hi need some advice is this a sufficent engine for a 30 ft and towing a small vehicle???if not is there a replacement toput in that will not cost a fortune....bernie

You're talking about a Breakaway with a 5.9L right?

As long as the motor is in good shape, it's relatively easy to bump it up with some more ponies.

The 5.9L was in many Dodge Pickup Trucks and there are a lot of neat ways to increase HP with these engines. Hopefully someone who has bumped his up will give you some advice.

Because of its size, I never really got too involved in a Pickup Truck engine... Yes, these were also in some delivery straight job trucks, but for the amount of volume we had in this area... it was really unwarranted to get too heavy into the tools or techniques of these engines.

I can tell you the standard blurb... Injection pump tweaking, charge air cooler installation or larger size, injectors, larger fuel lines, restriction of turbo boost pipes, bigger turbo, larger exhaust with less restriction, valve timing, intake hose and filter size/routing etc...

Any and or all of these could be used to bump your HP up to a respectable number. $$$'s invested will not only cost you more now, but it will also cost more at the pump too.

To begin with, many 5.9 engines that are claimed to be 190 hp are 150 or 160 hp. (Lake Effect, you know) Insist on hard documentation or check the engine number yourself. They came with the 542/545 non-locking 4 speed trannies which did not lend themselves to use with an exhaust brake, and could overheat with power increases and towing up long hot grades.

Despite claims of power increases, the 4 speed trans cannot handle much more than 200 to 225 hp, depending on whose opinion you value most.

Check with Banks, http://www.dieselinjection.net/frames.html and other hopper-uppers before buying. With Banks, call often, and keep track of who answers the phone and take notes. Banks is like Verizon, in that answers to technical questions vary from one employee to the next. Again, as with Verizon, all answers are slanted toward making a sale. Ask at www.dieseltruckresource.com

An acquaintance here in SO CA says that his 190 hp 5.9 with the 4 speed climbed Cajon and Tejon Passes at 38-40 mph towing two dirt bikes on a very light two rail bike trailer. His top speed on level ground not towing was in the sixties. His mileage was 10 mpg, towing or not.

Before I bought my gasser Barth, I test drove a couple of the 4 speed Breakaways. (Of course, the Lake Effect was in force, and the owners both claimed that they had the 190 hp engine, rather than the 150 or 160 hp versions). I can't recall seeing a Breakaway for sale that admitted to having 150 or 160hp. I decided that for my purposes, towing a heavy 4WD or an even heavier boat, that they were not for me in hilly California. In WI, your requirements could be different than mine, so don't be influenced too much by my choice.

Having said all that, when I get my stimulus check, I would consider the right side-entry 30 footer with a 150 hp 4 speed as a candidate for a powertrain transplant from a later Dodge pickup. Every Dodge owner I know loves his. Saw a lot of happy Dodge fiver towers at Q this winter. At rodeos, the Dodge is a popular horse hauler.

Been there, done it.

Started out with a 190hp cummins and 542 allison. Prior owners had added a Banks intake and turbo. Neither seemed to have helped as it was pretty slow. But did make a good foundation.

First I changed the fuel plate. This was suppose to help. Even after pushing the pump almost wide open we could not push enough fuel thru the injectors.

In the mean time I tossed out the 542 and replaced it with an Allison 2000. Now I had an overdrive and lock up torque converter. Hey I was getting there.

Lastly I installed a set of Marine injectors that offer about 375HP out of the 5.9. In the initial test drive I scared myself. The sucker took off so fast I thought I was going to leave black marks (almost). Anyway I thought it was way to much power for the drive train so I backed the pump down to a compromise setting. I'm guessing but figure 275-300HP now.

The best news is that milage is now running overall at about 10.5 for the past 8000 miles allways with a towed vehicle and before about 9.7 with no toad.

Now for the rest of the story. If hill climbing you do have to watch you temp gauge. When it is warm out the temp has a tendicy to rise. If trying to pull a heavy trailer it would work, but you will probably have heating problems. Keep in mind that for nomal use we really don't work the engine hard.

I think the biggest factor in increasing fuel milage was running the engine slower. With the overdrive 70mph is about 1800rpm, where before it would not go that fast.

Would I do it again. You betcha!!!!

How much did I spend. Lucked out on the transmission and bought it for $900 plus freight. $300 for freight and about $800 other stuff or a total of about $2100 for the transmission. Injectors ran about $500 exchange. So overall less than $3000.

hi everyone i wish to thank you for your reply and helful suggestons..it was my intention to buy a 92 barth 30ft breakaway with a 190 cummings; it only has 44990 miles on it, but i was advised that the coach is too heavy for the engine and to beef the engine up would cost a fortune..i was told my best bet would be to drop a bigger engine in it...this would be cost prohibitive i am told as the 190 had specific trans hook up and engine mounting system.....again thanks for the help.bernie

Bernie
I would not be deterred in your quest to find the right Barth. Why not look at a Regency? They have the torque you are looking for and in these trying economic times they are getting pretty reasonable.
You would not regret the ride and handling of the full air suspension and brakes that they come with as well.
We tried a couple of Breakaways and came to the same conclusions as you did in that we needed a coach that would handle the long run to Arizona.
The 8.3 Cummins and 4 speed Allison in ours is no road burner but handles the western highways just fine, even towing our 01 Tracker 4 door.
We love our Barth!
Don and Patty

thanks don no doubt thats good advice and i will definitely consider that...will keep and eye out for a regency hopefully i can find one around the 30 ft length.i went to canada vancouver a few years back in a 32 ft barth it was a great experience and desided now that i am retired i want to own one..again thanks for your help..bernie

quote:

Originally posted by bernie parr:
..will keep and eye out for a regency hopefully i can find one around the 30 ft length..bernie

I don't recall seeing a 30 ft Regency.

But, I agree with you on 30 ft. It is just the right length for us, too.

bill your right i think a 30 ft regency is not available at least i never seen one my friend had a 34ft at the time....and it was a regency with a cat in it plenty of power in it he is the one telling me that a 190 cummins is a underpowered unit as he had one and cost to upgrade was too much for him...too bad i have found three breakaways with low mileage but they are powered with either a 190 cummins or a engine with low power....bernie

quote:

Originally posted by bernie parr:
he is the one telling me that a 190 cummins is a underpowered unit as he had one and cost to upgrade was too much for him..

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is power.

Some of a person's judgement of underpowered-ness is related to terrain and toad weight. Some is related to cruising speed preference. And some is a person's tolerance for slowing down on steep hills or slow acceleration on an on ramp or away from a stop.

When my Barth had a smaller engine, I went up hills with the 5000 lb boat wishing for a bigger engine. Then I figured out just how many minutes of a trip were "too slow", and it fell into perspective. When I did replace the ailing 454, I went to the 502 just because it was so easy. I would not have gone to a whole lot of trouble just to get more power.

The truth is, most motorhomes are underpowered. It depends on the individual's tolerance as much as anything. And age enters into it, too. I am less of a Speed Demon than I used to be.

HI BILL.I AM SURE YOUR RIGHT,BEING RETIRERED AND NO HURRY TO GO ANY WHERE.SPEED IS SURE NOT MY MOTIVE FOR POWER BUT I WANT TO TOW A TOAD AS YOU CALL IT AND I AM TOLD UNDERPOWERED UNITS TEND TO OVER HEAT...NOT EVER OWNING ONE I CANT VERIFY ONEWAY OR THE OTHER...I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE CAN SOUP THEM UP BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAD THAT COST IS HIGH AND SOMETIMES INVOLVES MAJOR CHANGES...AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT....BERNIE

The difference between the 160 and 190 hp 5.9 cummins was the intercooler. The weight of my 30ft Breakaway was about 12,500lbs. It drove and handled great. I bumped up mine to about 220hp aka my vacuum gauge (but who knows for sure). I had enough power, but the trans was the weak point. I replaced the converter with a one that didn't slip much, but the allison 2000 series was the better solution. I didn't have a heat problem though, and I never put an intercooler on it.