Just finished a 5000 trip around the west in my 2008 Winn Adv 35A, and experienced increasing loss of power. In Rockies over 7000ft the RV slowed to a crawl, pedal to the metal, sometimes in 2nd gear. Heard a slight pinging sound on acceleration with very little pickup, and RV slowed to 35-40 mph on I-70. At end of the trip I limped in with little power. Motor seems fine at 2000 rpm, but pinged/missed at higher rpm during acceleration, slow to get up to speed. This is a Vortec 8100 engine with Allison 6 spd Xmsn, which ran worse than my old Chieftain.Any ideas on possible problems, like HEI coils, xmsn problems, etc, before I take it in to a Workhorse service center?Not still smilinJack

Maybe a higher octane needed in the mountains..?

A code reader may shed some light on the problems. A local parts store may be willing to plug theirs in to your coach. Get the codes and look them up on the web for possible resolution.Gary

fulltime55 wrote:Maybe a higher octane needed in the mountains..?Higher elevation calls for lower octane I believe.But, I'm with Gary. Would have got something checked somewhere along the way. Much better that possibility making bad matters worse by the end of the trip.

Good ideas. I suspected poor gas at 85-87 octane, so filled up with 94 octane and the ping quieted and acceleration improved some. Most of the trip was at around 2000 rpm, where it ran ok. But now the ping (pre-ignition? misfiring?)is louder than before when I go over 2500rpm or so. I'll get the code checked as suggested, and get it in the shop. thanks

Winn Adv vortec motor problems | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

1fastdad
Explorer
Jun 06, 2013
cbr46 wrote:
Salesguy at local RV place told me he didn't like Chevy motors because he hadn't seen one that didn't have an intake manifold leak. - c bob

This sounds like a SALES GUY.
Mr__Coach
Explorer
Jun 06, 2013
Fuel filter Im thinking.. You didn't say weather or not any check engine lights came on or not..If they did not a scan gauge isn't going to tell you anything..
cbr46
Explorer
Jun 06, 2013
Salesguy at local RV place told me he didn't like Chevy motors because he hadn't seen one that didn't have an intake manifold leak. THATS THE ONLY PLACE I HEARD THAT but could cause the problem . . . . along with clogged fuel filter. Clogged air filter wouldn't make it ping lean.

You can buy a Scan Gauge for $159 to look at the OBDII codes then have the tool running full time to monitor other engine parameters. It's a pretty cool device.

Maybe you picked up some contaminated gas somewhere . . . .

Replace fuel filter then floor it!

Best,
- c bob
Daveinet
Explorer
Jun 06, 2013
Clogged fuel filter. Having your foot into it for extended periods of time made it run out of fuel. The ping is because it is running lean, which is why I'm guessing fuel filter. Or weak fuel pump.

Of course the 8.1 is notorious for spark wires falling off.
ScottG
Nomad
Jun 05, 2013
It should not ping just because it's at high alt. The computer should sense for it and retard timing long before you hear pinging. There is something else very wrong and you should not force it to work this way or it will get costly.
Have a good shop check it out including 02 sensor op. - it may be lazy by now.
fulltime55
Explorer
Jun 05, 2013
wny_pat wrote:
fulltime55 wrote:
Maybe a higher octane needed in the mountains..?
Higher elevation calls for lower octane I believe.

But, I'm with Gary. Would have got something checked somewhere along the way. Much better that possibility making bad matters worse by the end of the trip.
...beg to differ on the octane thing....see post above...from jack
Jim
Explorer
Jun 05, 2013
I suspect a dirty air filter.
Jacklovesrving
Explorer
Jun 05, 2013
Good ideas. I suspected poor gas at 85-87 octane, so filled up with 94 octane and the ping quieted and acceleration improved some. Most of the trip was at around 2000 rpm, where it ran ok. But now the ping (pre-ignition? misfiring?)is louder than before when I go over 2500rpm or so. I'll get the code checked as suggested, and get it in the shop.
thanks
wny_pat1
Explorer
Jun 05, 2013
fulltime55 wrote:
Maybe a higher octane needed in the mountains..?
Higher elevation calls for lower octane I believe.

But, I'm with Gary. Would have got something checked somewhere along the way. Much better that possibility making bad matters worse by the end of the trip.
FunTwoDrv
Explorer
Jun 05, 2013
A code reader may shed some light on the problems. A local parts store may be willing to plug theirs in to your coach. Get the codes and look them up on the web for possible resolution.

Gary