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fastmtnbiker
I just picked up a 2001 Fleetwood Caribou 9n. I'm having issues with the stove and the heater.

The fridge and hot water heater are working great. The stove gets very little gas and won't stay lit. It's impossible to get more than one eye to light. The heater won't light up either.

This is my second truck camper. The fridge is drive side next to the propane tanks. The water heater, stove/oven, and heater are on the other. If I'm thinking correctly, the line goes from the tanks to the fridge. Then across the floor to the hot water heater. From there it goes to the stove, then then the heater. I'm not seeing any kinks and the owners said they had no problems.

If you couldn't "see" anything wrong, what would you do? Take it in to a camper expert? Or make a manometer and trouble shoot everything yourself? I'm pretty handy and have a crapload of tools, but I'm just being lazy.
Campingguy
QUOTE(fastmtnbiker @ Feb 7 2012, 10:21 PM)
I just picked up a 2001 Fleetwood Caribou 9n.  I'm having issues with the stove and the heater. 

The fridge and hot water heater are working great.  The stove gets very little gas and won't stay lit.  It's impossible to get more than one eye to light.  The heater won't light up either.

This is my second truck camper.  The fridge is drive side next to the propane tanks.  The water heater, stove/oven, and heater are on the other.  If I'm thinking correctly, the line goes from the tanks to the fridge.  Then across the floor to the hot water heater.  From there it goes to the stove, then then the heater.  I'm not seeing any kinks and the owners said they had no problems. 

If you couldn't "see" anything wrong, what would you do?  Take it in to a camper expert?  Or make a manometer and trouble shoot everything yourself?  I'm pretty handy and have a crapload of tools, but I'm just being lazy.
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If you have that many tools than you're probably like me and would rather fix it yourself. I started doing RV repair part time back in the 70's and now do it to supplement my retirement so do quite a few of these things. For what it's worth, here are my thoughts. My first guess is the regulator. I had weird things going on with one of mine years ago so built a manometer (instructions are all over the internet - search on: build water manometer, or something similar) and have used it a LOT since (including diesel engine work since I'm a retired diesel mechanic). Hook up the manometer (T'd in anywhere past the regulator, though over on the side you're having problems is best) and look for something like 14 inches with nothing running and 11 with appliances running. Has anyone done anything that you can tell? Look for new parts and especially teflon tape. You should only use teflon paste (I buy mine at a refrigeration supply place) and then only on pipe threads - never on flare or compression fittings, and then be very careful that it doesn't get past the last couple of threads on the male threads. I've made a lot of money repairing blockages in appliance orifices and fuel injection systems thanks to teflon tape. The stove has it's own regulator and if only your stove was acting up I'd suspect that but if the heater isn't firing that throws another hitch in it. Could be a seperate issue though. Does the furnace fan run? Not sure what model yours is but all have to sense airflow from the fan before they'll let the burner ignite, often with a switch on a flapper (called a sail switch). Building a manometer is easy and inexpensive and you need to make sure you're getting enough propane into the supply line, not only when you open the valve but when the appliances are using propane. Check this stuff out and odds are you'll find the problem and get it squared away. Always test for leaks when you're finished. I mix dish soap and water in a trigger sprayer bottle and squirt on all of the joints (propane turned on, appliances off) and watch for bubbles. Especially any that I've messed with but on a regular basis as well.
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