eddieandsue Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Does anyone know what pump is in an Autocruise Starburst 2006 model? We have filled the fresh water tank and cannot get the air out of the system. Have tried to prime the system but the taps just splutter then give up. The pump is running but nothing coming out of the taps. All suggestions gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddieandsue Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 Have found out that it is a Shurflo RV pump. Hope this helps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Maybe have a look and see what it says on the pump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasm Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 We had a similar problem last year. Pump running, taps spluttering but no water coming out. It turned out that the plastic hose connection to the immersed pump was loose and the water was simply leaking back into the tank. Different motorhome to yours,but the principle the same: open the tank and have a look while the pump is running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 To overcome this problem I only open one tap at a time to let the air pump through. Work your way around and hopefully you will clear the air. Have you reversed the procedure you used to drain down and the drain valve is closed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 If you open the drain valve after the punp for the hot water heater you may fine the pump primers better and starts to pump. It may be you have deveoped a leak on the tank side of the pump and it is drawing air. Can sometimes happen in sub zero temps if water is left in the pump and it freezes cracking the strainer bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Check the grit filter on the inlet to the pump, its a clear plastic part that is liable to split if exposed to sob zero temps with water in it. If it is split then the pump will draw air in through that rather than the heavier water. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddieandsue Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 Hi Brambles thanks for your reply but as we are beginners we don't know what a strainer bowl is? :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 It's aclear plastic dome shaped bowl on the suction side of the pump. If one is not fitted then I'd check for air leaks between the pump and the tank. If there's no air leak found then the interior valves or body of the pump section may be damaged and you will have to take the pump appart to find out (not difficult). Or just buy a new one off the internet for around £60.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Could be a stuck / sticky non return valve. The valve can dry out or get silt caught in the diaphragm. I am not sure; 1) If the valve is part of the stainer unit or 2) where the valve may be. I would think between the pump and and water tank if not 1 above. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 The valves are all built into the pump assembly itself. It is most likly to be air leaking in, or, maybe the drain valve has been left open. Also it may be you are still in process of filling the hot water heater and air is coming from it as it fills as you are opening taps with hot water selected as well as cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 eddieandsue - 2013-03-12 8:43 PM Does anyone know what pump is in an Autocruise Starburst 2006 model? We have filled the fresh water tank and cannot get the air out of the system. Have tried to prime the system but the taps just splutter then give up. The pump is running but nothing coming out of the taps. All suggestions gratefully received. We had a 2005 version of The Starburst, Shurflo pump (as you have already been told) , one way to 'Pull' water through the cold water system is while the pump is running, open kitchen tap and put your mouth around it and 'SUCK' hard. It used to work for me, Has the van been left over this Cold spell with no heating in it ? If it has, you have most probably had water freeze in the pipe work or Pump. The Hot water system can be another source of freezing problems, The Blue Calorifier under the R/H bench seat, this is very hard to drain completely, AND is the reason I always kept my van heated all through the winter (less expensive than repairs !). Dave spoke of the 'Grit Filter bowl' ,this is on the Input to the Pump. Let us know how you get on. Ray ps The above is also correct. it DOES automatically fill the hot water system first, before sending water to the taps Leave ALL taps open, and wait a good while (5 mins), listen for 'Gurgling' in the Calorifier Tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everhopeful Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I hope this isn't too obvious, but have you let the pumping and spluttering go on for long enough to fill the system? When fully drained it can take quite a while for the heater to fill up and large amounts of spluttering will happen for maybe several minutes. Try with just a cold tap open as this should bleed through a lot quicker as you're not then trying to fill the heater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Everhopeful's is a valid comment. I checked over a 2005 Autocruise this afternoon and to fill the water system took a good fifteen minutes, you also need to make sure you have enough water in the tank to start with. A Truma ultrastore water heater will hold at least 10 litres, add the pipework and you could be tlking 11-12 litres before it comes out of the taps smoothly. Fill the fresh water tank to start with but don't be surprised if you need to add water to it before it runs smoothly from the taps. Run the taps in order from closest to the pump to furthest on cold then start back at the closest on hot, when that runs smoothly move to the next in line and so on till all run smoothly. D. In edit: my apologies, I hadn't spotted it was an Autocruise with the Eberspacher heating system. As Ray advised the "calorifier" (fancy name for hot water tank) will take quite a while to fill (make sure the drain point is closed or you'll never get there. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Before stripping down and spending a fortune on parts you may not need, good advice give to be patient. As a suggestion, and I look to be flamed, you could try attaching a hose to a tap and gently put water back the way to prime system, with pump off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 sshortcircuit - 2013-03-13 9:12 PM Before stripping down and spending a fortune on parts you may not need, good advice give to be patient. As a suggestion, and I look to be flamed, you could try attaching a hose to a tap and gently put water back the way to prime system, with pump off. You could try it, but it wouldn't work with a SHURflo water-pump in the system as the pump's design wlll stop water passing 'backwards' through it. And, with a submerged pump, the technique shouldn't work as there ought to be a non-return valve between the tap and pump to prevent water siphoning back into the fresh-water tank. eddieandsue have owned their 2006 Starburst since late-2010, so the vehicle has now been through three winters with them. It seems reasonable to assume that, by now, they are familiar with filling the motorhome's water system as they must have done it successfully in the past. As the SHURflo pump is running and there is 'spluttering' at the taps, it's logical to believe that the pump is functional and sending air to the taps. That water is not being delivered to the taps suggests (as has already been advised) that the pump is picking up air on its inlet side and, given the cold weather this winter, a frost-damaged 'strainer' on the inlet could well be the cause of the problem. There are various versions of this strainer, but the lower photo on the following link shows the tradional type. http://www.pioneer-leisure.co.uk/Water-Pumps-Hose-Fittings-and-Accessories/Shurflo-Strainer Other possibilities have been suggested but, if the water-pump is functional and there's no evidence of water leaking 'downstream' of the pump (like through an open drain-valve) on its outlet side, then the problem must be 'upstream' of the pump on its inlet side. A SHURflo pump is self-priming and should be capable of lifting water a significant distance without needing tap-sucking assistance or any other ploy. But, if the pump can't suck in water for any reason, it's never going to be able to deliver water to the taps. If the water-pump is accessible, detaching the water hose from the pump's outlet and running the pump would very soon prove whether or not water is reaching the pump's inlet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Thanks for the info and as I said I was prepared to be flamed. If the non-return valves are on the tank side of the pump then at least the whole system could be primed and it would also show if any drain valve was open. Although I think patience is a virtue and hopefully the OP will feedback how solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddieandsue Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Finally got to the bottom of problem, there was a pipe right behind pump that was bubbling slightly and letting air in. Fitted new 30 psi pump and everything works fine now. Thanks for everyone's advice,much appreciated. Eddie and Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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