Yet another Nubie..

[I_m_Hooked]

Looking at our first (potential) motorhome. Have had toy haulers in the past but never a motorized unit. So looking for a little feeback on a 1999 24' Rexhall American Clipper with 7.4L engine. The unit (91K) looks pretty good cosmetically and runs out well. My primary concern at this point is the 7.4 engine. I earned my living as a Ford tech for 20+ years and have zero experience with the 7.4. How reliable is it and any comments on average MPG would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Austin
Titusville, FL


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"Forum Posting Help and Support is reserved for questions related to forum posting, signature and photo testing, or reporting member account issues. Please avoid using Forum Posting Help and Support for RV related questions, as doing so can delay responses to your thread. Instead, post in the RV Forum which corresponds to the subject of your topic. Thank-you!"

[Gjac]

tropical36 wrote:

Gjac wrote:
The 454 would be the least of my concerns, I would be more concerned about the IFS on the front end having spent a small fortune to repair it. My 1995 454 averages 8.7 mpgs in a 33 ft MH that weighs 15,500 lbs. I have over 120k miles on it with a TB injection system. The 1995 vintage has EFI and should be better. Check for leaking exhaust manifolds, headers will cure that problem permanently and add about 80 more HP and torque.

I must say that our front suspension, was great and handled exceptionally well with one little finger on the wheel and except for trying to maintain those pesky air bags, of course.
The cure, which should have been done earlier in it's life, was with the installation of Henderson Super Steer coil springs and thereby eliminating the bags and the extra Helwig buggy spring, which National installed on their heavier coaches.
Couple that with a new set of Bilstien shocks and it rode better than any, save a DP, with air suspension, of course.

Your right I have no trouble driving mine, I drive it with one hand like a car and passing trucks don't bother the ride but I spent a lot more money on replacing front end parts than friends with the straight front axles. I do have 120k miles on it so I expected some maintenance.

[tropical36]

Gjac wrote:
The 454 would be the least of my concerns, I would be more concerned about the IFS on the front end having spent a small fortune to repair it. My 1995 454 averages 8.7 mpgs in a 33 ft MH that weighs 15,500 lbs. I have over 120k miles on it with a TB injection system. The 1995 vintage has EFI and should be better. Check for leaking exhaust manifolds, headers will cure that problem permanently and add about 80 more HP and torque.

I must say that our front suspension, was great and handled exceptionally well with one little finger on the wheel and except for trying to maintain those pesky air bags, of course.
The cure, which should have been done earlier in it's life, was with the installation of Henderson Super Steer coil springs and thereby eliminating the bags and the extra Helwig buggy spring, which National installed on their heavier coaches.
Couple that with a new set of Bilstien shocks and it rode better than any, save a DP, with air suspension, of course.

[Gjac]

The 454 would be the least of my concerns, I would be more concerned about the IFS on the front end having spent a small fortune to repair it. My 1995 454 averages 8.7 mpgs in a 33 ft MH that weighs 15,500 lbs. I have over 120k miles on it with a TB injection system. The 1995 vintage has EFI and should be better. Check for leaking exhaust manifolds, headers will cure that problem permanently and add about 80 more HP and torque.

[frankdamp]

If the engine is EFI,I don't see an issue. If it has a caburator, run as fast as you can as far away as you can get. Vehicles built with a carb in the final couple of years before fuel injection became standard have so much emission control **** that they are almost impossible to maintain and get really poor gas mileage.

Our first rig was an '88 Class C, a 26-footer with a Ford 460 V8 with carbs. No matter who "tuned" it, the best gas mileage we got was 6 mpg at sea level. In the mountains, it rarely bettered 4.5 mpg.

At the time, gas was around $1.80/gal, so we were able to sell the piece of junk quite quickly. We replaced it with a 32' Class A that had an EFI Ford 6.8l V-8. That got a consistent 8 mpg that didn't change with altitude.

Since we have mountain passes at 5,200', 4,400' and 2,000' within 120 miles of home and we preferred to travel east of the Cascades, that was quite important.

[tropical36]

I'm Hooked wrote:
Looking at our first (potential) motorhome. Have had toy haulers in the past but never a motorized unit. So looking for a little feeback on a 1999 24' Rexhall American Clipper with 7.4L engine. The unit (91K) looks pretty good cosmetically and runs out well. My primary concern at this point is the 7.4 engine. I earned my living as a Ford tech for 20+ years and have zero experience with the 7.4. How reliable is it and any comments on average MPG would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Austin
Titusville, FL

? Did you see the "Announcement : ??READ BEFORE POSTING HERE??" located at the top of this forum?

"Forum Posting Help and Support is reserved for questions related to forum posting, signature and photo testing, or reporting member account issues. Please avoid using Forum Posting Help and Support for RV related questions, as doing so can delay responses to your thread. Instead, post in the RV Forum which corresponds to the subject of your topic. Thank-you!"

I would probably rate the 7.4 as number 1 for gas MH's and especially back in it's day, of where it's competition was with the Ford 460 V8
With a 99 being a transition year, one could end up with a 460 or a first year V10 in a Ford and neither one a good choice, IMO.
After all the 7.4 block is a tried and proven 454 cu in with port fuel injection.
Certainly served us well in our old gasser and that engine never did cost us a red cent. Sold it running as good as ever with more than 90K miles on it, so just hope our present diesel will do likewise.
Yeah, I know, our Kitty CAT will run for a million miles, but at what cost?

[Chum_lee]

So, is this a Chevy chassis with a gasser V8? Or?

Chum lee

[1492]

Moved from FORUM POSTING HELP AND SUPPORT

[pianotuna]

Mike,

Welcome to the forums.

I would reach out to your friends at Ford for information on the 7.4 engine.

19 years old means that any plastic parts may have become friable and brittle.

[Lwiddis]

Get a pro inspection on the roof and walls for water issues. Have you scooted underneath with a bright flashlight? How old are the tires? All systems working? Heat water then pump water for five full minutes? Did you check the lights inside and out, run the wipers? Is the propane tank(s) the current version? Are the TVs compatible with OTA digital? Checked the heater and then AC?