Our rig has the big ol' 460 in the rear. Previous Owner says it had all the power they needed, even pulling a loaded horse trailer. BUT I'm having doubts and fears about the engine, so would like to know how you all feel about it, if you have one.
Since mine is torn apart, I'm toying with the idea of swapping it out for a diesel.
I am wrecking out our old SOB with a 25K-28K 7.3 IDE turbo Ford/Navistar that I installed years ago. Right now, it has the HD single disk clutch into a ZF manual 5 speed with also the same miles. It will be for sale in the next few months. It doubled the mpg over the OEM 440 Dodge. This is the mechanical engine with only wires for sensors/sending units, alternator, glow plugs (timer mounted on the engine) fuel solenoid.
Pierce
You probably won't get much response to your survey - not many OREG models represented on our Forum.
Approximate (when new) specs for your coach with Ford 460 (according to Chilton's 1987-96 repair manual):
Horsepower: 230@3600rpm
Torque: 390@2200rpm
Specs for modern diesel HD pickup truck engines in graphic below. You do the math! 8)
Suggestion,repair your engine and see for yourself,the survey is not going to tell you anything about your coach.Fix it up as best you can with the gas engine and sell it,someone will want/buy it.Take the money and just buy a coach with a diesel,in the long run it will be cheaper.There's a lot of welding work in the engine swap and then what about the trans and drive train.The overheating
problem with that engine can be solved in my opinion.
Until Ford came out with the V-10, I never liked gassers. But, over the years, I've talked with owners who have SOBs w/ the V-10: Complaints zero! ^.^d
Maybe a v10 swap?
If it was mine, I would stick with what it has. Some new higher flow heads, fuel injection and a new radiator would probably handle all your overheating and drivability issues. I am a HUGE fan of EFI over carburetors, having the right air fuel mixture will not only help your pocket but the longevity of the engine, temperature it runs at, etc. A modern vertical flow radiator and high flow coolant pump should also help control temps. fuel injection from Holley, FAST or one of the other big suppliers is cheap, easy to install, basically self tuning, and will solve a lot of issues. Keeping the original engine will prevent having to totally reinvent the engine mounts, transmission, driveline, etc.
Should be pretty cheap to fix the Ford that is in there. Drive it enough to see how you like the package, trans, brakes , etc.
They are not great engines- thirsty, slow and rod bearings. But it has run this long hasnt it?
If you really like the bus, but not the powertrain , do a long term plan and see how the ROI works out with a repower to the Ford Diesel or the Duramax /allison. Either engine will return twice the MPG with almost twice the torque. But then you start the engineering dominoes. Rear gear, brakes, cooling, electronics. Could be an easy 25K swap to a Duramax.
The 7.3 Ford , if it fits the trans and can tolerate the rear gear would be ideal and might cost less than 10K.