Heater valve??? Thermo valve??? Gate Valve???

[milkmania]

Ok, haven't been able to get heat to my 5 heaters.
Ran engine for 45 minutes this morning, temp gauge stays down at the 110° mark. Reservoir can above radiator is cool to touch. Removed radiator cap and no pressure was built up. Antifreeze was bright green and cool to touch.

Note: I drove to camp site a few weeks ago and temp never got above 140° (think thermostat might be removed?)

Anyway, found one gate valve that was open and a Gould Valve... There's also a console switch labeled Thermo Control that I have not learned what it operates, so now I'm guessing the Gould Electronic Gate Valve, but haven't multi-metered it yet... It's 24° outside. Did not find a fuse labeled Thermo Control, so I'll have to chase it out and find fuse or relay.
I didn't/don't have a grill cover over my radiator. There are no valves to operate around the driver's area.
I can follow the green heater hoses from the gate valves, passing in front of radiator, then entering the firewall behind my fuse panel door on front of bus, pretty much inline with where the first heater is under driver's seat, trimmed out with sheet metal.

Does all this sound about right?
What steps would you take to get heat to heaters?







similar to this, but I only have 2 wires, it appearsdescription says 120v

[2kool4skool]

I run my idle up to 1000 and then heat will build. I does sound like no thermostat.

[prof.fate]

running 05ish and newer buses it varies a bit- they put out nothing heat wise (outside temp in the 40s) with eng temp below 140ish.

newer does better than the older ones. Older ones have 'heat pump' switches - if it's not on you won't pump coolant to the in-bus heaters.
And on a couple of oldest buses there is a valve by the drivers left leg that needs turned to allow coolant to flow to the in-bus heaters.

Not sure if an idling bus will ever make heat LOL. It does take a lot longer (drive time/miles) than my car to make any heat, and a good load on the engine to make decent heat.

There's a reason all the buses and trucks but covers on the grilles in teh coldest weather!

[AlleyCat67]

I have a switch on my panel that just says "Pump" with an icon of a faucet on it.... could something like this be what that controls?

[prof.fate]

probably. all our buses have words on them too..thomas' i've been in don't put words on all their switches..the icon for exhaust brake takes some understanding

[cadillackid]

I dont know your bus because its an air force bus.. BUT.. these likely 2 valves under the hood... one is the gould you show.. its 2 wires normally close typically... the switch opens it.. the other vslve is the return and should be open too..

inside the bus you have have a 3rd valve near the driver console heater (the big heating unit under the switch panel)... as mentioned some busses have a pump too..

if your coolant temp is staying so cold, drive the bus... it wont warm up unless you do so... if your idling and the top radiator hose gets hot right away without much delay and your temp gauges stays low, your thermostat is likely removed or defunct...

I drove my carpenter bus 1100 miles this weekend.. through snow and 60 MPH winds at 26 outside... I dont have one of my driver heaters or my mid heater connected electrically yet.. i had my left defrost, right defrost, door heater and rear heater all on as high as they go and I stayed sort of war min a short sleeve shirt..

when I stopped and idled down and fell asleep for 2 hours, i woke up and my temp gauge was on 120 and the heaters were barely warm... I forgot to set my high idle... once I got back on the road my temp gauge went back up to 180..

-Christopher

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by 2kool4skool

I run my idle up to 1000 and then heat will build. I does sound like no thermostat.

My primary idle is 1000-1100

Right now, I covered my grill with 1/2 foam board with Mylar facing and set the idle at 1500... After about 15 minutes, temp is still at 110° (100° is bottom of scale)... Radiator tank above radiator is still cool to touch.

At this time, I don't have the luxury of driving down the road... I'd have to break camp. Outside temp, 62°, overcast, rainy, and windy.

Doghouse is warming up nicely though
In my first picture, the return valve is below Gould valve.

There are no other valves/switches in driver's area...
Not that big a deal at moment... Just trying to determine if thermostat has been removed by previous owner. And wanting to determine if dash gauge is faulty.

[AlleyCat67]

[QUOTE=milkmania;172504Just trying to determine if thermostat has been removed by previous owner. And wanting to determine if dash gauge is faulty.[/QUOTE]

Also look at the temperature sending unit, it could be at fault.

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by AlleyCat67

Also look at the temperature sending unit, it could be at fault.

Noted...
It's my first Diesel engine, and it seems odd that I'm jumping through hoops to make the engine hotter... Whereas you're trying to keep a gas burner cooler! lol

[AlleyCat67]

Yea it does seem kind of counter-intuitive, but if you don't get the coolant warm enough you won't have any heat in the wintertime..... so check everything that was suggested and hope you find it pretty quick.