Diesel Smell

[sizzbiz2]

We have a 2004 M380 and despite the efforts of the factory, we continue
to get the smell of raw diesel in the coach as well as in the first
three bins. The smell in the coach seems to come in via the heater
vents and from the air intake vent under the refrigerator.
I would appreciate knowing of others who have had this problem and what
solutions have been developed.
Thanks for the help.

Jim McGinnis
M380 # 151
Los Angeles

[Gregory OConnor]

Jim, I don't have a coach that new, don't have any friends with that
kinda money but. the problem must be ;tank vent or ;injector line
crack; or fuel supply to injector pump leak.

If after being unstarted for several days the smell is still present,
it is most likley fuel tank vent location. I would locate the tank
vent and raise it. Call AZ bus sales in Colton CA.

You can dust the engine with talc, and run it, then look for the
wetspot. ( Mike, I will refraim) That will show possible leaks in the
high pressure fuel rack that is so fine it makes the airfuel mix
dangerous.

You may be able to turn the key on and listen to see if the pickup pump
keeps cycling on and off. that will show a leak in a line from the
tank to the high pressure injector pump.

the other leak may be a return line from the injector rack to the
tank. to find this you would have to disconnect line at rack and tank,
plug one end and pressurize the other.

Hope it helps
bring your bus to the SW Rally next week, everyone is parking downwind
of me also.

Gregory O'Connor
94 PT Romoland CA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sizzbiz2" <sizzbiz2@...>
wrote:
>
> We have a 2004 M380 and despite the efforts of the factory, we
continue
> to get the smell of raw diesel in the coach as well as in the first
> three bins. The smell in the coach seems to come in via the heater
> vents and from the air intake vent under the refrigerator.
> I would appreciate knowing of others who have had this problem and
what
> solutions have been developed.
> Thanks for the help.
>
> Jim McGinnis
> M380 # 151
> Los Angeles
>

[Scott]

Jim, a 04 M380, lemme get this right (at the risk of being a smart a$$)
You paid several hundred thousand for a new coach and it smells like
diesel, and has for some time. I am sure you have contacted BB for
advise and to fix the problem, under warranty of course! Just curious
what they said and have done. Ya know they resevered 14+million for
warranty issues, in their self professed revival. None the less what
did they say?? Have they left you to figure it out yourself?? Some
time soon, I know that they will be sending a tech with a coach (a new
450) to the left coast to redeliver it since in appx a year the coach
has had several "false starts" This coach has never made it to the home
of the owner! Last attempt it made it appx 100 miles from Ft Valley!
Maybe, the Tech could come to your location when delivering that coach.

Anyway, I rememeber a post from another owner on this forum that had a
similar issue. Jim Scoggins owns a M380 (not his coach leaking) and is
very knowledgable owner. (mebbe he will chime in here) but I think they
had fuel leaking into one of the bays as well. There has to be a fuel
line as Greg suggests leaking. Keep in mind that diesel can follow a
fuel line for a long ways before finally dripping off. Especially, if
the coach sits in one place for any period of time. I would check very
closely the heating system for a fuel leak, this may take some
creative thinking and lots of flashlight batteries. Can you see the
fuel line from underneath the coach (be very careful) from the fuel
tank forward? What about the top, sides of the storeage bays, you have
access to the rear of the refer? A fuel leak around a flame is a very
dangerous issue. I would think it is somewhat of a small leak (even
though it probably smells like a refinery) otherwise you would see fuel
dripping on the pavement, or the underside of the coach and/or your
towed and the back of the coach would look like it has a sheen, or
specks of road dust from the diesel fuel.

Best of luck and hope you get to the bottom of this. Let us know what
you find.

Scott B
86FC35
SC
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sizzbiz2" <sizzbiz2@...>
wrote:
>
> We have a 2004 M380 and despite the efforts of the factory, we
continue
> to get the smell of raw diesel in the coach as well as in the first
> three bins. The smell in the coach seems to come in via the heater
> vents and from the air intake vent under the refrigerator.
> I would appreciate knowing of others who have had this problem and
what
> solutions have been developed.
> Thanks for the help.
>
> Jim McGinnis
> M380 # 151
> Los Angeles
>

[davidkerryedwards]

If I'm not mistaken, the leak detectors the Public Service companies
use to detect gas leaks in houses are hydrocarbon detectors. If you
could rent or borrow one, and set the sensitivity level appropriately,
I think it would be possible to trace back the smell to the area of
highest concentration. Those detectors are much more sensitive than
our noses and this would be much better than a visual inspection.

Kerry

[George Lowry]

Jim,

Vehicle Systems had a problem with the fuel pump in the Aquahot
leaking a few years ago. Mine did in the '95 Bird. Took me quite a
while to find it. Meanwhile all the carpeting in the bays were soaked.
Got most of it out by soaking the carpet with vinegar, vacuuming. then
washing with soap an water with lots of vacuuming.

The leak could be in either the supply or return lines of either the
generator or the Aquahot. I think that BB should stand behind it also.

George Lowry
'06 Alpine Apex - Formerly '95 WBDA 4203
Spearfish, SD - Enroute to Wilderness Lakes TTN, CA

Scott wrote:.

> Jim, a 04 M380, lemme get this right (at the risk of being a smart a$$)
> You paid several hundred thousand for a new coach and it smells like
> diesel, and has for some time. I am sure you have contacted BB for
> advise and to fix the problem, under warranty of course! Just curious
> what they said and have done. Ya know they resevered 14+million for
> warranty issues, in their self professed revival. None the less what
> did they say?? Have they left you to figure it out yourself?? Some
> time soon, I know that they will be sending a tech with a coach (a new
> 450) to the left coast to redeliver it since in appx a year the coach
> has had several "false starts" This coach has never made it to the home
> of the owner! Last attempt it made it appx 100 miles from Ft Valley!
> Maybe, the Tech could come to your location when delivering that coach.
>
> Anyway, I rememeber a post from another owner on this forum that had a
> similar issue. Jim Scoggins owns a M380 (not his coach leaking) and is
> very knowledgable owner. (mebbe he will chime in here) but I think they
> had fuel leaking into one of the bays as well. There has to be a fuel
> line as Greg suggests leaking. Keep in mind that diesel can follow a
> fuel line for a long ways before finally dripping off. Especially, if
> the coach sits in one place for any period of time. I would check very
> closely the heating system for a fuel leak, this may take some
> creative thinking and lots of flashlight batteries. Can you see the
> fuel line from underneath the coach (be very careful) from the fuel
> tank forward? What about the top, sides of the storeage bays, you have
> access to the rear of the refer? A fuel leak around a flame is a very
> dangerous issue. I would think it is somewhat of a small leak (even
> though it probably smells like a refinery) otherwise you would see fuel
> dripping on the pavement, or the underside of the coach and/or your
> towed and the back of the coach would look like it has a sheen, or
> specks of road dust from the diesel fuel.
>
> Best of luck and hope you get to the bottom of this. Let us know what
> you find.
>
> Scott B
> 86FC35
> SC
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "sizzbiz2" <sizzbiz2@...>
> wrote:
>
>>We have a 2004 M380 and despite the efforts of the factory, we
>
> continue
>
>>to get the smell of raw diesel in the coach as well as in the first
>>three bins. The smell in the coach seems to come in via the heater
>>vents and from the air intake vent under the refrigerator.
>>I would appreciate knowing of others who have had this problem and
>
> what
>
>>solutions have been developed.
>>Thanks for the help.
>>
>>Jim McGinnis
>>M380 # 151
>>Los Angeles
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Scott]

Kerry, FYI several members have such a "sniffer" they are great tools
for propane leaks, ac leaks, even natrl gas leaks...BUT for a fuel
leak??? You may not know or have had enough experiance with diesel
fuel. Diesel fuel is very oily and can run a long way on a fuel line,
wiring harness, structural support among other things, then drip on top
of some carpet in the storage bay. Generally, all are obvious upon
visual inspection. Are telling me that the "sniffer" can follow that
leak back to the source better than a visual inspection??? Mebee on the
left coast they have such a tool but here on the right coast I have not
seen one. George is the member I was thinking about and he is "on" it
now..Good luck Jim with the leak..

Scott B
86FC35
SC
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> If I'm not mistaken, the leak detectors the Public Service companies
> use to detect gas leaks in houses are hydrocarbon detectors. If you
> could rent or borrow one, and set the sensitivity level appropriately,
> I think it would be possible to trace back the smell to the area of
> highest concentration. Those detectors are much more sensitive than
> our noses and this would be much better than a visual inspection.
>
> Kerry
>

[Joe Frost]

Jim:

We had a 1990 or 91 Wanderlodge which had the problem you describe. The cause
may or may not be the same. Ours was a defective Aqua-Hot unit. We tried for
two years to get it fixed and it never was. Finally we sold the coach, diesel
smell and all. Our new Wanderlodge has an Aqua-Hot as well, and though we are
not particularly excited about it, so far no smell.

Regards.

Joe Frost, 2003 43' Wanderlodge



> We have a 2004 M380 and despite the efforts of the factory, we
continue
> to get the smell of raw diesel in the coach as well as in the first
> three bins. The smell in the coach seems to come in via the heater
> vents and from the air intake vent under the refrigerator.
> I would appreciate knowing of others who have had this problem and
what
> solutions have been developed.
> Thanks for the help.
>
> Jim McGinnis
> M380 # 151
> Los Angeles
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[davidkerryedwards]

If they are detecting hydrocarbons, I don't see why it wouldn't work
on diesel. I've used my relatively cheap version to trace natural
gas leaks, and I've watched Public Service people use them to trace
a leak back to its source. The smell must be evaporated diesel and
the concentration will be higher near the source. Why not?

Kerry

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott"
wrote:
>
> Kerry, FYI several members have such a "sniffer" they are great
tools
> for propane leaks, ac leaks, even natrl gas leaks...BUT for a fuel
> leak??? You may not know or have had enough experiance with diesel
> fuel. Diesel fuel is very oily and can run a long way on a fuel
line,
> wiring harness, structural support among other things, then drip
on top
> of some carpet in the storage bay. Generally, all are obvious upon
> visual inspection. Are telling me that the "sniffer" can follow
that
> leak back to the source better than a visual inspection??? Mebee
on the
> left coast they have such a tool but here on the right coast I
have not
> seen one. George is the member I was thinking about and he is "on"
it
> now..Good luck Jim with the leak..
>
> Scott B
> 86FC35
> SC
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
> wrote:
> >
> > If I'm not mistaken, the leak detectors the Public Service
companies
> > use to detect gas leaks in houses are hydrocarbon detectors. If
you
> > could rent or borrow one, and set the sensitivity level
appropriately,
> > I think it would be possible to trace back the smell to the area
of
> > highest concentration. Those detectors are much more sensitive
than
> > our noses and this would be much better than a visual inspection.
> >
> > Kerry
> >
>

[Curt Sprenger]

Kerry,
Seems that would work. I just went out and used my elec. sniffer at the
fuel tank filler neck. At the top of the opening the sniffer squeals
some. The squeal intensifies as the the sniffer is moved in the
direction of the diesel fuel.

Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif.



davidkerryedwards wrote:

> If they are detecting hydrocarbons, I don't see why it wouldn't work
> on diesel. I've used my relatively cheap version to trace natural
> gas leaks, and I've watched Public Service people use them to trace
> a leak back to its source. The smell must be evaporated diesel and
> the concentration will be higher near the source. Why not?
>
> Kerry
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott"
> wrote:
> >
> > Kerry, FYI several members have such a "sniffer" they are great
> tools
> > for propane leaks, ac leaks, even natrl gas leaks...BUT for a fuel
> > leak??? You may not know or have had enough experiance with diesel
> > fuel. Diesel fuel is very oily and can run a long way on a fuel
> line,
> > wiring harness, structural support among other things, then drip
> on top
> > of some carpet in the storage bay. Generally, all are obvious upon
> > visual inspection. Are telling me that the "sniffer" can follow
> that
> > leak back to the source better than a visual inspection??? Mebee
> on the
> > left coast they have such a tool but here on the right coast I
> have not
> > seen one. George is the member I was thinking about and he is "on"
> it
> > now..Good luck Jim with the leak..
> >
> > Scott B
> > 86FC35
> > SC
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > If I'm not mistaken, the leak detectors the Public Service
> companies
> > > use to detect gas leaks in houses are hydrocarbon detectors. If
> you
> > > could rent or borrow one, and set the sensitivity level
> appropriately,
> > > I think it would be possible to trace back the smell to the area
> of
> > > highest concentration. Those detectors are much more sensitive
> than
> > > our noses and this would be much better than a visual inspection.
> > >
> > > Kerry
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> SPONSORED LINKS
> Recreational vehicles
>
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sed+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=DAUkCKkU7Dzhn_O\
bWmSYTw>
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[davidkerryedwards]

Thanks for checking. I guess all those science classes weren't
wasted on me after all.

Kerry

-- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Curt Sprenger
wrote:
>
> Kerry,
> Seems that would work. I just went out and used my elec. sniffer
at the
> fuel tank filler neck. At the top of the opening the sniffer
squeals
> some. The squeal intensifies as the the sniffer is moved in the
> direction of the diesel fuel.
>
> Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif.
>
>
>
> davidkerryedwards wrote:
>
> > If they are detecting hydrocarbons, I don't see why it wouldn't
work
> > on diesel. I've used my relatively cheap version to trace
natural
> > gas leaks, and I've watched Public Service people use them to
trace
> > a leak back to its source. The smell must be evaporated diesel
and
> > the concentration will be higher near the source. Why not?
> >
> > Kerry
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Kerry, FYI several members have such a "sniffer" they are great
> > tools
> > > for propane leaks, ac leaks, even natrl gas leaks...BUT for a
fuel
> > > leak??? You may not know or have had enough experiance with
diesel
> > > fuel. Diesel fuel is very oily and can run a long way on a fuel
> > line,
> > > wiring harness, structural support among other things, then
drip
> > on top
> > > of some carpet in the storage bay. Generally, all are obvious
upon
> > > visual inspection. Are telling me that the "sniffer" can follow
> > that
> > > leak back to the source better than a visual inspection???
Mebee
> > on the
> > > left coast they have such a tool but here on the right coast I
> > have not
> > > seen one. George is the member I was thinking about and he
is "on"
> > it
> > > now..Good luck Jim with the leak..
> > >
> > > Scott B
> > > 86FC35
> > > SC
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > If I'm not mistaken, the leak detectors the Public Service
> > companies
> > > > use to detect gas leaks in houses are hydrocarbon
detectors. If
> > you
> > > > could rent or borrow one, and set the sensitivity level
> > appropriately,
> > > > I think it would be possible to trace back the smell to the
area
> > of
> > > > highest concentration. Those detectors are much more
sensitive
> > than
> > > > our noses and this would be much better than a visual
inspection.
> > > >
> > > > Kerry
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > SPONSORED LINKS
> > Recreational vehicles
> > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Recreational+vehicles&w1=Recreational+vehicles&w2=Wanderlodge&
w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Used+recr
eational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=DAUkCKkU7Dzh
n_ObWmSYTw>
> > Wanderlodge
> > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Wanderlodge&w1=Recreational+vehicles&w2=Wanderlodge&w3=Automot
ive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Used+recreational+v
ehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=Z-
8HJdysB3QLPj9U0JvqYQ>
> > Automotive maintenance
> > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Automotive+maintenance&w1=Recreational+vehicles&w2=Wanderlodge
&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Used+rec
reational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=IF4u_5wI8Pm
y34cC1O9CxA>
> >
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> > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w1=Recreational+vehicles&w2=Wander
lodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Use
d+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=z6_Xah
aeYHfELr6o72IW1A>
> > Used recreational vehicles
> > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Used+recreational+vehicles&w1=Recreational+vehicles&w2=Wanderl
odge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Used
+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=UGEY5km
4L-kXbDI4ZSadEw>
> > Automotive radiators
> > <http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?
t=ms&k=Automotive+radiators&w1=Recreational+vehicles&w2=Wanderlodge&w
3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Used+recre
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nMq_4GlXA>
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