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09-26-2010, 09:35 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Bend Oregon
Posts: 19
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Duramax swap in Workhorse W 20
Has any one swapped a Duramax (LLY or LBZ) into the workhorse motorhome chassis ?
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09-26-2010, 09:54 PM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Coastal Campers Carolina Campers
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Conway, SC
Posts: 23,641
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TerraTraveler
Has any one swapped a Duramax (LLY or LBZ) into the workhorse motorhome chassis ?
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I have not heard on anyone doing that. Workhorse uses the L81 engine in the RV front engine diesel chassis.
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03 Adventurer 38G, Workhorse W22
F&R Track Bars, Safety+ , Ultrapower, Taylor Extremes, SGII
TST 507, Blue Ox, SMI, Koni FSD, CrossFire
RV/MH Hall of Fame - Lifetime Member
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09-26-2010, 10:10 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,951
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Well, I've seen a Duramax in a street-driven Chevy Chevelle. It that is workable your idea should be too.
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2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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09-27-2010, 05:44 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: chokoloskee, fl 34138
Posts: 717
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the durmax seems powerful enough I had them pass me pulling a 5th wheel going up hill
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2016 Dynamax DX3
USCG Ret BMCM
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09-27-2010, 06:04 AM
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Coastal Campers Carolina Campers
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Conway, SC
Posts: 23,641
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ron55
the Duramax seems powerful enough I had them pass me pulling a 5th wheel going up hill
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Given that observation; in time there should be increasing demand for a front engine diesel powered RV that doesn't need to use DEF.
We will see how consumer demand takes shape over the next year or so absent a gasoline engine. We are indeed seeing more OEMs releasing products powered by the MF7.
WCC does use the DMax in its low-floor airport shuttle the LF-71 and that's backed up by an Allison 1000 series tranny. This vehicle is a FWD BTW. I had thought that there would be an RV application for this vehicle since it would lend itself to RV'ers that are mobility challenged but I believe it would be impractical due to GVW, cost and lack of space for RV equipment in the floor.
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03 Adventurer 38G, Workhorse W22
F&R Track Bars, Safety+ , Ultrapower, Taylor Extremes, SGII
TST 507, Blue Ox, SMI, Koni FSD, CrossFire
RV/MH Hall of Fame - Lifetime Member
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09-27-2010, 12:58 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 358
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The 2011 Duramax requires DEF.
http://www.chevrolet.com/assets/pdf/...D_DEF_6-23.pdf
The power numbers rival Cummins ISB (6.7)
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Bill & Dar - Fulltime
2015 Grand Tour 43QL pulling a 2013 Avalanche Z71
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09-27-2010, 07:31 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 194
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Exhaust Fluid...sheesh, I thought this was a joke at first...
What's next? Muffler bearings? Winter/Summer air? Stripped paint?
Truth is stranger than fiction sometimes.
I like the idea of a Diesels torque under the hood of my "Upgrade", but I'm not sure I could stand the clatter, when will we figure out how to make a silent diesel? They have them in the rest of the world...why not here?
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2000 Winnebago Brave SE 31B
P32 Workhorse chassis
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09-27-2010, 09:32 PM
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#8
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Moderator Emeritus
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Coastal Campers Carolina Campers
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Conway, SC
Posts: 23,641
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketDork
I like the idea of a Diesels torque under the hood of my "Upgrade", but I'm not sure I could stand the clatter, when will we figure out how to make a silent diesel? They have them in the rest of the world...why not here?
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Have you driven a MaxxForce 7 lately!! Actually very quiet under a good doghouse. Advanced EGR does not require DEF.
__________________
03 Adventurer 38G, Workhorse W22
F&R Track Bars, Safety+ , Ultrapower, Taylor Extremes, SGII
TST 507, Blue Ox, SMI, Koni FSD, CrossFire
RV/MH Hall of Fame - Lifetime Member
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09-27-2010, 09:47 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 194
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I took a ride in a Volvo S70 in France in 2002, I couldn't even tell it was a diesel, until we stopped for fuel. I was stunned to find out it was a diesel engine under the hood.
Seriously, no odor, no knock, insane power and indistinguishable from a gas engine from an external perspective. The funny thing is that it was the -norm- for a diesel to be silent over there.
I have yet to encounter any diesel in the US that compared...
I haven't been around a MaxForce diesel...but if I were to swap engines in my "upgrade" it would have to be a Duramax to maintain emission compliance. It wasn't an option in the motor home, but in the chassis...
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2000 Winnebago Brave SE 31B
P32 Workhorse chassis
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09-28-2010, 07:59 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Bend Oregon
Posts: 19
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Thanks for all of your responses. I am not a fan of the Ford / Navistar 6.0 from a durability standpoint and while the 6.4 is somewhat more stable, The fuel ecomony numbers in the pickups do not give me any reason to want to drop one in the workhorse chassis.
There are several stand alone PCM / TCM setups available, I was just wanting to utilize the existing OEM instrument cluster and wiring harness if possible.
I will continue to investigate the possibility of the swap possibly using the Kodiak chassis harness...
Can't justify the swap from a fuel economy standpoint, but I would love to have the added 250 ft lbs of torque at around 2500 RPM
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09-28-2010, 09:20 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Forest River Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Parker, CO
Posts: 3,251
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I thought about asking about paying the difference between replacing the 8.1 or changing it to a Duramax. Now seems like the time to do it but between fighting the ESP and the repair center, they've already made it too complicated , just to swap, gas for gas. Not to mention, I'd need a diesel generator or a separate fuel tank.
__________________
Max49
2018 Forest River Georgetown F-53
'08 Jeep Wrangler Toad
Denver, Colorado
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02-04-2011, 04:01 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Centralia, WA
Posts: 1,216
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Was curious if you ever decided to do this?
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02-04-2011, 07:14 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Bend Oregon
Posts: 19
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Hi John,
Still racking up the miles on the 8.1 at this time. I keep thinking I will spend a little more time with the prep and planning during the slower winter season. Winters just have not dropped off as much as they were two or three years ago. The biggest challenge with the swap will be physically installing the drivetrain package in the chassis. Pull the windshield glass, or drop it straight down and out the front of the chassis ? Done tons of light truck, just have not had to pull the engine on a coach in a long time. A stand alone wiring harness is now available to swap the d max and allison into just about anything at this time. I have a friend putting together a 66 Chev Suburban 4x with a Duramax Allison NV 263 combo.
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