Is it enough of a motor?

Terry Cain · 04-11-2014, 06:59 PM

OK guys. I've never owned a motor-home before and kinda in the market for one. Guy here local has an older but in decent condition 1991 Foretravel, (38 or 40' I forget) with the Detroit 8V??T. He said it is 210 hp which kinda scares me as far as pulling. When I look this motor up online it shows it to be 360hp. I guess what I'm asking is will it pull a 28' trailer loaded with car, tools and golf cart or should I keep looking?

Harry 6674 · 04-11-2014, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Cain

OK guys. I've never owned a motor-home before and kinda in the market for one. Guy here local has an older but in decent condition 1991 Foretravel, (38 or 40' I forget) with the Detroit 8V??T. He said it is 210 hp which kinda scares me as far as pulling. When I look this motor up online it shows it to be 360hp. I guess what I'm asking is will it pull a 28' trailer loaded with car, tools and golf cart or should I keep looking?

Big difference between an 8V71 and an 8V92. Can you tell which it is? Either will pull the trailer but the 92 is more powerful.

Paul Precht · 04-12-2014, 12:02 AM

Back in the 80s when I was an owner op trucker, my Ford CL 9000 had a Detroit 8V92, it was rated at 430 HP and had over 1000 FP of torque and could pull 80,000 lbs 90 MPH uphill. The 871 was called the 318 which was the HP and could pull that same load well above the speed limit.

Terry Cain · 04-12-2014, 07:54 AM

The owner says it's a 8.2tl

Harry 6674 · 04-13-2014, 12:13 AM

If its the Gm/Detroit 8.2 I would check it out real close. They were basically a gasser 502 converted to diesel. I haven't ever heard anything good about them. If the coach is really nice and cheap enough you could probably swap in a more powerful engine. You'll have to do some research.

Alan Roehrich · 04-13-2014, 09:42 PM

Not sure there was even a 502 big block available from GM to convert in 1991, maybe a variant of a Mercruiser. Probably couldn't be any worse than a 6.5, but still, not good.

Not sure any conversion such as that would be called an 8V anything, since it could then be confused with a real Detroit Diesel V8.

All of the Detroit Diesel 8V engines had a crank driven supercharger, the number after the "-" is the number of cubic inches per cylinder. The suffix is a designation for options, "T" is for turbocharged, "A" is for "aftercooled".

So if it were an 8V-71T (fairly rare, they did not usually turbocharge those) it would be a 568 cubic inch V8 with a turbocharger. And 568 cubic inches is far bigger than 8.2L. It would certainly be rated well into the 300HP zone.

The 8V-92 engines were commonly used in large buses, such as the Prevost series that are made into high end tour buses and motor homes. Many of those were either an 8V-92TA or 8V-92TTA. Those engines were rated at 450HP or so.

FED 387 · 04-13-2014, 10:22 PM

probably got a Detroit 8.2 Diesel about 200 HP with an Allison trans very common combo back then in RV's

FED 387 · 04-13-2014, 10:36 PM

that Detroit is getting OLD kinda hard to find parts for them--- they had head bolt/gasket & manifold problems too--they came in 3 versions a NA diesel, single turbo & double turbo--- 200-220-250 HP--- check with Adger he had one a while back he can tell you about them--- lotsa peeps swear by them others swear at them-- Me I have no opinion never could afford to buy a MH--FED 387

Terry Cain · 04-14-2014, 07:32 PM

Correct. It's a 8.2 liter with a turbo. 210hp. After reading up on them I think I'll pass. Don't need another project.

goinbroke2 · 07-23-2014, 05:57 AM

I have a 8.2T&5spd manual in a 46' converted schoolbus, motorhome/car hauler. Certainly not the most powerfull but I can get 13mpg when driving easy. We have the 8.T na in our deuce and a half trucks and they are bullitproof. On the RV forums some (as FED said) swear by them, others swear at them.
I'm a fan...

04-11-2014, 06:59 PM	#1
Terry Cain Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Georgetown, Indiana (close to Louisville, KY) Posts: 760 Likes: 492 Liked 224 Times in 103 Posts	Is it enough of a motor? OK guys. I've never owned a motor-home before and kinda in the market for one. Guy here local has an older but in decent condition 1991 Foretravel, (38 or 40' I forget) with the Detroit 8V??T. He said it is 210 hp which kinda scares me as far as pulling. When I look this motor up online it shows it to be 360hp. I guess what I'm asking is will it pull a 28' trailer loaded with car, tools and golf cart or should I keep looking? __________________ Terry Cain ???? STK tcain@twc.com

04-12-2014, 12:02 AM	#3
Paul Precht Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Elysburg, Pa Posts: 689 Likes: 281 Liked 223 Times in 88 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? Back in the 80s when I was an owner op trucker, my Ford CL 9000 had a Detroit 8V92, it was rated at 430 HP and had over 1000 FP of torque and could pull 80,000 lbs 90 MPH uphill. The 871 was called the 318 which was the HP and could pull that same load well above the speed limit.

04-12-2014, 07:54 AM	#4
Terry Cain Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Georgetown, Indiana (close to Louisville, KY) Posts: 760 Likes: 492 Liked 224 Times in 103 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? The owner says it's a 8.2tl __________________ Terry Cain ???? STK tcain@twc.com

04-13-2014, 12:13 AM	#5
Harry 6674 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 589 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? If its the Gm/Detroit 8.2 I would check it out real close. They were basically a gasser 502 converted to diesel. I haven't ever heard anything good about them. If the coach is really nice and cheap enough you could probably swap in a more powerful engine. You'll have to do some research.

04-13-2014, 09:42 PM	#6
Alan Roehrich VIP Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 4,907 Likes: 993 Liked 1,031 Times in 270 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? Not sure there was even a 502 big block available from GM to convert in 1991, maybe a variant of a Mercruiser. Probably couldn't be any worse than a 6.5, but still, not good. Not sure any conversion such as that would be called an 8V anything, since it could then be confused with a real Detroit Diesel V8. All of the Detroit Diesel 8V engines had a crank driven supercharger, the number after the "-" is the number of cubic inches per cylinder. The suffix is a designation for options, "T" is for turbocharged, "A" is for "aftercooled". So if it were an 8V-71T (fairly rare, they did not usually turbocharge those) it would be a 568 cubic inch V8 with a turbocharger. And 568 cubic inches is far bigger than 8.2L. It would certainly be rated well into the 300HP zone. The 8V-92 engines were commonly used in large buses, such as the Prevost series that are made into high end tour buses and motor homes. Many of those were either an 8V-92TA or 8V-92TTA. Those engines were rated at 450HP or so. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

04-13-2014, 10:22 PM	#7
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,349 Likes: 324 Liked 280 Times in 150 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? probably got a Detroit 8.2 Diesel about 200 HP with an Allison trans very common combo back then in RV's

04-13-2014, 10:36 PM	#8
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,349 Likes: 324 Liked 280 Times in 150 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? that Detroit is getting OLD kinda hard to find parts for them--- they had head bolt/gasket & manifold problems too--they came in 3 versions a NA diesel, single turbo & double turbo--- 200-220-250 HP--- check with Adger he had one a while back he can tell you about them--- lotsa peeps swear by them others swear at them-- Me I have no opinion never could afford to buy a MH--FED 387

04-14-2014, 07:32 PM	#9
Terry Cain Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Georgetown, Indiana (close to Louisville, KY) Posts: 760 Likes: 492 Liked 224 Times in 103 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? Correct. It's a 8.2 liter with a turbo. 210hp. After reading up on them I think I'll pass. Don't need another project. __________________ Terry Cain ???? STK tcain@twc.com

07-23-2014, 05:57 AM	#10
goinbroke2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NS CANADA Posts: 707 Likes: 583 Liked 173 Times in 59 Posts	Re: Is it enough of a motor? I have a 8.2T&5spd manual in a 46' converted schoolbus, motorhome/car hauler. Certainly not the most powerfull but I can get 13mpg when driving easy. We have the 8.T na in our deuce and a half trucks and they are bullitproof. On the RV forums some (as FED said) swear by them, others swear at them. I'm a fan...