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01-16-2025, 03:56 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2025
Posts: 2
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Broken down near Denver, any recommended shops?
Hi All,
I am relatively new to RVing and this forum as well. I find myself in quite a pickle, and would appreciate any advice. Our RV broke down 6 days ago in the mountains in Colorado. And I still have no idea how I'm going to get it fixed or when we'll get home. Specifically if anybody knows a good shop in the Denver area that can do engine work on an older class C it would be most helpful.
I have a 2003 Class C Holiday Rambler Atlantis on a 2002 Ford E-350 chassis with V10/6.8L engine. It's 30' long, 12' high. The other day we were driving up I-70 when I hit a pothole, and the oil pressure gauge dropped to 0 and the low oil warning light came on. Obviously I tried to pull over ASAP, but that section of I-70 near Frisco, CO is in the mountains with very narrow lanes and no space to safely pull over. So I had to keep going to the next exit, which wasn't more than a mile or two. But the engine started making this horrible clunking noise. I went very slow and parked in the first place I could.
It took several days and many hours on the phone to get Progressive RoadSide Assistance to tow my RV into Denver. I will spare you the details of that customer service horror story.
The place I initially took it to said it had virtually no oil left. And based on the sound it was making they said it probably needs a new engine. They quoted me $17,000 - which is several thousand more than I paid for the RV last year when I bought it. This place doesn't specialize in this kind of work, so I'm searching for other options. It seems crazy to me such a minor thing as hitting a pothole could destroy my engine. Is there any chance it could be a simpler repair?
But assuming it does need a new engine, I think I have found a compatible rebuilt engine online for under $4,000. But I do not have the skills or garage in which to do this myself - although I'm more than willing to learn and do as much as I can myself to cut down on the labor costs.
So, if anybody knows a place in the Denver area that does engine work that could help me diagnose and possibly perform an engine swap, it would be greatly appreciated.
Or, how do y'all search for places that can work on RV engines? It seems like most of the RV-specific places don't do engine work. And the general automotive shops that do engine work can't fit an RV.
Or any other general advice or words of wisdom.
Thank you!
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01-16-2025, 04:03 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Full time RV'er
Posts: 5,528
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Google "RV shops near me" for reviews, and check RVServiceReviews.com too.
You have a lot of phone calls in your future. Hopefully you have another vehicle or rental where you can visit those shops you think have potential to get a feeling of competency.
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01-16-2025, 04:14 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: Bohemia NY
Posts: 1,893
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Unless the pothole or road debris hit and damaged the engine pan or oil filter/cooler adapter I don't see how the pothole and engine damage is related. If the road or something on it did damage the engine contact your insurance company. It may be covered under the comprehensive part of your policy. Give it a try!
Next step, this is a risk you take buying an older RV. Things go wrong, and it is not uncommon for repairs to cost more than the vehicle is worth. When not at home things get worse as you are at the mercy of the facilities within towing distance. Also, when you saw the oil pressure loss, you made the decision to keep going.
As for the repair costs even being a class C there is a lot of labor to exchange that engine. You will want a good one with a good warranty program that will also include labor should it have come out again. You can get reman engine prices online but do expect a shop to add a markup. If you want the shop to back up their work let them supply the parts. Pretend you are going to a restaurant.
While at a shop prepare to move quickly making a decision and moving forward. Storage fees are becoming normal operations now when waiting on customers.
I would shop a bit as I think $17K is a bit much for that engine installed. Here labor is well over $200/hour and you may have 16 to 24 hours for that job. Add $8K for an engine and other parts and this does become a $12K event. Think of the Diesel folks where engine fails become $40 and $50K events. Good luck.
__________________
Dennis
Bohemia NY
2008 Nimbus 342 SE Carlyle
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01-16-2025, 04:25 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
American Coach Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Cary, Il.
Posts: 662
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_
Hi All,
I am relatively new to RVing and this forum as well. I find myself in quite a pickle, and would appreciate any advice. Our RV broke down 6 days ago in the mountains in Colorado. And I still have no idea how I'm going to get it fixed or when we'll get home. Specifically if anybody knows a good shop in the Denver area that can do engine work on an older class C it would be most helpful.
I have a 2003 Class C Holiday Rambler Atlantis on a 2002 Ford E-350 chassis with V10/6.8L engine. It's 30' long, 12' high. The other day we were driving up I-70 when I hit a pothole, and the oil pressure gauge dropped to 0 and the low oil warning light came on. Obviously I tried to pull over ASAP, but that section of I-70 near Frisco, CO is in the mountains with very narrow lanes and no space to safely pull over. So I had to keep going to the next exit, which wasn't more than a mile or two. But the engine started making this horrible clunking noise. I went very slow and parked in the first place I could.
It took several days and many hours on the phone to get Progressive RoadSide Assistance to tow my RV into Denver. I will spare you the details of that customer service horror story.
The place I initially took it to said it had virtually no oil left. And based on the sound it was making they said it probably needs a new engine. They quoted me $17,000 - which is several thousand more than I paid for the RV last year when I bought it. This place doesn't specialize in this kind of work, so I'm searching for other options. It seems crazy to me such a minor thing as hitting a pothole could destroy my engine. Is there any chance it could be a simpler repair?
But assuming it does need a new engine, I think I have found a compatible rebuilt engine online for under $4,000. But I do not have the skills or garage in which to do this myself - although I'm more than willing to learn and do as much as I can myself to cut down on the labor costs.
So, if anybody knows a place in the Denver area that does engine work that could help me diagnose and possibly perform an engine swap, it would be greatly appreciated.
Or, how do y'all search for places that can work on RV engines? It seems like most of the RV-specific places don't do engine work. And the general automotive shops that do engine work can't fit an RV.
Or any other general advice or words of wisdom.
Thank you!
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My nephew has worked in the Trucking/HD/RV industry in the Denver area where he lives & I've got a message into him about your dilemma.
Here's a couple to start with.
Here's a couple he suggested: Double D Auto Truck RV Services in Arvada,Co. 303-431-8499
Mobile Wrench Truck Repair. in Denver...303-650-5902
__________________
2004 American Eagle "J"/400 ISL/Spartan MM
Luxe Ryder Trailer
2007 Honda ST1300 & 2004 Honda Rune
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01-16-2025, 05:03 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16,143
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Doing a inspection on the oil pan may be worth while to make sure there are no holes.
If you find visual signs of damage, and have comprehensive insurance I'd contact your insurance agent and file a claim.
I had road debris take out my radiator and filed a claim, insurance accepted it and paid ~$6k for the replacement.
If you are inclined to fix the RV it won't be cheap. A rebuilt motor could be ~$6K and the labor will be about as much unless you find a good honest shop that knows what they are doing.
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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01-16-2025, 05:34 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 5,326
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I think any hope of an insurance claim depends on if any oil pan damage is inbound (road debris) or outbound (connecting rod).
It's possible that the pot hole was coincidental to what is likely internal engine failure.
__________________
2005 Four Winds Majestic 23A
“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” - Dr Suess
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01-16-2025, 05:46 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 4,025
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With an RV of that age the OP may just carry liability.
__________________
Brian, 2011 Winnebago Via Class A on Sprinter Chassis
2000 Jeep TJ toad
Tucson, AZ
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01-16-2025, 07:42 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Brenham, Texas
Posts: 2,572
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To the OP, you don’t give much info about where your home base is. If it’s within a few hundred miles or so, spend whatever it takes and get the thing towed home. If it’s across country, the same could apply or get it fixed.
Welcome to the forum and the RV lifestyle.
__________________
Eddie and Jomaye, Retired
2018 Newmar Ventana 4369, 2021 Jeep Wrangler,
2024 Haulmark 20’ enclosed car hauler
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01-16-2025, 09:25 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Wilmington,NC USA
Posts: 1,984
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While the 17k price sounds way over the top, here are some things to consider.
On an E series to remove the V10 engine, most everything under the hood (with the exception of the brake and steering system)has to come out. Everything between the headlights and above the radiator support have to come out.
That $4k engine you found is at best is a short block. A standard rebuilt(aka longbock) will be block assembly, heads ,oil pan and timing covers. Something like a Jasper rebuilt will be almost 9k for a V-10 delivered. Then the mechanic still has the intake manifold and all the injection components to clean scrape and reinstall. Water pump , all the sensors and emission controls. Gaskets. 22 year old hoses are going to need replacement. The exhaust manifolds are likely warped and will need to be machined flat.
Oil cooler and lines have to be replaced as a condition of warranty because the engine was ran out of oil. If that oil cooler was integral with the radiator there is another $700. A/C system has to be reassembled , flushed, vacuumed and charged.Engine core has to be re-crated and shipping arranged. All of this adds up.
Adding to the complications are it being a motorhome. Won’t fit on the average shop rack. Everything underneath has to be done on a creeper. On top of everything, no mechanic wants to work on a motorhome. My wild guess is the shop is probably quoting in the neighborhood of 25-30 hours labor.
BTW, most shops (if they are smart) will require a deposit of at least 1/2 of the estimate before they do anything past a diagnosis.
__________________
2019 Forest River Sunseeker 2850
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01-17-2025, 05:30 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2024
Location: Bohemia NY
Posts: 1,893
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigb56
With an RV of that age the OP may just carry liability.
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There is also the possibility that the payout will be limited to the value of the vehicle. Still, worth investigation if the failure was due to an outside cause. Even if you only get partial assistance. Other option is to sell where is as is. There are RV "wrecking yards" but the towing or transport cost quickly eat up whatever they offer.
__________________
Dennis
Bohemia NY
2008 Nimbus 342 SE Carlyle
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01-17-2025, 08:52 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2024
Location: WI Driftlesser
Posts: 2,511
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Roadside assistance is not available with liability only, as far as I know.
So external damage to the oil pan could be worth pursuing. If the pan is intact, and the engine is low on oil, then it could easily be junk, and the motorhome could be not worth repairing. You might find somebody to do it more reasonably, but you take your chances. Or sell it as is, and let somebody else replace the engine on their own.
__________________
"Bringing third world electrical work to first world luxury." RV makers of Murica!
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01-17-2025, 09:02 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16,143
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Owning any age RV can be challenging.
I had a 1997 Class C with a 460 engine. I started to see the oil pressure fluctuate, need bounce. I even added a second gauge to confirm. It got to the point that when hot at idle it would bounce to ZERO. It was maybe 8 years old at the time and I had it since new and did most of the maintenance including oil changes.
Talked to the mechanic I used for stuff I don't want to fool with and we both suspected bad oil pump so I made arrangements to take it there and have him change the pump. Not an easy job since you can't change it without lifting engine enough to drop oil pan. My mechanic could work blind and he removed the pump leaving the pickup tube/screen hanging. He handed me the pump and the flange that held the pickup tube in place was still on the pump, the tube was cracked. HUH, so we had to get a new pickup tube/screen and he got all back together. All good.
Mechanic knew I tried to take care of my vehicles and when I was selling the Class C he brought his dad over to look at it and he bought it. Mechanic has since inherited it.
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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01-17-2025, 11:45 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2025
Posts: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RickNC
That $4k engine you found is at best is a short block. A standard rebuilt(aka longbock) will be block assembly, heads ,oil pan and timing covers. Something like a Jasper rebuilt will be almost 9k for a V-10 delivered.
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Thanks for the info! The engine I found is made by Fraser engines. It appears to have the same specs as the OEM engine, but I barely know anything about this kind of thing. It doesn't specifically say if it's a short block or long block.
https://fraserengineco.com/ford-6-8-...ines-for-sale/
Do you think this is compatible? Again, I've got a 2002 Ford E-450 with a V10/6.8L.
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01-17-2025, 12:34 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16,143
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See if you can contact Ford and using the VIN they can give you the build information including the engine spec.
I bought a 2020 Ford Transit van and went on line and was able to print it off.
Then contact Fraiser and give them the spec's
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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