Replacing a motorhome engine

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700renegade

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Apr 1, 2010
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This probably should be in a new post, but just what is the procedure to replace an entire gas engine in a motorhome?  I've searched here as the thought crossed my mind, but I don't see any posts ( surprisingly ) from anyone that has done it.

Do you strip the heads and drop the block down between the frame?  There is no ( practical ) way to fish it out the front like in a class C near as I can tell, as the space doesn't seem to be there to allow it to lift high enough to fish it thru the front firewall.

Obviously a class A is built around the drivetrain, but there must be a common way to swap them.
 
Your wish is our command.  I've split this into a new topic.
 
You are talking about a gas Class A with a front engine, I presume?  A rear engine (mostly diesels) would be a different project.

The procedure would vary with the chassis brand/model maybe the year as well. A Ford F53 could have different challenges than one of the Old Chevy P30 or the newer Workhorse P30 or W2x models. Frame cross member positions, engine size and model, transmissions, etc. are all different.

We had one mention here recently where a gas engine was removed upwards through the doghouse and out the driver side door. But a driver door is on option on most gas coaches, so that wouldn't work for everybody..
 
Yeah, a few years ago we had to replace the Chevy on my dad's Southwind.  The doghouse was removed, leaving a big hole in the floor, along with the steering column and the drivers seat, then the engine was taken out the drivers side door.  But, like Gary said, many motorhomes don't have that feature, so it would probably have to go through the bottom.
 
Should be pretty easy to check what you will need.  Look at the frame members and see if the motor would drop down.  Can you get the unit up high enough to get the motor out if you do drop it?  I did a 454 in a P30 chassis that would not go down.  Sure makes it trickier.
 
I have pulled Dodges and Chevies up out of the doghouse, slid the engine to the street side door and out. You can cherry pick it out the door or have a rolling table to slide the engine onto. All flooring and furniture was well covered before ANY work was started.
J
 
Mine did not have a driver's door but the passenger door lined up and it came out the curb side.  Pretty easy to check clearances, etc., to see what would work.
 
There was an earlier post w/photos on a 454 removal thru the inside. He laid plywood on the floor and used an engine hoist inside.  After lifting the engine, he took the hoist apsrt and put it together on the driveway, and then lifted the engine and took it our the side door.  He showed pics of the entire job.. If I can find my copy, I'll post his name.  Eddie Elk.
 
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/firstmrmax/IMG_4173.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/firstmrmax/IMG_4173.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/firstmrmax/IMG_4153.jpg

There's the process for an '04 8.1 Ltr with 28,000 miles in a P-32

Well none of that worked so if  u wanna see pics click  http://www.irv2.com/forums/f22/how-patient-should-i-be-with-svc-cntrs-72907-10.html

Edit: Make links live
 
The V-10 engine in our 2005 Winnebago Sightseer with 17,000 miles had to be replaced this summer.  We were on the road and towed to a Ford car dealer.  The dealer was going to replace our engine till they found out that they couldn't drop the axle on our rig. 

They coordinated a tow to an RV dealer who cut a fiberglass member from our front end to remove the engine.  The RV dealer said that it was either cutting the fiberglass front end or removing the windshields.  And they said that it was probable that one of both of the windshields would break if removed and replaced.

Our engine was replaced twice.  The first replacement engine failed before the RV dealer delivered the rig back to us and Ford said to replace the engine a second time.  The cam shaft sensor came apart inside the engine and contaminated it.  So they cut the fiberglass once again and replaced the engine.

JD
 
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