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Jeff,

That is great stuff, thank you for adding the rest of the story. It spurs a couple of thoughts. One, if the coach had a primer on top of the tank, then that line is piped into the main fuel line. Without disconnecting it, the main line is not going very far. If it’s not tied into a primer, then you are experiencing the Newell zip tie phenom. To the best of my memory, the main line runs across the tank and in the space behind the battery bay before it exits into the engine bay. You may not be able to get the old line out, but may be able to snake a new line. I was not able to snake a new line when I was trying to get my broken fuel pickup calamity off the side of the road.

So the fuel line appears to go into one of the pvc chases that heads toward the engine compartment. I think the edge of the check valve got snagged on the pvc pipe. If we had not been at the end of our energy level then we perhaps could have used a stick or something to try to push up on it. It could also be tied to the other lines that are also running in that pvc pipe with tie wraps as you suggest. Our plan was to get a new line made up and hopefully snake it through a new spot. This will require lifting the coach up so I can get underneath and find alternate route.

So some more interesting info, when I was looking for the fuel line going to the engine from the tank I found a line on the driver side that is connected to a green air line? Is this possibly to be used to pressurize the tank for priming? Wondering where you control the air from? I did not take the time to focus on where this airline went, it disappeared into one of the chases headed toward the rear of the coach. Maybe someone else has this feature? It does not have the priming pump on the tank like mine does.

[Richard]

A ha ! That green air line is the vent for the tank. It has a loop in it to prevent siphoning. And I can tell you that if you pinch it when reinstalling the tank, that pretty soon the engine will not crank because of the vacuum on the tank. I have data on that situation.

Just a dumb suggestion, because you don’t have very much at risk. If you forced mineral spirits or Seafoam down the line from the tank end is there a possibility it would dissolve the gunk in the check valve?

And while you have the fuel line disconnected at the bung, blow some air into the pickup to make sure it bubbles. I don’t think you have a broken pickup like I did, but it’s a very quick sanity check.

Thank you for helping another Newell owner on this.

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A ha !  That green air line is the vent for the tank. It has a loop in it to prevent siphoning. And I can tell you that if you pinch it when reinstalling the tank, that pretty soon the engine will not crank because of the vacuum on the tank. I have data on that situation.

Just a dumb suggestion, because you don’t have very much at risk. If you forced mineral spirits or Seafoam down the line from the tank end is there a possibility it would dissolve the gunk in the check valve?

And while you have the fuel line disconnected at the bung, blow some air into the pickup to make sure it bubbles. I don’t think you have a broken pickup like I did, but it’s a very quick sanity check.

Thank you for helping another Newell owner on this.

So the plot thickens, there is a green vent line but there is another larger green line connected to the tank, also appears it has a check valve on it, guessing it’s a 1/2” green line, that is the one I am talking about. The green vent line just goes across the top of the tank to the other side with the loop on it you are talking about. 

Cleaning the check valve could be a possibility but we also figure the line is not in good shape so either way it has to be replaced and currently the old line is now stuck where it will not pull in either direction. I think Ole was going to try to see if he could free the old line. 

The pickup line is fine, when I put pressure on the tank with the vacuum the fuel flows out of the 90 degree fitting on the top of the tank really good. A couple seconds with the vacuum turned on and a good puddle of diesel on the top of the tank. 

Thanks for all the good suggestions, the more brains the better. I also had my buddy there to give us some good suggestions, which we implemented while we were there. He gets me out of a jam sometimes and I do the same for him. He also is my parts supplier, has been in the diesel truck business for over 40 years, so his knowledge and contacts are invaluable.

[Richard]

On mine there were three lines and three returns. Engine generator and aquahot

[Jack Houpe]

Not trying to be funny but this thread is better than a Netflix series I can't wait to hear what's in the check valve. I would disconnect the line on both ends and get a bottle of nitrogen and put a couple hundred pound of pressure and see if it blow something out.

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On mine there were three lines and three returns. Engine generator and aquahot

I did identify the generator feed and return but had not thought about the aquahot. Does the aqua hot have a return line, I never really paid attention to mine? I think I do remember two fuel lines at the aqua hot. I know the 1/2” green line does not go down into the tank, it’s just a connection to the very top of the tank, no pickup tube. If I have time next time I will take a look closer at the 1/2” green line, would be kinda neat if it was a priming system.

[Trainer]

Aqua Hot definitely has a return fuel line.

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Not trying to be funny but this thread is better than a Netflix series I can't wait to hear what's in the check valve. I would disconnect the line on both ends and get a bottle of nitrogen and put a couple hundred pound of pressure and see if it blow something out.

Thanks Jack, I am glad we are entertaining someone.. haha! 

So I blew through the check valve with my air compressor several times, at 150psi, so I would have thought that would do it. There is something strange going on on the check valve. You could tell it was going through it because the air was making a pulsing sound as it went through the check valve. So that is how I decided to condemn the check valve. I really wanted to get it out and take it apart to see what was going on inside. Like Richard said, if you could get some solvent or something in there I bet it would clean it out.

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Aqua Hot definitely has a return fuel line.

Thanks Rudy!

[Richard]

Just to keep Jack entertained. I find this little setup very handy for flushing solvent through passages.

https://www.amazon.com/FOUR-UNCLES-IRONC...d_source=1

[Jack Houpe]

I built one those out of an old fire extinguisher but it doesn't look that nice and I would have been better off to spend 32 bucks.