Engine surging when in lower gear

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
G

Greg E.

Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Posts
15
Hi everyone,
I'm having an issue with our Winnie 27N model with the Ford Triton v10 engine. It seems that the unit acts like it is surging, Lunging, when running in a lower gear such as climbing hills. A difference of 200 rpms or so every other second while in that gear. I'm thinking dirty gas at one of our stops and the fuel filter may be clogged. Anyone run into a similar problem? Seemed ok before or didn't notice it. We just recently purchased this unit from a private owner and we are newbees to motor homes.
Thanks.

Greg
 
2016 F-450 chassis class C here. Mine does the same thing. I was thinking about asking the dealership about it, but will follow this thread first.
 
Could it just be shifting in/out of a lower gear? Or torque converter lock-up to no lock-up? 200 rpms sounds about right for that, and it would occur on moderate grades.
 
I really haven't payed enough attention to my tach when it does it, but it doesn't seem as if it is a shifting issue. I can't feel the surge, and it doesn't speed up or slow down any that I can feel in the seat of my pants, all I do is hear it. It really seems more of a harmonic type of thing, but goes away with the slightest lifting of the accelerator. 
 
Thanks guys. I also don't feel it is a shifting back and forth. It stays in the gear range, but a slight feel while it is doing it. I'll run this tank close to empty, and refill with Mobil. I swear to that brand with all my vehicles. If it still occurs, I'll get the fuel filter changed.It's not bad , just annoying and not being familiar  with motor homes, not sure it isn't normal. I'll keep you all posted on my results. Thanks for the feedback!!

Greg
 
Probably doesn't apply to v10, but my 460 Ford had that same surge. Turned out to be ignition relay. Took me three years to figure it out. Finally got to where it would cause the tpms to reboot occasionally.
 
I was thinking about this thread driving the last leg of our trip.  I'd say mine isn't 200 RPM.... it's less than that.
definitely not shifting, and I agree with your comparison to a harmonic.
Just a wa wa wa pulsing to teh engine's scream....
I did pay really close attention to the tach when it was doing it.  I was accelerating up hill, and could see a very faint stutter in the needle as it climbed.... had to look close to see it.
 
Brad,
Yeah, that sounds like what I encountered. I ran it for about 20 miles this weekend and did not notice it as bad. I'm thinking my original thought that the gas might have been bad, but will continue to monitor it. Thanks for the feedback. Will keep posting results.

Greg
 
Greg E. said:
Brad,
Yeah, that sounds like what I encountered. I ran it for about 20 miles this weekend and did not notice it as bad. I'm thinking my original thought that the gas might have been bad, but will continue to monitor it. Thanks for the feedback. Will keep posting results.

Greg
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the same thing. My generator wants to run like crap now too. I noticed it sometime after I filled up at a Loves near Hagerstown Md. I topped off at a station down the road from me when I get home. Just might have to add some Techron or something to try to clean up the systems after I take a road trip to run this stuff out as low as I dare to run it. Then refill with Exxon or another top tier gas.
 
Well, I haven't taken a road trip yet, but... I ran my genny for .3 hours unloaded last night to warm the engine in preparation to change the oil. I changed the oil, then ran it 2 hours under load as that was due for the month. The genny started up fine both runs and ran smooth as a baby's butt the whole time. I don't have an explanation for why it was running like crap when I ran it before. Just happy it runs smooth now.
 
FYI, I work on the 911 ambulances here on Whidbey Island, we try to replace 2 ambulances every 2 years.
For years we have used the 450 chassis with Diesel engines. 3 years ago the new rigs we got were 450's with gas V-10s. Both of the ambulances did the same thing yours does, especially on acceleration...very weird, and they both do it still today! Someone said it was the tranny learning your driving habits...I call bull on that one. Last year we got two more new ambulances with the v-10s, guess what? Smooth as silk, no surging at all...another obvious case of Ford selling a crappy product and then figuring out how to fix it after enough people complain! Just look at the v-10 itself, blowing manifolds, popping spark plugs out..after a couple of years they re engineered it, and they don't do it any more. Very powerful engine tho..seems to use about 30 to 40% more fuel than the diesels...there's another one from Ford, the 6.0 diesel what a nightmare! Just what you need in an ambulance, a motor that just quits running while going down the road to save someone in medical peril...
Long story short..it's not the fuel
 
Thanks for sharing that. I thought I was the only one having this issue for a while. Sounds like it could be intermittent too. Hate to be the patient in one on the way to saving my life. Hope my plugs don't start popping out!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,152 (members: 29, guests: 1,123)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,934
Posts
1,387,752
Members
137,684
Latest member
kstoybox
Back
Top Bottom