RV Engine Swap: How Much To Replace RV Engine (Helpful Tips)
The heart of the RV is the engine. Without it, you do no move and nothing else will work. That is why you need to take care of how you treat the motor in your RV. The better the treatment the longer it should last and the fewer repairs you will have to pay for.
How much does it cost to replace RV engine? The actual cost will depend on the model of motor you need powering your rig. This means that just for the engine alone, you could pay anywhere between $3,000 and $7,500 or more. Some people have paid in the 5 figures when they replaced their RV motor.
To learn more about the cost of replacing an RV engine, just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know about so you can plan a budget a strategy in case your RV’s engine needs to be replaced.
Tip #1: If you are not under warranty, try to avoid going to big dealerships for repairs. Their labor costs can go from as low as $129 to $189 per hour. The smaller RV shops usually charge about $65 per hour
Tip #2: Some people have paid upwards of $20,000 just to replace one part of their engine. It would be a wise move to find insurance outlets that will help cover those costs with the right insurance plan.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace an Engine in a Motorhome?
There are many factors that determine the actual cost of an engine replacement. The biggest factor will be the labor charge. Depending on the mechanic you use, you could be paying anywhere between $65 and $189 per hour. Then the average time it takes to replace the engine runs between 124 and 20 hours.
So for just labor, you are looking at paying between $1300 to almost $4,000. Then there is the cost of the motor and that price will depend on the model, the brand, the size (whether it is a long or short block), whether it is a diesel or gas engine, and so on.
Don’t forget you have to add in new oil, filters, coolant, and other necessary items that help make your engine run well. Don’t forget that some dealerships may exaggerate the cost of the engine if you are driving a top Class A RV.
But plan on spending anywhere between $7,000 and possibly $15,000 and this is a rough estimate as it all depends on those factors. Then there may be something that goes wrong during the process of uninstalling the old engine and installing the new one.
Tip #3: It is best to shop around first to find the best price. Some bigger dealerships figure that since you can afford to own a top-rated RV, you can afford to pay higher labor and installation costs.
Class A Motorhome Engine Replacement Cost
This is something that you may have to contact the different engine brands to find out. We checked the Cummins website and they did not list a cost for any of their new engines.
Instead, they want you to contact their salespeople to get an accurate quote. This link takes you to just one engine they have available and you will see at the end of the description the words ‘Contact sales’.
Another way to go will be to talk to the different RV dealerships or independent mechanics. They can give the actual cost to you when you need a new engine and they may have leads on rebuilt or used motors that are in fine condition.
That is a decision you will have to make as you can save a little money by going that route instead of buying new. There are some high-quality used or rebuilt engines that will work for a long time as long as you take care of them properly.
It is something worth considering as your labor costs are going to be standard and in the $65 to $200 per hour range we have already mentioned. The hours it takes to install the new engine will vary depending on the mechanic and how busy they are.
Tip #4: There is nothing wrong with replacing an old engine with a used or rebuilt motor. Most options are in top shape and if you trust your mechanic then they should be able to get you a good deal on a motor that will still run well without breaking your bank account.
Engine Swap Class C RV Cost
The best that can be done here is to give you an estimate. The actual cost will depend on many factors even if you are buying a used or a rebuilt motor. The motor has to fit the dimensions of the motorhome so it is not like you can run out to Walmart, buy an engine, and put it in your Class C RV.
While the mechanic can give you an idea of how much it will cost, the end fee may be higher or lower than the estimate. The cost will depend on how much trouble the mechanic has in removing or installing the engines.
Some people have quoted a $7,000 price tag including labor but that may be specific to their city or region of the country. Some places like larger cities may cost you more due to the higher cost of doing business.
Then, you have to consider fitting the block to the transmission. It is essential that they are compatible or you will not be able to move your RV 2 feet even with the best engine installed.
Tip #5: Some engine swaps may have unique ways of removing or installing an engine. On a Chevy P-30 frame, you have to remove and install the engine through the door next to the driver’s seat. You may have an inch to spare when you rotate the motor before pulling it out.
Tip #6: If you want to cut costs on engine replacements, check Craigslist, classified ads, RV salvage companies, junk shops, wrecking yards, and so on. Sometimes you can get great deals on good engines through those avenues.
Motorhome Engine Size
These motors come in all sizes as RVs come in all sizes. They also come with different sized and shaped chassis, which makes it difficult to state exactly what size of engine you have.
Then some people only use horsepower and torque to describe the engine size. For example, the old Dodge 440 V8 from the 1970s is described as being big enough to produce 225 HP at 4,000 rpm.
Others use cubic inches while still more use cubic centimeters. To help you determine the size of your Motor home’s engine click this link. It has a conversion chart that should help you get the size in the figures you want it in.
Not only does that chart give you the information you want, but it also provides the formula to use in case you can’t be near the chart. Then, you can use this website to check on the specs of any motorhome no matter their class or small size and see the size of the motor at the same time.
The best thing to do if you are looking at a specific motorhome and the seller doesn’t know the size of the engine, talk to a trusted mechanic and give him the details of the RV and he should be able to tell you the size of the engine.
How to Pull the Engine Out of RV
This can be tricky as RV builders are not building their RVs for the mechanic's convenience. It does happen from time to time but generally, the design of the engine depends on what government requirements are needed, the chassis design, and other factors.
No matter how tricky it is to pull the motor out of the RV, you will need a hoist strong enough to hold the weight of the engine. As we described in the tip section, some chassis make it impossible to remove the engine traditionally.
You have to be creative or contact the maker of the RV to ask them how it is supposed to be done. That is what some mechanics have to do when they are faced with a situation they have never encountered before.
Unless you are experienced at pulling motors, this is best left up to the professionals. They have the tools and the proper hoists to use. If you do it yourself you are exposing yourself to some risk and accidents do happen no matter how careful you are.
Pulling the motor also involves removing a lot of other parts that are connected to the engine but do not have to be removed. That takes a lot of time as well. Then you have to remember where all those parts go when you hook them back up to the new motor you just installed.
Removing the Engine from Class A Motorhome
This will depend on the mechanic as most Class A RVs need to have their engine removed from the bottom. This will require unhooking the engine in some cases and then lifting the rest of the RV, leaving the engine on the garage floor.
There would have to be support for both the RV and the transmission when you do this. However, there is a lot more work involved than this simple step and the amount of work that needs to be done depends on the model of the engine and the RV.
The first step will always be unhooking the negative battery cable and then the positive one. Then you will have to drain the cooling system and on it goes. It is just not a matter of lifting the RV and the engine is free.
You may have a couple of hours of work to unhook and drain different parts that are connected to the motor. One of the more complicated steps will be removing the freon from your AC system.
Not everyone is qualified to handle this chore. This is one reason that replacing an RV engine is so costly. It is all the extra work involved.
Chevy 454 Motorhome Engine Removal
There are actually 2 ways to handle this task. The first method is similar to the one just described for Class A. You have to use a hydraulic lift to support the engine, then remove the entire front end.
Next, you have to unhook all the extra parts, disconnect the motor from the transmission, unbolt it from its frame. When that is done, you have to lift the body and the frame up off the front end.
This method makes option two more attractive and if you are doing it yourself, then this is the preferred method to go with, especially when you do not have a lift to use. All you have to do is disassemble the engine and its parts before removing the block.
This is complicated as you have to remember where all those parts go as well as not lose any nuts or bolts. You will need a hoist to remove the block but you may find that the door is not big enough to remove the engine.
That means you may have to remove a window to get the block out of the rig. When you are putting in a new engine, you have to reverse the process and do one part at a time.
Some Final Words
Replacing an engine may be costly but it may be your only option. The best way to cover those expenses is to get some good RV insurance that pays the cost for you. That way, you won’t be short of money when you need the money most.
