back i had a 2003 mustang cobra. I yanked the engine and hopped it up by boring it out, bigger pistons, bigger cams, and even a bigger supercharger. The two in tank fuel pumps couldnt supply enough fuel on the dyno to keep up after it reached 4500 rpm and above so the engine would start running to lean. Long story short i removedthe two factory in tank pumps, modified the cage that holds the pumps in the tank and installed two external aeromotive pumps each capable of feeding a 700 HP engine along with a pressure regulator.

Even though i had my fuel pump replaced last winter, the next time it fails i plan to do the same modification on the chinook. Heres some old photos i saved years ago when i was building the cobra.

obviously the chinook would not require a system this extreme.