Hi all,
Branden with Lucinda (1981 bluebird All American, Cummins 555, Alison 545 (I think)) here, on the road home to Seattle from Burning Man. We've made it to Klamath Falls, Oregon and *may* be able to find a truck repair shop on Sunday. Here's the problem:
I'm losing power, and the engine feels like it is skipping, or missing, but I'm not sure that's actually what is happening. Given the dusty environs, I thought clogged air filter, but it's clean. I took off the filter anyhow to remove the air feed system as a potential problem.
I thought that maybe we'd gotten some bad diesel, but others at the same station seemed to not to have problems, but who knows if someone added other fuel from a gas can or something...though it seems unlikely.
I had about half a tank and filled up with fresh diesel a half mile after I removed the filter. That half mile with no filter was no better than when we pulled into Cedarville. On a road I'd normally be going 45-50 in Drive, I was having trouble maintaining 40 in 3rd. With the added fuel and sludge and fuel power treatment additives (as normal), we made it up the pass at 13 mph, usually it'd be about 15. We were in 1st and sputtering all the way up.
Once the demand on the engine diminished, I was able to stutter my way to 45, about the right speed for the roadway--and the sputtering feel is reduced with the less torquey higher gears.
We made it to Klamath like that. It's definitely better than 100 miles ago when we pulled in to Cedarville, but we still lose power dramatically on grades.
I'll put another 10 gallons in to dilute the potentially bad fuel, but I'm wondering what else this could be, and what I should do about it on the Sunday of labor day weekend.
There is no leaking at the fuel filter, and fuel taken from there seemed clean and without water.
The bus was serviced a month ago, all new filters.
Fuel pump? Injector? Can I limp back to Seattle or do I NEED to have this fixed now? With the slightly improved performance, does it sound like a bad fuel problem?
Any suggestions much appreciated, we are headed for bed now but will check back tomorrow. I can also be reached by cell: 206-718-five-seven-six-nine. I'm only slightly mechanical, and probably know just enough to be dangerous
Thanks, all. Also posting in general forum...
Branden