Results for "godzilla-v8"

Before every camping season rolls around, I face the same dreaded reality with my Ford V10 motorhome crawling up mountain passes like a wounded turtle. What are the realistic costs involved? Are there major risks to the engine I should know about? Is this actually worth doing or should I look at other options? …more

Halfway through my first long trip, this bone-rattling vibration and unsettling sway started plaguing my newer Class A motorhome with the Ford F53 Godzilla V8 chassis. Coming from a 26' travel trailer and a history with brands like LazyDaze, I'm trying to understand the current RV landscape. I saw a Baystar 2023 model where the owner spent around $35,000 on suspension upgrades after just 12,000 miles.

Sounds awesome on paper, but I keep hearing people say you still need to dump a ton of money into suspension upgrades to make these things handle decently on the highway. Did Ford actually improve the suspension setup when they introduced the Godzilla engine, or are we dealing with the same basic chassis design that's been around forever? I'm talking about 30+ foot Class A rigs here - seems crazy that a $200k motorhome would need immediate aftermarket work to drive safely.

Anyone know if the Godzilla F53 combo actually fixed the handling problems or if it's just more power on the same wobbly platform? …more

My Ford 7.3 Godzilla is throwing weird oil pressure PSI readings and the shop wants $800 to fix it – can I troubleshoot this myself first? I finally installed a Glowshift electronic oil pressure gauge because I kept hearing horror stories about these engines running dangerously low oil pressure.

Here's what I'm seeing: Cold starts jump over 60 PSI, then drop to 28-30 PSI at 1200 RPM. Once fully warmed up, I'm getting 18-20 PSI at 600 RPM idle, and the pressure stays around 28-30 PSI in my typical 2200 RPM cruising range. It doesn't climb above 30 PSI until I hit 3000 RPM, where it jumps to about 40 PSI.

I know Ford has had issues with some of these engines showing scary low numbers like 8 PSI at idle, so I'm grateful mine isn't that bad. But are these readings actually normal for the 7.3 Godzilla under normal operating conditions? I haven't done any loaded driving tests yet, but I'm trying to figure out if I should be concerned or if this is just how these engines run. …more

I looked into quick-lube places, crawling under with pans, and even portable extractors for oil changes on my Class A motorhome's Ford 7.3 Godzilla engine — still a messy disaster. I need to confirm the correct Fumoto part number that will work specifically for this engine. If anyone has already done this modification, I'd appreciate knowing the exact part number you used. Thank you, Glenn …more

During my 2 AM breakdown, my Ford E450's Godzilla engine started hemorrhaging coolant from the water pump timing cover — need this fixed before our sunrise departure. My E450 Godzilla decided to turn into more of a steam dragon than the beast it's supposed to be. After getting towed to a Ford dealer (because apparently not everyone wants to work on these motorhome monsters), they're telling me the timing cover surface where the water pump mounts looks "normal."

I'm staring at what looks like the surface of Mars - all pitted and grooved where the water pump was sitting. The dealer insists this is just typical wear, but my gut says something that caused a catastrophic overheat probably didn't leave the mating surface in "acceptable" condition. How do I know if this timing cover surface actually needs to be machined or replaced, or if I'm just being paranoid after my expensive towing adventure? …more

Finally found the starter relay for my 2022 RV's Ford 7.3 Godzilla engine that keeps staying engaged after startup — but will replacing it actually solve this? This has occurred multiple times and appears to be triggering crankshaft sensor errors, putting the vehicle into limp mode.

Diagnostics point to a faulty starter relay or incomplete grounding in the circuit. Need to locate the starter relay in the Ford 7.3 Godzilla to test and replace if necessary. Where exactly is this relay positioned, and what are the typical failure patterns for this specific issue on the 2022 model year? …more

Finally hit my budget limit after other RV repairs — is there a way to fix my Coachman Euro 28' F53 Godzilla handling issues for under $500? After 18+ years driving diesel pushers, this thing rides like a covered wagon and steers like a shopping cart at highway speeds. I've gotten quotes for a full air ride suspension conversion at $30K, but that's nearly 20% of the $160K I paid for this RV.

I'm seriously considering the incremental upgrade route instead - maybe $15K spread across Koni shocks, Sumo Springs, sway bars, SuperSteer components, and better tires. Everyone says you can make meaningful improvements this way, but I'm worried I'll still end up disappointed and out the money.

Has anyone actually made their F53 chassis livable with the incremental approach? Can I really get 80% of the benefit for half the cost, or am I just throwing good money after bad? I need this thing to be safe and comfortable for Florida highway driving, but I'm tired of dumping money into what feels like a lost cause. …more

Somewhere between shock and disbelief, I'm questioning my Ford dealer who insists my 2023 E350's 7.3L Godzilla V8 needs a complete rebuild after lifter failure at just 70,000 miles. The engine had one bad lifter and two scored piston walls, which seems pretty severe for a relatively new motor with what should be considered moderate mileage for a commercial-grade engine.

This has me concerned since I'm considering a similar setup for my Class C motorhome build. The 7.3L Godzilla has been marketed as Ford's heavy-duty solution, so seeing this kind of failure relatively early is troubling. Is this an isolated incident or are there patterns of lifter problems emerging with these engines? What should potential buyers be watching for, and are there any preventive measures or early warning signs that could help avoid this kind of expensive failure?

I'd appreciate any insights on whether this represents a broader reliability concern with the 7.3L platform or if it's just an unfortunate one-off situation that shouldn't influence purchasing decisions. …more

Wondering if I made the right call upgrading to the new 6.7 Cummins gas engine after weeks of research — still feels like I'm missing something important. Imagine if Freightliner built a new chassis using this specific Cummins gas engine. I would think it would be a great option. I don't imagine Ford would willingly use this engine in the F53 chassis. …more

Every time I see that P0339 code pop up on my Ford 7.3 Godzilla, I wonder — would crankshaft position sensor replacement be covered under my extended warranty? My 2022 RV with the 7.3 Godzilla engine (27k miles) threw a P0339 code along with hard starting and poor acceleration. Engine would barely turn over, then when it finally started it ran like garbage with warning lights everywhere. Could barely maintain 10mph before I had to shut it down.

Here's the weird part - I cleared the codes with my scanner and everything went back to normal! Engine starts fine now and runs perfectly. But I'm worried this is just the calm before the storm. What does P0339 actually mean on the Godzilla motor, and should I expect this problem to come back? Really hoping this might still be covered under warranty since the miles are so low. …more