Manny’s personality is hilarious 😂 Seems like the cameras legitimately got on his nerves although initially he was chill about it. Eventually he was like I’m over this shit, these 2 bumbling idiots don’t know what they doing & they still want to film this crap. Definitely a dude u want want to have a beer with. You & your father working together is very nice. Very much enjoying this series
You guys just took one of the best motorhomes and made it perfect ! It was such an innovative design back then but that primitive Oldsmobile engine just drank down fuel.. I'm shopping for a motorhome to travel the country and then I would most definitely buy one of these if it had a diesel engine
Probably would have been a good idea to remove the 2 seats and bench . Nice job and good ingenuity on the pan. Looks a little Mickey Mouse but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Why the 6.5 instead of the Cummins was it availability or height restrictions or something else ? You now have a 50 ish year old Motorhome with a good reliable diesel motor and will never lack the torque or power to move it around effortlessly. Hope you enjoy you beautiful new camper .
Cummins won’t fit because the crankshaft sits too low. It would blow up the transmission anyways…. We kept the couch inside because we were staying in it while we were doing this.
I swapped an efi Ford 460 for a 5.9L Cummins about 20 years ago in my 89 Fleetwood Class A, so I'm reliving your pain watching this. I did all the swap alone BTY. I went through the front. Like building a full size ship in a bottle.
@@TheWolfeFam Yes they are. I came very close to buy one to live in after my divorce. But unfortunately deal could not be done. Looking for another one though...
Thank God you put that 6.5 in there and not a Duramax I just retired 38 year GM mechanic from a dealership that Duramax is the worst engine in. General Motors knows that I do not know why they don’t change it but thank God you got a good one in that 6.5
Manny has been my brother in law since 1977. It's fun to see him on youtube. Thanks for sharing the experience. (is there another video where you get it running)? One cannot even to begin to describe the passion he has for these GMCs. I wish I knew this was happening; i'd have taken some time off to come and help! lol
Never ever drill through a loose piece of metal,.....drill bit will catch and spin the metal and you're gonna get hurt. Always have the metal in a vice. or somehow securely clamped so it can't spin.
After watching more of these videos, and listening to Manny while catching up on this epic series of yours, He sounds more like the Russian Cosmonaut from the Armageddon movie, jus get oughta the way!
Put a “Manny” Tranny in my 76. Bought it from Jim Bounds. The old one made it 800 miles home with burned fluid. The 425 is a monster transmission. Enjoying the videos
It’s a bummer that this was your last video. Would have been nice to see this to the end and find out the performance and mpg. Hope all is well with you and your family and nothing bad was the cause of you stopping your channel.
I just don’t have time to edit the video…. The coach is running fantastic! It traveled the Rockies this summer from Mexico to Canada and back. I’ll do some sort of live video and show the progress and answer questions.
Since it only has a 3 speed transmission, I thought the torque curve of the diesel would give it more power up the hills without downshifting. Also, it gets double the fuel efficiency... The Olds was GREAT, but it only got around 8 mpg.
Haha Manny is great. I'm the same way when I'm wrenching. Because I've been doing it for so many years it frustrating when you're working with people who don't know mechanics. Plus you just need to cuss and complain while you're doing this or it just never gets done, lol. I always yell like that when my fingers get smashed too lol
I'm presuming there's an adaptor between the trans-axle (bell housing) and diesel engine? What effect did that have on locating the engine forward or aft? Is the diesel smaller, length wise than the Olds 455?
No adapter. It bolts into the same place. I don’t remember there being any engine mount adapter either, but I’d have to look. Manny fabricated all the parts needed. It all fits like a glove
It’s about the same size as the 455. It looks a little smaller because it doesn’t have the air cleaner or a carb sitting on top. I think it weighs about 50 pounds more.
T'airn'KA I get at least 10mpg and as much as about 16/17. It really depends how you drive it. My friends have GMCs with 403s and 455s. We’ll do some comparisons soon.
@@stevenwagner4448 she’s been cruising the western half of the U.S. now for years. Very reliable, fairly efficient (for its size and age), and it’s been a comfortable ride
Travcos are really cool. Yea, that’s a pretty straightforward setup on a p300 truck chassis. The GMC is front wheel drive and the frame sits only about 10” off the ground. It’s a fantastic ride, but swapping an engine is a little more labor intensive.
How did it turn out and was it worth all the hell to convert to diesel? I was hoping for more updates. How did it ride and what did the actual MPG turn out to be?
Was it worth it? That’s a hard question to answer…. however, it turned out great. It’s a very simple mechanical setup. It’s really reliable. We took it on a 15 day, 4300 mile trip through 7 national parks and 7 states and it ran like a champ. I never once reached for a tool. As for mileage, it depends…. Cool dense air up the PCH and you could cruise at 16+. Me, trying to follow my friends GMC at 75 will get around 11. I’d like to put an intercooler on it.
Runs like a champ. It’s probably got around 15k on it since the conversion. It drove like a Cadillac last summer on a 4300 mile tour that took us through 9 states and 9 national parks in 15 days
@@txpate2009 Well, it’s still only a 3-speed, so it really depends how you drive it, and where…. She does best in that cool dense air on the coast. In general, it will do around 12 at 65-75mph and 16 if it’s kept around 55mph.
I've owned three of these, a 73', 76' and a 78' I wanted to put a 6.5 in mine but was told it would be to much weight on the front end. They are already just about at max up there. How did you acount for the extra weight?
It's been a few years since this video has been posted. Do you still have the GMC Motorhome with the Diesel engine? If you do, have you taken her out on the road to test it? If you haven't, you should. 🙂
Not sure… maybe anything is possible? Will it bolt up to the th425 transmission and clear the final drive? Would that engine have enough power to move this old girl with only 3 gears?
So what was that rig to get a gantry crane half the distance of the coach? It's like the "Miracle Bra", No Visible Means Of Support! You guys are just like my friend's, crazy!
@TheWolfeFam Doing well, had some health stuff to handle so got a real job about a year and a half ago. Now I'm earning enough money to finish a project like this. We should get together the next time I'm in Phoenix. Is there anyone doing the diesel swaps anymore?
@@WanderlustEstateGive me a shout when you’re around. I’d love to meet up with you. Manny still has a few diesel conversion kits. It’s a lot of work though!!
Won’t fit. The Cummins block has a skirt on it and won’t allow the final drive to sit close enough to the engine. Same can be said for most all GM engines. There’s a handful that don’t have a deep crankshaft that will allow the axle to go under the oil pan. In this case, we had to go through the oil pan.
Edward Jonez I’m not familiar with what transmission they use. We don’t know of any other transmission that would work in this application. A few have extended the cockpit back to allow for a transfer case and they put in a solid axle, but that requires a body lift and a ton of modifications. The transfer case they used came from another type of fwd Motorhome though.
@@TheWolfeFam yeah I was watching your video randomly and I had to rewind it when I seen the sizzlers. The tan sound wall in the background, I'm on the other side lol. Are you from SJ?
Yes, the whole front part of the frame can be unbolted with the complete driveline on it. You’d need a lift or have to lift the front end really high to get the engine out. It’s a lot of work either way.
Won’t fit. The GMC is front wheel drive. The 6.5’s crankshaft isn’t as deep as the other engines, which allows us to cut a hole through the oil pan to put the axle through. A Powerstroke or Cummins would shred the transmission anyways.
@@TheWolfeFam Ok. I wonder if (with heavy modification of course) there would be a way to get a 6.6 front wheel drive version in there though. I understand your reasoning. Great video, thx!
StriveFor Selflessness Manny put a 3.9 Cummins in his, but he had to cut part of the engine block off to fit the final drive beside it. Another guy put a solid axle on his, but it requires a body lift, and all sorts of other modifications. This swap generally keeps everything stock and didn’t require any adapters. It’s not a very powerful engine, but it seems to be adequate for the 11k pounds it’s pushing around. It’s comparable to the stock 455, but gets nearly double the fuel efficiency.
i'm not sure why you would use the 6.5..even turbocharged it only made around 215 hp and 450 fpt..in a very small power band..you could of speced out that olds 455 to a a lower compression version of a 1970 mill and still make around 300-350 horse and 500 fpt with a much broader power band..i'm gonna watch these videos and find out how it turns out..good luck !
Sorry, hit send before I was done. The Olds engine that it had needed to be rebuilt, and the price of a diesel was comparable. I thought the torque curve of the diesel would compliment the transmission that has only three speeds. At the stock hummer configuration, it’s probably not quite as strong as the 455, but it gets roughly double the gas mileage.
@@TheWolfeFam hey..thanks for the reply..like you i was thinking about the economy of the whole swap vs the rebuild then actual use..with headers,dual exhaust,HEI ignition and a well tuned rochester gas mileage would be very close on level ground..the difference would be in the hills..with the olds they wouldn't offer much of a challenge at the expense of fuel :/..i know i'm late to the party but a lock up torque converter would really help the kerosene burner you have now :)
What's the cost of these upgrades you're doing? There's a GMC near me and I've been pondering it for quite some time. After watching you do all these upgrades, it has me interested to learn about the additional costs involved. Any good insight on this would definitely be appreciated! And keep up with the great videos!!! Very well done!!!
Good question. I’ll do a wrap up and take video of the final product and let you know the cost specifics. High level on the diesel conversion: it’s only $1500 for the conversion kit, and the cost of an engine that’s equipped with a rear turbo like a Hummer or van configuration. Manny has produced only about 10 of these kits at less than it would cost someone to fab these parts themselves. Check out a couple of the Facebook pages and ask one of the local owners for a tour. Everyone in the community is really helpful and would love to see someone keep another coach on the road.
What sort of diesel engine did you have installed in the GMC Motorhome? For a vehicle like this, I would've gone for either a 6.5 litre Detroit Diesel Turbo, or a 6.6 litre Duramax.
Jason Carpp for a diesel, the 6.5 is about the only option I know of that you can install with minimal modifications (the final drive axle has to go through the oil pan).
if all the women were like her in the world ...the divorce rate would be really low. nothin like havin a women in your life that supports you in everything you do.
You would be better off with a 6bt Cummins for the bounder Ford used the Cummins engines and Alison transmission in f500 and up medium and heavy dudy trucks so converting your Ford motor home chaisie would not be to difficult
@@TheWolfeFam I agree. to bad our coaches GMC/Cortez transmission didn't have a overdrive. With the diesel I bet you can cruise uphill at 65 mph all day long at least :) Thats a big plus, maybe even get 15 mph or better also.
Well, ultimately it wasn’t a fair test because the new hatch is made of a piece of aluminum, versus the old being plywood with insulation. However, with a dog bed over the hatch as my temporary insulation, it was the same. Listening to its from the outside is a whole different story...
Short answer, yes. Long answer, the later engines built by AM General fixed all of the General Motors problems. It’s a light duty engine though and doesn’t compare to a Cummins, Powerstroke, or a Duramax. On the plus side of things, it does what it’s designed for; run 2500 rpm all day and sip fuel. The marine industry loves them. It seems to be matched well for an application like this one.
No, you can get 400,000 miles out of them with certain mods. At the end of their life, they made 440lb of torque which was comparable for sure. Also, because they've been put in many military vehicles, they have been built(main architecture) for 35 years. Many parts and aftermarket support. Sounds freaking badass too
Manny’s personality is hilarious 😂 Seems like the cameras legitimately got on his nerves although initially he was chill about it. Eventually he was like I’m over this shit, these 2 bumbling idiots don’t know what they doing & they still want to film this crap. Definitely a dude u want want to have a beer with. You & your father working together is very nice. Very much enjoying this series
Thanks for the great comment. Spot on. 😂
You guys just took one of the best motorhomes and made it perfect ! It was such an innovative design back then but that primitive Oldsmobile engine just drank down fuel.. I'm shopping for a motorhome to travel the country and then I would most definitely buy one of these if it had a diesel engine
The 455 was a great engine that works well in this Motorhome, but I was only getting 6-8 mpg with it
No wait front is back and next time front is front 🤣... great stuff, keep them coming
Love the gantry crane right inside the RV absolutely brilliant !
So cool to see the man in action. He almost seems like a regular guy.
Probably would have been a good idea to remove the 2 seats and bench . Nice job and good ingenuity on the pan. Looks a little Mickey Mouse but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Why the 6.5 instead of the Cummins was it availability or height restrictions or something else ? You now have a 50 ish year old Motorhome with a good reliable diesel motor and will never lack the torque or power to move it around effortlessly. Hope you enjoy you beautiful new camper .
Cummins won’t fit because the crankshaft sits too low. It would blow up the transmission anyways….
We kept the couch inside because we were staying in it while we were doing this.
I swapped an efi Ford 460 for a 5.9L Cummins about 20 years ago in my 89 Fleetwood Class A, so I'm reliving your pain watching this. I did all the swap alone BTY. I went through the front. Like building a full size ship in a bottle.
Such a awesome job guys. I never seen one of these GMC motorhomes in person but videos like this get me closer to one every time ;)
They’re awesome! Come join us
@@TheWolfeFam Yes they are. I came very close to buy one to live in after my divorce. But unfortunately deal could not be done. Looking for another one though...
@@FBPreppingLike an old TV commercial, "Why is divorce so expensive? Because it's worth it!" By Master Card!
Turbo diesel.?. Did I see spark plug wires?
Thank God you put that 6.5 in there and not a Duramax I just retired 38 year GM mechanic from a dealership that Duramax is the worst engine in. General Motors knows that I do not know why they don’t change it but thank God you got a good one in that 6.5
Duramax wouldn’t fit anyways. The crank is too deep to allow the drivetrain to fit. The 6.5 performs really well.
You + power tools= dangerous.. Nothing has changed! Good memories Cub.
Danger! Danger! (As if Beevis was saying it)! Lol
Manny has been my brother in law since 1977. It's fun to see him on youtube. Thanks for sharing the experience. (is there another video where you get it running)? One cannot even to begin to describe the passion he has for these GMCs. I wish I knew this was happening; i'd have taken some time off to come and help! lol
Never ever drill through a loose piece of metal,.....drill bit will catch and spin the metal and you're gonna get hurt. Always have the metal in a vice. or somehow securely clamped so it can't spin.
After watching more of these videos, and listening to Manny while catching up on this epic series of yours, He sounds more like the Russian Cosmonaut from the Armageddon movie, jus get oughta the way!
Ha! Manny is a character!
Put a “Manny” Tranny in my 76. Bought it from Jim Bounds. The old one made it 800 miles home with burned fluid. The 425 is a monster transmission. Enjoying the videos
Thanks! Have fun with your GMC. Maybe we’ll cross paths at a rally sometime.
Home boy is a liiiiitle grumpy.😯
The engine is on my face, the engine is on my face.🤤
That Knee on the Corduroy would freak my Wife OUT!!!
This sort of conversion is a business opportunity waiting to happen. All of those coaches need this.
Manny’s operators are standing by. :)
Call a doctor
Mannys fingers are crushed
That quote at 12:46 by manny is legendary 🙌
It’s a bummer that this was your last video. Would have been nice to see this to the end and find out the performance and mpg. Hope all is well with you and your family and nothing bad was the cause of you stopping your channel.
I just don’t have time to edit the video…. The coach is running fantastic! It traveled the Rockies this summer from Mexico to Canada and back. I’ll do some sort of live video and show the progress and answer questions.
12-16 mpg…. Otherwise, the performance isn’t much different. It’s a much simpler setup and has been very reliable
Thanx for the fast response. Glad y’all are ok. Wow that mpg is fantastic!
Super video
What is the current status of your diesel conversion? Are the engine and transmission working smoothly? Issues? Any wish I had done....? Thanks.
Running great. Just got back from a 4300 mile, 15 day trip.
thank you so much
Oldsmobile V8 is a good powerplant. What were your deciding factors on the swap?
Since it only has a 3 speed transmission, I thought the torque curve of the diesel would give it more power up the hills without downshifting. Also, it gets double the fuel efficiency... The Olds was GREAT, but it only got around 8 mpg.
Glad manny got his new rack cleared and working.
New rack?
@@TheWolfeFam the drive on pit rack..
It was in one scene before you were back in driveway... thought it was in the shop.on rack in early scene .
I love the attention you’re giving these old motor homes. Some would say you are crazy. Perhaps you are, but it’s cool anyway.
A little crazy, a little quirky. They’re pretty cool rigs though.
@@TheWolfeFam I'd buy one if I had someone to share in the travel experience.
Now you need all new flooring Also.
I was always curious how these drivetrains worked. Very interesting
Haha Manny is great. I'm the same way when I'm wrenching. Because I've been doing it for so many years it frustrating when you're working with people who don't know mechanics. Plus you just need to cuss and complain while you're doing this or it just never gets done, lol.
I always yell like that when my fingers get smashed too lol
I'm presuming there's an adaptor between the trans-axle (bell housing) and diesel engine?
What effect did that have on locating the engine forward or aft?
Is the diesel smaller, length wise than the Olds 455?
No adapter. It bolts into the same place. I don’t remember there being any engine mount adapter either, but I’d have to look. Manny fabricated all the parts needed. It all fits like a glove
It’s about the same size as the 455. It looks a little smaller because it doesn’t have the air cleaner or a carb sitting on top. I think it weighs about 50 pounds more.
It sounds like engineers in one or the other (both?) manufactures had the same idea for this swap (nice of them). ;-)
I'm curious what the mpg difference will be between the two (or three / 408?) engines?
T'airn'KA I get at least 10mpg and as much as about 16/17. It really depends how you drive it. My friends have GMCs with 403s and 455s. We’ll do some comparisons soon.
If it didn't hurt, you weren't trying hard enough
Truly inspirational, Manny
I was just poking fun at him. That’s something he told me (probably after I had smashed my own finger or something).
@@TheWolfeFam Hey, if you're not smashing your fingers, you're not having fun!
That white RV keeps giving and giving
I would have made a new one.
The white rv is becoming a trailer. It will probably outlast all others.
What was the displacement of the stock engine? The diesel engine is a 6.5 litre V8 Turbo Diesel.
Great episode. Thank you!
Thank you!
some of the "donor" motorhomes are cool looking
So……. What happened after this? Where’s the finished product
@@stevenwagner4448 she’s been cruising the western half of the U.S. now for years. Very reliable, fairly efficient (for its size and age), and it’s been a comfortable ride
My dad and I took a engine out of a 1967 Travco . We took the grill and radiator out and pull it out the front and replaced it with a in a day.
Travcos are really cool. Yea, that’s a pretty straightforward setup on a p300 truck chassis. The GMC is front wheel drive and the frame sits only about 10” off the ground. It’s a fantastic ride, but swapping an engine is a little more labor intensive.
Well this channel fizzled out, this was 4 years ago and we never got the second part, guess covid got them
Manny, gotta luv it
Old Gus Rule......Greta Vid!!!!
What specific engine and transmission did you swap into your motor coach?
We used the th425 that it came with, and a 6.5td setup for a H1 Hummer
Dude...ya GOTTA get the last vid done and out for us to watch.
Just think of the sense of accomplishment that you would have once its posted.😜
How did it turn out and was it worth all the hell to convert to diesel?
I was hoping for more updates.
How did it ride and what did the actual MPG turn out to be?
Was it worth it? That’s a hard question to answer…. however, it turned out great. It’s a very simple mechanical setup. It’s really reliable. We took it on a 15 day, 4300 mile trip through 7 national parks and 7 states and it ran like a champ. I never once reached for a tool. As for mileage, it depends…. Cool dense air up the PCH and you could cruise at 16+. Me, trying to follow my friends GMC at 75 will get around 11. I’d like to put an intercooler on it.
To add onto your question on whether it was worth it… yeah, it was. I learned something new , had fun doing it, and made some lifelong friends.
How was the conversion? Works? More videos please, your channel is quite interesting.
Walt and jesse say- "you stole the fuel line from my private domicile....BITCH!!!"
Cómo quedó la conversión? Funciona? Más videos por favor, es bastante interesante tu canal. Saludos
Is there any possibility of putting the engine in from underneath?
Any word on how it starts and drives
Runs like a champ. It’s probably got around 15k on it since the conversion. It drove like a Cadillac last summer on a 4300 mile tour that took us through 9 states and 9 national parks in 15 days
@@TheWolfeFam what's the fuel mileage like
@@txpate2009 Well, it’s still only a 3-speed, so it really depends how you drive it, and where…. She does best in that cool dense air on the coast. In general, it will do around 12 at 65-75mph and 16 if it’s kept around 55mph.
Won’t the 455 oil pan fit the block?
Super
I certainly hope that its worth it in the long run. 🤔😉🤔😎
oh my goodness, GMC motorhome heaven.
What kind of mpg do you get now with diesel?
I now understand Manny calling it quits.
He’ll never fully quit. He loves this stuff.
I've owned three of these, a 73', 76' and a 78' I wanted to put a 6.5 in mine but was told it would be to much weight on the front end. They are already just about at max up there. How did you acount for the extra weight?
I think it’s only a difference of about 50-100 pounds?
It's been a few years since this video has been posted. Do you still have the GMC Motorhome with the Diesel engine? If you do, have you taken her out on the road to test it? If you haven't, you should. 🙂
I’ve probably put more than 15k miles on it since. We’re actually in it now! Runs like a champ!
This was hilarious.
How much power does the Turbo Diesel engine produce?
You can google the specs, but last I checked it was lesser HP, but similar torque compared to the Olds 455 it came with.
That is my cousin Manuel, I didn’t realize that he did another Diesel conversion
Please tell him that is followers want to see more of him.
Love Manny .
I hope you got it running! These are such cool machines, I hope to get one someday.
It’s running. It’s been all over the country
They’re fun, but maintaining any vehicle that’s nearly 50 years old is a lot of work
That man has patience. I would have walked with the helper. But like the concept with the 6.2
You are a patient man, I would have called it quits long ago.
Patience is a virtue. Lol
Very cool. I wonder if I can do this to my 77 Cortez :)
Maybe? I think the later Cortez motorhomes had the same drivetrain.
Dude manny is hilarious. I hope you start making videos again, I just found your channel and it is super entertaining.
Can you put a 4.3 6 cylinder from astro van in a GMC motor home..?
Not sure… maybe anything is possible? Will it bolt up to the th425 transmission and clear the final drive? Would that engine have enough power to move this old girl with only 3 gears?
So what was that rig to get a gantry crane half the distance of the coach? It's like the "Miracle Bra", No Visible Means Of Support! You guys are just like my friend's, crazy!
That’s something Manny made. You can see us setting it up in the first video. Yea, my friends are nuts.
Warranty?
How long of a warranty did he give you ???
Where do you guys live now and why no new posts?
Hey James! We’re in the Phoenix metro area. I’ve got tons of content, just no time to produce it!! How are you?
@TheWolfeFam Doing well, had some health stuff to handle so got a real job about a year and a half ago. Now I'm earning enough money to finish a project like this. We should get together the next time I'm in Phoenix. Is there anyone doing the diesel swaps anymore?
@@WanderlustEstateGive me a shout when you’re around. I’d love to meet up with you. Manny still has a few diesel conversion kits. It’s a lot of work though!!
You did all that work to install a 6.5 boat anchor?
Could have had a Cummins
OR DURAMAX. They are used in FWD applications in many types of class 4 and 5 delivery trucks in Europe.
Won’t fit. The Cummins block has a skirt on it and won’t allow the final drive to sit close enough to the engine. Same can be said for most all GM engines. There’s a handful that don’t have a deep crankshaft that will allow the axle to go under the oil pan. In this case, we had to go through the oil pan.
Edward Jonez I’m not familiar with what transmission they use. We don’t know of any other transmission that would work in this application. A few have extended the cockpit back to allow for a transfer case and they put in a solid axle, but that requires a body lift and a ton of modifications. The transfer case they used came from another type of fwd Motorhome though.
@@TheWolfeFam
Make it rear wheel drive!!! Bam
Lewis Bradford If I had the time and money, I’d put a Cummins under the rear bed. It would practically idle up the mountains! Hehe
I laughed out loud when he hurt his fingers.. I'm horrible for it but I couldn't help it
I’ll bet Manny even cracked a smile when he watched it. Lol. 😂
Hey that's the Sizzlers on Capitol in San Jose. I live right across the street!
Small world!!
@@TheWolfeFam yeah I was watching your video randomly and I had to rewind it when I seen the sizzlers. The tan sound wall in the background, I'm on the other side lol. Are you from SJ?
Mr Cee No, we’re from the Phoenix, Arizona area. I made five trips to San Jose to get this install done though.
@@TheWolfeFam sweet. Good luck with the journey bro and God bless!
What about new transit drivetrain nice diesel o/d setup
Best diesel engine and transmission combo?
For this application?
Just before that radiator dropped, i was thinking, WHY is she wearing open toe shoes????
Luckily her toes are still intact
I can't find a GMC because y'all have em all lol.
They’re out there, and many need a good home! :)
What kind of engine are you putting in it? I'm thinking of trying a conversion attempt but I don't know where to start. The GMC looks great BTW!
We put in a 6.5TD. It’s one of the very few engines that will fit because of the front wheel drive setup. Thank you
@@TheWolfeFam engine swaps are tricky for so many reasons.
Is it possible to install the whole engine trans axle from underneath ?
Yes, the whole front part of the frame can be unbolted with the complete driveline on it. You’d need a lift or have to lift the front end really high to get the engine out. It’s a lot of work either way.
@@TheWolfeFam I would've rented a forklift.
evilcnil Manny has one. He has a lift (bay), but still prefers to bring engines through the top.
Why not a 12v Cummins instead?
Won’t fit. The block skirts out and is in the way of the transmission and final drive.
Well now I know why you took out fuel injection. Was thinking of putting one in mine
That would still be the first upgrade I would make if I got another one (with gas).
Santina Murphy. There might be a lot of sediment in the tanks.
tell me you arent using the toronado taxle with that torque monster......
It’s definitely not a torque monster…. It has about the same stats as the Olds 455, just a better torque curve at a lower rpm
@@TheWolfeFam
Any thoughts on selling the GMC ?
@@darrengordon8221 no, it’s become like another member of the family. Lol
If you’re looking for one, there are several good ones available right now
There’s no alternative…
Maybe wear some steel toed boots next time before you drop another radiator on your sandaled foot??
Good advice
man thats alot of work......i bet thats a 3500 dollar job just for labor with the family discount lol
Hi guys looking for a 23ft onw thks
A 6.5 of all things
Not much fits into a front wheel drive configuration
You sure dont mind a project.
I'm curious, why the 6.5 instead of a 6.6, 7.3 or a Cummins?
Won’t fit. The GMC is front wheel drive. The 6.5’s crankshaft isn’t as deep as the other engines, which allows us to cut a hole through the oil pan to put the axle through. A Powerstroke or Cummins would shred the transmission anyways.
@@TheWolfeFam Ok. I wonder if (with heavy modification of course) there would be a way to get a 6.6 front wheel drive version in there though. I understand your reasoning. Great video, thx!
StriveFor Selflessness Manny put a 3.9 Cummins in his, but he had to cut part of the engine block off to fit the final drive beside it. Another guy put a solid axle on his, but it requires a body lift, and all sorts of other modifications. This swap generally keeps everything stock and didn’t require any adapters. It’s not a very powerful engine, but it seems to be adequate for the 11k pounds it’s pushing around. It’s comparable to the stock 455, but gets nearly double the fuel efficiency.
@@TheWolfeFam Makes sense, thanks for the info!
@@TheWolfeFam double? Wow, what kind of mileage does it get now?
i'm not sure why you would use the 6.5..even turbocharged it only made around 215 hp and 450 fpt..in a very small power band..you could of speced out that olds 455 to a a lower compression version of a 1970 mill and still make around 300-350 horse and 500 fpt with a much broader power band..i'm gonna watch these videos and find out how it turns out..good luck !
Sorry, hit send before I was done. The Olds engine that it had needed to be rebuilt, and the price of a diesel was comparable. I thought the torque curve of the diesel would compliment the transmission that has only three speeds. At the stock hummer configuration, it’s probably not quite as strong as the 455, but it gets roughly double the gas mileage.
@@TheWolfeFam hey..thanks for the reply..like you i was thinking about the economy of the whole swap vs the rebuild then actual use..with headers,dual exhaust,HEI ignition and a well tuned rochester gas mileage would be very close on level ground..the difference would be in the hills..with the olds they wouldn't offer much of a challenge at the expense of fuel :/..i know i'm late to the party but a lock up torque converter would really help the kerosene burner you have now :)
ferrelx I’ll have to ask Manny, but I know we put in a torque converter that he had specially made.
What's the cost of these upgrades you're doing? There's a GMC near me and I've been pondering it for quite some time. After watching you do all these upgrades, it has me interested to learn about the additional costs involved. Any good insight on this would definitely be appreciated! And keep up with the great videos!!! Very well done!!!
Good question. I’ll do a wrap up and take video of the final product and let you know the cost specifics. High level on the diesel conversion: it’s only $1500 for the conversion kit, and the cost of an engine that’s equipped with a rear turbo like a Hummer or van configuration. Manny has produced only about 10 of these kits at less than it would cost someone to fab these parts themselves. Check out a couple of the Facebook pages and ask one of the local owners for a tour. Everyone in the community is really helpful and would love to see someone keep another coach on the road.
Oh and thanks for the compliment. Appreciate that!
I am interested in doing this as well, please tag me when the kit is ready
Where are you located? The home I want to do is in Texas
Thomas L. Davis It’s ready now. Just contact Manny. mannystransmission.com
What sort of diesel engine did you have installed in the GMC Motorhome? For a vehicle like this, I would've gone for either a 6.5 litre Detroit Diesel Turbo, or a 6.6 litre Duramax.
It’s a AM General 6.5 td.
Duramax won’t fit because it won’t clear the final drive/axles.
@@TheWolfeFam Okay. So what would fit?
Jason Carpp for a diesel, the 6.5 is about the only option I know of that you can install with minimal modifications (the final drive axle has to go through the oil pan).
@@TheWolfeFam Have you taken the Motorhome for a drive since the installation? You should do a video on driving the now Diesel powered Motorhome. :)
Wear shoes!!! That radiator barely missed crushing her toes.
4 Tesla motors two battery floor pans and load of solar panels and loads money
We would just need about $100k to get started. Any donations?? Just kidding
if all the women were like her in the world ...the divorce rate would be really low.
nothin like havin a women in your life that supports you in everything you do.
OMG, if I had the money to higher you guys to help me install a diesel into my 40 foot 1996 Fleetwood Bounder (ford chassis).
You can do it. Baby steps. One bolt at a time.
You would be better off with a 6bt Cummins for the bounder Ford used the Cummins engines and Alison transmission in f500 and up medium and heavy dudy trucks so converting your Ford motor home chaisie would not be to difficult
What year is engine please
It’s a newer block but it’s set up like a 93-94’
I think it would be called an Optimizer, if you want to google it. They’re produced by AM General.
Thank you if by chance I'm looking for a 23ft gmc thank you again
Peter. Hatch they’re out there. I’d suggest joining some Facebook groups
@@TheWolfeFam thank you
Aren't you going to lose top end highway speed with a low RPM diesel ?
No, the new final drive is 2:73
I still lost a little top end though
I was stopped at 92 mph with my 6.5 diesel and the 2.7 final
@@TheWolfeFam I agree. to bad our coaches GMC/Cortez transmission didn't have a overdrive. With the diesel I bet you can cruise uphill at 65 mph all day long at least :) Thats a big plus, maybe even get 15 mph or better also.
@@TheWolfeFam 4T80E swap?
Opps
Wrong serial number on engine 😉
We got to change it out quickly 🤣
Just kidding Manny 😉😁
Ahhhhhh😂
Some bollocking mechanic ,lol
You didn’t show how many decibels the diesel makes
Well, ultimately it wasn’t a fair test because the new hatch is made of a piece of aluminum, versus the old being plywood with insulation. However, with a dog bed over the hatch as my temporary insulation, it was the same.
Listening to its from the outside is a whole different story...
Thanks for the comment. I’ll do some sort of Q&A and include this.
Radiators out
Just needed a wiggle.
6.5 ? Ain't that a crappy motor?
Short answer, yes. Long answer, the later engines built by AM General fixed all of the General Motors problems. It’s a light duty engine though and doesn’t compare to a Cummins, Powerstroke, or a Duramax. On the plus side of things, it does what it’s designed for; run 2500 rpm all day and sip fuel. The marine industry loves them. It seems to be matched well for an application like this one.
Loved the video can't wait to see more,isn't there a 4 or 5 speed transaxle out there that could work in the rv,thanks
No, you can get 400,000 miles out of them with certain mods. At the end of their life, they made 440lb of torque which was comparable for sure. Also, because they've been put in many military vehicles, they have been built(main architecture) for 35 years. Many parts and aftermarket support. Sounds freaking badass too
Nicholas Burch Yea, it sounds cool. There’s a distinctive sound to the H1 Hummers, and it sounds just like one now.