The New Volvo Engine ??????

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jeff posted an article on Prevost-Stuff about the new Volvo engine. Since I was a witness to the switch from the 8V92 to the Series 60 I am more than a little amazed that this engine change is not paraded before the customer base as a similar step up.

The 8V92 was the standard for years and it was replaced by the Series 60 because of improved emissions required by new EPA standards, but was actually a vast improvement in other respects.

The Series 60 started life as a computer engine. The 8V92 had those features added as an afterthought. The Series 60 offered mileage in the 7 to 8 MPG range compared to the 5 to 6 MPG of the 8V92. Torque was higher on the Series 60. And at the time it got a real boost by being proclaimed as a million mile engine, so it had a longer life than the 8V92.

What is missing in the Volvo engine introduction is mention of a single improvement over the Series 60 with the latest emissions controls. If there is a benefit, other than Volvo owned Prevost using Volvo engines I can't see it.

Does this mean Prevost service centers will actually start working on the engines instead of sending a coach owner to Detroit Diesel? Does this mean there will be as many service centers to take care of the engine as there are now? Has this engine gotten millions of miles of testing over the road in commercial trucks before it was fitted into a bus like the Series 60 was, or are motorhome owners test pilots?

[BrianE]

Volvo has offered their engines in their trucks for many years. They also offer options for Detroit, Cummins and Cat. Truck owner/operators generally opt for the American engines because parts and labor are cheaper and much more available. We can rest assured however that when they equip Prevost busses with their engines these drawbacks will not be an issue. Right?

[MangoMike]

Since a lot of us are buying Prevo's in the 7 year old sweet spot (with the exception of BOB-XX) this won't be an issue until 2016.

mm

[Petervs]

Jon,
These issues you bring up make it sound like you are considering removing your bus engine and replacing it with a new Volvo!

Probably not, you are just throwing out discussion material, I know. But really, back in 1993 almost all of the world was using 4 stroke diesels, except Prevost was still using 8V92s. They had commitments to buy hundreds of the old engines but decided they would try out the series 60 on their new bus, the 45 foot version. It worked great for obvious reasons. But they had all those 2 stroke motors to use up, so they put them in the 40 foot coaches for a year or so until they ran out.

I do not think any manufacturer used the 8V92 longer than Prevost. That just means they are ( or were under that ownership) an ultraconservative company that does not adopt new technology until it is either mandated or they have no choice. There are not many bus competitors so why should they rock their boat? Now, obviously, Volvo would rather install their own engine than allow a competitor to make some profit from them. Just normal business.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Peter,

I was there attending the Prevost run seminars during the transition period.

Prevost vice President Bill Campbell explained very carefully the issues Prevost had to go through to install the series 60.

First, the architecture of the coach dictated an engine / transmission length. The 40 foot coach could handle a V8 engine and the 5 speed transmission, but could not handle a 6 cylinder engine due to its length.

Then the federal laws changed and allowed 45 foot coaches. Until then only 40 foot coaches were legal. If you notice the 45 foot shell it had about 27" of the additional 5 feet behind the wheels. Now they could install a series 60 and the five speed transmission. During the early years of the series 60 in 45' coaches the world transmission was not yet available so they mated the series 60 to the 5 speed, and if you have an early enough serial number you may have one.

They were still unable to install the series 60 in the 40' coach because it was too long but as soon as the world transmission was available, the shorter transmission length along with changes to the tag axle would allow the use of the series 60 in all coaches, including the entertainer 45'shells which had the rear architecture of the 40' coach.

I may be wrong, but Prevost needed a steady supply of 8V92 engines until Allison was delivering the world transmission, so if there was an agreement between Prevost and DD about a specific quantity it was a mutually protective agreement, because Prevost needed them, and DD did not want to get stuck with them.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

A lot of folks will not know the difference and will not care, mabye most. I think that is one of the ways Prevost sees this change.

To me what the Volvo engine means is buses with the older power plants will become more desirable to certain folks, might even help their value some too.

Just like what is gonna happen to the XL's when they do away with it.

Lets not leave out all the new emissions systems and stability control crap on these new rigs too. Who needs it. Some will prefer them without.

IMO Prevost has never considered what is the best power plant available for our buses, to them there are other more important factors and they are continuing true to form.

[Petervs]

Hi Jon,
Your explanation of the series of events makes sense to me. My coach has the 5 speed transmission, which in my opinion works just fine mated to the Series 60 and the entire coach.

Why do the entertainer coaches use the longer wheelbase? I can see no reason having an even bigger turning radius would be any advantage.

[garyde]

Jon. The mechanics at Prevost in Mira Loma are getting ready for expansion to do all the Volvo work on the new coaches.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The entertainer shells have the long wheel base for a number of reasons, some of which may not be valid.

At one time Eagle owned that market because the torsion bar suspension used apparently gave a particular ride motion that was favorable to those sleeping in the bunks in the entertainer coach. At least that is the story that was being told.

When Eagle fell on hard times which was around the time 45 foot coaches became legal Prevost agressively pursued that market. To counter the claim the torsion bar suspension gave a better ride to the sleepers in the bunk, Prevost claimed their longer wheel base equalled or bettered that, and it offered a much larger storage area in the bays for equipment and other gear.

As a result the long wheel base shell became the third offering. The turning radius issue was forever mitigated with the IFS so turning wasn't that much different from the Prevost 40 footer with solid axle. Today that market is cloudy to the extent that some entertainer coaches are MH chassis with slides. Look on the internet and you will see a lot of coaches offered with bunks and slides and they are MH chassis coaches.

It is my opinion that most entertainer coaches with the long wheel base are heavily loaded on the front axle. I don't know why Prevost looks the other way, but when the trend now for entertainers is robust dual systems and it is common for them to have two generators, five roof AC units and almost every other system we have they are likely pushing the absolute limit for front end capacity, especially when the 8 or ten occupants are in the front lounge.

[rfoster]

During the recent Drug Bust of a Prevost here locally there were 16 Occupants. Can you imagine? They probably thought the jail cell was an upgrade.