UFO Breakdown - Page 5

jim1532001 · 07-14-2008, 06:49 PM

Thanks to all who replied to my question about what UFO stood for. I was an avid RV'er for many years, but got out of it for a spell and just hadn't kept up with the latest innovations. I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as a rear engine gas motor home. I know that there used to be back about twenty years ago, but I thought that idea had not taken hold.

Having had a diesel pusher a few years ago, I can see the benefit of having the engine in the rear, whether gas or diesel.

I will take Petro's advice and check out the new member check in. Glad to have found this site.

Jim

DriVer · 07-15-2008, 07:36 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wthomas1:
I am investing in a tire pressure monitoring system as soon as we return home! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I'm running an 8 device Doran Pressure Pro which was obtained from RV Upgrades. I use 4 on the MH and 4 on the toad. I have also invested in a Crossfire system which only takes 1 PP sensor per set of doolies.

Jestme13 · 07-16-2008, 06:21 PM

Mike is that really a wise setup ? Will the PP realize the presure drop and sound an alarm before the Cross fire shuts off the faulty tire.
I've thought about this same setup. I felt that I may end up running on a flat dualie without knowing it. Please explain.

DriVer · 07-17-2008, 09:58 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jestme13:
Please explain. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>If you are going to get a flat in one of the duallies the Crossfire will only bleed out a percentage of the rated Crossfire pressure which in my case it's 90 psi. When the Crossfire hits a certain pressure it closes the path through the Crossfire to the good tire. Since I setup my Pressure Pro for 90 psi it should report that a loss has occurred and it should provide a low pressure warning.

Regardless I can't use 2 PP sensors and a Crossfire. I am not loosing the Crossfire. For me having equal pressure in both duallies is more important that having 2 PP sensors.

Brazels RV Performance · 07-17-2008, 11:05 AM

Wthomas1,

Is your cooling fan an electric clutch or viscous clutch?

We have one in here with 2600 miles and the bearing is pushed out,an interesting note is that the all 8.1L's use the same water pump.

This electric fan clutch is engaged all the time,we are worried that this is too much load on the pump bearing.We are about to Dyno test it so stay tuned!

Brazels RV Performance · 07-17-2008, 12:48 PM

The water pump failed during the simulated hill climb on the Dyno! Back to the drawing board now.

Duner · 07-17-2008, 05:34 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brazels RV Performance:
The water pump failed during the simulated hill climb on the Dyno! Back to the drawing board now. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
OMG!!!

UFO owners, you're going to have to keep a keen eye on that water pump bearing and if you see it's starting to move out, get it fixed before it self destructs.

Maybe keeping the rpm's down below a safe limit (say 3400), may extend the life of the WP til WH gets a fix on this. Seems to me that the force pulling on that bearing goes up exponentially with the increasing rpm's.

Mike B: What is the rpm you use on the "hill climb" dyno test?

UFO Pilot · 07-17-2008, 07:43 PM

Mike B

I don't know what kind of fan clutch I have. I have been at 4200 rpm on a lot of the long uphill pulls getting this far. I still have to get home from Vancouver, BC to Santa Rosa, CA. A lot more hills to pull, hope this water pump holds together!

-Gramps- · 07-17-2008, 07:59 PM

Driver,

How's it going? I read your post with interest because I was trying to decide wether to buy new Crossfires for my UFO (I need ones that are rated 95psi and I left my old ones on my old coach) or a Pressure Pro system. Using both would be really good. Did you have to make any kind of modifications to use both?

DriVer · 07-18-2008, 04:21 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by -Gramps-:
Using both would be really good. Did you have to make any kind of modifications to use both? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>-Gramps-, No I didn't. The Crossfire has only 1 Schrader valve and that's where the PP sensor is attached.

Jo/Lee · 07-18-2008, 05:05 AM

[

.

I'm confused here, Why does wheelhorse have to fix the water pump problem. I am sure the pump is installed on the engine when GM delivers it.Isn't it GM or supplier pump? Does anyone know if GM trucks have a water pump problem.Or am I all wet here.
Lee

Maybe keeping the rpm's down below a safe limit (say 3400), may extend the life of the WP til WH gets a fix on this. Seems to me that the force pulling on that bearing goes up exponentially with the increasing rpm's.[/quote]

dieselclacker · 07-18-2008, 05:50 AM

Lee, Workhorse is the supplier of the chassis for the UFO, this includes the 8.1 engine with the waterpump in question. Workhorse, and not GM is the responsible for the warranty.
The 8.1 engine is rear mounted in the UFO, and the fan pushes air thru the radiator instead of pulling as in a front mounted chassis. This may or may not be a part of the problem. Fan coupling may be different, causing extreme load on bearing.
At any rate, looks like Workhorse may have a doozy on thier hands.

Dieselclacker

Jo/Lee · 07-18-2008, 01:28 PM

OK, Now then Workhorse is buying the 8.1 from GM sans warranty? I guess they get them cheaper that way.

Thanks,

Lee

dieselclacker · 07-18-2008, 03:36 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jo/Lee:
OK, Now then Workhorse is buying the 8.1 from GM sans warranty? I guess they get them cheaper that way.

Thanks,

Lee </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't know about the cost factor, you may be right.

Dieselclacker

rgrstndgby · 07-19-2008, 02:29 AM

Back on page 7 Driver said.......<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I think we're dealing with a few bad water pumps and not a design failure. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm on the road, and thus haven't read every post on this subject, but if indeed WH is using the same WP that has served ALL the 8.1's out there, and the UFO "test mules" with the reverse fans stood up, then maybe we are seeing a bad batch of water pumps.. It would seem, that in some batch of WP's, the housings bearing bore, or, the bearing OD, or, the quality of the machining, or, the metalurgy in the WP housing, OR, a dozen other things, are in play. It would be interesting to know if the pumps that failed WTHOMAS1, and the one that failed Mike Bronzini, are from the same production run, (tho the 6000 miles on T's first failure would seem to preclude that).. We sort of get used to the "Millions" of test miles the auto manuf's use, and maybe expect WH to do the same, but the reality is such, that they only do a small fraction of that, and who is to say how many miles they actually put on ONE engine in testing. Maybe 6000 miles is all that installation is good for, and a UFO specific WP design with some sort of bearing retention, other than friction, is needed on the UFO. Driver, are you aware of any other failures like these? ..rgr...

roy goble · 07-19-2008, 03:01 AM

The warranty is no different than Saturn's warranty on the Vue. The Vue used Honda V6's, but you wouldn't go to Honda for warranty work, but to Saturn. The 8.1 may be built by GM, but Workhorse is responsible for the warranty. They then probably get reimbursed by GM, remember when GM extended their warranty, Workhorse also extended our Warranty.

-Gramps- · 07-19-2008, 07:09 AM

I made a few phone calls and did a bit of online research which included emails to WH about this WP problem before I bought my coach. There are hundreds of UFOs on the road and only a very few failures have taken place from any cause...less than a three percent failure rate or lower. I was assured that these failures may be noticed more because they are on new chassis...but the UFO is not having any greater problems than than any other WH chassis. My opinion is.. I can live with the water pump on my UFO easier than the brakes on what used to be my 04 w-22.

DriVer · 07-19-2008, 10:54 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rgrstndgby:
Driver, are you aware of any other failures like these? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>rgr, Hello from the WIT Grand National Rally in Forest City, IA.

To answer your question, I haven't heard of any additional failures other than those we have seen here. I will be here all week and I hope to be able to speak with some UFO owners here at the WIT.

rgrstndgby · 07-19-2008, 12:53 PM

gramps said....<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">There are hundreds of UFOs on the road and only a very few failures have taken place from any cause...less than a three percent failure rate or lower. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Gramps, I'm not in anyway criticizing your UFO purchase, If I were in the market for a new MoHo, I'd be all over a UFO. I've thought for years that that's the way they ought to be, but without knowing what kind of "failures" you are refering to, a 3% rate sounds big to me. Imagine if the next 100 Motorhomes you see, 3 are on a wrecker.. Maybe the failures are not catastrophic, I can't tell from your post. The good news is that this waterpump is a pretty simple thing to cure, if indeed it is endemic. Snap rings, shoulders in the housing, flanged bearing races, etc. However, nothing "custom" is cheap, tho alot cheaper than a tow and a radiator. Interesting that "hundreds" of UFO's are on the road, if I've ever seen one, I haven't known it.. Need to start paying more attention.

Driver, I hope you all have a great Rally, I'm about 375 miles south of you, (Columbia Mo., )but will just have to depend on you folks for news....rgr...

dieselclacker · 07-19-2008, 02:45 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rgrstndgby:The good news is that this waterpump is a pretty simple thing to cure, if indeed it is endemic.

I agree with the above statement, that is provided Workhorse is willing to admit to the problem, if one does indeed exist. As an owner who has had four Actia IP in the last 23K miles, I am not a firm believer in Workhorse comming up with a cure for thier problems.

Dieselclacker

acti