Best engine ? For Mh

[R M]

I no opinions vary !
What's the best mh engine or the most bomb proof ?
3-0 litre ?
2-8 litre
2-3 litre
Etc ?

 

[John The Foot]

3.0L Iveco in a Ducato Burstner 160 BHP. 4000kg, Just having it uprated to 4600kg and 1500kg towing. Only pulling a C1 on A frame but don't even know its there on behind. Thankfully we have rear view camera's and mirrors LOL.

 

[Tony50]

And many failed

So have timing chains , cambelts .it's also recommended if you stopping using a vehicle regularly like a lot of Motorhome users you need to change the engine oil ( me, the oil filter as well). But I can't get around my head why some prat designed a cam belt running in oil and costing a small fortune to change.

 

[jongood]

So have timing chains , cambelts .it's also recommended if you stopping using a vehicle regularly like a lot of Motorhome users you need to change the engine oil ( me, the oil filter as well). But I can't get around my head why some prat designed a cam belt running in oil and costing a small fortune to change.

Timing chains are only regularly failing on more modern engines where designers have specced chains that are lighter and therefore weaker. Most Older engines with timing chains rattled for years before eventually failing.

It all comes back to manufacturers trying to squeeze maximum hp out of ever smaller and lighter engines.

 

[GD13RUM]

that

Agree the 2.1 merc is very good and quite economical at about 28/ 29 on out 5500kg unit

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[Davecrawf]

3.0 litre is a cam chain up to 180 bhp a peach of an engine
2.8 litre is cam belt but older bullet proof engine
2.3 litre cam belt is fiats standard engine
2.2 litre is a ford puma cam chain
engine
These are all sevel van engines so I wouldn’t get a comfortmatic gearbox after reading the woes on here the manual gearbox is fine!
We are talking old engines here pre adblue etc!
New ones I know nothing about.
I have a 2013 lhd Citroen jumper (relay) with the 2.2 litre ford puma no problems with it and 86000 miles

I have the 3 litre cam chain in the only motorhome I have ever owned. Had it for more than 10 years and 45000 miles.
It's excellent IMHO. Especially not having to worry about cam belt changes. However, performance is also very good

 

[jezport]

The Euro5+ 2.3 Ducato has a single egr and no adblue to is instantly more reliable. Late models show as ULEZ complient on the websites!

 

[jezport]

I have the 3 litre cam chain in the only motorhome I have ever owned. Had it for more than 10 years and 45000 miles.
It's excellent IMHO. Especially not having to worry about cam belt changes. However, performance is also very good

No worry just get changed at 5 years, same as tyres!

 

[VXman]

A lot of them are as they've strangled the life out of them in order to be immission compliant.

I agree with you for the most part but you do need to consider the pulling power when looking at heavier motorhomes especially as many owners have a distinct aversion to euro toll roads so will spend a lot of time going up & down the gears and you certainly don't want to tow using an engine with only 350Nm of torque or have anything less than around 390Nm on a moho weighing over 4000kg.

Mine is a 2.3 140bhp. It was originally 3500kg but has been uprated to 4250kg. I generally drive it with an electric moped in the garage and 2 electric bikes on the back. Also loaded with all the other camping gear - chairs, table, BBQ plus I off grid a lot so water tank full, 2 X LPG.

I cannot say I ever find it lacking in power. On mountain climbs traction on the front wheels on hairpins is more of an issue. The only time I might feel it lacks is on a long motorway incline but it really is no bother to change down from 6th to 5th on the odd occasions.

 

[Garry - June]

The 3.0 Iveco derived engine, is, in my opinion, the best engine ever to grace a Motorhome. Mainly because it has a cam chain and so additional reliability over engines from the same period which had belts (although if well maintained, belted engines can be just as good, just not as powerful).

I was talking to an old, now retired, diesel mechanic just last week on this (albeit Diesel engines in general, not just Motorhome related). Older N/A diesels used to go on for years and years (old tractors etc), due to their simplicity, you could throw them in a river, then drag them out and start them (within reason). Unfortunately emissions regulations and restrictions placed on manufacturers meant that they had to introduce EGR's, DPF's, Ad-Blu and a huge array of sensors and ECU control - Which as he said would be like cutting your food intake in half, with the other half now being made up of eating your own poop .

I don't want to gloat but apart from agreeing with you 100% about how good the 3.0l cam chain engine is and how later emissions regulations have been not so great for modern engines..
The fact I have the 3.0l manual, but also because it was not first registered until late 2015 it is also classed as Euro 6 ... win win..