Long time RV-ers considering an older Prevost

I just joined the group so will provide some background.

We are essentially empty nesters (with some remaining dependencies LOL) and live a bit outside Nashville TN.

We have been RVing for 22+ years starting with a travel trailer, then a 36' double slide Class A Gasser (1999 Tiffin Allegro Bay) for 15+ years, and currently own a 2022 Grand Design Momentum 395MS Fifth wheel toy hauler that we drag around with a 2020 F450. We use the toy hauler to tote 2-3 motorcycles - smaller street bikes, and a few track bikes since I coach/instruct for a track day organization. We also take bicycles, kayaks, etc with us when we travel.

We started looking at diesel pushers again after a recent trip where we broke a major suspension attachment on the fifth wheel, and then also experienced a HORRIBLE ride on the crappy roads thru Indiana. It got me thinking about 2 things:

1) How can we get a better "ride" experience as we start thinking about longer distance traveling
2) How can we get something that is not a 100k+ piece of hot garbage (sticks and staples references appropriate).

As I started looking, the major turn off has been the curb side of many of the Class A's have almost ZERO windows or view. We like to camp by lakes and other scenery, and our TH has a slide with windows on 3 sides that afford us lots of natural light and great views. We recalled the Prevost (and other bus conversions) being more "windowy" and started looking at them.

So, if we add item #3) - windows and natural light, it looks like the Prevost conversions check all of our boxes!

While it is very clear that the bus conversions can be demanding from a maintenance standpoint, especially older ones, they are actual designed well and somewhat designed to be maintained. If you have ever seen the wiring and plumbing in a newer sticks and staples RV, even the expensive ones, they are a train wreck!

So now we are considering the possibility of selling the Truck and the TH, and perhaps purchasing an older used unit and a smaller pickup that I can stick 1-2 motorcycles in, or perhaps on occasion tow a smaller trailer with a few bikes for weekend racetrack excursions. We figure another plus is the dogs will fare much better riding in a Class A again vs being stuck in the cab of the pickup.

Anyway sorry for the long intro, but I am starting the education process to learn more. We may go out looking locally in the coming weeks, and perhaps even take a test drive to see if it is something that might fit us.

Thanks for listening!

Steve

There are some great prevost older ones out there but you have to search to find them. A friend of mine sold a great bus today due to his wifes medical conditions. He had gone through it anticipating great travel experience.
Thesre buses can be a bankrupt if you don't do a good research on the unit and kow what you are buying.
You need a good inspection of the bus before purchase.

Ditto:
Bought ours about 6 years ago. I got a deal and knew I was purchasing a fixer upper. Well, the hole I bought was a lot deeper than I thought, I have learned far more than I ever expected to and spent far more $ than I expected to. if you’re mechanically inclined it helps immensely, if not you will need a healthy bank account.
On the flip side; there is no other class A platform that is safer than a Prevost conversion and probably no other (older) class A that has the parts and service available that Prevost does. Remember, Prevost are primarily made to transport people and have to meet rigorous Canadian & USA DOT requirements. As an additional note: being primarily a commercial platform they have robust serviceable parts and for the most part readily available parts (even for older vintages). When you own and register your Prevost (regardless of age) with Prevost PASS, you have 24/7/365 access (by phone) to a Prevost service tech and guidance to the nearest service. Prevost Pass is intended for commercial charter bus companies to keep them on the road and moving but available to motor home owners too.
Owning a Prevost has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences all at the same time. I would encourage anyone to pursue ownership of a Prevost, but just do it with your eyes wide open.
Chuck

Sounds like a great plan to me! I don't know your budget but there are a lot of older coaches out there that have been treated very well. You are in a great part of the country for this as well. You have the premier Prevost service center in Goodlettsville, East Tennessee Luxury Coach and many others for support, education and sales.

It sounds like you like working on things so you might look at one of the converters that place more emphasis on ease of maintenance rather than on how much bling and technology they can squeeze into 45 feet.

You already know what you need to live on the road so you know what you are looking for. Learn about the different converters, look at several and have a great time.

As George said, a good pre-purchase inspection will save you a ton of money and heart ache. Even after a good inspection, I would hold back $20k or so for things that will just show up randomly. After that budget $10 to $12k per year and you should be good if you are doing the small to medium things yourself.

As you learn about the different converters and start to have questions, put them here and this amazing group of people will be more than happy to help you.

Would highly recommend you stop by Olympia Luxury Coaches in Murfreesboro, TN (outside Nashville) to be able to view several different conversions of Prevost Coaches. They generally have Liberty, Marathon, Millennium, Featherlight, Emerald, Country Coach, Royal, etc. inventory on hand.

Austin Hicks (General Manager/Business Partner) is exceptionally knowledgeable of all things Prevost, honest, honorable, fair priced and has surrounded himself with some of the industry’s best mechanics, Operations and Sales personnel.

You can view their current Inventory (as well as, listing of Incoming Coaches) at their website:
www.OLYMPIALUXURYCOACHES.COM

Or, call their Office: (615) 280-1278
Address: 4228 Northstar Dr., Murfreesboro, TN. 37129

We purchased our 2003 Liberty Classic XLII (non-slide) from Olympia 3-years ago and could not have been any happier with our selection! We had Gil Johnson (now Olympia’s Customer Service Director) perform a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) over the course of several days and ended up with a totally Zeroed out Coach…in combination with Upgrades and changes that Austin had already identified and committed to make before letting us drive off. Everything was done 1st rate and completed as promised. We continue to see Austin and Brad Land (Sales Manager) at events and shows and consider them good friends. We’ve also referred several friends/acquaintances to Olympia that likewise purchased and Love their Coaches!

Good fortune with your search (as mentioned above…keep @$20K held back to address any unexpected/unknown costs as you are driving a house down bumpy roads at speed).

There are several that have stacker trailers paint matched to the coach that may work for your needs. Put a Jeep or the like in the bottom and your bikes up top. The price adder for the trailers appear to be very reasonable considering what a basic 16ft cargo trailer costs these says vs a decked out stacker. In my younger years I drug a 26' travel trailer behind a Chevy truck with race bikes in the bed and all the in/out storage of the RV full of tools, tires and parts - A stacker behind a Prevost would have been paradise!

I did read on here that some of the early DD 12.7 Series 60's had piston separation (at the wrist pin) issues resulting in a rod through the block (I believe it was the early-mid `90s) - DD covered them under warranty but warranty on a 30yo engine is long gone - In-frame rebuilds are in the $30k-50k+ range (depending on how extensive the rebuild) so dropping one out underneath the bus (VW style) is probably going to add labor costs. New engines in the 14L 500-600Hp range are pushing $100k and rebuilt ones in the $40k range depending on what paint color you get (I have seen several running take-out, 300-400k mile Cat 3406E 14.6L 6NZs on the market in the $25k range). I wouldn't worry too much about the B500 transmission - you can buy rebuilds all day for $2500 or less and even have one beefed up from Weller or the like for under $5k - basically the same prices as a Chevy truck.

Several listings have advertised complete suspension maintenance, A-arms, air bags, bushings, tie rod ends, etc., as well as brakes (rotors, pads/shoes, etc.). Seeing the Prevost receipts I have from the previous owner performing all these services I can attest it's something worth paying $10k+ more for a coach that has this completed recently/already (and documented) as you'll spend triple that doing it after purchase. Tires are another big ticket item, at basically $1200-1500/tire (Michelin) that's $8-10k. Point is you can be looking at a $150k coach that will cost you $150k, or look at a $120k coach that will cost you $160k, or worse an $80k coach that will cost you $200k.

I prefer to deal with individuals as I believe you can get the best deal not to mention talking to them you get a feel for their mechanical inclination, attitude towards and execution of maintenance (preventative and repair) as well as their budget/financial threshold for pain in regards to maintenance. Most of these seem to be very loved by their owners. Owners who are less mechanically inclined are somewhat at the mercy of the repair shop. This means maintenance was left up to a shop to dictate the needed maintenance and repairs and usually the credit card came out and tens of thousands were spent over the years. If the shop they used was iffy, the maintenance will be iffy too. On our heavy trucks we find the iffy shops (this includes some dealerships - I have suffered one we just did a $45k in frame with that didn't make it 1200 miles) always suggest the easy to replace/quick repairs to run up the bill and neglect the maintenance that is really needed because it's time consuming and not high margin like, you need an new EGR cooler. Your turbo is out/bad wastegate actuator, etc.. However from my research, buying from an Olympia or similar and paying a premium price may actually wind up being the best deal as they seem to fix ("Zero" the coach), where I imaging they find/fix many issues. Also it appears, many times, they have sold the same coach 2-4 times already and know the history of it. I have no experience with them, but they, and a few others like them, were going to be my next call if I struck out with the few private sellers I called. IMO, seeing a 3ft stack of manuals for everything on/in the bus, a 4" binder full of repair and parts receipts, several bins of spare parts, etc. would be a good sign. Coupled with an owner that can talk your ear off in detail about each one of those receipts and tell you every little squeak and rattle would be divine.

At bit long as I just went through this process. Interior cosmetic items are cheap to repair - major mechanicals are not. Just my worthless opinions on the matter.

Happy hunting!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fratto

Sounds like a great plan to me! I don't know your budget but there are a lot of older coaches out there that have been treated very well. You are in a great part of the country for this as well. You have the premier Prevost service center in Goodlettsville, East Tennessee Luxury Coach and many others for support, education and sales.

It sounds like you like working on things so you might look at one of the converters that place more emphasis on ease of maintenance rather than on how much bling and technology they can squeeze into 45 feet.

You already know what you need to live on the road so you know what you are looking for. Learn about the different converters, look at several and have a great time.

As George said, a good pre-purchase inspection will save you a ton of money and heart ache. Even after a good inspection, I would hold back $20k or so for things that will just show up randomly. After that budget $10 to $12k per year and you should be good if you are doing the small to medium things yourself.

As you learn about the different converters and start to have questions, put them here and this amazing group of people will be more than happy to help you.

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Thanks for the detailed reply and information. As we look for our "first" bus, we are pretty set on staying below $200k, and would prefer in the low 100's if possible (especially considering the reserves required for unplanned expenses). I have even considered the possibility of an older 8V92 powered coach as a starter to get our feet wet while trying to keep the initial investment down and make sure a Bus works for our lifestyle.

You mention certain converters being better for ease of maintenance and such, vs others - I am not at all afraid of doing work, and in some cases even substantial work and updating if the price is right. I am more interested in ensuring that anything we purchase has "good bones" or provides a solid foundation. How do I evaluate the different converters/builders from that perspective? Any resources would be of great value!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WinterStorm

Would highly recommend you stop by Olympia Luxury Coaches in Murfreesboro, TN (outside Nashville) to be able to view several different conversions of Prevost Coaches. They generally have Liberty, Marathon, Millennium, Featherlight, Emerald, Country Coach, Royal, etc. inventory on hand.

Austin Hicks (General Manager/Business Partner) is exceptionally knowledgeable of all things Prevost, honest, honorable, fair priced and has surrounded himself with some of the industry’s best mechanics, Operations and Sales personnel.

You can view their current Inventory (as well as, listing of Incoming Coaches) at their website:
www.OLYMPIALUXURYCOACHES.COM

Or, call their Office: (615) 280-1278
Address: 4228 Northstar Dr., Murfreesboro, TN. 37129

We purchased our 2003 Liberty Classic XLII (non-slide) from Olympia 3-years ago and could not have been any happier with our selection! We had Gil Johnson (now Olympia’s Customer Service Director) perform a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) over the course of several days and ended up with a totally Zeroed out Coach…in combination with Upgrades and changes that Austin had already identified and committed to make before letting us drive off. Everything was done 1st rate and completed as promised. We continue to see Austin and Brad Land (Sales Manager) at events and shows and consider them good friends. We’ve also referred several friends/acquaintances to Olympia that likewise purchased and Love their Coaches!

Good fortune with your search (as mentioned above…keep @$20K held back to address any unexpected/unknown costs as you are driving a house down bumpy roads at speed).

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Thank you for the information and feedback. Olympia is at the top of our list, and currently has at least 2 coaches that we would love to see, and may help answer the question of "XL vs H" for us as well. If we go down this "standard" path, we will probably be more likely to look for a coach that is "Zeroed Out" if we can. And a pre-purchase inspection would certainly be in the cards.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by No Name

There are several that have stacker trailers paint matched to the coach that may work for your needs. Put a Jeep or the like in the bottom and your bikes up top. The price adder for the trailers appear to be very reasonable considering what a basic 16ft cargo trailer costs these says vs a decked out stacker. In my younger years I drug a 26' travel trailer behind a Chevy truck with race bikes in the bed and all the in/out storage of the RV full of tools, tires and parts - A stacker behind a Prevost would have been paradise!

I did read on here that some of the early DD 12.7 Series 60's had piston separation (at the wrist pin) issues resulting in a rod through the block (I believe it was the early-mid `90s) - DD covered them under warranty but warranty on a 30yo engine is long gone - In-frame rebuilds are in the $30k-50k+ range (depending on how extensive the rebuild) so dropping one out underneath the bus (VW style) is probably going to add labor costs. New engines in the 14L 500-600Hp range are pushing $100k and rebuilt ones in the $40k range depending on what paint color you get (I have seen several running take-out, 300-400k mile Cat 3406E 14.6L 6NZs on the market in the $25k range). I wouldn't worry too much about the B500 transmission - you can buy rebuilds all day for $2500 or less and even have one beefed up from Weller or the like for under $5k - basically the same prices as a Chevy truck.

Several listings have advertised complete suspension maintenance, A-arms, air bags, bushings, tie rod ends, etc., as well as brakes (rotors, pads/shoes, etc.). Seeing the Prevost receipts I have from the previous owner performing all these services I can attest it's something worth paying $10k+ more for a coach that has this completed recently/already (and documented) as you'll spend triple that doing it after purchase. Tires are another big ticket item, at basically $1200-1500/tire (Michelin) that's $8-10k. Point is you can be looking at a $150k coach that will cost you $150k, or look at a $120k coach that will cost you $160k, or worse an $80k coach that will cost you $200k.

I prefer to deal with individuals as I believe you can get the best deal not to mention talking to them you get a feel for their mechanical inclination, attitude towards and execution of maintenance (preventative and repair) as well as their budget/financial threshold for pain in regards to maintenance. Most of these seem to be very loved by their owners. Owners who are less mechanically inclined are somewhat at the mercy of the repair shop. This means maintenance was left up to a shop to dictate the needed maintenance and repairs and usually the credit card came out and tens of thousands were spent over the years. If the shop they used was iffy, the maintenance will be iffy too. On our heavy trucks we find the iffy shops (this includes some dealerships - I have suffered one we just did a $45k in frame with that didn't make it 1200 miles) always suggest the easy to replace/quick repairs to run up the bill and neglect the maintenance that is really needed because it's time consuming and not high margin like, you need an new EGR cooler. Your turbo is out/bad wastegate actuator, etc.. However from my research, buying from an Olympia or similar and paying a premium price may actually wind up being the best deal as they seem to fix ("Zero" the coach), where I imaging they find/fix many issues. Also it appears, many times, they have sold the same coach 2-4 times already and know the history of it. I have no experience with them, but they, and a few others like them, were going to be my next call if I struck out with the few private sellers I called. IMO, seeing a 3ft stack of manuals for everything on/in the bus, a 4" binder full of repair and parts receipts, several bins of spare parts, etc. would be a good sign. Coupled with an owner that can talk your ear off in detail about each one of those receipts and tell you every little squeak and rattle would be divine.

At bit long as I just went through this process. Interior cosmetic items are cheap to repair - major mechanicals are not. Just my worthless opinions on the matter.

Happy hunting!

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Thanks for this feedback as well!

Overall, we are still just dipping toes into the water. We have yet to see a coach (online at least) that is "exactly" what we want. We have seen a few builds of YouTubers and others that are really close, and we have even discussed or toyed with the idea of buying a "people" bus, or something similar, and making a multi-year project out of building something that meets our specific needs. Seems a bit daunting of course, and is probably fraught with great risk! But also interesting since we could build exactly what we want. Our biggest thing is LOTS of windows and natural light. A few converter coaches are CLOSE to that, but nothing is quite there. However if a people mover is a base, then things like systems (generator, plumbing, heat/cooling, etc) become a much bigger challenge.

If nothing else, it gives me something to waste my time on as we imagine what is possible!

Steve

There is a 1998 XL that I left at olympia when I bought a 06 with slides. My wife didn't want to let the 98 go. She liked the total bus and the fact we had done a lot of work on the bus.
it was a one owner we got at an estate sale. It spent its life in an aironditoner building and was maintained by the truck shop the owner WileySanders owned. He had a fleet of 600 trucks.
I attempted to zero out the bus. Spent 35K on it after purchase. Bus had sat for 2 years as owner had cancer. We drove it without worry on breakdown. I became distraught on lack of space for my lazyboy and wanted to get a slide.
They have list of improvements and I am willing to discuss the bus with anyone desiring info.

Good Morning Steve:

If you are in the 100k to 200k range, you will be looking at older coaches that were not as complicated as the newer ones. Royale and Parliament seemed to try to keep things accessible and more easily serviced. Country Coach also did a fair job but some of their generators were not on a slide and they do have a number of proprietary circuit boards in bay 1 that may or may not be a challenge to repair. They are fairly simple in the scheme of things but you will need to find the handful of people that are willing to work on them.

I would not rule out a Marathon or Liberty, but with all coaches you look at, ask for a detailed walk through of all of the systems, electronics etc. so that you know where they are, if parts are proprietary or easily available and if you can service them without taking half the bus apart to gain access.

Also decide if you want roof air or cruisair.

I just got back from a 3 week, 7 state, 3500 mile trip and no issues at all. My 8V92 pulled all the grades, including HWY 80 out of salt Lake and the long pull leaving Nevada on HWY 15. I was pulling my 2021 Ford Ranger.

I met a couple in a 40 footer with an 8V92 at Prevost Goodlettsville. They love it and have had no issues :-)

They think of getting something newer from time to time then change their minds and keep what they have.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PrevostNewbie

I just got back from a 3 week, 7 state, 3500 mile trip and no issues at all. My 8V92 pulled all the grades, including HWY 80 out of salt Lake and the long pull leaving Nevada on HWY 15. I was pulling my 2021 Ford Ranger.

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Thanks for the info and feedback. We went over to Olympia last week and had a great experience with Brad showing us around. George, we looked at your former Royale and it is very nice. The trip there and looking at a few lower priced units sold my wife on the “old” Prevost.

I have studied a bit more about the various converters and at this point I think it will really come down to finding the right floor plan and condition at the right price.

We are very seriously considering an older 40 foot 8V92 coach at this point. We have seen a few very nice sub 100k coaches and feel that might be a really good entry point for us. The key will be finding something well maintained. We are confident tweaking or updating the interior a bit as needed.

Seems like the only significant concern for me on the 8V92 is making sure the cooling system is solid, and accepting the increased fuel usage over the series 60.

Keep sharing thoughts!

Start looking for a good old school mechanic. From what I hear these are fine motors, but the number of folks that know them inside and out are dwindling. I am sure that some on this forum that have them can point you in the right direction.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fratto

Start looking for a good old school mechanic. From what I hear these are fine motors, but the number of folks that know them inside and out are dwindling. I am sure that some on this forum that have them can point you in the right direction.

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i will do so. I am in the greater Nashville area so that might help a bit. I am also less than 3 hours from East Tennessee luxury coach. The more I am learning, the less I am worried about the possibility of the 8V92. It might just be the sweet spot to get us started. We will see.

Hey Steve,

I have a 93 Marathon with the 8V92 TA and I love it....just ensure you have all the maintenance records and one sure way to determine if the coach has been well maintained is if they have all the manuals, and a extra parts i.e. filters, relays, belts, etc. I do all my own maintenance and here in the Chicago area I have access to a couple old school 2 stroke diesel mechanic's at Interstate Power. I reach out to them when I need help along with the great guys here on the POG site. You won't go wrong with the 8V92 if its in good shape, in my opinion its bullet proof. Also for the cooling system, yes you are correct make sure you look carefully at the radiator, if its original you can be sure you will more than likely need to have it rodded out or replaced soon. I purchased mine in 2021 replaced the radiator in 2022 after I noticed it had missing and corroded fins when inspecting everything prior to a trip cross country. My son and I got it out in about 4 hours and back in and running in about 6 hrs. (a few days later of course after getting it back from the rad..shop). Another thing...if you hear about how the 2 stroke diesels leak oil....that's not true, if you find a leak you just need to replace a seal/gasket. I have no oil leak issues and if/when I see one I fix it. Just replaced the valve cover seals earlier this year from a small leak I noticed on the right side of the engine...just replaced them both....Good Luck! You won't be disappointed if you find the right one!

This may help some here, parts, resources, etc..

I think the 8V92 is great, while most run from it. Look at boatdiesel.com for info on the 8V92 - they were used in several 50ft class yachts, especially the venerable Hatteras 53 MY that is a massive favorite amongst the cruising couple owner/operators (no capt, no crew). Also dieselpro.com is a great parts resource for the DD's as well as they have hour+ long videos of how to disassemble and rebuild them on the Tube. Know the differences between the 71 and 92 series. The long range cruisers prefer the simplicity of the dry sleeve 71 while the 92 has more displacement & power, it has fragility issues with cavitation in around the sleeves. Most boat engine issues are directly from neglected/differed maintenance, bad house keeping, cheap fluids and parts and owner abuse. While they will rev to 2400rpm, they don't like it and will destroy themselves. They like 1200-1800rpm all day long - and keep it under 2000 whenever possible. Consider that when looking at gearing and speed down the highway. Sportfish boats where the capt's set a 2100-2150 rpm cruise get around 2000 hours out of an engine before a rebuild is required. Long Range Cruisers that loaf their boats around 1400 rpm get 8000+ hours out of the engines. As a rule, any DD at 4500 hours or more is considered timed out and ready for a rebuild - doesn't mean they are shot, but boat value wise the price takes a hit. In the marine world a rebuild is generally $4k/hole (parts & labor) on practically any engine. The DD 2-strokes parts are relatively cheap, but due to them having basically double the parts (total systems) of a 4-stroke electrically controlled engine, you make up the difference in additional labor. DD 2-strokes give the mechanically inclined a ton of options, cheap. Swapping out injectors, adjusting timing, etc... All things to make your DD go from mild to wild. Regardless all DD 2-strokes that are E rated (high performance boats, yachts, patrol boats, etc.) are essentially 1hp per 1 cu in. so an 8V92 E rated marine DD would be between 700 & 750hp. The commercial continuous duty ratings will be down in the 400hp range and governed to 1800rpm. There is the secret with the ratings, they do reduce injector size but mainly reduce the rpm from 2400 (E), to 2300, to 2100, to 1900 to 1800 (A).

Usually truck engines are detuned significantly because they A: do not have an endless supply of cooling capacity from the ocean. B: are operated in constant start/stop/load/rest environment on the hwy, where a boat simply sets the throttles with a relatively constant load condition. Most good capts run their engines based upon load percentage vs RPM/speed. Know what the BSFC of your engine is and try to run right at that RPM - the engine will last forever, produce the most tq/hp per rpm and yield the best fuel economy (it's usually right where the Hp and Tq curves intersect. The DDs produce gobs of Tq down low and drops off sharply as RPM exceeds.

As mentioned in precious posts, we came from the boating world, unless you can't tell. To 2nd the post above, no engine should leak. Some engines have design issues that get improved with each version to mitigate leak prone areas. The evolution of the Cat 3406 A, B, C, (no D) E models all had changes to the head gasket/spacer plate design as well as the peanut cover on the front. I would definitely watch for smoking and check oil level daily - with the supercharger these engines can produce enough blow by on a severely worn engine to start eating themselves/running on the crankcase oil vs diesel from the injectors - one main reason they have manual flapper valves to close the air intake.

“with the supercharger these engines can produce enough blow by on a severely worn engine to start eating themselves/running on the crankcase oil vs diesel from the injectors - one main reason they have manual flapper valves to close the air intake.”

Years ago (in the early 80s) when I was in the U.S.Coast Guard I stood on the dock and watched a 8V92 inhale itself. It was a high hour used engine in a patrol boat that started to run away. They shut off the fuel so it started using the crankcase oil and kept running away. They closed the flapper and it inhaled it, they shoved rags, towels and anything else they could down the intake. It inhaled everything and kept running away until it finally threw the connecting rods through the block. Made a big noise and a lot of smoke. Glad I was standing on the dock, will never forget seeing that.
Chuck

Wow, such great information! I had no idea that they were used that much in the marine industry. Too much fun.

Thanks for sharing and bringing different perspectives.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ck2hans

“with the supercharger these engines can produce enough blow by on a severely worn engine to start eating themselves/running on the crankcase oil vs diesel from the injectors - one main reason they have manual flapper valves to close the air intake.”

Years ago (in the early 80s) when I was in the U.S.Coast Guard I stood on the dock and watched a 8V92 inhale itself. It was a high hour used engine in a patrol boat that started to run away. They shut off the fuel so it started using the crankcase oil and kept running away. They closed the flapper and it inhaled it, they shoved rags, towels and anything else they could down the intake. It inhaled everything and kept running away until it finally threw the connecting rods through the block. Made a big noise and a lot of smoke. Glad I was standing on the dock, will never forget seeing that.
Chuck

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That is a cool story

Well I bought a 94 Liberty Elegant lady that had sat for several years. So far it has been an excellent buy as it was maintained much better than most prior to being parked. I'm having my diesel shop go thru the diesel parts and my coach people ( ALL LOCAL) go thru mine. Fortunately my two shops have owned and currently own similar units, a blessing. So far I'm way under the prices for a similar coach (yr and converter) I expect to be done with it later this year and plan to use it on shorter runs until I feel all of the bugs are worked out. Then I'll stretch out my trips. Since I am in NO hurry I can take my time and more importantly my techs can as well which helps out on the labor. If you take your time and go thru EVERYTHING once controlling the cost, then you'll know what you have without the 1 mil price tag. JMHO

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Originally Posted by No Name

This may help some here, parts, resources, etc..

I think the 8V92 is great, while most run from it. Look at boatdiesel.com for info on the 8V92 - they were used in several 50ft class yachts, especially the venerable Hatteras 53 MY that is a massive favorite amongst the cruising couple owner/operators (no capt, no crew). Also dieselpro.com is a great parts resource for the DD's as well as they have hour+ long videos of how to disassemble and rebuild them on the Tube. Know the differences between the 71 and 92 series. The long range cruisers prefer the simplicity of the dry sleeve 71 while the 92 has more displacement & power, it has fragility issues with cavitation in around the sleeves. Most boat engine issues are directly from neglected/differed maintenance, bad house keeping, cheap fluids and parts and owner abuse. While they will rev to 2400rpm, they don't like it and will destroy themselves. They like 1200-1800rpm all day long - and keep it under 2000 whenever possible. Consider that when looking at gearing and speed down the highway. Sportfish boats where the capt's set a 2100-2150 rpm cruise get around 2000 hours out of an engine before a rebuild is required. Long Range Cruisers that loaf their boats around 1400 rpm get 8000+ hours out of the engines. As a rule, any DD at 4500 hours or more is considered timed out and ready for a rebuild - doesn't mean they are shot, but boat value wise the price takes a hit. In the marine world a rebuild is generally $4k/hole (parts & labor) on practically any engine. The DD 2-strokes parts are relatively cheap, but due to them having basically double the parts (total systems) of a 4-stroke electrically controlled engine, you make up the difference in additional labor. DD 2-strokes give the mechanically inclined a ton of options, cheap. Swapping out injectors, adjusting timing, etc... All things to make your DD go from mild to wild. Regardless all DD 2-strokes that are E rated (high performance boats, yachts, patrol boats, etc.) are essentially 1hp per 1 cu in. so an 8V92 E rated marine DD would be between 700 & 750hp. The commercial continuous duty ratings will be down in the 400hp range and governed to 1800rpm. There is the secret with the ratings, they do reduce injector size but mainly reduce the rpm from 2400 (E), to 2300, to 2100, to 1900 to 1800 (A).

Usually truck engines are detuned significantly because they A: do not have an endless supply of cooling capacity from the ocean. B: are operated in constant start/stop/load/rest environment on the hwy, where a boat simply sets the throttles with a relatively constant load condition. Most good capts run their engines based upon load percentage vs RPM/speed. Know what the BSFC of your engine is and try to run right at that RPM - the engine will last forever, produce the most tq/hp per rpm and yield the best fuel economy (it's usually right where the Hp and Tq curves intersect. The DDs produce gobs of Tq down low and drops off sharply as RPM exceeds.

As mentioned in precious posts, we came from the boating world, unless you can't tell. To 2nd the post above, no engine should leak. Some engines have design issues that get improved with each version to mitigate leak prone areas. The evolution of the Cat 3406 A, B, C, (no D) E models all had changes to the head gasket/spacer plate design as well as the peanut cover on the front. I would definitely watch for smoking and check oil level daily - with the supercharger these engines can produce enough blow by on a severely worn engine to start eating themselves/running on the crankcase oil vs diesel from the injectors - one main reason they have manual flapper valves to close the air intake.

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Completely off topic, but I may have to pick your brain next year when I start looking for a trawler for my wife and I. Something in the 40' range. Preferably twin diesels and an Aft cabin is a must. Im over on the hull truth as well, those guys are great. But your explanation of the DD was astounding.

Well as some one who knew NOTHING about Prevost prior to looking at them I bought a 94 Liberty Elegant Lady that had been parked for a few years and driven very little.I do have all the maintenance records back to 2003. I did a LOT of research and reading about Prevost and Liberty as well as looking into the history of the coach prior to the purchase.
I will admit they almost gave it to me. I have a budget for everything that needed doing safety wise tires batteries etc. So far all these charges includes labor. I have spent $5500 for all new tires, $4500 for all new batteries house, engine, generator, and computer systems. $9500 for all the aire bags, norgen and leveling valves, repairing air leaks and bay door shocks. $3000 for servicing the coach, generator including flushing and rodding radiators engine and generator, bushings and other misc parts and repairs. This also includes cleaning the water system out, the grey/black tank and checking every component in the coach. So far with the exception of the TVs and hot water heater (tanks) I am still under 55k for everything including the purchase of the coach. I have some things I want to do to yet, but are not necessary or even needed for the operation of the coach. At this point and time I am very happy. with my purchase. No everyone will be as blessed as I have been.

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Originally Posted by Nightwind

Well as some one who knew NOTHING about Prevost prior to looking at them I bought a 94 Liberty Elegant Lady that had been parked for a few years and driven very little.I do have all the maintenance records back to 2003. I did a LOT of research and reading about Prevost and Liberty as well as looking into the history of the coach prior to the purchase.
I will admit they almost gave it to me. I have a budget for everything that needed doing safety wise tires batteries etc. So far all these charges includes labor. I have spent $5500 for all new tires, $4500 for all new batteries house, engine, generator, and computer systems. $9500 for all the aire bags, norgen and leveling valves, repairing air leaks and bay door shocks. $3000 for servicing the coach, generator including flushing and rodding radiators engine and generator, bushings and other misc parts and repairs. This also includes cleaning the water system out, the grey/black tank and checking every component in the coach. So far with the exception of the TVs and hot water heater (tanks) I am still under 55k for everything including the purchase of the coach. I have some things I want to do to yet, but are not necessary or even needed for the operation of the coach. At this point and time I am very happy. with my purchase. No everyone will be as blessed as I have been.

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Sounds like you may not know coaches, but you know what to look for and preventative maintenance.

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Originally Posted by Maverick3316

Sounds like you may not know coaches, but you know what to look for and preventative maintenance.

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I absolutely admitted that I knew 100% of nothing about coaches. As you stated I DO know maintenance and who to get it done and more importantly have some one who can will and does tell me the things that I don't know .....yet. So far I am happy and more than ready for my first trip to somewhere close to home. I have no doubts there will be hiccups, growing and learning pains but at 67.5 yrs of age I am happy to learn and the only one to watch me cuss is my dog Ziva.;)