1990 Winnebago Winnie loses all power while driven hot?

[warriorcomeoutnplay]

 

I don't have the exact make/model with me ATM but can go get it. This is a 90 model with the 6 cylinder engine. So it runs a tiny bit rough but once it starts it is good to go .. that is until I stop it and it doesn't have enough power to get moving again. This has happened to me twice. Once I was driving on a hot day on the highway. So I got off the highway and was on an incline of maybe 10 degree, maybe a bit more, stopped at a light. This is a standard transmission and it just wouldn't go up the hill. I have a reasonable amount of experience with standard transmissions (have had multiple vehicles)  Regardless, it was like it didn't have enough power and wanted to stall. I was a bit anxious being on the access road of the highway, but some guy had a tow rope and kindly pulled me off to the side in a parking lot where I camped until early in the morning. I then started it and it drove home just fine.

So from then on I only drove it at night after it had cooled down. The problem never occurred again. Then when I decided to go move it to a more permanent parking place during the day and the same thing happens. It was a Summer day and after having driven it for many miles, I pull into my driveway and it'd barely want to move. If I remember right, it is like the engine no longer has sufficient power to get the truck moving. Now, I never noticed the problem while it was moving. So somehow the engine was providing enough power to keep it going, but from a stand still it'd just stall when I tried to take off. 

I has an after market oil gauge and I BELIEVE the temperature indicated that it was hot the last time it happened. I'm just never expecting it when it has happened and I'm not a car person. I've fixed my own car a few times but I'm not any sort of mechanic,. There is also some AC unit that has been overhauled on the truck. (uses a different coolant?)  I can get more details if anyone wants them.

My problem is that this is a hard problem to have occur. I wouldn't mind swapping out some parts but have no idea where is going on here. I may try driving it tommorow while it is still hot and see if I can get the problem to occur on country roads. Problem is, I just don't have any diagnostics skills outside of looking at the gauges.

 

Thanks for any help, pointers to threads, youtube videos. I'd like to have this fixed. As it is I am considering just selling it. Having a mechanic just dump money into somethig that is hard to diagnose. I mean.. I can't imagine. Drive it around in traffic until it stalls and can't move?  How would a mechanic even know if it has been fixed under normal circumstances?

Edit - It is quite hot here in Texas. So I am considering trying to recreate the problem before it starts to cool off. When I do that, I want to have all my diagnostic things lined up so I can get as much info as possible. That is secondary part of my question, outside of guesses as to what the issue may be.

Edited August 24, 2019 by warriorcomeoutnplay
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[Maineah]

When dealing with any fuel injected engine problem the very first thing you need to know is"what is the fuel pressure?" 

[Derek up North]

In my limited experience, if it will start and idle but has no 'oomph' when trying to accelerate or get moving, it sounds like a fuel delivery problem. Either pressure or volume.

[ednelson100]

Sounds like a fuel issue to me also. Intermittent issues are sometimes tough to diagnose. I once had a similar problem and replacing the fuel filter directly under the passenger door resolved it. If it's never been replaced, this may be a good time to do it.

[warriorcomeoutnplay]

I will look into changing out the fuel filter. Sounds easy enough. It is weird because it only seemed to happen when the truck had been running for some time and it was hot outside. I wish I'd gathered the temperate gauge reading both times and so forth.  Don't think an overheated engine would behave like that though. It makes sense if it was starved of fuel and fuel filter sounds like an easy thing to swap out. (the gas tank is empty too if that helps the process..)

 

Thank you everyone for your thoughts.

[ednelson100]

Knowing the fuel pressure when it happens would aid in trouble shooting also.

 

[warriorcomeoutnplay]

20 hours ago, ednelson100 said:

Knowing the fuel pressure when it happens would aid in trouble shooting also.

 

Thank you for this one Ed. I think this is probably the best idea yet. The problem here is the diagnosis. I don't expect  a mechanics to do anything but swap out parts and give me the RV back.  If this will tell me that it is a fuel issue, then that's a huge bit of data and it isn't costly either. Now I just need to find the fuel rail and the right hole to screw it in.

[linda s]

Checking your codes costs nothing if you want to take the time to learn how. Google it. Any mechanic can also check them for you for very little money. Make sure he writes down the numbers of the faulty codes. Easy to think up parts to replace, harder to remember the correct number code for that . Codes might give you a better idea of what is going on.  I don't quite get your impression that mechanics will just throw parts at it with no idea why. They have to give you an estimate and tell you why. You can always say no. Makes me wonder when the last time you had a tune up or if you have ever had the very important valves checked. 

Linda S

[Derek up North]

I'm thinking many (younger) mechanics won't know how to find the codes without an OBD2 port.

[linda s]

I have never had anyone even blink twice about counting codes. Of course there are lots of older cars here in California. Giant auto chains I stay away from. They pay the lowest and hire the least trained who will accept those low pays. Of course it takes no time to call and ask if a shop  can read OBD1 codes. Best way to find a good mechanic, TALK to them. If they have no time to talk to you then you have no money to give them. I love my mechanic here. My Ford Explorer was having trannie problems. He did diagnosis and instead of throwing parts at it he told me it was a lost cause and told me to baby it and it could last a while. Straight up honest. He was referred to me by another Sunrader owner so all my vehicles are in good hands

Linda S

[warriorcomeoutnplay]

Yea, I didn't even realize there were codes. That makes sense, some early version of codes.  I have a OBD2 reader, but the RV obviously predates it. 

Another thing I need to look into. Reading diagnostic codes + fuel pressure gauge.

Regarding the mechanic - It depends on the mechanic, but when the thing works how do they diagnose it ? They take an educated guess, which is basically about as good as we're going to get on a forum but I get the benefit of multiple people telling me on here, all of whom have experience with Toyotas. A mechanic will just be the guess of one person and often leans towards whatever costs you $$. 

Since I am posting.. It has an add-on gauge that is hard to see. Basically by the shifter in the center console. You really have to strain to read it and not something you'll easily watch while driving. My understanding it was an oil pressure gauge. Does that make sense to you guys or did I perhaps not remember what I was told. Does this thing have an oil pump?  I need to go get the Haynes manual out of it. haha !  Is it common to install such things?

Thanks again folks!

Edited August 26, 2019 by warriorcomeoutnplay