Thanks doorman , im gonna have to check the numbers on mine . Bob

Steve,

I've been waiting for a write-up on how the new engine is behaving. Dying to hear about the street drag races you've been winning. Interested in boring stuff, too. What's fuel economy like?

quote:

Originally posted by Quinn:
Steve,

I've been waiting for a write-up on how the new engine is behaving. Dying to hear about the street drag races you've been winning. Interested in boring stuff, too. What's fuel economy like?

Me, too! Didn't mean to tease! I have been sidetracked with so many other projects I have not had time to road test very much. (We just had a November for the record books… all-time top ten for coldest and top five for the most snow ever recorded)

I was busy getting my deer camp finished, barely in time for season. (I shot an 8 point buck Nov 18.)

With the roads covered with snow and salt I have not been out. (Now that gas is $2.76 it is time to gas it up!)

Last Sunday I got sidetracked when I accidentally sprayed the back of 86Barth with the snowblower and busted out the back window. I didn't think it was possible but I must have picked up a rock or chunk of ice.

Side note: for a high end coach I was surprised to find the back window, while being "safety glass" it was only 1/8 inch thick! I replaced with Plexiglass, Lexan might be better but was not readily available locally.

Anyway, they are calling for warmer weather and no snow for the next week. I hope to run the Barth later this week for a longer road test. I will log the data from the fuel injection to see if the timing and injection are correct. I'll keep you posted.

Steve, found your competition for that big block race

I have learned that in cars, boats, dune buggies, motorcycles, and motor homes, lighter weight trumps more power.

Expensive lessons for a slow learner.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:

Side note: for a high end coach I was surprised to find the back window, while being "safety glass" it was only 1/8 inch thick! I replaced with Plexiglass, Lexan might be better but was not readily available locally.

Keep it in the shade. Sun beats up plexiglass. Be sure your wash brush has split tips to avoid scratching. Lexan has not worked out well for me as a tailgate window on our camper shell. Got foggy, and broke where the lift cartridges attached.

Not the clearest in the pix, but that a full width wing mounted on the rear roof.

quote:

Originally posted by Doorman:
Steve, found your competition for that big block race

We have to have some allowance for weight!
Hmm… maybe a pull? Chain the two trailer hitches together, point em opposite ways, turn em loose! Watch em smoke!
(I would drop the pressure in the tag axle to load up the drive wheels!)

Lighter is almost always better, especially in airplanes!

We have a good thaw going finally. I will be able to take the new engine for a drive tomorrow.

Good morning, Steve;

It has been a couple of weeks now. Have you been able to take the new 454HO engine out onto the road and get any feeling for how it does in comparison with the old standard 454?

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

Once again, the turd fairy stopped by. I got all ready to drive last week (warm weather, dry roads) I got the old PC ready to data-log the computer outputs, checked the tires, lights, air bags etc.

Ready to start, looked at fuel pressure. Nothing. What? The electric pump should hold steady 12 psi. I can't hear it running either...

The pump is only about 2 years old. It is an electric inline type I installed as part of the fuel injection conversion. It worked earlier in the day when I checked the fuel tank selector and fuel gauge function. Sure enough, it is dead. I went back to the pump hooked 12 V to it and … nothing.
Airtex E3084 electric pump. All the stores around here were within $2 and they all wanted about $130!

Amazon has several choices around $70. Even with shipping it was over $50 less.

Of course, 2 days later it went from 45 degrees to 20 degrees and more snow. I have the new pump, the snow is shoveled away from the coach. Just have to get up the nerve to swap the pump. Nothing like cold gasoline to freeze your fingers.

One time the brake line popped, then the fuel tank needed work, now the fuel pump died, good grief. Hopefully soon.

Good morning, Steve;

Thank you for the "update."

And I really do understand your position. The Winnebago Elandan has been a similar proposition with all the little things that have needed to be done. So often it seems that, the further in you go, the worse it gets. I do not know how many times when I have been working on something, while I am in there doing that part, I discovered something else that only became evident by my having taken things apart and was working on and looking at the thing in depth.

And, I am sorry that I must say this, but an awful lot of what I have found is in direct contradiction to the glowing claims of craftsmanship found in the brochures.

Oh, well. It has also proven to be something that keeps me off the streets and out of the bars.

However, we were talking about your 454HO engine installation. You know that there are many people out here who have been following the project and are also anticipating the report of the on-the-road results.

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:


One time the brake line popped,

THAT is scary. I replaced all of mine just because. I have been on a number of downgrades where a loss of just front brakes would have been fatal.

Thanks for your interest and encouragement. The project is dragging on even more slowly than usual.

Finally got up the nerve to crawl under and change the pump. A sunny 29 degrees. (You're not really going to make me do this… yeah, yeah)



The new pump is in and it seems to work.



Now to get back to the test driving!

I have replaced all the front lines and now all the back lines except the flex line from frame to axle. The one down the frame was the only original left and I think I disturbed some sacred rust when I moved it while removing the fuel lines from the engine. Obviously needed changing. I still have one more line back to the tag axle to change. (see above, running below the pump)

Hope to have the roads clear one of these days soon.

Parades are meant to be rained upon...I noticed the new engine is rated at 500 lb-ft of torque. I don't know about the TH400, but the 4L80E stock rating is 410. I had mine uprated to 850 because the 450 lb-ft in the replacement engine was too much. The upgrade included a HD converter, machined splined shaft, and new extreme-duty clutches. The gears are plenty robust.

Supposedly, the TH400 is the ancestor of the 4L80E, so I wondered about the new engine's output.

As usual, you are right on. The 454HO is on the high side for the torque rating on the TH400/475. The 475 has straight spur gears but the same otherwise.

The transmission is definitely the weak link. I had planned to get the rear axle rebuilt last summer, another stalled project. With new bearings, seals and gear set it should be good for a while.

I am waiting on the road test to decide on the transmission changes. The old engine cruised at 60 mph 2950 rpm about 200 hp. The new engine makes over 300 hp at 2950 rpm and about 200 hp at 2400 or so. If these work out correct, an overdrive is in order. The Gear Vendor is a 15% overdrive but I would still need a fresh transmission. The 480LE is a 20% overdrive and with the mods you suggest would seem a shoe-in. This is where I may end up.