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smily · 02-04-2004, 06:00 AM

Hmmmmm, sounds like a Ford man to me.

A thousand bootleggers cant be wrong...................

Smily

74Argosy24MH · 02-04-2004, 06:55 AM

What does your oil look like? Metal parts start breaking and it doesn't take long before the oil gets full of little particles.
Did he tell you to scrap the engine and go with a 460 and C6?

John

zduke4x · 02-04-2004, 07:39 AM

I have followed this thread with interest and I can't swallow the Ford guys asessment, it goes against many years in vehicles with both engines.
Allways used to run big blocks in my traveling job life and seemed to favor the GM's....from a '72 Corvette to Burbs to 3 motorhomes.
While I don't have nearly some of the specific mechanical knowledge of some of the fine posters here, I have had a lot of highway mileage time....I have repowered one motorhome with a local rebulder and had no regrets.
LOL, jem

zduke4x · 02-04-2004, 07:45 AM

Realized one strong opinion I have is to go to a 4 main engine on a replacement and if you rebuild yourself or have a good local man, would not worry if you have a 2 main engine' but would consider a RV crank....jem

wb13798 · 02-04-2004, 08:23 AM

the guy isn't trying to sell any thing. motor hasn't been abused just used for the past four years. i do get on down the road i normally lock the cruise at 68 on the interstate.
in any case i plan to pull the motor first part of march and we will find out what is driving me nuts. or it will blow up during my trip to florida. after warm up it is soo smoth no vibration at all.
the 454 mechanic has worked for chevrolet for a bunch of years i guess we all have opinions. i think that is what this country is all about.. or should we line tye him to the stake an shoot him at sundown???

smily · 02-04-2004, 08:34 AM

7 1/5 hours to go.

"Get a rope"

Smily

ALANSD · 02-04-2004, 01:41 PM

thats why HEI 454 motors ar so unbelievably popular for hot rods, etc. Just take a look at Jegs or some other high performance parts book, there are page after page of custom accessories for that rotten old motor

wb13798 · 02-04-2004, 04:00 PM

looking for recruits for the firing squad. only problem is the guy is in Richmond VA. how we going to do this one smiley

tcal · 02-08-2004, 09:25 PM

Have just read the many post to this thread and thought I would offer my two-cents. I'm a mechanic and have r&r'd several of these GM454's in motorhomes. As mentioned, best way is use of the forklift. You may have to remove one fork depending on the lift, usually not much additional work. It comes out the front after removing all of the 'up front stuff'. Do not take the oil pan off. If you have the funds, go ahead and upgrade the engine-there are many after-market choices here (without knowing your desired driving habits, total expected vehicle weight, towing a 'toad', etc) I will not offer specifics other than to say you should install a new distributor/coil/wires and complete exhaust system at the very least.(Look at Banks.com + others) The GM454 is a very good engine and in your motorhome it does not matter if you have 2bolt or 4bolt main bearing caps-its plenty strong as is. Pick a very good rebuild shop near you with a very, very good reputation and tell them to rebuilt to GM OEM Specs. Ask for a slight overbore only if needed; you'll get longer block life with room for additional overhaul or one cylinder repair if future problems develop. Replace the fuel pump and starter with good quality units-not the junk from local 'pop-parts' and have the carb overhauled at an approved shop. When you re-install, pay attention to air intake curves and turns-the more restriction, the less power. Add a good quality high-flowing air filter also. Don't forget the transmission, now is the time to replace those clutch packs-its not that expensive, and your 'new' engine will feed more power into those old, used clutch faces-so now is the time. Don't forget to boil-out the radiator, new hoses and such - but you knew that, right? Happy motoring

wb13798 · 02-10-2004, 06:49 PM

"van engine puller"
that is the buzz word for the engine puller needed to pull the motor out the front of the classic motor home.
i stopped at my favorite rental tool store today and ask if they had a puller for pulling motors out of vans and they said yes. but it is the same puller except if i want the puller for a van it gets a different boom and set up. would have to call a day ahead of time so they could reconfigure the standard puller.
they showed me a pile of steel tubing and hydrolic cylinders . the biggest thing was the boom is a foot shorter than the standard puller. and the boom would go in low and jack up. that will solve the problem created by the cherry picker style puller. cost $20 a day fork lift $125 a day.
haven't decided which option i will do on the motor. least money is local rebuild. company has been in business for 50 years. or a groom engine form Nashville, available thru napa. haven't seen a spec sheet for that motor got a price. could also look for a jasper company engine.
in any case we going to start this process after the trip to Florida. hopefully it wont leave me sitting on the road.

74Argosy24MH · 02-10-2004, 07:03 PM

The engine on the motor home is quite a bit further back than a van, make sure if it is a foot shorter it will reach.

John

wb13798 · 02-10-2004, 07:11 PM

didn't get that one right the support boom is shorter not the lift boom.
some one posted on groom motors in Nashville. i cant find the post wanted to ask him a question.. if you read this pm me
al

wb13798 · 02-11-2004, 02:58 PM

just got specs for groom motors products. two bolt mains new pistons not more than 40 thousands over,normal production run is 20 over. RV cam, crank corrected to no more than 2 thousands under size cut/polish. around $1800 plus freight and taxes. totals up to just over $2000. over night delivery.provided a motor is available
local build would be about $1800 plus and take a week. for a company that has been in business 50 years. i cant find a proud owner of a motor they built. did find a unhappy customer who had a set of heads they didn't get right first time.
probably going to go with the groom motor just for the convenience and timing. i live in one of those areas that will call the city and complain. if i have the rig tore down to long. probably will have to say hello to an inspector any way but not much he can say if the motor is back in the rig.

joepospisil · 02-14-2004, 09:33 PM

I removed the Isuzu engine from our 82 Classic out the bottom and put the cummins back in the same way. Remove the entertainment center and the front seats. Remove the transmission first and build a framework inside the vehicle to hold the chain hoist and lower the engine out the bottom. I cant imagine trying to pry that thing thru the front. The engine was let down rear end first and lowered to the ground and then tipped on its side and drug out on a pallet. The front wheels need to be about 2 feet off the ground to give you the room. Just another way of doing the job.