Is this possible?

[Treecol]

Hello again you jolly helpful Funsters 🖐🖐
So we spent ages with the Hymer we'd like to buy. I did mention to you in my other post about the possibility of taking the engine out. DH has had a good look under and around the engine bay today. We're really happy with the condition of the MoHo inside and out. It drives well too. But...as DH was an MOT inspector and mechanic, it naturally goes against the grain for him to pay someone else to repair anything and although they 2.8 Fiats are pretty good, he said today even changing the fan belt or the turbo would be an major job.
Has anyone on here managed to take the front end off the get the engine out? DH says it's all moulded and couldn't be unbolted. He likes the build quality, the locker space etc but not the engine bit which I guess is pretty important!! Otherwise we may have to just stick to looking for a coach built.

 

[Garfields]

Engine out of any A Classes is serious pain
Finding anyone to take the job on would be a challenge, lots of places will not touch them.
Not something I would like to take on but I have been off the tools for a long time
On the plus side the 2.8 is robust but they are getting old know

 

[Treecol]

Thank you...DH firing up his tablet to search for a coach built MoHo. Bye bye Hymer

 

[chaser]

Hello again you jolly helpful Funsters 🖐🖐
So we spent ages with the Hymer we'd like to buy. I did mention to you in my other post about the possibility of taking the engine out. DH has had a good look under and around the engine bay today. We're really happy with the condition of the MoHo inside and out. It drives well too. But...as DH was an MOT inspector and mechanic, it naturally goes against the grain for him to pay someone else to repair anything and although they 2.8 Fiats are pretty good, he said today even changing the fan belt or the turbo would be an major job.
Has anyone on here managed to take the front end off the get the engine out? DH says it's all moulded and couldn't be unbolted. He likes the build quality, the locker space etc but not the engine bit which I guess is pretty important!! Otherwise we may have to just stick to looking for a coach built.

Why would you want to take the engine out of a motorhome that drives well

 

[Treecol]

Well being that DH spent years working on engines, he knows its it's inevitable that at some point something will go wrong with the engine that requires attention. Any work to the head or turbo would be nigh on impossible in situ, from what DH said today after taking a look. After all those years in the trade he neither wants to pay anyone a small fortune to do it or struggle to do it himself. As he said after years of doing really difficult work on other people's vehicles, easy maintenance would be best for him. Coach built is far easier. As Garfields said lots of places won't touch them confirms what DH was thinking. Real shame.

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[tonyidle]

Hello again you jolly helpful Funsters 🖐🖐
So we spent ages with the Hymer we'd like to buy. I did mention to you in my other post about the possibility of taking the engine out. DH has had a good look under and around the engine bay today. We're really happy with the condition of the MoHo inside and out. It drives well too. But...as DH was an MOT inspector and mechanic, it naturally goes against the grain for him to pay someone else to repair anything and although they 2.8 Fiats are pretty good, he said today even changing the fan belt or the turbo would be an major job.
Has anyone on here managed to take the front end off the get the engine out? DH says it's all moulded and couldn't be unbolted. He likes the build quality, the locker space etc but not the engine bit which I guess is pretty important!! Otherwise we may have to just stick to looking for a coach built.

I took a 2.5TD out to change the clutch. Done at home on the drive it was a doddle from below.

 

[Figaro]

You are really missing a trick to dismiss an otherwise good buy just because at some point in the future it may require major work to the engine.
I think everything that could break can be fixed from above or below on an A class. If the engine needs to come out I think it's dropped from below.
Have a look at a coachbuilt with Ducato cab, I don't think there is vastly more room to work than there is on an A class ?
Didn't Wildbill swop an engine on a Ducato outdoors on a carpark with a lump hammer and a socket set ?
Who is DH ?
Sounds to me like DH is not fully committed to your project ?

 

[stevewagner]

Well being that DH spent years working on engines, he knows its it's inevitable that at some point something will go wrong with the engine that requires attention. Any work to the head or turbo would be nigh on impossible in situ, from what DH said today after taking a look. After all those years in the trade he neither wants to pay anyone a small fortune to do it or struggle to do it himself. As he said after years of doing really difficult work on other people's vehicles, easy maintenance would be best for him. Coach built is far easier. As Garfields said lots of places won't touch them confirms what DH was thinking. Real shame.

That's simply not true. Considering how many motorhomes on our roads (I believe around 350K), the amount of catastrophic engine failures is very low. This is due to a number of reasons including vast improvements in mechanical engineering, motorhomes don't do that many miles compared to other vehicles and most people have regular servicing carried out. The biggest job that a lot of motorhomers have done is a cambelt change which usually includes the water pump. Had mine done on my A class last year for £300 at a quality garage which took them 2.5 hours. Have a look at historic posts on this site and you won't find that many that have had engines out. I think DH is worrying too much.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thank you...DH firing up his tablet to search for a coach built MoHo. Bye bye Hymer

Don't be silly the advantages of an A Class far outweigh the disadvantages.
Most jobs on the engine are done from underneath.
The abundance of an A Class is well worth it they feel so much more spacious inside as the cab area is much more usable.

Driving a great view out of the big screen, quieter, the flat sides make them easier to get through narrow gaps and they are easier to reverse.

We are on our 2nd A Class would not consider any other type of van now. OK they cost a bit more to maintain so what everthing is expensive on Motorhomes so does it matter if you get more enjoyment out of it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Had mine done on my A class last year for £300 at a quality garage

Blimey that was cheap current price for just the parts for a 2.3 multi jet is £480 nearly doubled in price in the last year.
Our independent will only use the Fiat kit as they have had lots of problems with Gates ones.

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[Garfields]

If the engine needs to come out I think it's dropped from below.

If you need to drop the engine it's a hole different ball game as extracting one from the front
Some jobs are mainly done from the underside, clutch etc and that's ok ish
I wouldn't tackle an engine drop without proper facility's

 

[Figaro]

Still doable though for an experienced mechanic with the right equipment I would have thought.
Certainly not a reason to dismiss such a vehicle.

 

[Garfields]

Still doable though for an experienced mechanic with the right equipment I would have thought.
Certainly not a reason to dismiss such a vehicle.

If I was still in the trade I would pass on a engine drop
Engine out the front is relatively easy
However I have been away from the tools for a long time
The 2.8 engines are getting a bit long in the tooth
The problems are not just a motorhome issue
Have issue with some Range Rovers turbos and you have to lift the body off the chassis though I have a friend that managed a turbo repair in situe

 

[Treecol]

DH is my husband, former MOT inspector and mechanic, working on everything from lorrys to minis and everything in between. He's so committed that he totally rebuilt our last Moho with the kind help of Funsters here and The Big 1 who came to us. So getting another one is going to happen but because we've looked at so many and owned one that leaked like a seive, he is sensibly cautious. Seems like Garfields having also been in the trade understands what DH means. Coachbuilts are much much easier as the engine can generally come out the front. We aren't blessed with a workshop with a high roof and 4 post lift to lift the body off so the engine can be worked on. That's why I asked in the first place incase anyone had found a way round it.
DH just mentioned that although the engine drove OK, before I turned up to look inside again, oil was coming from the exhaust on start up. He thinks it'll be turbo - it's an old engine. So that would mean engine out!! Once you've been in the trade and know what goes wrong, you are cautious. How many times have people been in total shock as they're handed a quote for thousands because they didn't know their floor could rot or their blown turbo meant lifting the body off their A Class? I think Garfields will be able to relate to that.
Anyhow, thanks all.

 

[stevewagner]

Blimey that was cheap current price for just the parts for a 2.3 multi jet is £480 nearly doubled in price in the last year.
Our independent will only use the Fiat kit as they have had lots of problems with Gates ones.

That's what I thought but I wasn't going to complain.

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