2000 Patriot Thunder, with CAT C-12.
Okay, pretty sure I've got a single bad part causing all these failures. Anyone got a good idea what, or where, it might be?
A few months ago, we were driving along and the engine "shut off" leaving us on the side of the road. I fired up the laptop and hit the forum. Within an hour or so of research and troubleshooting, I decided it was the solenoid and jumped it with a piece of wire which enabled us to drive to a parts store to purchase a replacement. While I was at it, I replaced the ignition switch also, as it was old and worn. You could pull the key out with the engine running, and had to wobble the key to get it to start. That all worked well and the coach starts and stays running as it should...almost.
If I turn on the dash AC blower (not even the compressor, just the fan set to ANY position.), the toggle for the driving lights, the overhead fan switch, or the headlights (except the parking lights only setting seems to work fine, maybe an indication the problem is load/current related?), OR IF I PUT THE COACH IN REVERSE, it will cause an electrical failure and shut off the engine within a few seconds. The back up camera and the Silverleaf display blinks and a second later the engine dies.
Thought maybe it was the diode on the solenoid that I replaced, but removing it completely made no difference.
I'm thinking it might be a bad relay, but which one would have all these systems in common? I've attached a picture of the left side of my dash, with the only exception being the close out toggle and the parking light setting of the headlight switch, any switch operated causes an electrical "glitch" followed by the engine shutting off.
Additionally, it takes a few seconds after it shuts down before you can start the coach back up.