I want to thank three GMC owners who helped me diagnose a problem I had wit=
h my coach on the way home from the Mansfield rally: =C2=A0Bob Stone, Bob B=
urkitt and Randy Van Winkle. In Kentucky, forty miles or so south of Cinc=
innati on I-71 we pulled onto the front section of a gas station for a rest=
stop. =C2=A0The coach wouldn't start when we were ready to leave. The star=
ter turned the engine over but it wouldn't start. =C2=A0Three construction =
workers in a diesel pickup truck offered to give me a jump. =C2=A0I =C2=
=A0didn't think it would help but accepted the offer. =C2=A0The engine star=
ted but wouldn't idle. =C2=A0As soon as I took my foot off the gas pedal it=
died. =C2=A0After a few tries, I learned how to keep it running most of th=
e time but didn't want to chance driving 300-miles like that. =C2=A0It migh=
t have been okay on the interstate but might not restart if we stopped for =
any reason. =C2=A0The good Samaritans in the pickup offered to lead me to t=
he nearest campground, which turned out to be 8-10 miles away on narrow roa=
ds, up and down hills and around curves. =C2=A0When we got to the campgroun=
d the guys wouldn't take anything for their trouble. The campground itsel=
f was fine but there was no AT&T cell service. =C2=A0This was "Verizon only=
" country. =C2=A0I had to ask the lady who runs the campground to use her p=
hone. =C2=A0I then called Bob Stone. =C2=A0He suggested I call Bob Burkitt =
who lives in Cincinnati and Randy Van Winkle who is very knowledgeable on t=
hrottle body injection. =C2=A0When I reached Randy and described the sympto=
ms, he said it sounded like the Idle Air Control (IAC) was not retracting. =
=C2=A0If not, it could be the Throttle Position Sensor or possibly the MAP =
sensor, in that order. =C2=A0He told me I could tell if the IAC was retract=
ing by looking at the pintle, the arrow head shaped end of the spring loade=
d rod on the end of the IAC. =C2=A0If it visible inside the TBI, it probabl=
y wasn't retracted to allow air into the system for the next startup. =
=C2=A0I checked. =C2=A0The pintle was visible inside the TBI so I decided t=
o =C2=A0try to find a replacement. =C2=A0About this time, my neighbor in th=
e campground offered to give me a ride into Carrolton, a town of about 4,00=
0 people. =C2=A0It turned out that Carrolton had an AutoZone, Advance Auto =
NAPA and an independent parts store. =C2=A0None had an IAC in stock but the=
AutoZone could get one from another store by 6:30 that evening. =C2=A0It w=
as about 2:30 in the afternoon. =C2=A0I couldn't ask my campground neighbor=
to wait until 6:30 so we went back to the campground. =C2=A0He told me on =
the way back that he had family coming in to visit and wouldn't be able to =
give me a ride back into town. =C2=A0The lady manager of the campground off=
ered to go into town after she closed and pick up the part. =C2=A0At 9:30 P=
M she knocked on our door and handed me the part. =C2=A0She wouldn't take a=
nything for her trouble either. =C2=A0I immediately put the new IAC on. =
=C2=A0The engine started and idled down perfectly. =C2=A0We stayed the nigh=
t, unhooked and started the engine the next morning, ready to leave. =C2=
=A0The engine wouldn't keep running. =C2=A0As soon as I took my foot off th=
e gas it died. =C2=A0We were back to square one. =C2=A0 My wife at this p=
oint was more than ready to get home. =C2=A0I was trying to decide what to =
do next about the coach. =C2=A0She was suggesting options for getting her o=
ut of there. =C2=A0I called Bob Burkitt, he started looking for parts aroun=
d Cincinnati, checking rental car and airline possibilities. =C2=A0Randy Va=
n Winkle again went through what the problem might be. =C2=A0These included=
the O2 sensor and even the computer itself. =C2=A0I carry a spare computer=
but it has never been tested. =C2=A0I bought it at a junk yard a few years=
ago for $20 and stuck it under the seat in the coach. =C2=A0I also carry a=
spare ignition module and rotor. =C2=A0I tried all these parts without suc=
cess. =C2=A0Another campground neighbor came by and offered to take me into=
town. =C2=A0I jumped at the chance. =C2=A0It so happens there were two pos=
sibilities, the pintle diameter on one is slightly larger than the other. =
=C2=A0AutoZone had gotten them both in from the other store. =C2=A0This tim=
e we miked the pintle on my old IAC. =C2=A0Sure enough, the diameter of the=
first replacement IAC was slightly smaller than the other one. =C2=A0When =
I tried the second IAC the engine started, idled down correctly and restart=
ed. =C2=A0So, again we stayed the night. =C2=A0The next morning the engine =
started, idled down correctly and restarted. =C2=A0Three hundred interstate=
miles later we were home without a hitch. =C2=A0 Here's what I learne=
d:1. Never take a GMC trip without a tow car2. How to basically troubleshoo=
t a TBI3. What spare parts to carry4. Keep the blacklist handy5. Return the=
favors=C2=A0 Importantly, I was reminded of the goodness or people. =
=C2=A0I had a lot of help from good people who saw that I needed help and f=
rom fellow GMC motorhome owners, namely Bob Stone, Bob Burkitt and Randy Va=
n Winkle. =C2=A0=C2=A0 Thanks to everyone, Tom Whitton26 foot updated G=
MC (now with a new IAC)Paducah, KY =C2=
=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0
h my coach on the way home from the Mansfield rally: =C2=A0Bob Stone, Bob B=
urkitt and Randy Van Winkle. In Kentucky, forty miles or so south of Cinc=
innati on I-71 we pulled onto the front section of a gas station for a rest=
stop. =C2=A0The coach wouldn't start when we were ready to leave. The star=
ter turned the engine over but it wouldn't start. =C2=A0Three construction =
workers in a diesel pickup truck offered to give me a jump. =C2=A0I =C2=
=A0didn't think it would help but accepted the offer. =C2=A0The engine star=
ted but wouldn't idle. =C2=A0As soon as I took my foot off the gas pedal it=
died. =C2=A0After a few tries, I learned how to keep it running most of th=
e time but didn't want to chance driving 300-miles like that. =C2=A0It migh=
t have been okay on the interstate but might not restart if we stopped for =
any reason. =C2=A0The good Samaritans in the pickup offered to lead me to t=
he nearest campground, which turned out to be 8-10 miles away on narrow roa=
ds, up and down hills and around curves. =C2=A0When we got to the campgroun=
d the guys wouldn't take anything for their trouble. The campground itsel=
f was fine but there was no AT&T cell service. =C2=A0This was "Verizon only=
" country. =C2=A0I had to ask the lady who runs the campground to use her p=
hone. =C2=A0I then called Bob Stone. =C2=A0He suggested I call Bob Burkitt =
who lives in Cincinnati and Randy Van Winkle who is very knowledgeable on t=
hrottle body injection. =C2=A0When I reached Randy and described the sympto=
ms, he said it sounded like the Idle Air Control (IAC) was not retracting. =
=C2=A0If not, it could be the Throttle Position Sensor or possibly the MAP =
sensor, in that order. =C2=A0He told me I could tell if the IAC was retract=
ing by looking at the pintle, the arrow head shaped end of the spring loade=
d rod on the end of the IAC. =C2=A0If it visible inside the TBI, it probabl=
y wasn't retracted to allow air into the system for the next startup. =
=C2=A0I checked. =C2=A0The pintle was visible inside the TBI so I decided t=
o =C2=A0try to find a replacement. =C2=A0About this time, my neighbor in th=
e campground offered to give me a ride into Carrolton, a town of about 4,00=
0 people. =C2=A0It turned out that Carrolton had an AutoZone, Advance Auto =
NAPA and an independent parts store. =C2=A0None had an IAC in stock but the=
AutoZone could get one from another store by 6:30 that evening. =C2=A0It w=
as about 2:30 in the afternoon. =C2=A0I couldn't ask my campground neighbor=
to wait until 6:30 so we went back to the campground. =C2=A0He told me on =
the way back that he had family coming in to visit and wouldn't be able to =
give me a ride back into town. =C2=A0The lady manager of the campground off=
ered to go into town after she closed and pick up the part. =C2=A0At 9:30 P=
M she knocked on our door and handed me the part. =C2=A0She wouldn't take a=
nything for her trouble either. =C2=A0I immediately put the new IAC on. =
=C2=A0The engine started and idled down perfectly. =C2=A0We stayed the nigh=
t, unhooked and started the engine the next morning, ready to leave. =C2=
=A0The engine wouldn't keep running. =C2=A0As soon as I took my foot off th=
e gas it died. =C2=A0We were back to square one. =C2=A0 My wife at this p=
oint was more than ready to get home. =C2=A0I was trying to decide what to =
do next about the coach. =C2=A0She was suggesting options for getting her o=
ut of there. =C2=A0I called Bob Burkitt, he started looking for parts aroun=
d Cincinnati, checking rental car and airline possibilities. =C2=A0Randy Va=
n Winkle again went through what the problem might be. =C2=A0These included=
the O2 sensor and even the computer itself. =C2=A0I carry a spare computer=
but it has never been tested. =C2=A0I bought it at a junk yard a few years=
ago for $20 and stuck it under the seat in the coach. =C2=A0I also carry a=
spare ignition module and rotor. =C2=A0I tried all these parts without suc=
cess. =C2=A0Another campground neighbor came by and offered to take me into=
town. =C2=A0I jumped at the chance. =C2=A0It so happens there were two pos=
sibilities, the pintle diameter on one is slightly larger than the other. =
=C2=A0AutoZone had gotten them both in from the other store. =C2=A0This tim=
e we miked the pintle on my old IAC. =C2=A0Sure enough, the diameter of the=
first replacement IAC was slightly smaller than the other one. =C2=A0When =
I tried the second IAC the engine started, idled down correctly and restart=
ed. =C2=A0So, again we stayed the night. =C2=A0The next morning the engine =
started, idled down correctly and restarted. =C2=A0Three hundred interstate=
miles later we were home without a hitch. =C2=A0 Here's what I learne=
d:1. Never take a GMC trip without a tow car2. How to basically troubleshoo=
t a TBI3. What spare parts to carry4. Keep the blacklist handy5. Return the=
favors=C2=A0 Importantly, I was reminded of the goodness or people. =
=C2=A0I had a lot of help from good people who saw that I needed help and f=
rom fellow GMC motorhome owners, namely Bob Stone, Bob Burkitt and Randy Va=
n Winkle. =C2=A0=C2=A0 Thanks to everyone, Tom Whitton26 foot updated G=
MC (now with a new IAC)Paducah, KY =C2=
=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0
