Low temp in winter? Ideas?

[eagle19952]

Sorry, have to disagree on the shutters thing. I’ve had them on both my coaches and they were a pain. They also block some of the much needed air flow needed to cool my 500 hp. My tstats work perfectly to keep my Bus at 180 degrees even when it’s below freezing outside. Every single diesel car and truck on the road today uses a thermostat to maintain engine temp....no shutters in front of radiators. To each their own, but I tossed mine and haven’t had any issues in 8 years of fulltiming even up north in -22f temps and 20,000 miles a year on the Bus.


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uhmmm. as originally intended, the shutters worked in concert with a fan stat...the fan robs horsepower, adds load to the motor and increases the heat load... i would be finding where i dumped them.. iirc the fan puts a 20+ hp. load on constant... maybe then your 500hp engine would not have as great a heating problem...

[Scott & Heather]

6-8 hours of idling. I thought that was really bad for our two strokes. I never really idle. But I would imagine it wouldn’t reach op temp at idle so maybe the shutters for that.


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[Scott & Heather]

My fans don’t have a fan stat. They are operated by a belt and pulley off the crank.


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[buswarrior]

Idle all you want?

The real users of our engines, long ago, and far away, would be quite amazed at our "concern"...

Idling is no better to any other engine type with no load... but what else do you do, if there is no alternative?

Not worthy of religious worship, she is no virgin, and she was not intended to be one.

That said, it is a waste of fuel money to idle, there are other ways to keep a busnut warm, and to get the engine to start again in arctic conditions...

so, after idling all night, depending on the engine's current condition, there's going to be an impressive cloud of smoke when you drive away... and perhaps a ways down the road...

Keeping it real, and be-

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[eagle19952]

My fans don’t have a fan stat. They are operated by a belt and pulley off the crank.


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Horton makes an air clutched fan drive... you want one

[Scott & Heather]

I’d love one!! I’d also love a smaller pulley. Hard to keep this beast cool....


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[chessie4905]

You could back down the horsepower to 400. Maybe a little slower, but engine will last longer and run cooler.

[Geoff]

I mentioned having a Webasto diesel fired coolant heater earlier.  It keeps the main engine warm while providing interior heat when parked.  But nothing is free, I only have 4 golf cart batteries and the Webasto, the circulating pumps, and the fans use a lot of battery power so I have to run the generator.  Maybe 1/3 gallon an hour for the Genny, but better than idling.  I love getting up in the morning to a warm coach...

[B_K]

6-8 hours of idling. I thought that was really bad for our two strokes. I never really idle. But I would imagine it wouldn’t reach op temp at idle so maybe the shutters for that.

Scott back in the day truckers used to idle the trucks all night long to be able to go the next day when COLD!
And yes while idling is not good for any engine, it is especially hard on 2 strokes with excessive fuel puddling in the air boxes, but buses have been idling since they started hauling people. Customers want a nice warm or cool bus when they board, so drivers run them while waiting on groups wherever they may be so the coach is comfy for the passengers when they get back on.u
And in freezing temps idling one is much more desirable than having to "heat" one up with a charcoal grill under it (or some other method) in order to get it to fire up.
"And yes as BW states they can, will and do smoke quite a bit when taking off after idling a bit, but that is the price thise behind you have to pay so your enginge can stay comfy!
  BK 

[chessie4905]

Hence shutters to help keep engine temps up. Also GM used hydraulic fans for this reason.

[eagle19952]

in the arctic oilfields mission essential and construction equipment runs and idles 24/7 for months.

You pay for it at the pumps.

100's of 1000's of gallons of diesel...

[neoneddy]

Did some.more reading on the shutter stat, pretty sure this is it. So this little guy is feeding air constantly and never turning off.  Sounds like this could be adjusted?


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[chessie4905]

The ones used in GM's aren't adjustable. They use air pressure to close shutters. Shutters should close immediately upon starting cold engine with sufficient air pressure. As pressure in your air system leaks down, they will re open when it gets low enough. As long as coolant is below operating temp. GM shutterstats are calibrated to open louvers at 172 to 174 degrees on 4905's .Shutters rely entirely on air, no electric.

[luvrbus]

Only the air pressure is adjustable there should be a preset or adjustable regulator at the bottom for the air pressure settings

[TomC]

Funny how things go around, come back. Years ago, all big rig trucks had radiator shutters. Then shutterless cooling came out with better thermostats. Now shutters are coming back since they add to aerodynamics of the truck.
On a bus, a 2 speed fan clutch is best to use. When cold and disconnected, magnetism in the fan clutch keeps the fan turning over slowly to pull in some air. Then when warm, a clutch connects and runs the fan directly.
I have neither shutters nor fan clutch. Granted extra horsepower, but very reliable. Good Luck, TomC