Firewall?

[Crisfole]

So my bus is a Pusher. Engine in back behind a built in seat. I'm not sure what's between the back of the engine and right above it, but around the engine there are visible gaps to the interior.

Furthermore, there are two big air gaps on the sides making a little nook...

See it on the right if this photo:



Then in the back to can see it in both sides:



All that's between there and the engine compartment is the heavy plastic trim.

My questions:

1. Is it _not_ a safety issue to have almost nothing between the engine area and the bus? (Fumes? Heat? Sound?)
2. The two voids seem like a waste of space. Will I be ok deleting those and reclaiming inside the bus if I make sure to improve the engine compartment ventilation elsewhere? (Part of the plan already).
3. Is it ok that the firewall (which I assume is present, although I have not confirmed) is just across the center of the engine and doesn't seal the interior from the engine?

[Crisfole]

Would better photos help here? More information? Video? Happy to provide better data any way I can.

Also realized this was unclear: the 'air gaps' are big vertical voids along the bus wall behind the plastic. The two verticals around the window are made of heavy plastic and have nothing inside them.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

Would better photos help here? More information? Video? Happy to provide better data any way I can.

I don't see any pictures.

[musigenesis]

Your pics aren't showing up.

[Crisfole]

Weird... Definitely there for me...I wonder if Google photos has them behind auth. Will fix after I'm done with these darn leaves

[Crisfole]

[BlackJohn]

"Will I be ok deleting those and reclaiming inside the bus if I make sure to improve the engine compartment ventilation elsewhere? (Part of the plan already).Will I be ok deleting those and reclaiming inside the bus if I make sure to improve the engine compartment ventilation elsewhere? (Part of the plan already)."


What are these plans of yours about. I think what is there for air intake looks good now. Hard to improve on that no?


Might take a few beers at The Colony to figure this out.



John

[Native]

How about a shot from the rear of the bus looking into the engine compartment with the camera low (towards the ground) and looking up with the idea of capturing those sloped plastic cowlings from the engine compartment's perspective?

[Crisfole]

I'll do you one better:

https://youtu.be/sPQ7CUhacqk

Please excuse my rambling narration.

[Crisfole]

@BlackJohn hey, you're practically next door! My wife and I head north to Picton for vacation on occasion! We love it up there in the summer.

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

@BlackJohn hey, you're practically next door! My wife and I head north to Picton for vacation on occasion! We love it up there in the summer.

Yes, we are next door as the crow flies, Crisfole.


On permanent vacation here but love Caz. Vacationed there a few times, thus The Colony, omg, the fun!


Give me a holler if up here.


John

[Native]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

I'll do you one better:

https://youtu.be/sPQ7CUhacqk

Please excuse my rambling narration.

Thank you for the video.


It looks to me like they formed the two sides for aesthetics with the bench seat. Personally, I would not hesitate to take all that out. You might wannt to build a REAL firewall though as that custom formed fiberglass bench surround is not doing much as a firewall. You may even be able to make a nice engine access hatch.

[Crisfole]

My one fear is that the vent (the grate letting all the light in in the video) is important. I want to replace part of the doors to the engine compartment with a grate anyway though.... But I do wonder if the one near the coolant is important, what with the fan pointed up in it...

[PatrickBaptist]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

My one fear is that the vent (the grate letting all the light in in the video) is important. I want to replace part of the doors to the engine compartment with a grate anyway though.... But I do wonder if the one near the coolant is important, what with the fan pointed up in it...

"But I do wonder if the one near the coolant is important" Well yeah, it's using that space to vent the radiator and move air to or from the outside.

[Crisfole]

Right, I gathered that. I suppose I can leave a narrower area to allow venting, even if I also vent the door...

[PatrickBaptist]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

Right, I gathered that. I suppose I can leave a narrower area to allow venting, even if I also vent the door...

I wouldn't advise it, those of us with pushers fight heat more so than with front engine buses, I'd be afraid of making the heat issue worse by fooling with it personally. BUT I've never tried that and mine is nothing like yours.
I def would do something to shore up those holes though.

[Crisfole]

Hmm, why do RE busses struggle with heat?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

Hmm, why do RE busses struggle with heat?

because they don't have the airflow across the radiator the way that a front engine does.

[PatrickBaptist]

Originally Posted by Crisfole

Hmm, why do RE busses struggle with heat?

You know in FE buses the rad gets air blown on it plenty from driving, when it's in the back it doesn't see the same air flow and relies even more on fans to get rid of the heat.