Ford E450 V10 Engine Review, Reliability, Problems
A motorhome is only as good as the engine that powers it. What is under the hood is the key to a good RV vacation. When the motor is reliable then everything else should work well. That is the theory at least. But when you have a reliable motor you know you will get to your destination on time.
The reviews are positive about this motor. It seems to have the power you want to get over those mountains as well as tow heavy loads. Their biggest problem seems to be that they cannot get rid of the heat well enough and that build-up could cause some issues under the hood.
To learn more about this motor and what it can or cannot do just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know about so you can make an intelligent purchase decision. Take a few minutes to see how the following information will help you decide which engine you want powering your next RV.
Is The Ford E450 V10 a Good Engine?
This motor seems to be a very reliable and powerful motor. According to the reviews we read, there have not been very many complaints about how it performs. The owners have liked the towing power and have stated that they do not know that the vehicle they are towing behind is even there once they get moving.
It seems to handle hills and mountains quite well and with proper maintenance, the engine should go over 100,000 miles with ease. You may be able to reach 200,000 if you are lucky and that is good news for those who are looking to buy an RV with a reliable engine.
The problem you may find is that there is one E450 engine for trucks and one for RVs. The latter is said to be a 2 valve system and is rated for 305 HP approx while the motor for the truck series is rated at 362 HP and uses the 3 valve system.
The reason for the difference is clearance. There is not enough clearance in RVs to use the more powerful motor. Don’t be confused when you read reviews, some of those reviews will target the more powerful motor and not the one in the RVs
Ford E450 V10 Engine Reviews
The reviews that we have seen have mainly been good. The reviewers like the motor and say that it performs up to expectations. Most owners claimed that they had not had a problem with the engine over the first 50-60,000 miles they drove it and they are hoping not to have any problems for then 50 or 60,000 miles they plan on driving it.
Also according to the reviewers, they say that this engine is not that expensive due to the fact that many prospective RV buyers are looking for a diesel motor, not a gas option. It may not cost you a lot to own or maintain this motor.
Plus, the owners have liked the performance they get out of this motor. They say that it runs on level roads at about 2200 rpm at 65 mph and when they get to a hill it only goes to 3000 rpm at the same speed.
However, you do not want to go over 65 mph if you want to get good gas mileage. The reviewers said that there are some common problems as this is not a perfect engine. There may be a lemon or two in the production line but so far no one has come across one in their rigs.
It is a good motor for those who like gas motors and with a 60,000 mile or 5-year warranty, you are covered for a long time.
E450 V10 Performance
The performance seems to be top-notch. Usually, this motor comes with a 5-speed transmission but that may have been upgraded to a 6-speed in 2017. The overall performance is quite good
The V-10 produces 305 HP at 4250 RPM and 420 lb-ft of torque at 3250 rpm and 440 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm. When on the road that power is evident as you can pull heavy cars behind and you may not feel that those cars are there.
Plus, it can handle about 3000 pounds of cargo with ease. That is the power you want to have when you are towing and hauling a lot of weight behind you. With the 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty, you should not have to make a lot of expensive repairs on your dime.
The coverage seems to be adequate and the engines do not seem to break down during that time. Most owners have reported no major issues during that time frame. If you maintain the engine well and make sure it gets regular oil changes then you should do fine and the engine will perform up to expectations.
E450 V10 Mpg
For RVs, this mileage you get per tank may be great when your rig has this motor. The average you should expect is between 7 and 10 mpg. You might be able to get a little more if the engine is in your tow vehicle and you are not towing anything or hauling anything in the bed.
How far you go will depend on the size of the gas tank you have in your RV. There is supposed to be a 55 and a 40-gallon option and that is something you will have to ask the dealer about when you are looking at an RV to buy.
Also, your mileage will depend on the direction of the wind, road conditions, how much weight is inside, and how you drive. This is not to mention the geography of your route. That will influence how much mpg you get per trip.
If you stick to mostly flat or level ground, then your results will be greater than if you travel through a lot of hills and mountains. If you are not heavy-footed on the accelerator, then you should do just fine.
Cruise control should help with the gas mileage if you have it on your vehicle.
Ford E450 V10 Towing Capacity
The towing capacity is rated between 18,000 and 20,000 pounds for most models. There are some models that can only tow 15,000 pounds but you need to check with the dealer before you buy which is which.
Then double-check to make sure because you do not want to try and tow 18,000 pounds when it can only tow 15,000. There is a lot of discussion on this topic and it seems that there is little confusion over the actual towing weight of the engine.
It is best that you try and talk to the dealer first or go to a Ford dealership and try to get a straight answer. You also have to watch the tongue weight as well. The hitch may be rated for one level of hitch and if you replace that lighter hitch with a heavy-duty model, you may end up with a liability problem.
It is best to make sure everything is rated and approved before trying to haul heavier loads. For the new 2023 models, you can be looking at towing between 113,000 pounds and 22,000 pounds depending on wheelbase, type of motor, and other factors.
Ford V10 Reliability in Motorhomes
This is a good motor for motorhomes as it comes with a lot of power. No matter where you are driving there seems to be enough power to cover the ground and have some left over for those hills.
Some owners have reported reaching between 100,000 to 250,000 miles without a lot of problems. Some have even reached 300,000 miles making this a very reliable engine if you take care of it.
Don’t overload your RV for when you do, you make the engine work harder and shorten its lifespan even if you do regular maintenance. The mileage you get will depend on how and where you drive and what the weather conditions are.
There are reports that over 8000 miles of traveling the average mpg reached only 7.7. In some circles that is not a lot of mileage but we are talking motorhomes here and that may be good results for those owners.
Your results will differ as will the lifespan. Do not think that what others get you will get as that may not be the case. Sometimes you may get more than what other owners get. These figures are just to give you a ballpark idea before you go and buy.
Ford V10 Motorhome Transmission Problems
You may not have trouble with the motor under the hood but sometimes the transmission may not be as reliable as the motor. When it isn’t you can expect to have some trouble and some repair costs to add to your budget.
Here are some common transmission issues that may ruin your trip and can be expensive to fix:
1. Shifting gears- this is a problem that has been reported by many owners. They are driving uphill and find that it is very difficult to shift to another gear. When you are going up or down a hill, you do a lot of shifting.
When you have difficulty shifting, you can’t ignore it. If you do, you could also damage the motor as well as the transmission. One cause for this difficulty in shifting gears is that the fluid is getting old and thickens. When that happens it also gathers dust making it hard to shift.
When you start to feel the gears becoming harder to shift, you should go get a transmission fluid change. That should clear up the problem.
2. Shifting issues with computer connections- the older models came with a manual transmission and it was not a bad transmission to have. There were not a lot of parts to break or fail on you.
With recent motors, the company provided an automatic transmission whose connections were operated by computer. This meant that there are a lot more connections to go wrong.
Usually, the trouble shifting comes because those connections were not tightened correctly and the vacuum seal was broken. Just tighten those connections up and preserve the vacuum and you should do okay.
Make sure there is no problem with the computer handling these operations as well.
3. Faulty transmission- when you are experiencing problems with your RV, it may not be the engine’s fault. It could be a faulty transmission. This is not an easy common problem to solve as there are many sources for why you are having any difficulty.
If you are not a mechanic, then you should take your RV to the closest approved mechanic and have them take a look at the transmission. Trying to pin down the source and getting it fixed is a time-consuming job and with the complicated modern transmission, you may not have the tools needed to handle the search and repair.
As an honorable mention, if you find that your RV is shaking every time you shift gears, the transmission may be telling you that it is time to get the fluid and filter changed on the transmission.
or there are malfunctioning sensors that will take a scanner to detect. Even the scanner check will cost you some money so be prepared.
Some Final Words
The E450 V10 is a reliable motor and most owners are happy with their version of this motor. The key is to make sure you provide regular maintenance over the years you own it and do not make it work harder than it should.
If you do those two things, it should last you a long time. Some owners have gotten between 100,000 and 300,000 miles on this engine before it needed an serious repair work. If you drive right, you may get the same results but noting is written in stone.
