Air flow through the radiator

[Alone Ranger]

Hello. I have a 1985 rear engine CAT.
I just need to know the air direction through the radiator.
Does it come from underneath the bus, through the fan and out the side panel?

Or does it come in through the side panel and the fan push it across the engine?

Thank you

 

[s2mikon]

Not trying to be disrespectful, but if you look at the blade angle and know the direction it turns you have the answer. Mine pulls the air from the side of the coach (side mounted radiator) and pushes it down and across the engine. On very hot days 105+ it was marginal. I added side fins to direct air into the radiator and it was a big help. Then I added rear engine door grills with openings and that did the trick. It also cooled off the bedroom too.

 

[Alone Ranger]

That's not disrespectful in any way. And I really appreciate all help.
But ... backstory time.

It started overheating 10 yrs ago.
I could easily hold the hydraulic fan blade with the motor running. So I purchased the replacement hydraulic pump assembly from a Bluebird dealer, and installed it.
The holes in the fan blade did not line up at all. I paid a machine shop to make new holes to mate the pump's flange.
In this process, the fan blade direction became confused.
However it STILL overheated, regardless of fan blade direction...

Until a buddy was holding a bright flashlight through the radiator for me to see a dropped tool... and zero light came through the radiator. The fins were a solid wall.
It pressure washed spotless.

But now I don't know which way the air is supposed to flow. Either it's air into the rear side vents and through the radiator, with the fan pulling the air across the motor and out the other rear side vent.
OR, the air channels underneath the bus and upwards over the motor, and out the two side vents. If this is the case, the fan needs to push air from the hot engine compartment through the radiator and out the side vent.

Which way is the intended design, please?

I spent several thousand dollars on "bus mechanics" that did not figure out why it was.
In

 

[Alone Ranger]

I added side fins to direct air into the radiator and it was a big help. Then I added rear engine door grills with openings and that did the trick. It also cooled off the bedroom too.

I would love a bit more information about the above modifications, if you don't mind.
Btw, I'm moving to the Silver City area.

 

[s2mikon]

I'm quite sure it is supposed to be pulled through the radiator from the outside and then both down and across the engine. Do you also have a charge air cooler for the turbo?

 

[s2mikon]

I’ll start with the back story and go from there.

After I finished most of the conversion, (is it ever finished?) I had a few problems with the cooling system. In the winter it was nice and warm in the back of the bus where the bed was. Our first trips were in the late fall and winter and I was glad I didn’t leave the heaters in the rear of the bus. The engine temps seemed to be good 200-210 up hill hard pull 190 on the flats. When summer came our first trip was not great. The bed and the storage under the bed were hot! The whole rear half of the bus was a sweat box. We had to keep the rear windows open. The coolant temp on the flats ran 210 and on a hill it was 220-225. So I pulled the radiator and sent it to a radiator shop. That’s a lot of work to pull a radiator. The radiator shop told me there wasn’t anything wrong with it, I put it back in and had to make another 800 mile business trip in it and it was only 95 that day and water stayed 205-210 all trip long. But after 400 miles you could cook muffins in the bed storage.
Next month I had to make a short business trip this time only 80 miles away, same thing. On the way home 98 degrees out side and my water was only 190 and began to think my gauge was bad. Just before I got home somebody in a pickup honked his horn and pointed to the rear of the bus. I pulled over and sure enough the rear door was open. I closed it and went into the bedroom and it was about the same temp as outside.

Problem solved!

I made another short run the next day and I closed the rear door with some short 2x4’s wedged strapped in it ran cooler. So I ordered some grill material from Amazon and cut 2 holes in the rear door and mounted the grills in. Then I went to my friendly sheet metal shop and ordered some strips as you see in the pics. Drilled and painted them and we have lived happily ever after. It does need a heater in the rear now. Last December we went to Albuquerque and it was to cold in the back to stay any length of time.

 

[Kentucky Dreaming]

I'm quite sure it is supposed to be pulled through the radiator from the outside and then both down and across the engine./QUOTE]

I agree.

I have no hands-on experience with buses or diesels, but if the radiator is nearest to the outside with the fan behind the radiator, then the fan is supposed to pull fresh air from outside, through the radiator.

I know nothing, but I have never seen it any other way, whether on a motor vehicle, stationary engine, or industrial air compressor.

Hope this helps.

 

[Alone Ranger]

I'm quite sure it is supposed to be pulled through the radiator from the outside and then both down and across the engine. Do you also have a charge air cooler for the turbo?

It's a naturally aspirated bus

 

[Kentucky Dreaming]

That reminds me. I need to get Ivermectin for my mutts this week!!!

 

[nikitis]

That reminds me. I need to get Ivermectin for my mutts this week!!!

View attachment 79654

View attachment 79655

You could always give them apple slices if you can't get Ivermectin in pill form.

 

[Alone Ranger]

Now I'm confused again ... where do I install the yellow mutt to prevent overheating? ��

 

[s2mikon]

And what's this apple stuff?

 

[Kentucky Dreaming]

Now I'm confused again ... where do I install the yellow mutt to prevent overheating? ��

Place her outside the air intake and rub her belly. It generates a good breeze.

And what's this apple stuff?

I was wondering how apples would prevent worms in critters, myself.

 

[Alone Ranger]

Okay .... feed the radiator apple slices, and rub the yellow dog's belly! Got it!

No wonder the bus was overheating.

 

[Kentucky Dreaming]

You can use the fan to slice the apples, if you don't mind a little blood on your apples. I prefer peanut butter. :biggrin:

 

[Kentucky Dreaming]

And what's this apple stuff?

I finally got ivermectin for my beloved mutts today. No worry about worms. Still no idea what apple slices have to do with anything.

 

[Albatross]

I finally got ivermectin for my beloved mutts today. No worry about worms. Still no idea what apple slices have to do with anything.

Apple is the flavor of Ivermectin for horses.

 

[s2mikon]

Apple for horses okay. So what is the flavor for Ivermectin for dogs?

 

[Kentucky Dreaming]

Mine love chicken flavor

I didn't know there was a different flavor for horses.

Just know that it got expensive after Big Orange started the Big Lie