TheSamba.com :: View topic - fairly long road trip on a GEX

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:24 pm

So here's the deal.

My 61 walkthrough came with a GEX (gasp) engine. The thing hasn't given me any problems so far ( 7000 miles ) and I just returned from the trailbash.
It seems to hold the valve adjustments, does not leak/burn oil and has reasonable compression ( ~105 all cyls ).

I want to drive my bus to west virginia this weekend ( 1200 miles round trip )

should I risk it?

take my 'normal' car ?

throw in a fairly decent single port engine in place of the GEX and go?

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:26 pm

Not enough information.

It depends on the likely consequences resulting from a breakdown and what you know about this particular engine.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:28 pm

Go for it. Just bring AAA coverage. Maybe you got lucky and got a good one.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:32 pm

I know nothing about the engine... Previous owner knew nothing about it as well.

I suppose a breakdown might result in loss of days at work :roll:

On the other hand breaking down on the way there would be a bummer as well.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:15 pm

hey where u going in WV? you going rafting? If close to huntington or charleston let me know...im in that area

Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:49 pm

Yeah I would do it.

GEX has a bad reputation but if every single motor they touched turned to sh!t they would have not lasted a year in the biz none the less get to such a huge company. I think they do a huge volume of engines and their quality control slips and they squeek out turds every so often.
I would not buy a new GEX motor and take a chance but if you have one that has been running that long sucessfully you probably got a good one.
I had a GEX in a bus years back and sold it to a buddy who drives the heck out of it and it has been fine thousands of miles.

As someone said...just make sure you have AAA and you should be fine.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:59 pm

bastardbus wrote: Yeah I would do it.

GEX has a bad reputation but if every single motor they touched turned to sh!t they would have not lasted a year in the biz none the less get to such a huge company. I think they do a huge volume of engines and their quality control slips and they squeek out turds every so often.
I would not buy a new GEX motor and take a chance but if you have one that has been running that long sucessfully you probably got a good one.
I had a GEX in a bus years back and sold it to a buddy who drives the heck out of it and it has been fine thousands of miles.

As someone said...just make sure you have AAA and you should be fine.

X 3.14 ^^^^^

Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:30 pm

what part of wv to coming too?

if its charleston let me know '

pm me and ill send you my cell # just incase you need help

justin

Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:48 pm

A while back ago, we bought a bus that came with a GEX engine. It was a 1776 and was fully chromed out with dual 40 webers. I got rid of the chrome and put a set of kadrons on it, and installed it in a different bus. The thing ran well but would ALWAYS foul out the #3 and #4 spark plugs. I stepped down the jetting to the point where it started to run quite lean and I still couldn't figure it out. I decided to take it apart and see what was going on. Upon removing the cylinder heads, I found they were 041 castings and had bigger valves, but one side was using standard spark plugs, where the other was set up for 3/4" reach plugs. No effing wonder the plugs were fouling out! The guides were a little worn and the standard reach head had some cracks forming between the spark plug and the exhaust valve.

This motor had maybe 2500 miles on it. I replaced the heads with a set of new heads and it has been running flawlessly ever since.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:41 pm

Major Woody wrote: Not enough information.

It depends on the likely consequences resulting from a breakdown and what you know about this particular engine.

The particular '61 bus and GEX motor have been on two trailbashes, and hammered pretty well. But two trips down through NYC in the hot sun and into the depths of Philly for the UZi-fest bbq qualify it as well tested imho.

Last year the bus was too fresh. This year I'd say it's ready for a WV trip.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:05 pm

I will be in the Franklin area of WV this weekend if you need anything. Specifically Pendleton county in a little spec on the map called Cherry Grove.

PM me if you want my #s.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:29 am

I would run it... My old panel had a GEX in it for more than 80K and then went into the bug. Had low compression and no power but still runs.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:37 am

You could always just bring the other engine with you...

Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:12 am

Hey, if your GEX is still running, drive it.

Give it a little tune up before you start out...oil change, points, timing, etc. Bring extra plugs and stuff.

Just make sure to stop a lot to give it a rest. It's an adventure!

Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:07 am

I would like to add that if we enthusiasts never took a chance, we would never drive our buses anywhere. Break downs can happen with new and broken in motors. The key is to be prepared and bring spare parts. If an engine has proven itself worthy with thousands of miles of in town driving, there should be no reason why it wouldn't be able to handle a 2400 trip.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:02 pm

Rob,
Did you figure out why it was running a little rough after the trailbash?
All in all seemed like it ran pretty good. You shouldn't have any problems. [-o<

Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:07 pm

rough no, just seemed more 'tired'

Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:17 pm

Yeah, I guess rough wasn't the best description. It did seem to fade on the hills a little more going home than going down. It still averages about 10MPH faster than my bus without breaking a sweat.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:13 pm

GEX motors can suck on my balls. i wouldnt risk it..

Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:32 pm

I'd go for it, I've got one that's been around for years. You've proved your's so do it and don't worry about it. If it does go to shit, well at least you'll know it's limits :lol: and that bus will fit in a uhaul for the ride home. Why worry about the unknown?