why a V10

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.

Uturnwilly

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2010
Posts
9
Our Jayco 24ss C-class is built on the Ford E450 with the V10 Triton engine.

What is the advantage of the V10 6.8l over a V8 of comparble displacement? 

Just so I know. ;D

thanks
Bill
Snellville, Ga
 
I have had three of the V-10's - only one in a motorhome.  The other two were in a 15 pax van and a Ford Excursion.  I found it to be much smoother running, and nicer to drive because of that, than the comparable big block V-8's I've had.  FWIW, my V-10's were also much more trouble free, but that is likely related to the newer technology.  I've not had a "modern" big-block V-8, so nothing to compare it to there. 
 
When the Ford 460 was no longer manufactured, Ford switched all their heavy duty chassis vehicles (motorhomes included) to the V10.  I'm assuming that nothing in their V8 arena has the HP/torque for sustained heavy usage over time.  Why they went to 10-cyl versus just keeping a big block 8-cyl, that I do not know.  :)

Wikipedia always has something to offer it seems: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V10_engine
 
It's just plain cool to have the V-10 'bragging rights'.... ;D

Kind of like the Dodge Viper's V-10 screamin' engines - ,vroom, vroom...alas, Dodge quit building the Vipers this month!

I thinks it's the smoothness of the Ford V-10, that makes it such a 'hit' for the heavier vehicles - I believe they are a bit more economical, fuel wise, that would be a V-8 of similar specs...

As many an old hot rodder will tell you, "There's no substitute for cubic inches".... ::)

Ray
 
When the 460CID was replaced with the V-10 it was mainly for the horse power output as well as the torque and the V-10 is a lighter weight engine.
 
Mexray said:
As many an old hot rodder will tell you, "There's no substitute for cubic inches".... ::)

If that's the case, then the older big block V8 wins... it is 460 cubic inches, vs. the newer V10's 415 or 450 cubic inches (I've found references to both sizes of V10).  There are more cylinders, but they're all smaller.  ;D
 
here is a little twist.... I guess we are talking torque..

  I see/hear Harley hogs going by at 40 mph and I can almost count the RPM's of the engine.....pop-pop-pop etc

  I think we should encourage Harley to build a V* for RV use. Same design, same sound  (valve timing)  and everyone would be happy. V4/V8/V10,V12(Jaguar etc) will be out the door.

  Now that would be status symbol.  ???  Made in America.

Sign me up. 


Carson FL


 
carson said:
here is a little twist.... I guess we are talking torque..

  I think we should encourage Harley to build a V* for RV use. Same design, same sound  (valve timing)  and everyone would be happy. V4/V8/V10,V12(Jaguar etc) will be out the door.

I'd rather see Honda make the jump.

If you're talking torque their older V4 motors were tops!
The BOX STOCK early 80's Magna and Sabre 1100cc (65Cu in) were regularly dyno'ed at 108hp with over 90ft lb of torque...
and a red line of 11,000.  Now THAT is performance you can build on.

a 10 sec 1/4mi  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGfJ9IqXcoE
 
Ford doesn't have a big block V8 anymore, so there isn't much to discuss. GM's 8.1L V8 gave about the same performance as the Ford V10 in a similar size motorhome, and their displacement was close to the same, so I guess the fair answer is that the V10 did not have any particular advantage.

As far as general theory goes, a V10 can rev higher for the same displacement because the pistons are smaller and lighter than a V8 of the same displacement.  Now one has to ask, why do you want to rev higher?  I'll leave that question as an exercise for the student...
 
carson said:
here is a little twist.... I guess we are talking torque..

  I see/hear Harley hogs going by at 40 mph and I can almost count the RPM's of the engine.....pop-pop-pop etc

  I think we should encourage Harley to build a V* for RV use. Same design, same sound  (valve timing)  and everyone would be happy. V4/V8/V10,V12(Jaguar etc) will be out the door.Now that would be status symbol.  ???  Made in America. Sign me up.  Carson FL

I HATE LOUD BIKES! I know your comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but can you just imagine the reliability issues of Harley motorhomes...? I am a Chevy guy, but am very imprerssed with the 460 in my Bounder.
 
For those of us who own a HD...... motorcycle that is .... can you imagine how much the HD powered RV would shake!!!!  It would be like driving down a cobblestone road in our present RV but we would be idling 

& yea, loud bikes of any make (OK, except Ducati) are definantly annoying

V8 vs V10 I drove 2 Fleetwood v10 RV's, a Terra & I can't remember the other model plus a WH V8 powered Bounder.  I really didn't pay any attention to how the RV accelerated (or I guess didn't accelerate) but I was looking at how the RV felt going down the road.  The WH felt a lot better & I am not sure if the actual chassis was different ot if the extra 3-7 feet of RV length made the Bounder feel better.

 
The triton engine line is modular. With a slight modification at the plant the same assembly line makes the 4.6, 5.4  v8s and the 6.8 v10. (there is a v6 version too but I am not familiar with it) It was an ease of manufacture thing to stop producing the big block and just add 2 cyl to the 5.4 v8

wayne
 
Uturnwilly said:
What is the advantage of the V10 6.8l over a V8 of comparble displacement? 

Not sure there is one but they sure have a cool emblem !  8)
 
Carson, the Harley Davidson V twin does not get its distinctive cadence sound from the "valve timing",  its the odd number of degrees of the "V" design, not 45 degrees or 60 degrees.>>>Dan ( a dealer for 21 years)
 
utahclaimjumper said:
Carson, the Harley Davidson V twin does not get its distinctive cadence sound from the "valve timing",  its the odd number of degrees of the "V" design, not 45 degrees or 60 degrees.>>>Dan ( a dealer for 21 years)

You are right but they are 45* v twins. more comon is the 90* and 60* v motors.

FYI you can make a Corvair motor sound just like a harley by muffling 4 cylinders and running straight pipes out of 2 that are 45* apart ;)
 
RV Roamer said:
Ford doesn't have a big block V8 anymore, so there isn't much to discuss. GM's 8.1L V8 gave about the same performance as the Ford V10 in a similar size motorhome, and their displacement was close to the same, so I guess the fair answer is that the V10 did not have any particular advantage.

As far as general theory goes, a V10 can rev higher for the same displacement because the pistons are smaller and lighter than a V8 of the same displacement.  Now one has to ask, why do you want to rev higher?  I'll leave that question as an exercise for the student...

Well, in this case, the Ford V10 has a rev limit in a stock configuration of 5250rpms, not exactly a high revolution monster. But it is s a good durable engine and mine pulls 36ft of MH just fine.
 
zukIzzy said:
The triton engine line is modular. With a slight modification at the plant the same assembly line makes the 4.6, 5.4  v8s and the 6.8 v10. (there is a v6 version too but I am not familiar with it) It was an ease of manufacture thing to stop producing the big block and just add 2 cyl to the 5.4 v8

wayne

Exactly.  8)
 
I had a Ford 460 in a '95 32' class C that was terrific.  A couple years later (97?), I drove basically the same coach in a V10 and was underwhelmed.  I was surprised in how much of a step down it was in torque.  I have a 2010 V10 in my 34' class A now and it's terrific.  Stronger than the old 460 FI.  Pulls great, can't hardly tell when my toad is back there.  It does roar like a banshee if I wind it up to 5000 rpm.  I always turn to my wife and say "I am Tiffin, hear me roar!"  Otherwise, it's quiet and well-behaved.

I think the first couple years of V10's were not as refined or as torquey as the current ones.  I don't think there's any intrinsic advantage to the # of cylinders.  Like as has been said, it was to streamline (cheapen) manufacturing for Ford.  I'm very happy to hear all the good reports of durability for this engine.  I was leery of it going in, based on my experience a decade ago.

Gordon
 
I believe that for 2011 the Ford V10 is gone and is being replaced by a new 6.2L V8 - for the F250/350, at least. The 6.2 will even be available in certain versions of the F150 such as the "Raptor" - a specialty off-road pickup.
 
carson, the Harley Davidson V twin does not get its distinctive cadence  sound from the "valve timing",  its the odd number of degrees of the "V"  design, not 45 degrees or 60 degrees.>>>Dan ( a dealer for 21  years)

Thanks guys, I knew my timing suggestion was a bit suspicious. I remember now having read about the real cadence origin.

Carson FL

 
Back
Top Bottom