1986 Winnebago with 454 fuel selector valve

[byekryam]

I can't find a replacement "one wire" fuel selector valve for my 86 Winnebago. All the new valve are 5 wire which means I'd have to rewire everything down there. Anyone know a replacement one that's not 5 wire?

[Morich]

Okay, you've got my interest!
I've tried to NOT know much about the chassis parts as I had family that had that part down. So I have no idea what that does!
Got time to tell me what and how that thing works , as I've never seen one before?

Looks like a solenoid that operates when power hits the wire and then it has to go to ground through the metal body?
So what is it doing? I assume not moving to open and close fuel flow?
But I'm guessing at lots of things you may know, so train me a bit if you have time?

[Morich]

On the other hand, in looking at what this thing does, I find this:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CRB2...ng_dcoe_google

Not knowing any better, it looks near the same?

[byekryam]

This switches the gas from one tank to the other. The power I'm assuming opens\closes a flapper that allows one fuel line to feed the engine. It's one power line w/ground to frame

[byekryam]

Yes, the problem is that these only have three ports whereas mine has six ports. I can't find one with six ports for the gas lines and returns mine has

[Morich]

ARGH! Looking closer, I see more lines!
So let me do some alternate thinking and try to find some way to get around changing it?

What kind of testing have you done?
That looks like something that may be rusty and corroded enough to not make good contact to the frame. If only one wire coming in, I might guess that is 12Volts and would power a coil in the gizmo by going to ground through the body???

No chance it just needs some cleaning up to get good solid contact for ground?

But that may be just hoping for things like the Easter bunny being real and you may have already been that way!
What's the rest of that story on what you've done?

[byekryam]

The issue is that I don't want to take a chance on a "maybe". The towing and the aggravation and the stress of breaking down far from home is too great not to change out to a new part.

Brief rundown. We broke down last Labor Day in Delaware. For close to a year it's been towed here and there and back again down there to several mechanics who all stated they could fix it, only to be jerked around for months on end, spent thousands of dollars in supposed repairs, only to drive it home five hours going 30 - 45 mph bucking and almost stalling the whole trip. It was a nightmare.

So to date I've removed and rebuilt the carb, replaced the distributor, replaced the air and PCV filters, in process of replacing all the valves\sensors, in process of replacing all the vacuum lines, in process of replacing the fuel pump and filters, and want to replace this switch. I have a list of other items too and things I have to check to see if working properly. I'm trying to eliminate everything that would lead this to have acted that way. I'm not a mechanic but I'm trying to do the best I can. What I can't do, my mechanic is going to complete, but I have to keep his expense down because of financial reasons

[Morich]

Yes! Know where that can go really bad at times and I do like to fix when I can.
I had a tow car all set and working well until it didn't ! Long story of it not cranking at what seemed to be just random times.
After jumping through all the hoops at three different dealers and paying $100 deductible on extended warranty, at different times and places all I could figure was to cut my losses and sell it! The computer said the battery was run down but even they admitted that was not true.
Even a bad mechanic can tell if the battery is good, but that is what the computer said and they had no better ideas after they had done some really big changes on everything else.
Just as a point that you may want to look over, I'll throw in a suggestion on this part. No idea and I can agree with changing it if you can find one but if not maybe worth cleaning the mounting up to make sure it is getting good contact with the frame as ground.
If it is no longer made and you can't find a new one, maybe consider searching salvage yards and if you can find other years that used the same part, that might open up the odds of finding one?
The 454 sounds like a Chevy? If correct, there may be lots of GM trucks that used the same part, so maybe look around that idea? Got any local parts places that might be open to letting them do a search in some books to see what other vehicles might use the same part?
That's one of the things I miss about being in small towns where they are not too busy to try to get it fixed!

What you really need is an old Chevy truck guy and I'm way far from that guy, so not much help! Maybe some of the other folks will do better!
Good luck!

[DonDee]

Maybe?

https://youtu.be/rFIkBcxSUys?si=nCKeLeA6tiCEy86y

[DonDee]

Or

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=684116

[DonDee]

Or

https://overstock-box.myshopify.com/...s/b0016ht92g-5

[DonDee]

Originally Posted by DonDee

Or

https://overstock-box.myshopify.com/...s/b0016ht92g-5

fingers crossed

[Morich]

Perhaps just being hard head and not knowing what exactly this does but is it to switch from one fuel tank to the other? That seems to mean when one gets low, you switch to the other?

Does that really sound like something that would make the engine run poorly? I would have guessed not switching tanks when one went empty would mean the engine quit??
What am I missing?

For poor performance, I might go looking at things like spark plug wires that are shorting out to metal at some point where they are not spotting it. Things that come and go or change as the engine warms?
I've about forgotten all the info on that 30-35 year old stuff but I do remember a lot of the early days emission stuff was a pretty funky setup!

One of the problem with shops and finding funky things is that they are too often working with the vehicle setting still and that may not be when things go wrong!

[byekryam]

Originally Posted by DonDee

Maybe?

https://youtu.be/rFIkBcxSUys?si=nCKeLeA6tiCEy86y

I did not see this before ordering one. Unfortunately I got the one in the pic that he's saying isn't any good and non returnable. I'm going to give it a try and if not, try this method. Others have illuded that you can do the same thing with two 3 port switches. Thanks

[byekryam]

Originally Posted by DonDee

Or

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=684116

Will keep both of these for future use!

[byekryam]

Originally Posted by DonDee

fingers crossed

No, actually this is the one I purchased (still waiting for it in the mail), and not the one he was showing in the video that went bad on him twice. Let's hope it's a winner!

[byekryam]

Originally Posted by Morich

Perhaps just being hard head and not knowing what exactly this does but is it to switch from one fuel tank to the other? That seems to mean when one gets low, you switch to the other?

Does that really sound like something that would make the engine run poorly? I would have guessed not switching tanks when one went empty would mean the engine quit??
What am I missing?

For poor performance, I might go looking at things like spark plug wires that are shorting out to metal at some point where they are not spotting it. Things that come and go or change as the engine warms?
I've about forgotten all the info on that 30-35 year old stuff but I do remember a lot of the early days emission stuff was a pretty funky setup!

One of the problem with shops and finding funky things is that they are too often working with the vehicle setting still and that may not be when things go wrong!

Rich,

Yes, it is the fuel switch, and yes it could be the gunk in the fuel tanks. Been addressing everything little by little trying to pinpoint the culprit. And, I usually switch before it runs dry. About quarter tank and I'm on to the next tank. That way it never runs dry and I don't suck all the stuff from the bottom of the tank.

As far as the emissions stuff, that is a nightmare. I've been replacing most of it so as to also pinpoint the problem.

And as far as the shops, if they can't put a computer on it, they're lost these days. Given that though, it's forced me to learn more about mechanics to not only save a few bucks, but also to be better at diagnosing things on my own. This will come in handy down the road..... (forgive the pun)

Thanks,
Woody

[Morich]

Got in mind any way to get the tanks into a shape where you could flush them out a bit?
Never knowing the history of things, maybe it is a case of you having changed the filters but they get stopped up again with junk from the tanks?
Just an idea??

[byekryam]

Originally Posted by Morich

Got in mind any way to get the tanks into a shape where you could flush them out a bit?
Never knowing the history of things, maybe it is a case of you having changed the filters but they get stopped up again with junk from the tanks?
Just an idea??

Yes, but I think that's a "winter" project as it might be a can of worms. If necessary I will do it, but for temporarily I'm installing multiple "see through" gas filters inline and going to carry multiple spares with me. It's very easy to pull over, reach up and replace one and keep everything running.