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dicktater · 09-27-2008, 02:35 PM

Iam on a trip in my 2003 35 ft dolphin with work horse engine pulling a crv. I had the Brazels full Ultra power installed Sept.2006. This is the first time since installation that we have traveled in Mountains at over 6000 ft. Traveling from Canyonlands thru Moab crossing mts. to Taos of over 8000 feet, we barely made it up the hills at 20 to 25 MPH with rpm up to 4500 rpm. Friends with larger motorhome with with 300 diesel had no problem. Other reports on Ultra power mt performance were positive. Looking for comments. Seems to run good on hills at lower elevations.

dicktater · 09-27-2008, 02:35 PM

Iam on a trip in my 2003 35 ft dolphin with work horse engine pulling a crv. I had the Brazels full Ultra power installed Sept.2006. This is the first time since installation that we have traveled in Mountains at over 6000 ft. Traveling from Canyonlands thru Moab crossing mts. to Taos of over 8000 feet, we barely made it up the hills at 20 to 25 MPH with rpm up to 4500 rpm. Friends with larger motorhome with with 300 diesel had no problem. Other reports on Ultra power mt performance were positive. Looking for comments. Seems to run good on hills at lower elevations.

Bob (WA0MQE) · 09-27-2008, 02:48 PM

What is your Gross Combined Vehicle weight? Also how hot was it outside while you were pulling up those hills? I had a similar problem last July in Utah. I could just barely get 30 mph and was running in the lowest gear I had. Can't compare the 8.1 engine to even a 300 diesel. They have much more torque. All though in the past I've been able to keep up with many of them. But last July wasn't one of those times. I think in my case it was a combination of too much weight and heat. The heat and elevation both can really zap the power from any engine. Especially a gas engine. I also had a problem with the Fan Clutch running to often. While on that trip in Utah I went over to Washington state and paid a visit at Brazel's. They checked the Ultra Power and everything on their Dyno. It showed pretty good, but they did retune it because something wasn't quite right. While there we determined the Fan Clutch was not right. It was coming on too often. Those things can zap about 20% of your power when they run.

When you did the Ultra Power did you do the air intake also? It can make a difference. And speaking of air intakes, when was the last time you cleaned the air filter?

Just a few ideas to think about.

Oemtech · 09-27-2008, 03:02 PM

You will lose 2 to 3% HP for every 1000' of elevation.

FrontRangeRVer · 09-27-2008, 03:14 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by oemtech:
You will lose 2 to 3% HP for every 1000' of elevation. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is correct. It's hard to evaluate performance up here in the mountains. When we go to sea level, I can make all 4 tires of my wife's Turbo-charged Legacy burn rubber....up here, it's a different story.

Take your time going up....there is no rush.

dicktater · 09-27-2008, 03:17 PM

Bob thanks for you comments. I have climbed some pretty good hills in Northern Calif. with ok results, but they were not high altitude. On this trip any time we encounter even smaller hills at high altitudes when the engine fan came on all power was lost. Gross wt on the MH was 21500, and the crv weighs about 3200#. The temp guage did not show high temp,but clutch stayed engaged during climb. To make matters worst, the clutch would not engage even when we started going down hill and temp. read cool. This continued for miles of down hill travel. I did have the CIA installed at time of installation. I have not had it cleaned since installation about 12000 miles ago.

FrontRangeRVer · 09-27-2008, 03:25 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by dicktater:
On this trip any time we encounter even smaller hills at high altitudes when the engine fan came on all power was lost. Gross wt on the MH was 21500, and the crv weighs about 3200#. The temp guage did not show high temp,but clutch stayed engaged during climb. To make matters worst, the clutch would not engage even when we started going down hill and temp. read cool. This continued for miles of down hill travel. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

VERY normal for up here at high altitudes.....see my post on your other thread.

max49 · 09-27-2008, 05:22 PM

I remember when people here did'nt believe me when I said 35MPH was the best I could hold on the big mtns. And that's close to 5000RPM in 1st.
MoHos have an easy life back east.

FrontRangeRVer · 09-27-2008, 05:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by max49:
MoHos have an easy life back east. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I believe that was the Carolina boys that didn't believe you....it certainly wasn't us!

Climbing a long grade at 1,000 feet elevation is no comparison to climbing a long grade at 9,000 feet......

DriVer · 09-27-2008, 05:50 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
I believe that was the Carolina boys that didn't believe you....it certainly wasn't us!...... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>FRRVer, You may also want to share with the OP that the Carolina boys have been out west and have peaked those crests and crossed the continental divide a number of times and personally, I believe they are aware of the challenges of altitude.

John-D · 09-27-2008, 05:59 PM

I'm running a straight (unmodofied) 8.1 on my Intruder and the only road where I felt I did not have enough power.... Well.. Let's just say I don't ever car to go down that road again (Less I'm driving a mountain goat) NOTE: I had enough power to make the trip...But it's not designed for motor homes (Think of "Diablo Pass" in the movie RV,, Not that bad... But not by much!)

dicktater · 09-27-2008, 07:08 PM

Driver I am still concerned the poor performance of the Ultra powered 8.1.It is scary when you are in lowest gear and going 20 to 25 MPH. Traveled these same mtns 6 years ago in a 32 foot MH with a Ford V10 (Banks) with a lot less problems. The engine clutch fan comes on when temp barely exceeds the 1/4 indicator. If this is the best I can expectfrom this engine ,then this will be last such trip I will take with MH.

Bob (WA0MQE) · 09-28-2008, 01:40 AM

If you haven't already done so you might consider, and I've even heard of diesel owners doing the same thing, is to unhook the toad and have your co-pilot follow (provided you have one) over these grades. Even with a brake system it's easier on both vehicles going down hill too. I for one have done this a many times.

As you can see from my sig... below and like FrontRangeRVer, did you notice the elevation under his signature and mine is just under 7,000 ft, living here in Colorado we run into lack of power issues all the time. When I first got this coach we traveled into the mountains over the big passes every summer. A couple of these approach 12,000 ft. I quit going west on these routes because I felt it was too hard on the coach, I just take the long way around on easier grades.

max49 · 09-28-2008, 04:32 AM

Dictator, you may have something wrong. For one, my temperature gauge never moves off dead center, (except twice when the Actia glitches) I thought all WH temperature gauges weld to the middle once warmed up.
For another thing, my fans seldom come on unless I have the AC on.
I don't know what passes you were crossing but if I'm a little aggresive, (and you need to be) I can maintain at least 35 MPH anywhere on I-70. But you can't be afraid to let it REV. Letting it lug to 25MPH & 2 or 3000RPM is way harder on the engine and transmission; and you probably won't get your momentum back.

Oh, I forgot. I put a switch in, so I can turn the 2 smaller electric fans on and I do this when I'm pulling hard grades. May that's why my "roaring fans" seldom come on. I can't hear the electric fans.