# The neverending story and an LPG/Petrol question



## 98399 (Mar 29, 2006)

I've been talking to Steve at MobileRV about him doing some work on my rv when I eventually get it back (yes, it's still with THAT garage in Wincanton).
He's got me a bit worried...

If I start from the top maybe someone can suggest what they think the fault is and how I should run the wagon when I get it back!

When I bought it, the previous owner showed me how to start her up. We started it on petrol, he said we had to wait until the engine was hot until we turned the knob over to gas. He showed us how to do this and we did it while it was stood still after she had run for a while. 
When we took her away we did the same thing and drove her about 60 miles on gas. We filled up with petrol along the way incase the gas ran low and we couldnt find a gas station. When the gas looked a little low, while running, we switched it over to petrol. The RV conked out. If I remember rightly, she would start again on gas but not petrol.

The garage we took her to suggested the fuel filter needed changing so they did that. They said it looked like fuel starvation. Then they said it still had problems and changed the fuel pump (a mechanical one). This seemed to do the trick until last Tuesday when they gave it it's first proper drive. After 30miles running on petrol it conked out. Now....this could actually have been they ran out of petrol but I will never know.


After it conked out, they repeatedly tried to turn her over and the starter motor stuck. They sent this away to Lucas Services who have sent it back as fine (?!). This should be refitted tomorrow....but we're still no nearer finding the fault with the petrol (if it didnt run out).

Why would it run for 30miles okay and then conk out?? :roll:  


The reason Steve has worried me is because he says (with most rvs)before you switch it over to lpg, you turn off the petrol and drive until the engine nearly dies, then switch it to gas...we didn't do this. That wasnt the way it was explained to us by the previous owner...and now I'm in a state thinking I might have caused a problem doing this?!

Mobile RV and Gold RV both have a 4 week waiting list...my van's been in this ****ty garage for 10 weeks already...and I've just pulled out my last strand of hair!


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi waywardbus, on our gas con, you simply switch from one to the other, I believe it does keep running on gas for a short while, but thats done automatically.

I believe on the older systems you have to start on petrol but i have never heard of waiting before switching to one or the other.

I very much doubt you have done any damage, the usual problem on some of the earlier systems was a backfire, which blew the intake manifold to pieces, I think you would have heard that.

On mine with a similar problem it was just the change over relay which was u/s, under a fiver for a new one.

Hope thats some help and you get the problem sorted.

Olley


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## 98399 (Mar 29, 2006)

Yes that's put my mind at ease re switching to gas from petrol! 

Thanks for getting back so quickly, the last thing I needed was something else to worry about!

Anyone know where Star Spangled Spanner and Stateside Tuning are based?


Hannah


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Hannah here's Statesides web site >>>click<<<

And here's Star spangled

>>>click<<<

Both nice blokes but only duncan at star spangled is mobile.

Olley

Sorry Hannah just looked stateside doesn't appear to give an address? and duncan lives fulltime in his RV. but i believe both of them are around the midlands area.

In case i am wrong i will go and get my tin hat. :lol:


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Not too far out Olley.....Stateside are in Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire and Spangle based (correct me if I'm wrong Duncan) in Yorkshire when not somewhere else :wink: 

Hannah, I shall consult the Oracle when he comes in and reply to your PM soonest.

Regards
Linda


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

hi linda, can I take my tin hat off now? pretty please.

Hannah as I said both nice guys, if they can help you they will, and Linda's OK as well. :wink: 

Olley


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## 99181 (May 12, 2006)

Hi Hannah,
My RV is petrol/lpg,and I think I'm the latest one to have this done, ours will change from gas to petrol vice versa as many times as you want ,within seconds.The mechanic explained to us the reason we can obtain this is because the petrol pump is running at all times ,but when on lpg it pumps the petrol back into the tank, but when switching 
from lpg to petrol the pump is ready and running to be called on in a second.
Older systems the pump stops and when called upon takes a little time to start up and pump the petrol through and if it has been running on lpg for awhile the pump may even be blocked .The only time you need to start on petrol is in icey cold conditions,as the lpg regulator has hot water pumped around it to vaporise it,prior to going into the engine,but once warmed up back on lpg.Hope this helps.
Dave


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## 98399 (Mar 29, 2006)

Thanks guys!!


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

One cause of a petrol vehicle stopping after a while could be cavitation in the fuel tank. You will need to check that the breather vent/pipe is not blocked.


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## 97770 (Feb 19, 2006)

Hi you should have a look at the fuel shutoff solanoid if you have carb or the injector Harness and control unit. you can test this by removing the piggyback harness and refitting the original injector harnesses to the injectors, or as said before it could been intermittent fault or a sticky relay or just simply a loose connection.hope you get it soon .

FORDY :?


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## 98399 (Mar 29, 2006)

Thanks Fordy. I've got Steve from mobileRV coming on 11th August so hopefully....


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