Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 15, 2025 ...

She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

August 17, 2017, 07:57:30 am

Diane here. Happy to report that Jim and I got our Grand Villa Home and have been happily working, cleaning, diagnosing, searching this this forum.... Lots to do, but gonna be so worth it!
Some engine issue must be dealt with. It ran really rough but never stalled. Jim's on it!
When we got the title, we learned it is a 1989, not '87, as we had been told.
I am so impressed with the many well-thought-out features, and the quality here.
And honestly, this bathroom just tickles me. I have NEVER seen a motor home with a full vanity size sink, and this medicine cabinet is bigger than the 3 in the house combined!
We are considering putting a small, privacy glass window in the bathroom to the hall to let some of the light from the skylight fall into the dark area of the hallway. Has anyone done that?
Got to see the indirect lighting last night. So nice!
Still geeked. Can you tell?

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #1 – August 17, 2017, 08:08:40 am

Congratulations! .......Let the games begin.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #2 – August 17, 2017, 08:34:10 am

Kudos for saving another classic!  Looks pretty good for a rescue project.  It'll clean up real nice with a lot of soap and water and scrubbing.  We've seen much worse "Before" photos on this Forum...coaches that eventually turned out to be Jewels.

One good product for any stubborn exterior dirt or stained spots: Bar Keepers Friend (dry powder or soft cleanser).  Will remove stains without harming the gelcoat.  Use with caution on the aluminum bits - test in a inconspicuous spot first.

Bar Keepers Friend cleansers | Once Tried, Always Used

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #3 – August 17, 2017, 08:52:32 am

It appears that the spring on your patio awning is shot. Put it on your TO-DO list. First try lubricating the end axles with a dry silicone lube.
New spring assembly from Zip Dee was about $130 four years ago.
Also, the Slider Bars are a great addition (later) for about $146 plus shipping. Raises the lower rafter arms about 24" so you can walk close to the coach without having to duck under the arms.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #4 – August 17, 2017, 09:09:22 am

It is always so .exciting when you bring her home for the first time.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #5 – August 17, 2017, 09:26:47 am

"It appears that the spring on your patio awning is shot. Put it on your TO-DO list."

Right you are, Nitehawk. The folks we bought it from were opening all the awnings to show it to us and the guy was on a ladder on uneven ground and FELL. He grabbed the support arm to try to save himself and busted the thing a few minutes before we got there. A disappointing accident, but it happens. He felt so bad. --So one more thing on the list. At this point, it's down a ways on that long list.
And can you see the OUCH on the right rear corner?
It's a pretty big project, and if we look at the whole list, it is daunting. Trying to eat the elephant one bite at a time. 
Thanks for all the welcoming, encouraging comments.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #6 – August 17, 2017, 09:38:44 am

Awesome news and congrats on your safe arrival!

I had a 1989 36' OREG. I loved everything about the coach but the engine.

Woefully underpowered, awful gas mileage (4-5 MPG) and no where near enough engine cooling capacity.

My 460 Ford OREG  ran poorly when I traded it in to MOT, needing significant expensive engine work.  (For all I know you may have my old coach.)

If you elect to spend $$ on the Ford 460, make sure to run it at about 55 MPH or less in the future or risk more future expensive engine damage, watch temperatures like a hawk and consider strategies to increase cooling capacity to engine.

Rear radiator makes working on the engine more of a pain than the later side radiator.

Because I loved that coach and had $27,000 in it at the time, I considered a rebuilt 460 but in the end, elected to trade out to a 1999 U-270 36' FT.

BTW, there exists an OREG on the forum that has been converted to a Diesel engine. No small project either with significant costs and resale implications.

Hope the best for you and perhaps it is something simple and easily fixed. Were I in your shoes, I would start with a compression check on all cylinders to determine what you are starting with as far as engine integrity.

Tim Fiedler

Sure Start Soft Start

TCER Direct generator-gas-prod 630 240-9139
Gen-Pro

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #7 – August 17, 2017, 08:03:51 pm

Is your coach carb or fuel injection? Seems like 90 or 91 were fuel injection engines. If it has a carb, they were notorious for the power valve in the carb to blow out and then they ran rough and also very poor mileage. I changed many power valves on the Ford Holly carbs. If that engine backfires even once it will take out the power valve. If you have questions you can pm me as I changed a few engines on those rear engine gas units and worked on many more, while I worked for foretravel in Tampa.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #8 – August 17, 2017, 09:14:05 pm

Had similar issues with OREGs and on some Oshkosh had mis hooked up with the unlabeled carb black hoses to the wrong ports

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #9 – August 18, 2017, 08:24:12 am

I had a 360 in a old ford I had with a camper and if you want more power advance the timing. Ford specs for mine was 6 degrees advanced and I had mine at 10 to 12 degrees advanced and it ran a lot better with way more power.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #10 – August 18, 2017, 09:41:50 am

The 460 exhaust manifold bolts pulled right out of the heads, stripping the thread form in both heads. The 460 heads in our class
"C" are/were not stock 460 heads. Turns out they are special for RVs. Hard to find---and expensive!!

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #11 – August 18, 2017, 10:19:36 am

A buddy had a very pretty Airstream with a crap 454. He and his Dad were both mechanics with a large shop and a lift. They found a Duramax w/Allison and installed it. He estimated that would he had the switch-over done at a high-end shop, it would have been 20CB. By the way, he loves it! 

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #12 – August 18, 2017, 10:26:35 am

Not sure but the 7.3 Ford was bulletproof as well, don't know what mates up well with the transmission in the OREG.

Had I known that conversion was a possibility, I might still own that 89, LOVED that coach. But I loved all my FT's...

Tim Fiedler

Sure Start Soft Start

TCER Direct generator-gas-prod 630 240-9139
Gen-Pro

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #13 – August 18, 2017, 11:39:45 am

We have a friend who had a ford 460 powered Grandvilla and he said he helped his lack of power and overheating issues by swapping in a two-speed rear axle out of a medium duty truck.

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Re: She's Home! Ran like crap, but we made it.

Reply #14 – August 20, 2017, 01:19:44 pm

Congratulations on your new Foretravel!!  Now the learning and fun goes to the next level :-)

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