RV Engines List: (What is The Best Engine for a Motorhome?)
All brands produce good engines. Not every model is great and not every model will work for a motorhome but all engine builders do have top motors that will work in motorhomes and RVs. You just have to know your engines and what to look for to get the best one for your needs.
What is the best engine for a motorhome? While we will mention brand names, the real comparison boils down to diesel or gas-powered engines. The best engine will probably be diesel as they have more power, more towing ability, and better torque. There will be some gas engine models that will compete with the diesel option.
To learn about the best engines for a motor home, just continue to read our article. It explores the issue so you have the information you need to find the right engine to power your rig. The motor is the most important component in a motor home.
RV Engines List 101
What is The Best Motorhome Engine?
This is actually very tough to say as the answer depends on the size of your rig and the model. Class A RVs have a larger engine because of the heavier weights the engine has to push. Generally, there are only 2 engine types that go in a motorhome, diesel, and gas and the gas option is catching up to the diesel with advancing technology.
If we had to make a choice, then we would probably go with the diesel as it has better power, lasts longer, and can pull heavier weights than the gas-powered options. But it is a close race between the two styles of motors.
Then for a long time, the V10 reigned supreme and was the engine of choice for many years. However, with the technological advancements that have been made during those years, the new V8 is seen as better than the older V10s.
Also in favor of the gas engine is that it is easier to maintain and does not cost as much to repair. That is a plus when you have a limited budget to work with. Keeping costs down is as important as the engine you have powering your vehicle.
On the other hand, the diesel engine is quieter making the time on the road more enjoyable. You may also get better fuel economy with a diesel than you would with a gas-powered motor. So while gas engines are improving, you are better off with a diesel motor.
How Long do Motorhome Engines Last?
There have been reports of some gas-powered motors lasting upwards of 300,000 miles. But to get that kind of longevity, you have to do your part. Proper maintenance and doing it regularly will help the engine to last well beyond the 300,000-mile mark.
How you drive your gas-powered RV will also influence the lifespan of your engine. If you are constantly putting too much weight in your motor home, then the engine works harder and doesn't last as long.
How the gas engine was made will determine how long it will last as well. Lower quality parts and builds will not last as long as the higher quality parts and better build jobs. Your results will differ and how you treat it will be the biggest factor.
In comparison to diesels, gas engines don't have a chance. The bigger diesel engines are designed to last 500,000 miles without having any major work done to them. Some models are known to go 1,000,000 before needing to be rebuilt or replaced.
If you maintain the engine like you would a gas engine, then you may never have to replace it. The diesel motor is designed to last a lifetime with the right care. This is one reason why diesel RVs are so expensive. You do not have to replace the motor or repair as often as you do a gas-powered RV.
A diesel-powered RV is the goal of many full-time RVers and is considered a status symbol.
Cummins Motorhome Engines
This is probably the top diesel engine manufacturer you can find. Many RV makers turn to Cummins to build their diesel engines for them because the quality is there. So is the power.
In fact, this engine maker has different models that put out between 300 to 605 HP. That kind of power gives you some peace of mind when you are tackling those high mountain inclines that divide the nation.
Their X15 puts out 605 HP at 1950 ft. lb. of torque and it is also equipped with top braking horsepower to make sure you stay in control of your rig. Then the X12 produces 500 HP at 1695 ft. lb. of torque and is the lightest engine in its class.
The X12 has the highest power to weight ratio, making it a great rig for acceleration on those short highway ramps. Cummins’ L9 has been in production for 30 years and each year new technology has allowed the company to upgrade it.
It is not as powerful as the X15 or the X12 but it still has 330 to 450 HP at 1250 ft. lbs of torque. Then the B6.7 is the company’s fuel-injected model and helps produce near-zero emissions. All of these engines are top-notch and produce a nice quiet ride as you roll down the road.
If you get a rig with a Cummins you are getting one of the best engines to power your rig that you can.
Ford Motorhome Engines
Ford does build good engines when they want to. They have had the Shelby, the 429, and the 460 over the years which are superior engines to most of their competitors. They also know how to build good motorhome motors as the rigs with the Ford chassis have been paired with the Ford V10.
But as technology advances so do engines and the Ford chassis is being married to the new V8 which is supposed to be an upgrade over the long-time favorite V10. The old Triton 6.8L V10 is no slouch and if you get one of those engines in your rig, you are not losing out on performance or longevity.
The Triton V10 is supposed to last hundreds of thousands of miles under the right care and it produces 362 HP with 457 ft. lb. of torque at 3,250 rpm. The exact HP you will get will depend on the year the engine was made as earlier models came with 305 and 310 HP.
Between 2005 and 2010, the motor had 362 HP but after that year, Ford went back to 305 HP. In other words, the Ford Triton was an excellent motor to haul some of the bigger RVs.
However, gas mileage has always been a concern for RV owners and the Triton did not do that well in that category. Depending on your speed, you can get between 9.5 to 10.5 mpg, and when towing a trailer or a car that dropped to 9 or 8.5 mpg.
Chevy Motorhome Engines
Like Ford, Chevy can build some great cars with some excellent motors to power them. But in comparison, Chevy does have trouble at times building a better motor than Ford can. That is not to say that the Chevy engine models are bad, Ford is just better.
A Chevy motor coupled with an Allison transmission is one of those rare combinations where the motor will challenge a Ford engine. The power is there and downshifting is kept to a minimum when on the hills. That makes going uphill better and traveler-friendly.
The extra power found in the Chevy makes it a good engine when you do have a lot of hills to cross. But it may not have the HP that the Ford engines have. The other drawback is that the Chevy engines tend to get lower mileage per gallon than its competitors.
One person reporting 7.5 mpg while towing a small car and that doesn't help the travel budget at all. The Chevy engines may only get 450 ft-lb. of torque at 2800 rpm. That is not really that great.
While Chevy motors can be good, they are not always up to the competition and may lag behind in the numbers game. Not every brand will be good at building engines. They may be better at building other components making their rigs just as good as their competitors in a head-to-head comparison.
Chevy lovers may stick to this engine type due to brand loyalty more than anything else.
GMC Motorhome Engines
The greatness of this engine option will depend on the year the engines were built. The original motor home engine made by GMC was the Oldsmobile Toronado 455 rocket. It is also said to be one of the best ones GMC ever made.
This engine was found in rigs made between 1973 and 76 and the motor was ruined by the oil embargo. GMC went to a smaller motor at that time and used the Oldsmobile 403. This change lasted until 1978.
Some people have done engine swaps and put the Cadillac 500 in their rigs but don’t ask about the gas mileage. if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Others have put a Chevy 350 in their motor homes but the power wasn’t there unless you drove a smaller rig.
Currently, the GMC 8.1L V8 seems to be the engine of choice for GMC but like the Chevy 350, the power doesn't seem to be there. It is less powerful than the Ford Triton 6.7 V10.
In between those three engine models was the GMC Workhorse engine which seems to enjoy a very good reputation. The 8.1 Vortec was another good V8 producing up to 330 hP at 4200 rpm.
But this engine only lasted until 2009 when it was replaced by a smaller, less powerful 6.0L motor. While GMC can make good motors, it seems that they are striking out when it comes to making engines for RVs.
Freightliner Motorhome Engines
If you know anything about the trucking industry, you would know the Freightliner name and reputation. Their specialty, like Cummins, is in diesel motors that provide a lot of power to the RVs they are placed in.
The trouble with the RVs made with this company is that the cab looks like you are driving a big rig and not an RV. While Freightliner is big on the big rig side of motor vehicles it tends to not use its own motors to power the RVs with their name on them.
This company has turned to Cummins to produce its engines and they have been known to use the B6.7 and the L9 Cummins motors in their RVs. That may be more of a business move to save on expenses than anything else.
You will find that their engines are all diesel which makes owning a Freightliner RV more of a status symbol. But the motors are quiet, produce good fuel mileage as far as RVs go, and last a long time.
Because the Cummins engine can last over 500,000 miles under regular maintenance, the Freightliner RV should last you a very long time. Freightliner also uses the Cummins ISB 360 HP engine which gives you a lot of power on command.
That is what you want when you need to get up those short highway ramps or pull out of a faster car’s way. The motors are all put on a Freightliner chassis as that company has the best experience for large rig chassis.
Mercedes Motorhome Engines
This company is more in the luxury car business than in the RV industry. They prefer to build top luxury cars with great engines as well as supply top-quality motors to top-quality RV manufacturers.
However, the Mercedes engine usually is found in the smaller Class B RVs than they are found in the larger rigs. This is a better fit for those motors as it is easier to pair the motors with the Mercedes chassis than other chassis options.
You may find this motor in some of the smaller Class C RVs for the same reasons. The 3.0 6 cylinder turbo diesel motor with a 7-speed transmission provides enough power to propel those Class B and C RVs over the hills with ease. Plus the chassis provides a nice smooth ride so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the view.
One bit of trivia, Mercedes is owned by Daimer-Benz as is Freightliner and the Mercedes engine began showing up on the latter company’s chassis in 2006. There are several motors made by Mercedes on RVs and they are basically a diesel engine with lots of power.
The average HP provided by their motors is approx. 330 to 350. The torque produced by these motors ranges between 860 and 1000 ft. lb. The quality of the Mercedes motor is as good as the reputation that the company enjoys. Mercedes does make top-quality engines that seem to go on forever.
Toyota Motorhome Engines
The 22-E Toyota engine seems to be found in a majority of RVs built by the same company. They were placed in many of the small RVs the company built and that pairing gave the owners good gas mileage. Some have reported getting between 15 and 16 mpg even though the motorhome was made back in the 80s.
Toyota’s RV heyday was during the 1970s and 80s and the popularity of their models dropped when the company decided to overload them. This extra weight caused axle failures and drove their customers away.
The motors are excellent to have lasted the past 30 to 50 years and with the right care, they should last a lot longer. This company stopped making motor homes in 1993, at least in America, but they are a very reliable rig to drive.
The vehicles are easier to maneuver and with the cab over design a lot more living space is available as compared to camper vans and similar RVs. The R22-E is supposed to be one of the better RV engines you can have in a smaller RV as they last and run forever. Just make sure to do regular maintenance on them. If you do not take a lot of vacations each year, the engine will run like it is still a new truck.
That helps make RV life and vacations much more enjoyable as you do not have to worry about spare parts and repairs.
Best Motorhome Diesel Engine
We are not going to pull any punches here and say that for larger rigs, you cannot beat a Cummins diesel engine. There may be good competitors out there that perform well but with a lifespan of over 500,000 miles, the Cummins is almost impossible to beat.
These motors are designed to last and do not need major repairs for at least half a million miles, maybe longer. For smaller RVs, we would pick Mercedes because of the luxury reputation that company enjoys. It knows how to build good engines that perform well.
When you need to power a top Class B or C RV, Mercedes is probably the best engine you can have under the hood. There may be some people who will disagree with us but that will be because the RV they bought had an engine that has performed very well for them.
That is okay as the best diesel engine you can have will be the one that performs up to your satisfaction and has few repairs. That engine can be made by any company. It is just that both Cummins and Mercedes are consistent with their engine building and they do not sacrifice quality for sales.
The size of the RV will play a role in how your motor performs as well. But with the high cost of diesel-powered RVs, you may not be able to afford the experience of a diesel-powered rig.
Best Gas RV Engine
In this case, we are going to go with Ford as they have a long track record of producing top gas motors. Those motors may have originally been designed for sports and luxury cars but they are great examples of Ford’s skill in engine production.
Volvo has not been mentioned in this article as they are not a popular choice even though their track record of making great engines is well known as well. You may find Volvo motors in brands like Newell and Provost or Tiffin.
But we will go with Ford because their Triton V10 has been an industry standard for many years and they do not rest on their laurels. They continue to improve their RV motors as evidenced by their new 2021 V8 models.
Like the diesel option, we know that you may disagree and again, that is okay. As long as you find a motor that works well for your needs then we are glad. Getting the best motor doesn’t always depend on a brand name.
When you are happy with the gas mileage, the performance, and the power the motor produces, then you have the best gas-powered engine you can buy. The best thing to do is do some great research before you buy and do not depend on reviews 100%. Make your own investigation and your own choice.
Some Final Words
Even great car manufacturers like Chevy, GMC, and other brands may not make the perfect RV engine. But there are still many top-quality options to choose from which will last you a long time and give you RV fun along the way. Find the right engine for you and you will be fine.
