Engine problems....

Can't go anywhere without a working drivetrain
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Lil thunder
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B190 Year: 91
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Engine problems....

Post by Lil thunder »

We bought a 91van, almost 2 years ago, planned on full timing for a little while . Got a great deal on the purchase price.i repainted it, including hundreds of airbrushed rivets, new tires, ripped out the crappy sofa and made a more permanent bed area, to utilize all the space underneath . The generator cranked up fine, them immediately the plastic cooling fan came apart, wrecked it totally . Ripped it out, and used the space for solar batteries.
I've replaced tons of stuff inside, mainly due to brittle plastic.
Anyway, we finally were ready !
We left florida, heading west just before Christmas . We lost an alternator belt just short of Colorado. Got cold there, went to quartzsite for a few weeks, heading into Death Valley, an inverter shorted, causing my brand new A GM batteries to catch fire. Lost one, but still had another that worked. A week later, in pahrump, nv , we blew transmission fluid all over the desert. 2500$ for a rebuilt tranny. Ran fine all the way to Washington. The renters leasing our house called, said they couldn't pay. So , we aborted the trip, came back to florida. 100 miles from home, the check engine light came on. Still ran ok , just a little hesitant. Now, before we left, I changed both fuel tanks, and new pumps.wires , plugs, oil, filters , rotor& distributor cap, fuel pressure valve. Was starting, would run about 5 miles. , stall out, and die. Crank , and pp gas like crazy, and it would stay again, and usually run. Now staying at sisters, cranks , but I'm scared to leave the yard in it. When it's cold started, cranks fine .runs 5 minutes, stalls out, died, flood the engine, it starts back up, but blows fuel out of the exhaust . Greyish black smoke. Just before putting a bullet or 10 in the old girl . Anyone have anything similar to this? I hate to shoot her, but just about there. Fuel pressure test was about 39psi, after the new rail pump was installed. Tons of money invested, getting madder by the minute!
VT964x4
Weekend Camper
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Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:09 pm
B190 Year: 1996
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Location: Vermont

Re: Engine problems....

Post by VT964x4 »

Oh man, what a rough story. Really sorry to hear about all the hassles. I can imagine that ambivalence---just shoot the beast or try again? I will wait for others with more experience to weigh in.
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skater
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Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1991
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Re: Engine problems....

Post by skater »

I'd pull the plugs, wires, coil, cap, and rotor and check all of them. Fuel out the exhaust points to one or more cylinders not firing, I think.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
nvestysly
Seasoned Traveler
Posts: 149
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 4:22 pm
B190 Year: 1998
WBCCI: 16771

Re: Engine problems....

Post by nvestysly »

I don't have a fix but it's a Ford truck and many Ford truck problems are discussed and resolved on the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forum. Not saying somebody here won't have good ideas but since it's a engine issue (possibly electrical/electronic)you may want to check the http://www.ford-trucks.com/ web site.

Don't shoot her just yet. Good Luck! And when you have time we'd love to see pictures of those airbrushed rivets - that sounds cool!
We sold our 1998 B190, V-10
Currently own a 2010 Airstream Interstate
jb1rd73
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B190 Year: 1994
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Location: Vail Valley Colorado

Re: Engine problems....

Post by jb1rd73 »

Probably best to replace with a reman. or Find a 12 V cummins and do a proper engine swap. Sounds like a perfect candidate if all the RV bugs are worked out you will have a hella of a rig. Suppose you could swap it for the 7.3 idi and add a turbo but the cummins seems to be the swap of preference. Good luck and don't give up on the old girl!!!
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skater
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B190 Year: 1991
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Re: Engine problems....

Post by skater »

jb1rd73 wrote:Probably best to replace with a reman. or Find a 12 V cummins and do a proper engine swap. Sounds like a perfect candidate if all the RV bugs are worked out you will have a hella of a rig. Suppose you could swap it for the 7.3 idi and add a turbo but the cummins seems to be the swap of preference. Good luck and don't give up on the old girl!!!
So you think the engine is in need of replacement?
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
URStruly
Weekend Camper
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 12:23 pm
B190 Year: 1991
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Location: Shelby, NC

Re: Engine problems....

Post by URStruly »

Please record it when you shoot the old girl. I bet she will squeal like a pig.
Lil thunder
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B190 Year: 91
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Re: Engine problems....

Post by Lil thunder »

The engine cranks too easily, and runs too smooth to be a really major issue, it's probably something minor . I am disabled, and not really mechanically inclined. Not a total idiot, but feel pretty close. The truck ran so well for 11000 miles... It has to be something causing it to run rich . And, it'll be on CNN and Fox News when I take her out, not on YouTube . Blaze of glory...." Insane guy shoots van, film at 11" kinda thing.
Lil thunder
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Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 5:11 pm
B190 Year: 91
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Re: Engine problems....

Post by Lil thunder »

Coolant temperature sensor was bad, causing engine to keep feeding fuel like a cold engine, even after engine temp was at operating temp. Who woulda guessed? !
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skater
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B190 Year: 1991
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Re: Engine problems....

Post by skater »

Lil thunder wrote:Coolant temperature sensor was bad, causing engine to keep feeding fuel like a cold engine, even after engine temp was at operating temp. Who woulda guessed? !
I'm glad you didn't replace the engine over a simple sensor!
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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