Roadtrek not starting

[saulrich4]

Good morning. I bought a 2011 Roadtrek 210 Versatile (3500 Chevy V8) last month and I've been having some trouble with it. I bought it in CA and drove it to Oregon and halfway through the trip I stopped at a visitors center and when I came back out it wouldn't start. It turned over, so it wasn't a battery problem. I got it towed ($700 because of my location even though I had roadside assistance) and a mechanic in Crescent City was able to fix it the following morning. He said it was a bad relay to the fuel pump. My check engine light that had been on also went off after he fixed it but he was unsure if it was related or not because he reset it and said the code was reading "evap" issue.
A week ago the check engine light came on again and we bought a code reader and it said "evap" again and then 3 days ago we took it out of town and stopped for gas and it wouldn't start again. It seems like the same issue as when it broke down in Californina. We had it towed to Corvallis Oregon and they are going to look at it on Wednesday. The truck is always running fine or normal before this happens.
My guess is we didn't fix the right problem in Crescent City and there is a bigger issue that is causing this relay to fail. I am no mechanic though. Anybody have any insight on this? The truck has less than 40K miles on it.

I've asked the seller and they deny this every happened with them. They are the second owners and I don't think they used it much in the last year. I was hoping it was just from having it sit without use but now I'm concerned and I'm worried.

Thanks for any help.
Sara

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I've had fuel pump relays go bad so if that's the case and it was replaced, then you can likely eliminate that as a possibility. I've also had fuel pumps go bad which might be seemingly fixed by replacing the relay, so something to check is fuel rail pressure. Sometimes pumps become intermittent or weak, and catching it in the act is pretty much the only way to conclusively know, or you end up changing it out based on circumstantial evidence. I think your evap code is a separate problem, probably half the cars I've owned I've dealt with that in one form or another. Being a 2011 you should be able to see fuel rail pressure via OBD so that'd be the path I'd take, but since it sounds like you're handing it off to a "pro" then I guess we wait and see what they suggest.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[saulrich4]

I've had fuel pump relays go bad so if that's the case and it was replaced, then you can likely eliminate that as a possibility. I've also had fuel pumps go bad which might be seemingly fixed by replacing the relay, so something to check is fuel rail pressure. Sometimes pumps become intermittent or weak, and catching it in the act is pretty much the only way to conclusively know, or you end up changing it out based on circumstantial evidence. I think your evap code is a separate problem, probably half the cars I've owned I've dealt with that in one form or another. Being a 2011 you should be able to see fuel rail pressure via OBD so that'd be the path I'd take, but since it sounds like you're handing it off to a "pro" then I guess we wait and see what they suggest.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Thanks Mark. When you say that I could see fuel rail pressure via OBD, do you mean it would show up on my code reader or? Thanks for the message.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Depends on what you have for a "reader". The ones I use plug into the OBD port and connect to a phone or tablet via bluetooth, and you can both read codes and monitor real time parameters via an app. I use Torque for my RV OBD, gives me instruments to monitor while underway that aren't on the dash and of course read any codes that might end up getting set. Generally the "lite"/free versions of the app will let your read basic codes, buying the app gives you more code access (like to ABS and body/chassis) and the ability to see more real time data. As inexpensive as these gadgets are nowadays I keep one in every car and have helped me on more that one occasion to resolve an issue away from home.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[jubileee]

We once had a no start after fill up in the Bounder. Suspected fuel pump. I beat on fuel tank with rubber hammer ( carried for hub caps) while wife cranked engine. It started.

Would not start at next fill up. Beat on tank, got going. No more engine shut offs after that. Let engine run. Made it home 700 nervous miles.