Best gas engine, is V10 good

[setraveler]

We are looking for 32 or less, class A. Note will probably not need diesel as will be moving to MI, WI or such, wouldnot use in winter, nor "travel a lot" in other seasons. Want 32 or less due to size restriction in parks etc, just two of us,do not need more.

So if we rule out diesel, what is best gas engine? We have son in law who had Ford with the Trition V10 in truck, had one mess after another, but he is ot exactly know for mechanical skills/knowledge. Many said the "Triton V10 has issues as Ford tired to make a V what ever is needed, rather then dedicated single unit.

So what oare experiences with gas engines, failures, great ones, repairs and routine maintenance, etc What is expected miles before major works. Note will do lite maintenance work, oil, fileters, etc. Am mainly diesel guy so no much experinece with the gas.

[chili_s_trip]

timmac wrote:

setraveler wrote:
OK folks I get it, seems none have ever had any serious issues. I have 93 ford 150, 169K, have had a few issues, but nothing serious. But did run into plug problems until we found right ones. Do understand on v10s, but am looking at all aspects of Class A RV, not trucks before we buy again.

Well as to the F-53 chassis it has had no recalls like the workhorse did, I am mostly talking about newer than year 2000, Ford kept the emergency brake simple and manual unlike workhorse, no brake issues unlike workhorse and what other issues the workhorse had, also remember workhorse went bankrupt and Ford is still here without bailouts..

Not sure ref no recalls. Workhorse went out of business because GM quit making the 8.1. engine! No one should ever rely on GM.
My W 20 has a manual parking brake. Thanks.

[frankdamp]

We currently have an '01 chassis build date, '02 Class A Georgetown 32' rig. Very happy with the Ford part - Georgetown part is OK, but not spectacular. Since I'm a former motorcycle development engineer (Norton-Villiers), the high(!) revs of the V-10 don't bother me in the least. I was used to 4-cylinder 1-liter engines that developed their peak torque at 8,000 and peak power up around 15,000 rpm. 4000 rpm climbing a mountain pass is no big deal.

Since the rig had only 12,000 miles on it when we bought it at 8 years old and it's only at 18,000 now (12 years old), we can't address high mileage issues. It drives like a new rig and the performance is excellent. Ride quality of the F53 is not the greatest, but I'd rather spend my limited funds on going places rather than trying to make a silk purse from a pig's ear. It rides like the 11-ton box truck that hides under the RV bodywork!

We'll be putting it on the market shortly, as we can no longer afford 8 mpg and $4 a gallon on our limited retiree income, not to mention the $30 State Park and $50 commercial CG fees.

If anyone's interested, send a PM. We bought it locally after seeing an ad in our local weekly newspaper. We'll probably place it with a well-respected local consignment dealer about the beginning of October.

[timmac]

setraveler wrote:
OK folks I get it, seems none have ever had any serious issues. I have 93 ford 150, 169K, have had a few issues, but nothing serious. But did run into plug problems until we found right ones. Do understand on v10s, but am looking at all aspects of Class A RV, not trucks before we buy again.

Well as to the F-53 chassis it has had no recalls like the workhorse did, I am mostly talking about newer than year 2000, Ford kept the emergency brake simple and manual unlike workhorse, no brake issues unlike workhorse and what other issues the workhorse had, also remember workhorse went bankrupt and Ford is still here without bailouts..

[timmac]

chili's trip wrote:

Abet at higher rpm. Thanks.

Only 50 rpm more to get same torque as the 8.1, I would say that's not much more rpm.

[427435]

And remember that a V10 at 4000 rpm sounds like a V8 at 5000 rpm.

[lostdog]

chili's trip wrote:

timmac wrote:

n7bsn wrote:


It has been one of the best engines Ford has ever produced.

Yea Ford has done good with that V-10 [415 cubic inch], after 2006 the HP and Torque was a little more than the GM 8.1 [496 cubic inch]

Sure does show that big things can come from small cubic inches..

Abet at higher rpm. Thanks.

And it LOVES the higher RPM!

[chili_s_trip]

timmac wrote:

n7bsn wrote:


It has been one of the best engines Ford has ever produced.

Yea Ford has done good with that V-10 [415 cubic inch], after 2006 the HP and Torque was a little more than the GM 8.1 [496 cubic inch]

Sure does show that big things can come from small cubic inches..

Abet at higher rpm. Thanks.

[setraveler]

OK folks I get it, seems none have ever had any serious issues. I have 93 ford 150, 169K, have had a few issues, but nothing serious. But did run into plug problems until we found right ones. Do understand on v10s, but am looking at all aspects of Class A RV, not trucks before we buy again.

[timmac]

n7bsn wrote:


It has been one of the best engines Ford has ever produced.

Yea Ford has done good with that V-10 [415 cubic inch], after 2006 the HP and Torque was a little more than the GM 8.1 [496 cubic inch]

Sure does show that big things can come from small cubic inches..

[n7bsn]

The V10 has been the standard Ford fleet engine in, well, just about every truck/van chassis they ship since 1997 (Fleet sales started before private sales)
As a result the engine has seen, lots and lots of miles.
Ford is still shipping the engine in lots of the fleet sales (F650)

It has been one of the best engines Ford has ever produced.

I've owned two, with minimal issues.

[timmac]

Kiwi_too wrote:
I have had 2 V10. First was an '04 Coachmen Aurora 3480DS. The pre '07 V10 were 2 valve. '07 and after were 3 valve. Th 2 valve has a lot less power. I added a Banks Power Pack. The current V10 has good power without the Banks.

I have liked ours and enjoyed them.

06 and newer has the 3 valve with more HP

[AllegroD]

I have had 2 V10. First was an '04 Coachmen Aurora 3480DS. The pre '07 V10 were 2 valve. '07 and after were 3 valve. Th 2 valve has a lot less power. I added a Banks Power Pack. The current V10 has good power without the Banks.

I have liked ours and enjoyed them.

[carringb]

Coming up quick on 390,000 miles on mine. Runs great still, as does the transmission!

[427435]

I've got 80,000 miles on my 2000 V10. No problems and runs fine. I did, very carefully, replace the spark plugs at 40,000 miles (there are a lot of wrong ways to do that and one best way). I rechecked the plug torque 20,000 miles later, and they were all fine. The 2002 and later V10's had changes and the 2006 and later had another 50 hp and a 5th gear added to the transmission.


From an old post of mine:

From what I learned on the Ford V10 Forum the proper torque was 168 IN-lbs with high temp never-seize on the threads.

Better to remove the plugs, but that has to be done carefully to avoid problems. Here's how I did it.

1. Remove the coil-on-plug coils and blow out the spark plug wells with compressed air.

2. Squirt in WD40 or PB Blaster and LET SET OVERNIGHT (or at least an hour).

3. Loosen the plugs just 1/8 to 1/4 turn!!! NO MORE.

4. Squirt more WD40/PB Blaster into the well and LET SET OVERNIGHT.

5. Remove the plugs and check the threads in the head with a bright pencil light.

6. Check/replace the plugs (be sure gap is correct----which I think was around 0.055").

7. Place a LITTLE high temp never-seize on the plug threads. Be sure none gets on the spark plug tip!!!

8. Hand start the plugs (a spark plug socket with a rubber insert and a 6" extension is a big help). The plugs should screw in easily until their shoulder bottoms in the head.

9. Torque to exactly 168 IN-lbs (14 ft-lbs).

10 Recheck the plugs after 5,000-10,000 miles (and maybe every 25,000 miles thereafter to be safe).


If all else fails (or you want an insurance policy when traveling), buy a Timesert Kit