Loosing speed going uphill and revs at 3500 rpm+

[rv2017]

Hi there
I just bought a Class C 2005 Coachmen Leprechaun. When there is the slightest incline the MH just can’t make it. It got down to 45 mph and revved at 4000 and I had my foot to the metal. It was not gonna go any faster. Also between the driver and passenger seats gets very very hot. When the MH was pulled over to rest, we saw NO leaking and all controls were normal. WHat is the issue so I can get it fixed. Thanks for your help
Judi

[dodge_guy]

allen8106 wrote:

rv2017 wrote:
Hi there
I just bought a Class C 2005 Coachmen Leprechaun. When there is the slightest incline the MH just can’t make it. It got down to 45 mph and revved at 4000 and I had my foot to the metal. It was not gonna go any faster. Also between the driver and passenger seats gets very very hot. When the MH was pulled over to rest, we saw NO leaking and all controls were normal. WHat is the issue so I can get it fixed. Thanks for your help
Judi

It's pretty simple, there's nothing wrong with your rig just typical crappy gas engines not made for heavy loads.

I had a 2009 GMC 2500 with the 6L vortec engine. Coming uphill traveling east on I40 at the continental divide I was cranking 4500 rpm and barely making 40 mph. I told my wife then that if we ever did that trip again I would buy a diesel. I now have a 2013 GMC 2500 with the Duramax.

Nothing crappy about the Ford V-10! In fact it will hang right with a stock diesel. Another point of fact, I had a guy in a Super C with a diesel try passing me and he just couldn’t do it. He ended up settling in behind my V-10 for the rest of that leg of my trip. THe OP has a problem with his. Hopefully he gets it sorted out.

[allen8106]

rv2017 wrote:
Hi there
I just bought a Class C 2005 Coachmen Leprechaun. When there is the slightest incline the MH just can’t make it. It got down to 45 mph and revved at 4000 and I had my foot to the metal. It was not gonna go any faster. Also between the driver and passenger seats gets very very hot. When the MH was pulled over to rest, we saw NO leaking and all controls were normal. WHat is the issue so I can get it fixed. Thanks for your help
Judi

It's pretty simple, there's nothing wrong with your rig just typical crappy gas engines not made for heavy loads.

I had a 2009 GMC 2500 with the 6L vortec engine. Coming uphill traveling east on I40 at the continental divide I was cranking 4500 rpm and barely making 40 mph. I told my wife then that if we ever did that trip again I would buy a diesel. I now have a 2013 GMC 2500 with the Duramax.

[Sfla2]

you have a house behind you NEVER use OD on any type of incline use foot pedal much better

[time2roll]

You want to see slow... try nine mile canyon road off 395 @ pearsonville.
Average 10 percent for nine miles with a few hairpins to make sure you do not get a run at it.

[rv2017]

Thank you all for your replies. I have made an appt with a RV mechanic. Will follow up on the issues found.

[jbeliera]

I have driven in the western states mostly and we have got some doozies out here. I guess if you think it is mechanical you can take it in and see what may be robbing you some horsepower. When you climb you have to expect power loss just because of the dynamics at work on that grade. Percent of climb, weight of the vehicle, wind resistance if you are bucking wind just to mention a few. Hills do what hills do There is no substitute for horsepower and torque . Maybe your pony was just doing the best it could for what you were asking it to do

[theoldwizard1]

Is it an E350 or E450 chassis ?

My E-series has a button on the end of the gear selector to cancel Overdrive, which I always do when approaching a hill.

Do not be afraid to downshift to second gear. Just watch the temperature gauge and pull over if it is in the HOT range. If you are really paranoid, have a shop install a transmission fluid temperature gauge.

Worst case, find a shop that specializes in rear axles and ring and pinion gears. If you do NOT have a 4.10 rear axle ratio, installing it may be worth the cost is you travel in the hills a lot.

[FunTwoDrv]

RV2017, Start with the basics... since it is new to you, have the tech check the systems via a scanner. Depending on the mileage, it may need some normal preventative maintenance and perhaps fluid changes, filters, plugs, wires, coil packs etc.
Having said all that, what you experienced could be "normal" performance. Perhaps influenced by weight, grade and/or altitude.
For reference, we've seen 45mph a few times in our 32' class c pulling a 4000lb toad up some seemingly "gentile" inclines. However, what I sometimes forget to keep in mind is the altitude and duration of these grades... yep, the longer the pull, the more difficult it is to maintain a full head of steam. Momentem only gets you so far! LOL

Good luck,
Gary

[dodge_guy]

OK, that`s what I thought, just wanted to be sure.

Yes, the class C shouldn't have an issue. It`s possible you have a plugged fuel filter. hard to say on the internet. I also know the trans likes to short shift, meaning it doesn't let you get the full benefit of its powerband. I used to have to shift mine manually to get it to tow good in the mountains. I then put a 5 star tune in it and it made it tow like it should.

[rv2017]

you misread it. When I had a 5th wheel I had it hooked up to a truck.
now i have a motor home with this issue. Ok so I see I may have a problem. Do you know what it can be?I want to be a little knowledgeable when I bring it into the shop so that they don't sell me a bunch of nothing. Thanks for your reply

[dodge_guy]

Ok. A 29’ class C should perform very good with the V-10. My 02 has a combined weight of 18000lbs and I can maintain 60+mph up a decent grade.
And yes 4K rpm from a V-10 Triton is ok, that’s where it’s making its power.

You had a truck hooked up to your class C? I’d that how I read your last post? If so that is asking a lot of the V-10!

[rv2017]

Yes, I may have to change my expectations. I have a 2005 29' coachmen leprechaun. on a ford e450 V10. Does that help? I am new to driving a motorhome. My 5th wheels never had this problem, but I had a truck hooked up to it. I just didn't expect this.

[Terryallan]

In truth. It sounds like the engine is doing what it is supposed to do. It just doesn't have the power for the weight.

[Sam_Spade]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
What's the problem? You ran out of horsepower. Running a big box up a hill takes a lot of horsepower. 45 MPH going out a big hill is pretty good. No CEL no problem.

Assuming this is an E450....mine did the same thing. Even on small hills......when the cruise was set. Anticipating the hills and gaining an extra 5 MPH BEFORE the actual grade can help a lot; this gets your foot "in it" early.

Long or steep hills, that's just the way gravity and drag works.
My replacement rig does that too....some.....and it has the big GM Workhorse chassis.

Now.....I got the electronic "retune" for my 450. It helped some. I could leave the cruise set until the terrain got somewhat worse.

My 450 is now gone and the tuning kit is for sale, at less than half the original price. Look it up in threads on here.

HOWEVER.....there was one minor annoyance:
With the "re-tune", as the engine pulled harder going up hills, it lost enough engine vacuum that the A/C output was directed to the windshield vents. It returned to normal after the hill. This did not happen when stock.

[MitchF150]

Back in the day, been maxed out at 25 mph, 1st gear, foot to the floor towing up the grades on the West Coast.. This was in a brand new 1989 Ford E250 van with a 351 in it towing a #6000 cargo trailer for construction work and going between jobs..

I pass you Class C's and A's all the time now with the rig in my sig... 🙂 But, I'm a lot less weight, so it's all relative..

I think it's normal, so just gotta adjust your expectations more than anything else... If it was fuel or exhaust related, you would not be able to pull 4000 rpms and still be going 45 mph... You'd be at a max of around 3000 rpms and maybe 25 mph if it was one of those being your problem (and the engine would be missing or bogging like heck)... IMO... 😉

Good luck!

Mitch