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Engine shut down

Yahoo Message Number: 65443
Thought I would share this unique experience with the group. Headed south last week, just left I-5 in Bakersfield headed for the Orange Grove RV Park. Approached an intersection and the engine (C-13) just stopped. Fortunately, we coasted through the intersection towing the Tundra and got out of the main traffic lanes. Called Good Sam Emergency Road service and they offered a tow. In the meantime, I had communicated with the local CAT shop and they advised that only 1 tow company in Bakersfield was qualified to tow a 40' CC, all others would likely damage it. The Good Sam tow was the cheap one and I declined. They offered to send a mobile diesel service and I agreed. Their diesel guy arrived and after 15 minutes he couldn't even find my fuel filters (duh). After wasting an hour with him I called the CAT recommended tow company. They arrived in 30 minutes. If you have not been towed yet, hope that you will never be. It took 4.5 hours to prep, connect, disconnect drive line, connect lights, tow 8 miles, and restore everything to its original condition. Very professional, but amazingly complex. The tow bill was $1,000 and of course Good Sam would not pay. Camped at the CAT shop. Mechanic got started at 8:00 and attempted to connect their computer to the CAT EGM system in order to show a fault that caused the shutdown. Would not start after repeated attempts. The EGM system was dead. Traced it all to a 90 cent 7.5 amp fuse in the fuse compartment under the driver's seat. $300 to the CAT shop ($1,300 total) and we were on our way. There was no explanation for the blown fuse, it is #4 in the fuse box with several names including ignition. Nightmare!

Dick Bradley

04 Intrigue #11830

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65446
What was the reason Good Sam would not pay this time. They just turned down my neighbor on a claim some tech BS. Service contracts not worth the paper there written on ....JMO.
AL

00 Affinity

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65447
Your tale makes me feel better about using Coach Net, I think Good Sam is great for trailer owners and small motor homes but for the larger units they don't appear to be as careful about the towing companies qualifications to do the job correctly.

Ray

2000 Intrigue 11040

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65450
In fairness, they told me that they would either tow (with their unqualified tow company) or they would send a mobile mechanic, but not both. I chose the mechanic who couldn't find my fuel filters and who had no computer to check for faults. Worthless!

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65451
The agent that handled my call was not very competent. She couldn't pronounce my name and I could not understand much of what she was saying. I will now go back to Coach Net (had them for years and never used).

D Bradley

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65460
Ken here retired Cat Tech. For what its worth go back to the Cat dealer with your paperwork and Ask for the President of the dealer! Also try calling and set up an appoitment. Trust me they should adj. your Bill as they dont want you to complain to Cat Reg. office. If they dont reduce the bill go to Cat Factory Website and do some legwork for the Area rep. Contact Him or Her of you being unhappy, the state the dealer is in and share your story. We always did a case to case adj. Trust me they can at least lower the tab and Cat does not need negitave pub! Im not knocking the tech. that did your work but I was a Master in my day and that shop should of and maybe did get their master tech. involved! We are all factory trained and looking for that blown fuse should of not taken that long Cat has the best electrical drawings and all they nedded to do was find that circuit that lost power in a timely manner I always told my Service mgr. It takes time to find the location on OEM supplyed fuses so lets give them a break and we did! Keep us posted! Many of us are owners as you know. Sorry to hear your horror story on this! Owning a Cummins I dont belong to the Cat owners club but also give them a try, Fellow Cat owners lets give some help here! Ken 99 Allure 30356

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65461
Ken, Thanks for the reply, but the service provided by the CAT dealer was not the issue.
I had previously had a bad tank of fuel and their first strategy was to check that. I had also (2 days earlier) had full service oil change, filters, etc. along with a valve lash and injector service at another CAT dealer. They checked all of that out before finding the fuse.

D Bradley

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65471
Sorry to hear about the problem but glad you got a good tow company.
We recently had a front tire blow and long story short were towed a total of 3 times (once due to Wingfoot breaking our suspension) and each tow did a lottle more damage.

Fortunatlely the insurance picked up the whole tab.

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65484
Hi Dick

This early fall, I had the opportunity to use Coach Nets Road side assistance. I had to be towed back a hundred miles along my travel route. I ask if I could be towed somewheres along my intended route. They said yes, but I would have to pay the deference in the tow to the nearest qualified repair shop. The distance would have been 50 miles further and I elected to be towed to the nearest shop.
I was offered the chance to be towed the extra 50 miles and just pay the deference.

Love Coach Net.

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65493
Dick,

Sorry to hear about your costly experience.
I relate my story only in hopes the information may help some others. Fortunately we attended a SE CCI rally a couple years ago which included an excellent presentation by an executive with a larger wrecker manufacturer based in Tennessee who also owned a CC. In my case, with a 2000 42' Affinity, his key message was to avoid problems by stating up front when I called for a tow that I had "independent front suspension" and required a "front wheel tow." Furthermore, the bumper to wheel distance required that the wrecker be capable of "at least a 100 inch reach." The only other option in my case, the speaker said, was to put it on a real "low-boy" provided the route did not involve height clearance problems - but this is very often not an option.
When we thought we needed a tow from Buddy-Gregg's facility in Knoxville across town to an Allison transmission repair shop (why we really didn't need a tow as another long story) we called Good Sam Emergency Road Service and passed on the "technical requirements" with our tow request.
The first wrecker/driver was delayed because his previous job was presented as simple, but he found he had to return with more sophisticated equipment to complete it - too late to haul me that day. The next morning the driver returned, lifted me up by the front wheels, but he could not adjust the fore/aft width of the wheel lift. Consequently, he could not lift from low enough on my front wheels to provide adequate/safe clearance between the "tongue" of his lift and the "frame" of our coach. He advised in 30 years he had never had an accident and I was not going to be his first. He was sorry, but his equipment could not safely tow us.
The second wrecker Good Sam sent had an adjustment the first wrecker lacked, but as the supervisor was telling me why they could haul me and the first driver didn't know what he was doing- apparently someone from the office instructed him that if the first wrecker could not haul me, neither could they and he was not authorized to try. They left and Good Sam had the third wrecker co. call me. He wanted to come check out my needs yet that day and I agreed so long as he knew there was not enough time remaining to tow me to Allison that afternoon before they locked their gate. He came and said his equipment could safely pick me up the next day by the "wishbones" of the front suspension. He said he had done it at least six times before. I told him I disagreed, but I would call CC support (before their doors closed, etc.) and if they said the design would hold the full weight of the coach at that point, I still had his telephone number and could call him. CC factory support essentially said no way!
Then Good Sam finally recognized my earliest request and authorized the dispatch of a "transmission specialist" who (erroneously) confirmed that I had a transmission seal leak and had to be towed across town. By then I had been told that the second wrecker company really did have the equipment and expertise to tow me. With that knowledge I called Good Sam back to advise I still needed the tow (4th day) and that if they could get the second company back, I really thought they could do the job - I simply thought my words of "caution" had been somehow misinterpreted. This time a different driver and rig showed up, but they insisted they were from the same company (ownership) just a different name. He was successful and within 20 minutes of arriving at the deswtination, the Allison supervisor had accurately traced the source of all the hydraulic fluid in the engine compartment to a slide hydraulic line which had ruptured by rubbing against a coolant hose clamp. Needless to say, I didn't return to Buddy Gregg for the slide hose replacement where they too told me it was a transmission problem. The loud noise I also had, which caused me to go to Buddy Gregg in the first place before I knew there was a hydraulic issue, was an exhaust pipe which had broken loose from the turbo. Although I wasn't their problem, I really appreciated the Knoxville Allison shop for repairing my exhaust so I could continue home for the other repairs. Until Allison, none of the earlier shops I talked to were "full service" - what ever I needed. All towing costs were paid by Good Sam, but I did have to tell my story many times to different supervisors over the 4 days.
This summer when we broke down in Denver, I called Good Sam with the same tow requirements. The first wrecker company they had to call me asked if I had a generator up front. They seemed to disregard my statement that they must have a 100 inch reach, but they said their equipment could not tow me with a front end generator. I forget the second company Good Sam said would call me, but Larry Calkins showed up driving a "Western" company wrecker. He said the second company lacked the proper equipment and had called them directly. Both driver and equipment were quite capable and the first tow went well. I wasn't quick, but I gladly accept that.
I do find it interesting that the driver disconnects the drive train to prevent towing damage, but they claim/avoid connecting it back. They want to leave that to the shop who is going to work on your coach. So far I don't know of another company would give better road service than Good Sam so I keep their service. I did quickly discontinue my "warranty" policy after the first tow when I read that virtually everything was excluded since I had over 50,000 miles. Besides that they required that all maintenance had to be performed and documented according to the most extreme conditions, etc. I felt I was essentially paying for nothing and could never collect due to the many exclusions: wiring, fluids, etc. that cause most problems.

Good luck!

Kent McCoin,

2000 Affinity 5801

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65500
Thanks for the Reply! Misunderstood the towing bill as your Cat bill was 300.00$ Thanks as we all learnd a lesson here on towing service! Been fulltiming 15 years and lord willing have never been towed. I always have done most repairs and always in Power Train care! I know I have learnd a lesson here about towing services! I just turned a big age number and when I bought our Allure three years ago I bought coach net from Advice from our group. Hopefully I or others will never need it. Again thanks for sharing your story! I use to tell my end users pay now or later on Mtn. Glad you made it safe through this ordeal! I would of liked to have read the Cat Tech.s service report on finding the blown fuse! Safe travels out there! Ken 99 Allure 30356

Re: Engine shut down

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65521
Quote from: kenbea2002"

> Thanks for the Reply! Misunderstood the towing bill as your Cat bill was 300.00$ Thanks as we all learnd a lesson here on towing service! Been fulltiming 15 years and lord willing have never been towed. I always have done most repairs and always in Power Train care! I know I have learnd a lesson here about towing services! I just turned a big age number and when I bought our Allure three years ago I bought coach net from Advice from our group. Hopefully I or others will never need it. Again thanks for sharing your story! I use to tell my end users pay now or later on Mtn. Glad you made it safe through this ordeal! I would of liked to have read the Cat Tech.s service report on finding the blown fuse! Safe travels out there! Ken 99 Allure 30356 >

Quote from: countrycoachbrad"

>

> Ken, Thanks for the reply, but the service provided by the CAT dealer was not the issue.
> I had previously had a bad tank of fuel and their first strategy was to check that. I had also (2 days earlier) had full service oil change, filters, etc. along with a valve lash and injector service at another CAT dealer. They checked all of that out before finding the fuse.
The day after bringing our new to us '03 Magna home to Florida from Texas, it refused to even try to turn over. Dug out the schematics and traced to the solenoid in the main compartment under the driver's seat. Looking back, I still can't believe my stupidity. When the key was turned to start, I could hear the solenoid pick up so I assumed it was good. Called a mobile rv tech over and together we found a burned connection on one of the terminal boards (it was in the ckt for the solenoid). That convinced me it was going to be something over my head. It was, but shouldn't have been. I let the complexity of that compartment and my mobile guy scare me into sending it to Parliament in Tampa.
The tow was not really so complex, but like the OP said it took several hours for the guy to get it hooked. The guy was competent enough I guess but wasted a couple of hours trying to avoid having to his air line to the main resevoir in the rear. And it took him forever to get the driveshaft out.
Tow bill for approx 90 miles was $1,200. Parliament immediately replaced the clicking solenoid and taped up/cleaned up the overheated terminal (the small wire was attempting to provide cranking voltage to the starter) and all has been well ever since.

Of course I didn't have roadside assistance although I do now.