Back from Death Valley -- New Engine

[bruceh]

After dropping the motorhome off in Pahrump, we drove home in the Jeep. We drove back Friday (11/30) to pick it up.

Now we get into miracle territory. The job was done right the first time for the agreed upon price and the motorhome was not damaged in any way. This is a first for me. The dealer was Pahrump Valley Auto Plaza (a Chevrolet and other GM dealer). They treated my motorhome like it was gold. They put it in a special RV bay and never moved it. There were no greasy handprints or footprints anywhere. I just could not have been happier with the way the repair went.

We went for a check ride with the primary tech and everything worked perfectly. The next day, I went for a longer test ride and everything checked out.

We finished the day by driving back into Death Valley (not towing just yet). After enjoying DV for another day, we drove it home. We didn't tow until we cleared the first two passes.

The new engine does seem crisper and the engine braking seems better and the oil pressure is higher (~55-60psi hot).

I am still not sure why engine #1 checked out on me. One possibility is bad gas. I had fueled up at a brand X gas station and that was the fuel in the engine when it quit. Another is my fuel regulator. The tech replaced it to cure a hot starting (too rich) problem. Maybe Towne pass at 9% is just too much for this engine. Bottom line is, I don't know.

I will probably never go up a hill again without wondering if I will make it to the top. I hope that there have been some internal improvements that will prevent the new engine from eating itself.

[bruceh]

After dropping the motorhome off in Pahrump, we drove home in the Jeep. We drove back Friday (11/30) to pick it up.

Now we get into miracle territory. The job was done right the first time for the agreed upon price and the motorhome was not damaged in any way. This is a first for me. The dealer was Pahrump Valley Auto Plaza (a Chevrolet and other GM dealer). They treated my motorhome like it was gold. They put it in a special RV bay and never moved it. There were no greasy handprints or footprints anywhere. I just could not have been happier with the way the repair went.

We went for a check ride with the primary tech and everything worked perfectly. The next day, I went for a longer test ride and everything checked out.

We finished the day by driving back into Death Valley (not towing just yet). After enjoying DV for another day, we drove it home. We didn't tow until we cleared the first two passes.

The new engine does seem crisper and the engine braking seems better and the oil pressure is higher (~55-60psi hot).

I am still not sure why engine #1 checked out on me. One possibility is bad gas. I had fueled up at a brand X gas station and that was the fuel in the engine when it quit. Another is my fuel regulator. The tech replaced it to cure a hot starting (too rich) problem. Maybe Towne pass at 9% is just too much for this engine. Bottom line is, I don't know.

I will probably never go up a hill again without wondering if I will make it to the top. I hope that there have been some internal improvements that will prevent the new engine from eating itself.

[holly]

good luck sometime thing happens we have 40k on ours it runing beter day after day merry xmass to you and all

[TandW]

Don't force it up any more long steep grades while winding it beyond the torque range and you'll be fine.

[bruceh]

You got me curious here. What RPM constitutes the 'torque range'?

The tach was sitting at about 3000 RPM when it started detonation, is this too much?

[Corkey]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by T&W:
Don't force it up any more long steep grades while winding it beyond the torque range and you'll be fine. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> I have to ask, for my own peace of mind.

Should I not depend on the rev limiter? I'm hard pressed into believing these engines are that fragile.

[TandW]

Who finished first; the tortoise or the hare?

[DonavonP]

Bruceh, great follow up report. You're smart to break in the new engine without the toad attached.

Glad to hear the new engine is working good and you got your MH back in good shape.

As far as the first engine, it was probably just your turn in the barrel. The concept of "zero defects" in factories is just not attainable.

[Max Hubrich]

Bruceh--

What type and weight oil did you go with, and why?

Good luck and best wishes with your new engine,

[bruceh]

I have no idea what kind of oil is in there. It is whatever GM put in there when they built the engine.

I am leaning toward sticking to dino oil since there is this unpleasant coincidence. I realize that this is not 100% rational but fear and superstition have their place too.

[Spoonman]

Go and enjoy your motorhome. Have not heard of many catastrophic failures such as yours. Break it in properly and try to keep RPM`s below 4000 and you should be fine.

[Ding-a-ling]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bruceh:
You got me curious here. What RPM constitutes the 'torque range'?

The tach was sitting at about 3000 RPM when it started detonation, is this too much? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

FWIW

My manual says maximum torque output is at 3,200 RPM.

[max49]

I hope these 8.1's aren't that fragile either.
I'm not sure what the torque range is ; but I almost always need 46, 4800 RPM and several times my engine has shut down for a millisecond as it was bouncing off the rev limiter @ 5000 RPM.
I have 'no clue' how you guys can climb mountains, especially pulling something, and say you don't go over 3000 RPM. I doubt if I could go across I-70, empty if I could'nt go over 3000 RPM. These engines better toughen up, here in Colorado anyway.
It's funny, when I think of a high reving engine, I think of a little 4 cylinder or maybe a Motorcycle engine. This big block should'nt need wrap out 4500/ 5000 RPM but it does. I even bought some oil that said it was for high reving engines.
No other SUV or Pickup engine that I own has to rev that high.
These buses need diesel engines.

[Fred and Bonnie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by max49:
I hope these 8.1's aren't that fragile either.
I'm not sure what the torque range is ; but I almost always need 46, 4800 RPM and several times my engine has shut down for a millisecond as it was bouncing off the rev limiter @ 5000 RPM. I have 'no clue' how you guys can climb mountains, especially pulling something, and say you don't go over 3000 RPM. I doubt if I could go across I-70, empty if I could'nt go over 3000 RPM. These engines better toughen up, here in Colorado anyway. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Max, I follow your thoughts, you can't make it over I-70 at 3,000RPM.

Fred