Hello from Virginia!

[Arthfach]

Hello everyone! This is an account held by myself (Arthur) and my fiancee (Jynette). I had been dreaming of owning one of these lovely GMC motorhomes since I was a kid and I managed to pass on that dream to Jynette. We recently (as of two days ago, as of the time of posting) picked up a partially rebuilt (engine, transmission) '78 Eleganza II in Wisconsin and have been driving it back to Virginia as its first trip.

Of course, things being what they are, we broke down in West Virginia on I-64 but managed to limp in to Charleston. Hoping to figure out what's wrong and get back on the road sooner rather than later; regardless she was fun to drive this far so far.

Looking forward to getting to know y'all and head in to some meet ups and travel the US!

 

[Bhart]

What are the symptoms? Fuel or electrical? Surging could be a plug fuel filter, plugged pick-up sock in the gas tanks. Bad module in distributor or coil that sits on top of the distributor.
Let us know and we will inundate you with fixes.

 

[Carl Stouffer]

Well, that's certainly disappointing! Hope it's not something too serious. Some issues can be fixed fairly easily, especially with the kind of help you will find here.

 

[Arthfach]

What are the symptoms? Fuel or electrical? Surging could be a plug fuel filter, plugged pick-up sock in the gas tanks. Bad module in distributor or coil that sits on top of the distributor.
Let us know and we will inundate you with fixes.

We were driving her up a moderate incline and all of a sudden, Jynette tells me "I've lost power." Pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that all that was working were the blowers for the vents - the engine had cut out completely. Let her sit for around 30-40 minutes while we unsuccessfully looked for a tow and in the end tried to start her up again; we got lucky and she started so we limped her in to a garage/GMC dealership for now. We also noticed that at idle, she dips VERY low and then goes back to a normal idle a couple times a minute.

We contacted Dolph Santorine from the Black List and he suggested looking at and possibly replacing the module and coil (at the same time) for the fuel injection system, as well as evaluating the fuel filter to make sure nothing got screwed up there. As well as sending us the parts interchange list, which, thank him for that!

I think Dolph agreed with our thoughts that she died from fuel starvation; I'm wondering if heat may have played a large role here as we were going up and down the mountains in WV and we may well have overtemp'd the transmission and - by extension - the FiTech controller (as we read about that possibility on this forum when we were looking for possible issues). As soon as I figure out how to use the handheld I can get actual readings and see if I, or Jynette, can do further diagnosis as well.

 

[Richard RV]

We were driving her up a moderate incline and all of a sudden, Jynette tells me "I've lost power." Pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that all that was working were the blowers for the vents - the engine had cut out completely. Let her sit for around 30-40 minutes while we unsuccessfully looked for a tow and in the end tried to start her up again; we got lucky and she started so we limped her in to a garage/GMC dealership for now. We also noticed that at idle, she dips VERY low and then goes back to a normal idle a couple times a minute.

We contacted Dolph Santorine from the Black List and he suggested looking at and possibly replacing the module and coil (at the same time) for the fuel injection system, as well as evaluating the fuel filter to make sure nothing got screwed up there. As well as sending us the parts interchange list, which, thank him for that!

I think Dolph agreed with our thoughts that she died from fuel starvation; I'm wondering if heat may have played a large role here as we were going up and down the mountains in WV and we may well have overtemp'd the transmission and - by extension - the FiTech controller (as we read about that possibility on this forum when we were looking for possible issues). As soon as I figure out how to use the handheld I can get actual readings and see if I, or Jynette, can do further diagnosis as well.

Hi Arthur & Jynette and welcome! It's not uncommon for newly acquired GMCs to have some hiccups on their maiden voyage. I'm glad you found your way here as the forum, and the GMC community in general, offers a strong safety net. Lots of experienced people willing to help you work through the problems.

So don't be shy, ask away, and provide detailed info on what happened and when immediately before and after the engine quitting, and what diagnostic steps you've taken.

You found Dolph so you know of the GMC Assist List, commonly called the Black List after Roger Black who came up with the idea. What roadside assistance program do you have?

In some ways I'm kind of envious of you. You're about to find out how helpful and supportive GMC owners are.

Everybody buys a GMC Motorhome for the hardware, but they stick around for the people.

Safe travels!

 

[tmsnyder]

We contacted Dolph Santorine from the Black List and he suggested looking at and possibly replacing the module and coil (at the same time) for the fuel injection system, as well as evaluating the fuel filter to make sure nothing got screwed up there. As well as sending us the parts interchange list, which, thank him for that!

I think Dolph agreed with our thoughts that she died from fuel starvation; I'm wondering if heat may have played a large role here as we were going up and down the mountains in WV and we may well have overtemp'd the transmission and - by extension - the FiTech controller (as we read about that possibility on this forum when we were looking for possible issues). As soon as I figure out how to use the handheld I can get actual readings and see if I, or Jynette, can do further diagnosis as well.

Two very common modes of breakdown:

1. The ignition module and the coil, both are part of the ignition system (not the fuel injection system). In fact, as you look around the coach you may find that the PO (previous owner) has both of those on hand. The old ones are under the distributor cap. One common failure mode is they will stop delivering spark after they heat up, then after it cools down the engine will start again. And repeat, until eventually the spark quits for good.

2. Your voyage has dislodged rust, sludge, crud from the fuel tanks and plugged up your fuel filter system. Look along the drivers side frame behind the driver seat, there is often a PO installed fuel filter. Check it to see if it's plugged. There is also a fine filter on the carburetor which can be changed fairly easily but is also easy to mess up and damage things if you do it wrong. The first easy way to mess it up is twisting the fuel line. To avoid this, place a 1" wrench on the filter housing nut and a 5/8 on the tubing nut. Turn one against the other to loosen the tube nut but don't remove. Then loosen the filter housing with the 1" wrench but don't remove. Then remove the 4 carburetor bolts and slide the carb rearward a little. Now you can remove the fuel inlet tube and the filter housing. Reverse to reassemble but make sure you don't crossthread the filter housing b/c that is very easy to do.

 

[Arthfach]

Hi Arthur & Jynette and welcome! It's not uncommon for newly acquired GMCs to have some hiccups on their maiden voyage. I'm glad you found your way here as the forum, and the GMC community in general, offers a strong safety net. Lots of experienced people willing to help you work through the problems.

So don't be shy, ask away, and provide detailed info on what happened and when immediately before and after the engine quitting, and what diagnostic steps you've taken.

You found Dolph so you know of the GMC Assist List, commonly called the Black List after Roger Black who came up with the idea. What roadside assistance program do you have?

In some ways I'm kind of envious of you. You're about to find out how helpful and supportive GMC owners are.

Everybody buys a GMC Motorhome for the hardware, but they stick around for the people.

Safe travels!

Thank you for the warm welcome! We are excited to meet you; thank you kindly.

Basically, we're running into situations where we'll be driving along and suddenly the engine just stops. It feels like fuel starvation but we go from "fine" to "dead" instantly - no stuttering or anything else to indicate a problem. We have to sit for 30-90 minutes each time and restarting is a hope and a prayer - never a guarantee. We were thinking heat or altitude but have no actual idea what to do. Stranded with no tools and a bunch of parts for other systems except fuel.

Our provider is Progressive (the one USAA pushed us towards) but as we learned yesterday, their "assistance" is all AI and nothing we could get through them could help us.

Honestly feeling pretty low right now. Stuck at a rest stop in WV (I-64E) at the top of the mountain and she won't start. Just hoping as the day cools we might get a miracle. If not ... I guess it'll be time to learn to hitchhike.

 

[tmsnyder]

Thank you for the warm welcome! We are excited to meet you; thank you kindly.

Basically, we're running into situations where we'll be driving along and suddenly the engine just stops. It feels like fuel starvation but we go from "fine" to "dead" instantly - no stuttering or anything else to indicate a problem. We have to sit for 30-90 minutes each time and restarting is a hope and a prayer - never a guarantee. We were thinking heat or altitude but have no actual idea what to do. Stranded with no tools and a bunch of parts for other systems except fuel.

Our provider is Progressive (the one USAA pushed us towards) but as we learned yesterday, their "assistance" is all AI and nothing we could get through them could help us.

Honestly feeling pretty low right now. Stuck at a rest stop in WV (I-64E) at the top of the mountain and she won't start. Just hoping as the day cools we might get a miracle. If not ... I guess it'll be time to learn to hitchhike.

Sounds like ignition module. Change it and coil with new.

Use heat transfer paste under the module. It comes with the new module.

 

[Bhart]

Our provider is Progressive (the one USAA pushed us towards) but as we learned yesterday, their "assistance" is all AI and nothing we could get through them could help us.

My wife and I had the same issue with Progressive. They outsource their towing service. The Ai would not recognize Palmbeach as a model and we would not get pass that to the next cycle of instructions. After calling our agent We were informed to keep requesting to talk to a live representative. We ended up calling a tow truck ourselves to get off I-80.

 

[Richard RV]

Thank you for the warm welcome! We are excited to meet you; thank you kindly.

Basically, we're running into situations where we'll be driving along and suddenly the engine just stops. It feels like fuel starvation but we go from "fine" to "dead" instantly - no stuttering or anything else to indicate a problem. We have to sit for 30-90 minutes each time and restarting is a hope and a prayer - never a guarantee. We were thinking heat or altitude but have no actual idea what to do. Stranded with no tools and a bunch of parts for other systems except fuel.

That sounds more electrical than fuel issues. With vapor lock or a clogged fuel filter I'd think there'd be some stumble before it quit.

Can you ask the Previous Owner (PO) what they'd suspect to be the problem?

Press the OK button on the FiTech handheld controller, key doesn't have to be turned, and see what number is in the top right corner of the Home Screen. That'll help identify what you have.

Our provider is Progressive (the one USAA pushed us towards) but as we learned yesterday, their "assistance" is all AI and nothing we could get through them could help us.

I have dedicated standalone roadside assistance from Coach-Net. I've found it to be an excellent company and well worth the money.

Honestly feeling pretty low right now. Stuck at a rest stop in WV (I-64E) at the top of the mountain and she won't start. Just hoping as the day cools we might get a miracle. If not ... I guess it'll be time to learn to hitchhike.

I feel for you. Been there, survived, have some good stories to tell!

Tomorrow should be cooler and hopefully that'll help, and you said you were on top of the mountain. Be aware that the power assisted brakes operate with a vacuum booster with the vacuum generated by the running engine. If the engine dies you'll have a maximum of 2 or 3 pumps of the brake pedal and then there'll be no more power brakes. If the engine dies don't pump the brakes, just press and hold the pedal and pullover.

Lyft & Uber are available if you need to pick up parts at an auto parts store, and I'm pretty sure they'll also pickup stuff at a store and bring it to you so you wouldn't have to pay for a round trip.

Where exactly are you, and what Black Listers are nearby?

 

[Richard RV]

My wife and I had the same issue with Progressive. They outsource their towing service. The Ai would not recognize Palmbeach as a model and we would not get pass that to the next cycle of instructions. After calling our agent We were informed to keep requesting to talk to a live representative. We ended up calling a tow truck ourselves to get off I-80.

Damn, Bruce, that sucks.
I hope that Progressive doesn't give you any guff when you submit the tow bill.

I wonder if the AI would've accepted Transmode or 260 for the GMC model. I'd bet dollars to donuts it would...maybe worth a call to try it and if it goes through just hang up.

 

[tmsnyder]

Damn, Bruce, that sucks.
I hope that Progressive doesn't give you any guff when you submit the tow bill.

I wonder if the AI would've accepted Transmode or 260 for the GMC model. I'd bet dollars to donuts it would...maybe worth a call to try it and if it goes through just hang up.

This is why I don't carry that insurance any more. After a few trouble-free years I've saved enough money that it's cheaper to just call my own tow truck.

My brother was unable to get towed from I95 using Good Sam. They told him he 'broke down in the wrong place' where there was no coverage. On I95??

 

[tmsnyder]

Honestly feeling pretty low right now. Stuck at a rest stop in WV (I-64E) at the top of the mountain and she won't start. Just hoping as the day cools we might get a miracle. If not ... I guess it'll be time to learn to hitchhike.

Thank God you are at a rest stop!

Did you thoroughly search the coach for replacement parts? There are storage compartments under the front seats, check there first.

Do you have cell service? If you haven't already, try Uber to get a ride to the nearest parts store and buy an ignition module and coil. Take the old ones with you to check the new parts against.

Or call the nearest auto parts store, explain your situation, and see if they would be willing to run the parts out to you.

 

[werewilfs]

Thank you for the warm welcome! We are excited to meet you; thank you kindly.

Basically, we're running into situations where we'll be driving along and suddenly the engine just stops. It feels like fuel starvation but we go from "fine" to "dead" instantly - no stuttering or anything else to indicate a problem. We have to sit for 30-90 minutes each time and restarting is a hope and a prayer - never a guarantee. We were thinking heat or altitude but have no actual idea what to do. Stranded with no tools and a bunch of parts for other systems except fuel.

Our provider is Progressive (the one USAA pushed us towards) but as we learned yesterday, their "assistance" is all AI and nothing we could get through them could help us.

Honestly feeling pretty low right now. Stuck at a rest stop in WV (I-64E) at the top of the mountain and she won't start. Just hoping as the day cools we might get a miracle. If not ... I guess it'll be time to learn to hitchhike.

this 100% sounds electrical. We had a similar problem and it was a bad coil in the distributor. Swapped out both the coil and the module as well as the cap (it had partially melted where the ground screw attaches inside the cap) and we were back on our way. We're up in Rappahannock County near Shenandoah NP. We've had our fair share of breakdowns and trust me we know how you're feeling right now. This is also why I now carry a small army of spare parts and tools with me to make sure I'm never in a position of waiting on a tow. We've waited before 24 hours+ in the past. It's an awful feeling. You've got some great people here giving advise.

 

[traveler1980]

Damn, Bruce, that sucks.
I hope that Progressive doesn't give you any guff when you submit the tow bill.

I wonder if the AI would've accepted Transmode or 260 for the GMC model. I'd bet dollars to donuts it would...maybe worth a call to try it and if it goes through just hang up.

I have AAA Premier RV and always run into the same issue. They don’t know anything about an old coach like ours and don’t know what to send. I’ve always found a company, paid, and then sent them the bill for reimbursement. Gone through this twice. It’s very stressful or very exciting depending on your temperament (I’m the former unfortunately), but you will get through this and come out more confident in your ability to troubleshoot issues!

 

[Arthfach]

this 100% sounds electrical. We had a similar problem and it was a bad coil in the distributor. Swapped out both the coil and the module as well as the cap (it had partially melted where the ground screw attaches inside the cap) and we were back on our way. We're up in Rappahannock County near Shenandoah NP. We've had our fair share of breakdowns and trust me we know how you're feeling right now. This is also why I now carry a small army of spare parts and tools with me to make sure I'm never in a position of waiting on a tow. We've waited before 24 hours+ in the past. It's an awful feeling. You've got some great people here giving advise.

So this was one of the problems. We managed to get a tow back to Charleston, WV and ended up with some kind mechanics (fellow veterans; was fun to talk history while they were working!) who were able to do some diagnosis and that's the first thing they saw. Ended up charging us $100 for a brand new distributor (one guy had two brand new ones on hand). They also noticed that our fuel line was leaking because someone used J-B Weld to tie the fuel line to the EFI return, which ended up ripping the line so we had a slow but steady leak.

Well, turns out that wasn't the only issue. We got everything fixed up and were ready to go, started up the mountain again. Sat comfortably in second gear, 35-40 MPH, everything sounds smooth ... then she stops dead again. Overheated, not that we knew at the time because we literally do not have a single functional gauge and have to use our GPS to track our speed, let alone fuel or temp values. But the REASON she overheated was just crazy ... the radiator cap was barely threaded on and both the PO and we'd been burning coolant away over the 900-ish miles it was driven since the engine rebuild and she just straight up ran out of coolant. Additionally, none of the fans work and at least one can just be hand turned with the engine off.

So the current situation is that she's with the mechanics tonight and tomorrow and they're going to be working on getting the fans going again and we're going to make sure she's full of coolant and ready to go. We're fairly confident the way we're driving won't stress her too hard on a 5-6% grade at least - we don't try to "petal to the floor" it or anything like that for sure.



tmsnyder: We have a good amount of replacement parts but unfortunately most of them were relevant for systems that weren't an issue, or systems that no longer exist (like the old carb).



Richard-RV: We will look into Coach-Net as soon as we can; thank you! The FiTech says 30020 when I hit OK on the handheld, so that's good to know as well.

 

[Kendra]

I'm so glad you were able to get the ignition issue sorted. Hopefully the single instance of overheating didn't stress anything too far.

We have a good amount of replacement parts but unfortunately most of them were relevant for systems that weren't an issue, or systems that no longer exist (like the old carb).

Once you have time after everything's running right, I suggest find the part number on your old carb and check if it's correct for a GMC. If it is, people here may be very interested in it as a rebuildable spare.

 

[Richard RV]

So this was one of the problems. We managed to get a tow back to Charleston, WV and ended up with some kind mechanics (fellow veterans; was fun to talk history while they were working!) who were able to do some diagnosis and that's the first thing they saw. Ended up charging us $100 for a brand new distributor (one guy had two brand new ones on hand). They also noticed that our fuel line was leaking because someone used J-B Weld to tie the fuel line to the EFI return, which ended up ripping the line so we had a slow but steady leak.

Well, turns out that wasn't the only issue. We got everything fixed up and were ready to go, started up the mountain again. Sat comfortably in second gear, 35-40 MPH, everything sounds smooth ... then she stops dead again. Overheated, not that we knew at the time because we literally do not have a single functional gauge and have to use our GPS to track our speed, let alone fuel or temp values. But the REASON she overheated was just crazy ... the radiator cap was barely threaded on and both the PO and we'd been burning coolant away over the 900-ish miles it was driven since the engine rebuild and she just straight up ran out of coolant. Additionally, none of the fans work and at least one can just be hand turned with the engine off.

So the current situation is that she's with the mechanics tonight and tomorrow and they're going to be working on getting the fans going again and we're going to make sure she's full of coolant and ready to go. We're fairly confident the way we're driving won't stress her too hard on a 5-6% grade at least - we don't try to "petal to the floor" it or anything like that for sure.

Like Remo Williams - the adventure begins! It sounds like you've got a good handle on the issues and you've found mechanics you like.

So far you're doing great! Keep it up, I'll be watching. LOL!

 

[tmsnyder]

So this was one of the problems. We managed to get a tow back to Charleston, WV and ended up with some kind mechanics (fellow veterans; was fun to talk history while they were working!) who were able to do some diagnosis and that's the first thing they saw. Ended up charging us $100 for a brand new distributor (one guy had two brand new ones on hand). They also noticed that our fuel line was leaking because someone used J-B Weld to tie the fuel line to the EFI return, which ended up ripping the line so we had a slow but steady leak.

Well, turns out that wasn't the only issue. We got everything fixed up and were ready to go, started up the mountain again. Sat comfortably in second gear, 35-40 MPH, everything sounds smooth ... then she stops dead again. Overheated, not that we knew at the time because we literally do not have a single functional gauge and have to use our GPS to track our speed, let alone fuel or temp values. But the REASON she overheated was just crazy ... the radiator cap was barely threaded on and both the PO and we'd been burning coolant away over the 900-ish miles it was driven since the engine rebuild and she just straight up ran out of coolant. Additionally, none of the fans work and at least one can just be hand turned with the engine off.

So the current situation is that she's with the mechanics tonight and tomorrow and they're going to be working on getting the fans going again and we're going to make sure she's full of coolant and ready to go. We're fairly confident the way we're driving won't stress her too hard on a 5-6% grade at least - we don't try to "petal to the floor" it or anything like that for sure.



tmsnyder: We have a good amount of replacement parts but unfortunately most of them were relevant for systems that weren't an issue, or systems that no longer exist (like the old carb).



Richard-RV: We will look into Coach-Net as soon as we can; thank you! The FiTech says 30020 when I hit OK on the handheld, so that's good to know as well.

That was really good of them to get you a new distributor for $100, but that means that the distributor only cost $100. You are running on borrowed time with a $100 distributor, that coil and module is extremely 'suspect'. Next time you get near a car parts store buy a good quality coil and ignition module to carry with you.

Unscrewing the radiator cap when the engine is consuming water is something I would do 'just to get me home'. That way the engine wont build pressure and the rate of consumption will go way down. However, the follow-up to that is you need to keep track of the coolant level like a HAWK. You may have up to 40 gallons of fresh water on board, that water is way better than zero distilled water in the engine. Top it off and drive for 30 minutes, then check it. If it takes less than a quart, try driving an hour and check it. Figure out how much water it's using and top it off so you don't have to add more than a gallon at a time. If it hasn't been done already you should add some Stop-Leak to plug up the leak you have. I use K-Seal. It may be too late however, since you've already overheated.

I forgot to mention that ground black pepper is a good StopLeak product from what I've heard, and you probably have some on hand!