Popular New Guides Product Guides Tools Checklists My Rig

Results for "distributor"

783+ Q&A Updated Weekly Free
Ford F53 7.5L RV Won't Start: Fuel Pump Relay Voltage Drop Fix
Engine Hard 4-6 hours 171 👍

Ford F53 7.5L RV Won't Start: Fuel Pump Relay Voltage Drop Fix

Woke up to my 1996 Ford F53 7.5L motorhome eating through my patience and wallet with this no-start issue that keeps coming back. It cranks strong but absolutely will not start, and I've been chasing this problem for weeks now. The engine ran fine for about 3-4 minutes one day, then just died and hasn't started since.

I've already done quite a bit of diagnostic work:
- Replaced PCM and distributor
- Fuel pump works when powered directly
- Battery is fully charged
- Checked fuses and relays
- PCM relay voltage drops from 12.2V to 9.3V with key on
- Fuel pump relay only shows 3.3V at pin 86 (should be 12V)
- Inertia switch tested at 1.7V at connector
- ANL 178 fusible link fluctuates between 0.3-0.6V

The engine will only start with starter fluid when the SPOUT is removed. I'm getting only 5.5V at the fuel pump connector.

Has anyone dealt with this specific issue on an F53 chassis? I really need to get this RV back on the road and I'm running out of ideas! …more
Ford F53 No Spark: Complete Ignition Troubleshooting Guide
Engine Medium 2-4 hours 96 👍

Ford F53 No Spark: Complete Ignition Troubleshooting Guide

Halfway through a cross-country trip, my Ford F53 Class A motorhome with the 7.5L V8 cranks but won't fire, has zero spark, AND left me completely stranded. The issue began intermittently with starting problems, then progressed to a complete no-start condition with zero spark at both the coil and distributor.

I've systematically replaced the distributor, ignition control module (ICM), and coil, but the no-spark condition persists. This is an EFI system without a crank position sensor - my research indicates it relies on the pickup coil within the distributor for ignition timing.

What are the most likely causes for this complete ignition failure, and what diagnostic steps should I follow to isolate the root cause? I need a methodical troubleshooting approach since parts replacement hasn't resolved the issue. …more
Norcold Bankruptcy: What RV Owners Need to Know About Parts & Service Options
Ac Refrigeration Easy N/A - information 86 👍

Norcold Bankruptcy: What RV Owners Need to Know About Parts & Service Options

Just found out Norcold filed for bankruptcy and now I'm sitting here with a fridge that needs a cooling unit replacement. Dealer says parts might not be available much longer and is pushing me to switch to Dometic. How worried should I actually be about getting Norcold parts and service going forward? …more
Ford F53 460 Engine Timing Marks: How to Locate and Check (Step-by-Step Guide)
Engine Medium 30 minutes 85 👍

Ford F53 460 Engine Timing Marks: How to Locate and Check (Step-by-Step Guide)

About to drop serious cash on a used Class A motorhome with a Ford F53 460 engine — should I check those timing marks myself or am I asking for trouble? Where exactly are the timing marks located? I can see the harmonic balancer but having trouble spotting the marks and pointer. What's the best way to make them visible and actually read them with a timing light? …more
Cummins Onan Generator Service: What to Do When Dealers Won't Service
Engine Easy Informational 80 👍

Cummins Onan Generator Service: What to Do When Dealers Won't Service

Called three Cummins dealers about servicing my 12-year-old Onan generator and they all said it's "too old," but my neighbor's same-age unit gets serviced just fine. My generator is about 12 years old and needs some work done on it.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed - are there other options for getting older Onan generators repaired? I'm worried I won't be able to find anyone to work on it or get parts. Any guidance would be really appreciated since I'm not sure where else to turn for service on older equipment like this. …more
Ford F53 Motorhome Won't Start: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
Engine Medium 1-2 hours 75 👍

Ford F53 Motorhome Won't Start: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Opened up my Allegro Bay 46 ft motorhome on a Ford F53 chassis after winter storage and now it won't turn over, dashboard lights are going crazy, AND the engine makes weird clicking sounds. When I turn the key, the warning lights cycle normally (except the check engine light, which does not turn on), and the engine turns over fine when I hit the starter. However, beyond that cranking action, absolutely nothing happens - no fuel delivery, no spark.

What I really need is a systematic approach to troubleshooting this F53 no-start condition. I want to make sure I check the most likely culprits first rather than randomly replacing parts. What are the common failure points on these F53 engines that cause this exact symptom pattern where it cranks perfectly but won't fire up at all? …more

Still stuck on this repair?

Get a personalized answer from a verified RV mechanic. Describe your issue and get step-by-step help.

Chat with an RV Mechanic
27708 RV owners helped · Avg response under 5 min
1988 E350 Class C 460 EFI Won't Start - Advanced Fix
Engine Hard 3-4 hours 74 👍

1988 E350 Class C 460 EFI Won't Start - Advanced Fix

Got stuck with this 1988 E350 Class C 460 EFI that the previous owner left me — thing absolutely refuses to start. My 1988 E350 Class C with the 460 EFI decided to throw the ultimate tantrum right as we were heading out for a trip - just completely died and refuses to start.

Here's where it gets fun (and by fun, I mean expensive): I've got spark, I've got 40 psi fuel pressure at the rail, timing looks good, and I've already thrown money at fuel pumps, filters, plugs, wires, TFI module, distributor, and even the inertia switch. The thing will occasionally act like it wants to fire but never actually starts. The real kicker? Even when I give it a shot of ether, absolutely nothing happens - not even a sputter!

At this point I'm wondering if there's something more advanced going on that I'm missing. When you have spark, fuel pressure, and timing but even ether won't make it fire, what else could be the culprit on these 460 EFI engines? …more
1995 Ford F53 460 Engine Stalling: How to Replace Ignition Control Module for RV Reliability
Engine Medium 45 minutes 69 👍

1995 Ford F53 460 Engine Stalling: How to Replace Ignition Control Module for RV Reliability

Woke up this morning hoping my 1995 F53 motorhome with the 460 7.5L would run smooth after replacing the ignition control module yesterday, but it's still stalling randomly. It keeps stalling every time I come to a stop - literally dies on me at around 5mph just as I'm braking. The power steering goes out and it's a real struggle to get stopped safely.

I can restart it immediately and it runs fine as long as I keep giving it gas, but this happens at EVERY stop sign and red light. Currently, it won't start at all - just cranks with no spark. I previously had an EGR code 334 that went away after replacing the EVR sensor.

My fuel pressure gauge was showing 30-32 psi at idle and about 40 psi at wide open throttle. When I tested the vacuum line on the fuel pressure regulator, no fuel spilled out and the pressure didn't change.

I've already replaced many parts (including distributor cap, plugs, wires, EGR valve, ICM, fuel pressure regulator) with only 2,000 miles on them. I discovered that swapping the ignition control module seems to temporarily fix the issue - it starts with a new ICM but dies when I return to the original one.

I'm really concerned about potential highway driving with these intermittent starting problems. Is this a common issue with these 460 engines? …more
RV Fuel Filter Replacement: How Often & Maintenance Guide
Engine Medium 45 minutes 68 👍

RV Fuel Filter Replacement: How Often & Maintenance Guide

Every time we plan a big RV trip, something goes wrong - and now my 2005 Tradition 40W motorhome is running rough with fuel delivery issues just days before our two-week cross-country adventure. We're fairly light users - only putting about 1,200 miles on it annually since we mostly use it for shorter trips and occasional longer vacations. The coach has two fuel filters that I can see: a Luber Finer LFF1003 and an LF5488. I'm not entirely sure when they were last changed, possibly not for quite some time.

I've been researching maintenance schedules and seeing conflicting information about fuel filter replacement intervals. Some sources suggest every 10,000 miles, others recommend annual replacement regardless of mileage. Given our low annual mileage, changing them every year seems excessive and potentially wasteful. Our local RV service shop does annual maintenance including oil changes and general inspections, but they haven't specifically flagged the fuel filters as needing replacement.

What would be the appropriate replacement interval for fuel filters on a low-mileage RV like ours? Should I be concerned about contamination or other issues even with light use? I want to maintain the engine properly without over-maintaining components that don't need frequent attention. …more
RV Engine No Spark? Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Fix Starting Issues
Engine Medium 1-2 hours 67 👍

RV Engine No Spark? Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Fix Starting Issues

Wondering which ignition component to grab from this auto parts store aisle when my RV engine has zero spark and won't start. engine turns over fine but just won't fire up. I'm pretty sure it's a no-spark situation since I can't get any ignition happening. I've already tried replacing the coil twice, the distributor, and the ignition switch, and I still have 10-11 volts going to the coil but no spark.

Been reading that this could be a few different things - maybe the crank sensor went bad, or possibly the ignition module, or even the coil itself? I'm decent with basic troubleshooting but honestly don't know the best way to test these components systematically. Don't want to just start throwing parts at it and hope something works. What's the smart approach to figure out which component is actually causing the no-spark issue? …more
1998 Bounder Ford 550 Cranks But Won't Start: Complete Diagnostic & Repair Guide
Electrical Medium 2-3 hours 67 👍

1998 Bounder Ford 550 Cranks But Won't Start: Complete Diagnostic & Repair Guide

Standing at the dealership getting quoted $3,200 for a complete fuel system replacement on my 1998 Bounder Ford 550 that cranks but won't start, and this feels like total overkill. I can hear the fuel pump running when I turn the key, so that seems okay. Battery is good, connections are clean.

What are the most common causes when you have good cranking but no start? I need to know the best diagnostic steps to narrow this down quickly. …more
1991 Ford E350 460 Engine Oil Pump Issues - Diagnosis Help
Engine Medium 2-3 hours for diagnostic testing 65 👍

1991 Ford E350 460 Engine Oil Pump Issues - Diagnosis Help

Somewhere between last month's slightly low oil pressure reading on my '91 Ford E350 460 engine and today's complete engine knocking, I'm thinking this oil pump is finally dying.

Here's the weird part - oil pressure gauge sits really low (like concerningly low) but the temp gauge never even hits the middle, stays cool as a cucumber. She runs like a total champ though, starts every time, smooth as butter, pulls hills no problem. Just hit 99k miles and put about 7k on her this year with zero issues performance-wise.

Everything I'm reading online says oil pump problems usually show up as low pressure AND high temps together. But I've got low pressure with low temps, which seems backwards? Had one moment recently where the oil pressure suddenly jumped to normal mid-range after smelling some hot oil at a gas stop. Is this actually pointing to oil pump failure, or am I maybe looking at faulty gauges or sending units instead? …more
2016 Tiffin Allegro 8-Lug Brake Rotors: Dana 17060s vs Ford F53 Parts
Chassis Hard 4-6 hours 63 👍

2016 Tiffin Allegro 8-Lug Brake Rotors: Dana 17060s vs Ford F53 Parts

About every 6 months my 2016 Tiffin Allegro 36 UA is eating through brake rotors on this Ford F53 chassis with Dana 17060s rear axle. When I look up brake rotors using my VIN, everything shows 10-lug parts, but my RV actually has 8-lug rotors.

Why is the Ford VIN lookup giving me wrong brake rotor specs? Where should I be sourcing 8-lug brake parts for this Dana axle configuration instead? …more
Robert, RV Mechanic
Ask an RV Mechanic Avg reply < 5 min

My Rig Settings

Hi, I'm Hank!
Need help setting up? I can walk you through it
Rig Info
Give it a name you'll recognize
Power & Electrical
Climate Control
Water System
Refrigerator Type
Leveling System
Convenience & Features
Sync across devices