My girlfriend and I just purchased a 1978 Ford Travel Craft 21-ft RV. It has a 460 Ford Chassis engine. Cosmetically, inside and out, the condition is remarkable considering its 37 year old age.
We bought it yesterday and drove it home, a mere two hour drive, and it did not make it home without breaking down. On the highway, it ran well at around 60 mph, which is what I kept the speed at. Then we got back to the city we live in, hit a few red lights and it died as I just managed to coast through an intersection. I tried to pump the gas then turn the ignition several times to no avail. Finally, I tried turning the key in the ignition and holding it while I pumped the gas a few times, and it luckily started. We had just spend 4 or 5 hours deep-cleaning the interior for our planned move into it.
Today, we called auto shops all around town to see who would work on an old motor/old RV. Finally, we found a shop. We drove it there without issue. I assumed the fuel pump was the issue. The power-steering also is squealing something fierce, and the front driver side headlight is out along with the passenger side front turn signal. I swear we inspected and tried the RV out before buying...but it's old, and on a very limited budget, you simply cannot expect perfection.
At the auto shop, the mechanics told us the power-steering could likely be resolved by "tensioning the belt", and that it was the fuel pump that caused the RV to stall and die last night, but rather, it was the carburetor. The smell of gasoline was strong the whole drive home last night, but I just assumed those fumes were to be expected with a car that was years older than I. The mechanic showed us that fuel was in fact leaking from the fuel line/carburetor, and that we would need a new carburetor from "an old fart who had worked through the 60s and 70s on autos".
We stopped at several shops after and finally found a lead on a place that would supposedly fix the carburetor for us. It was closed, as it is Saturday, so we left the RV in the large lot and placed our keys in the drop box with a note detailing the situation. Our fingers are crossed and we are praying that we didn't just get swindled into something we can't afford. We asked the seller at lengths, including before viewing the RV in person if the engine had any issues, and he assured us it did not. We simply wanted an RV that ran fine and didn't leak any water. We plan to live in it for up to a year to save a little rent money, and we were hoping to drive it down south to find jobs there.
I know this post is long, and if you read up to here and could help us, I'd gladly buy you some frosty beverages, and help with all the work. We're not sure if the shop we left at will actually fix it, but we're needing to move into it and out of our apartment in less than a week, and we need this bad boy to run.
If any one knows the ins and outs of a 460 Ford Chassis V-8 engine, and could offer advice to a young couple without great economic means, we'd be more than appreciative. Or if anyone knows how to fix carburetors on old Ford engines and lives in Wisconsin, we'd pay you what's fair to fix this for us.
Lastly, we're now worried that even if we sink the money into fixing the carburetor (how much?), we'll never get the RV from WI to NC in a month or so. Thanks in advance for anyone with advice.
Cummins12V98 said
09:08 AM Jul 19, 2015
The carburetor should be able to be rebuilt. The trick these days is finding someone capable to do the job. Rebuilding it should not be as expensive as a new one.
Good luck!
PIEERE said
09:14 AM Jul 19, 2015
The carburator more than likely is a Holley 4 barrel. A rebuild kit online costs about $110.00 through RockAuto.com. A rebuilt carburator looks to be close to $%00.00+ OR -. Get a quote on the Carburator; then ask the mechanic to check over the whole mechanics of the unit and get a quote.
Welcome aboard....
(1) Do not drive it with raw fuel leaking from the carb unless you don't mind a fire in the engine compartment.
(2) Should be no problem to get a rebuild kit and rebuild what's there by a reputable shop or individual. If the carb is beyond a rebuild should be no problem getting a "Reman" from a parts store.
PIEERE said
08:12 AM Jul 20, 2015
Y'all need to check out RockAuto.com! Seriously a standard Transmissioon flywheel that sold for 169.00 locally only cost me $61.00 shipped in about 4 days and it was the same part sold locally. The carb kit for mine locally $119.00 + tax and RA was $69.00 no tax. As long as your in no rush. Remember if you can't do the laborer a shop will get $85.00 to 125.00 hr.
My girlfriend and I just purchased a 1978 Ford Travel Craft 21-ft RV. It has a 460 Ford Chassis engine. Cosmetically, inside and out, the condition is remarkable considering its 37 year old age.
We bought it yesterday and drove it home, a mere two hour drive, and it did not make it home without breaking down. On the highway, it ran well at around 60 mph, which is what I kept the speed at. Then we got back to the city we live in, hit a few red lights and it died as I just managed to coast through an intersection. I tried to pump the gas then turn the ignition several times to no avail. Finally, I tried turning the key in the ignition and holding it while I pumped the gas a few times, and it luckily started. We had just spend 4 or 5 hours deep-cleaning the interior for our planned move into it.
Today, we called auto shops all around town to see who would work on an old motor/old RV. Finally, we found a shop. We drove it there without issue. I assumed the fuel pump was the issue. The power-steering also is squealing something fierce, and the front driver side headlight is out along with the passenger side front turn signal. I swear we inspected and tried the RV out before buying...but it's old, and on a very limited budget, you simply cannot expect perfection.
At the auto shop, the mechanics told us the power-steering could likely be resolved by "tensioning the belt", and that it was the fuel pump that caused the RV to stall and die last night, but rather, it was the carburetor. The smell of gasoline was strong the whole drive home last night, but I just assumed those fumes were to be expected with a car that was years older than I. The mechanic showed us that fuel was in fact leaking from the fuel line/carburetor, and that we would need a new carburetor from "an old fart who had worked through the 60s and 70s on autos".
We stopped at several shops after and finally found a lead on a place that would supposedly fix the carburetor for us. It was closed, as it is Saturday, so we left the RV in the large lot and placed our keys in the drop box with a note detailing the situation. Our fingers are crossed and we are praying that we didn't just get swindled into something we can't afford. We asked the seller at lengths, including before viewing the RV in person if the engine had any issues, and he assured us it did not. We simply wanted an RV that ran fine and didn't leak any water. We plan to live in it for up to a year to save a little rent money, and we were hoping to drive it down south to find jobs there.
I know this post is long, and if you read up to here and could help us, I'd gladly buy you some frosty beverages, and help with all the work. We're not sure if the shop we left at will actually fix it, but we're needing to move into it and out of our apartment in less than a week, and we need this bad boy to run.
If any one knows the ins and outs of a 460 Ford Chassis V-8 engine, and could offer advice to a young couple without great economic means, we'd be more than appreciative. Or if anyone knows how to fix carburetors on old Ford engines and lives in Wisconsin, we'd pay you what's fair to fix this for us.
Lastly, we're now worried that even if we sink the money into fixing the carburetor (how much?), we'll never get the RV from WI to NC in a month or so. Thanks in advance for anyone with advice.
Good luck!
Ebay, I do a lot of business there.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=carburetor%20460&clk_rvr_id=869333161987&adpos=1s3&MT_ID=69&crlp=61144393262_2416792&device=c&geo_id=10232&keyword=carburetor+460&crdt=0
Lonney
(1) Do not drive it with raw fuel leaking from the carb unless you don't mind a fire in the engine compartment.
(2) Should be no problem to get a rebuild kit and rebuild what's there by a reputable shop or individual. If the carb is beyond a rebuild should be no problem getting a "Reman" from a parts store.