motorhome 454 question
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839 Posts
Oh they are good motors all right.:tu Not sure if it would be a 4 bolt or not, but unless you will be doing some major compression mods to it. you will never blow a main cap off on the street.
If original, most likely it's a 2-bolt main. Plenty good for the street. 4-bolt mains in trucks and motorhomes are more of an old wive's tale. If you want 4-bolt caps they are available new or used. Any reputable speed shop can make the conversion. I've done the drilling and tapping on several, saving some bucks, and leave the final machining, generally some minor cap registering and an align hone. The drilling annd tapping requires some dril/tap bushings to assure perpendicularity and required depth to be copied from a factory 4-bolt.
Using an engine from a motorhome I'd be leary of overheating problems. Inspect carefully for associated problems like cracks before sinking any significant money in it.
Also, I know of a fellow in CA that found a crate LS6 in a motor home. Obviously it was an owner replacement. I bought the top end off of him. Never know what you might find!
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1,607 Posts
I like to keep an eye out for just this kind of deal... usually you can get a good deal on the motorhome. A few years ago I bought a 74 chevy pickup 2 wheel, kinda rough for $400. It came with a nasty camper shell on it, all rotted out. All the aluminum was pulled from the camper and sold for $80 bucks.
The contents of the camper... several tents, an old chainsaw,and a plethora of hodge podge tools were sold at the garage sale we had. Another $100. I then pulled the 454 and turbo 400 tranny to squarrel away. Took the truck to the scrap yard and got $200 for it. For about 2 saturdays of work it was like somebody just gave me a great spare 454 and tranny..... We live for those deals.
Its a 2 bolt, but will be great for street and up to about 600 HP... I may have the machine shop tap it for 4 bolts, I have some crazy ideas about a big block stroker motor.
Good luck and great find.
Gil
The contents of the camper... several tents, an old chainsaw,and a plethora of hodge podge tools were sold at the garage sale we had. Another $100. I then pulled the 454 and turbo 400 tranny to squarrel away. Took the truck to the scrap yard and got $200 for it. For about 2 saturdays of work it was like somebody just gave me a great spare 454 and tranny..... We live for those deals.
Its a 2 bolt, but will be great for street and up to about 600 HP... I may have the machine shop tap it for 4 bolts, I have some crazy ideas about a big block stroker motor.
Good luck and great find.
Gil
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55 Posts
454
I love my camper motor.It's a 1979 454 2 bolt 8.1 peanut port heads,60,000 miles with a TH475 tranny.Ran good no smoke.Did a leak down test and all cyl good.I installed a comp.cams CL11-242-3 .515/.520 lift(lumpy idle) and 911-16 springs,new timing chain and geers.Edelbrock intake 7161 & carb 1813 800 cfm and this motor runs great.About 350HP,smokes the tires no problem.Good low end torque all on pump gas.Should have used a smaller carb because it took a little tuning to get it just perfect. My arms hurt when I drive it because it wants to turn into every camp ground I pass.The jokes from my buddies never stop.I paid $850 for the motor and tranny put some new parts on it and I got a nice budget big block that runs good.
I love my camper motor.It's a 1979 454 2 bolt 8.1 peanut port heads,60,000 miles with a TH475 tranny.Ran good no smoke.Did a leak down test and all cyl good.I installed a comp.cams CL11-242-3 .515/.520 lift(lumpy idle) and 911-16 springs,new timing chain and geers.Edelbrock intake 7161 & carb 1813 800 cfm and this motor runs great.About 350HP,smokes the tires no problem.Good low end torque all on pump gas.Should have used a smaller carb because it took a little tuning to get it just perfect. My arms hurt when I drive it because it wants to turn into every camp ground I pass.The jokes from my buddies never stop.I paid $850 for the motor and tranny put some new parts on it and I got a nice budget big block that runs good.
Motorhome engines are usually low compression ratio (8:1 or so), and most of them have the "peanut port" heads. I guess a motorhome manufacturer could spec something else, but that's what GM marketed and the motorhome mfr's bought.
They will have a short duration camshaft too.
With the small port heads and small camshaft, they make tons of torque off idle and at cruising rpms. But they run out of steam at 4500 rpm and don't make good power.
Motorhomes are a ready source of low mileage cheap engines.
They will have a short duration camshaft too.
With the small port heads and small camshaft, they make tons of torque off idle and at cruising rpms. But they run out of steam at 4500 rpm and don't make good power.
Motorhomes are a ready source of low mileage cheap engines.
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