Engine Miss

[stearn]

I did a search before posting. While on the road I noticed the engine missing after shifting down while climbing steep hills. If I,m reading right it's caused buy bad or burnt wires. The thing to me sounds like it's popping thru the carbuator, along with the miss. I know it isn't carburated. Just trying to describe the problem. All other times it seems to be as smooth as silk. I did have it in for service, telling them the problem. They said they couldn't find anything wrong, that maybe I got some bad gas. I did add dry gas/injector cleaner , that did not help. The 8.1 now has 13kmiles. Do you think it still would be wires?? I'm now in Florida, and would like to have it fixed before returning home.

[stearn]

I did a search before posting. While on the road I noticed the engine missing after shifting down while climbing steep hills. If I,m reading right it's caused buy bad or burnt wires. The thing to me sounds like it's popping thru the carbuator, along with the miss. I know it isn't carburated. Just trying to describe the problem. All other times it seems to be as smooth as silk. I did have it in for service, telling them the problem. They said they couldn't find anything wrong, that maybe I got some bad gas. I did add dry gas/injector cleaner , that did not help. The 8.1 now has 13kmiles. Do you think it still would be wires?? I'm now in Florida, and would like to have it fixed before returning home.

[dieselclacker]

Stearn, your description of the engine problem sounds like either a spark plug wire, or a spark plug gone bad. Either one will let you down right when you need the power from the engine, such as climbing a steep grade, as you describe, or on wide open acceleration. At any rate any competent Workhorse service center should be able to diagnose and correct your problem. Plug wires have been a persistant problem, it seems, due to poor air flow around the engine, on some brands of motorhomes. Pay particular attention to those wires near the rear of the engine o the drivers side.
You can call Workhorse roadside service phone umber to find out where nearest service center is to your location.
Hope you are able to find and repair your problem before your trip home.

Dieselclacker

[Jeff H]

My money's on a plug wire. Besides the "backfire" sound,does it almost sound like a ping sometimes?

[RottenRalph]

I've witnessed the best diagnostic tools made by Snap-on miss a burnt plug when a Tech II scaner at a Workhorse Service Center picked it up right away.

[mfire1339]

Mine was picked up right away with snap-on equipment. It said number 5 cylinder had miss-fired on last 4 trips. I reached in engine compartment to that wire and it was burnt off at spark plug cap. new wire cured it.

[stearn]

Thanks for all the info, I will call workhorse to see if there is a repair place nearby. To answer Jeff about the ping sound I guess it could be.

[Capt Joe]

stearn,
I had just about the same exact symptoms on my 8.1 as you describe. I first suspected the plug wires but it was determined, with a scan, that the #6 plug was not firing and that I had a bad coil on that cylinder.
Replaced the coil and just to avoid any possible problem with the plug that hadn't been firing replaced the plug also. Just got back from a trip to Asheville, NC and pulling that 6% grade between Greenville, SC and Asheville, didn't miss a beat....ran GREAT, and got better mileage than I have gotten before.
Hope your 'fix' is as easy and works as well.
Let us know what it ends up being so we can update our mental databases on such things.
Good Luck...It looks like you are on the right track.

PS I use a real good heavy truck repair shop, it's not a Workhorse Service Center, for work on my MH. I happen to know the owner real well and trust them. Hope you can find a shop you can trust too. Not to say I won't use the local WH Center at the local Chevy dealership as I know the manager of the service department real well too (we went to high school together MANY years ago) but the shop I use is a good bit less expensive for routine work too.

[MikeT]

We have resources here that can give you Servcie Center locations near you if we have your location. Or here is the state list as of Dec 1, 2008.The formating is off a little.

Also, this info is available on Workhorse.com --

ABC Companies, Inc. 17469 WColonial Dr
Winter Garden FL 34787
(800)222-2871
Bill Shultz Chevrolet, Inc. 4200 South U.S. #1 Fort Pierce FL 34982
(772) 461-4800
Blake Chevrolet, Cadillac and Oldsmobile 30401 S Federal Hwy Homestead FL 33030
(305)247-2121
Buddy Foster Chevrolet of Dade City 10741 US Hwy 301 Dade City FL 33525
(352)567-1222
Campbell RV
617 Cattlemen Road/UPS to 550 Cattlemen Sarasota FL 34232
(941)342-4313
Champion Chevrolet 3127W. Tennessee St Tallahassee FL 32304
(850)576-4000
Coggin Chevrolet at the
Avenues 10880 Philips Hwy Jacksonville FL 32256
(904)260-7777
Conley Subaru, Inc. 800 Cortez Rd West Bradenton FL 34207
(941)755-8531
Courtesy Chevrolet 3707W Colonial Dr Orlando FL 32808
(407)521-4138
Dyer Chevrolet 1000 U.S. #1 Vero Beach FL 32960
(772) 567-8371
Excel Fleet Service 351 Jog Rd West Palm
Beach FL 33413
(561) 686-4665
Golby Motor Corporation 5387 L.B. McLeod Rd Orlando FL 32811
(407)859-9000
Harberson Swanston RV 17028 U.S. 19N Clearwater FL 33764
(727)539-8714
Harberson Swanston RV 2112 US Hwy 19 N Holiday FL 34691
(727)937-6176
Lazy Days RV Super Center 6130 Lazy Days Blvd Seffner FL 33584
(800) 626-7800
Maroone Chevrolet 5757 Lake Worth Greenacres FL 33463
(561)433-5757
McKenzie Pont Buick Olds,
GMC 6500 Caroline St Milton FL 32570
(850)623-3481
Nichols Diesel Engine
Services, Inc. 2900 Kurt St Eustis FL 32726
(352)589-4422
North Trail RV 5270 Orange River Blvd Fort Myers FL 33905
(239)693-8200
Register RV Center 14240 Cortez Blvd Brooksville FL 34613
(352)592-4030
Rivers Bus & RV Sales, Inc. 10626 General Ave Jacksonville FL 32220
(904)783-0313
RV World Inc. of Nokomis 2110 N. Tamiami Trail Nokomis FL 34275
(941) 966-2182
Sandy Sansing Chevrolet 6200 Pensacola Blvd Pensacola FL 32505
(850)476-2480
Steele Truck Center, Inc. 2150 Rockfill Rd
Fort Meyers FL 33916
(239)334-7300
The Turning Wheel RV Center 3040 NW Gainesville Rd Ocala FL 34475
(352)368-6645
The Turning Wheel RV Center 20265 US Hwy 27 Clermont FL 34711
(352) 429-0130
Tommy Thomas Chevrolet 2251West 23rd St
Panama City FL 32405
(850)785-5221
Tri County Truck &
Equipment Sales 1440 N. Powerline Rd
Pompano Beach FL 33069
(954)971-4022
Ward International Trucks,
Inc. 5885 NorthW. St Pensacola FL 32505
(850) 474-9301

[DAN L]

stearn: check out the super heavy duty spark plug wires with heat resistant boots installed on them and platinum spark plugs that OEMY sells on his website. he can ups parts very quickly. i replaced just one wire and it fixed my problem. oemys plugs cost just $5 each so you might as well get a set when you order from him.
that way, you will only have to replace them once. the original wires are prone to fail repeatedly. my 8.1 had 8k miles. they are not hard to change when the engine is cold from the wheel well and under the doghouse cover.
any good auto parts store should have an obd II scan tool for loan to tell you which plug or wire is malfunctioning.

[Gordon L.]

To the OP : I had constant plugwire failures until I bought a set of Taylor Extreme duty wires, part #99615. These wires, along with a new set of AC delco plugs, and I havn't had a problem since.
Also, Champion Chevy in Tallahassee has a good workhorse tech. - Great service.

[Jeff H]

DITTO!!

[edgray]

Gordon L: WELCOME to iRV2.com We're glad you joined and have now made your first post. We look forward to hearing more from you.

Again, WELCOME!
ED

[Gordon L.]

Thanks, Ed - I know from the reading I've done so far, that there is much to learn here. Hopefully, I'll be able to contribute some tid- bits as well. Thanks again for the warm welcome.