Mooney 78865
Senior Member
What an experience!
So, to catch up here's where we're at.
2014 Georgetown XL 378, with 50,300 miles.
Last June (2023) we returned home from our trip to South Padre Island, Moab and Mesa Verde. We fully intended to take off again in the middle of September for our typical "fall trip" Typically that would have us up north in the Dakota's, Wyoming and the like staying until the weather pushed us back home.
Long story short, that didn't happen. It started with the wife stepping of the retaining wall at the kids place and breaking her pelvis. Fortunately, not her hip. A couple days in the hospital, 3 screws later she was home. So that pushed us out until February or March before she would feel comfortable taking the 6 steps in and out of the XL378.
As the time began to get close to our departure, I went out to the motorhome to uncover and bring it back to the house to prep for the trip. Well, that didn't work out either. When I went to start the coach, I had a "kick back" when cranking. I figured it was because of a low battery. Now I had what sounded like a failed lash adjuster or maybe a failed roller rocker. I replaced those, no joy. Now it was coming up on late April and I was scheduled to ride the Trans America Trail, leaving in the middle of May for Nags Head NC and riding predominantly off road to Port Orford OR. Figuring 6 weeks total. Not wanting to get into the middle of a job on the motorhome before I left or wanting to spend the hottest part of the year under the motorhome, I decided to pick up the work in September.
More shop diagnoses getting the same reactions. Then I came across a guy who mentioned he had heard of a failed fuel injector allowing the pressured fuel in the rail to cause a cylinder to "hydro lock". Initially, I Poo Pooed the idea, but as pretty much everything else had been exhausted... He explained what he would do to check the issue, compression test, injector testing and so on. Compression was in spec but a "little" low in the #1 cylinder and the injector, sure enough, was not holding pressure.
Off to Ford for a short block. I was able to get the guy to do the engine work, although he had never worked on a motorhome and was concerned about getting the engine out. In the end he says it was actually pretty easy. SO, a new short block, new timing chains and adjusters, oil pump, lash adjusters and roller rockers we are ready to go again! A year and a half later!
Like I said, what an experience!
Believe it or not, a new V10 short block from Ford was only $3,400. Only, RIGHT...
So, to catch up here's where we're at.
2014 Georgetown XL 378, with 50,300 miles.
Last June (2023) we returned home from our trip to South Padre Island, Moab and Mesa Verde. We fully intended to take off again in the middle of September for our typical "fall trip" Typically that would have us up north in the Dakota's, Wyoming and the like staying until the weather pushed us back home.
Long story short, that didn't happen. It started with the wife stepping of the retaining wall at the kids place and breaking her pelvis. Fortunately, not her hip. A couple days in the hospital, 3 screws later she was home. So that pushed us out until February or March before she would feel comfortable taking the 6 steps in and out of the XL378.
As the time began to get close to our departure, I went out to the motorhome to uncover and bring it back to the house to prep for the trip. Well, that didn't work out either. When I went to start the coach, I had a "kick back" when cranking. I figured it was because of a low battery. Now I had what sounded like a failed lash adjuster or maybe a failed roller rocker. I replaced those, no joy. Now it was coming up on late April and I was scheduled to ride the Trans America Trail, leaving in the middle of May for Nags Head NC and riding predominantly off road to Port Orford OR. Figuring 6 weeks total. Not wanting to get into the middle of a job on the motorhome before I left or wanting to spend the hottest part of the year under the motorhome, I decided to pick up the work in September.
More shop diagnoses getting the same reactions. Then I came across a guy who mentioned he had heard of a failed fuel injector allowing the pressured fuel in the rail to cause a cylinder to "hydro lock". Initially, I Poo Pooed the idea, but as pretty much everything else had been exhausted... He explained what he would do to check the issue, compression test, injector testing and so on. Compression was in spec but a "little" low in the #1 cylinder and the injector, sure enough, was not holding pressure.
Off to Ford for a short block. I was able to get the guy to do the engine work, although he had never worked on a motorhome and was concerned about getting the engine out. In the end he says it was actually pretty easy. SO, a new short block, new timing chains and adjusters, oil pump, lash adjusters and roller rockers we are ready to go again! A year and a half later!
Like I said, what an experience!
Believe it or not, a new V10 short block from Ford was only $3,400. Only, RIGHT...
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