I am relocating the air intake for the engine high on the side of the bus, to minimize sucking in dust.
MC5s, as well as 7s, 8s and 9s, have the air intake from the cavity in front of the driver's side radiator. It is fairly low and behind the rear wheels, and sucks in a lot of dust on a gravel road, or just going through construction in the summer. The access road to our house (1.5 miles) is dirt, and we go to dirt bike races regularly, so this has bugged me since we got this bus 3 years ago. It plugs up an air filter in short order. I have tried a couple of things like a pre-filter that I put on when it is dusty (4 layers of furnace filter material soaked in oil). I have always known that going up high near the roof for the intake would be the real solution.
My old '57 Courier has the intake on the roof, and taking in dust has never been a problem.
The D series MCIs went back to a high intake in the rear corner close to the roof: no dust intake either.
So, having a few days between trips, I started this project. I have ordered a 7" suction hose that will go straight up through the floor and through the bedroom closet, and will be connected to a flange through the fiberglass cap up high at the back. I will weld some 1" by 1/2" diamond shape steel mesh to keep out the bigger chunks like leafs, etc.
I have already cut out all the holes: 2 through the floor and 2 or 3 through the closet. Just waiting now for the hose. When I told my wife about going through the closet, she asked your side or my side? I said my side, she said OK. LOL.
Should I be concerned about water getting in? Should I have a little cap, overhang little thing welded onto the top part of the intake flange to keep water out at least when parked on a rainy day? I don't have the 102D3 to look at anymore.
I'll post some pics when done.
JC
JC, are you thinking of a curved cap sort of like the Flx Clippers had? I would think that you would want to keep rain out for sure. ;D
Some model 10 Eagles had a roof mount intake they were neat never knew of a water problem with those
JC,
Here is an interesting one I seen here in Homer last summer. Lol
But I bet it works good.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd843355f-2c3b-758b.jpg&hash=032227d69e0efa6d2212a8c424f2dedebe7b630c)
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
Ed,
what you are thinking is what the Courier 96 has on top of the roof at the rear. The air goes down and splits in two on both sides of the rear window and into the rad, then onto the engine and out the bottom onto the road. Really good system, much like on those Flx Clippers.
What I am building will have the intake on the side of the bus, near the top.
By the way, where are you at this summer?
Gary,
that looks really practical and efficient, but I am not into anything on the outside of the bus like that.
Where is the air intake on a MC6?
This morning, I went to look at the D bus of the hockey team's to look at the air intake. It is a rectangular about 6" by 8" covered by fiberglass loovers spaced about 1" apart. They are straight, not sloped down. Leaves and mice could certainly get in. No screen that I could see. The only water protection is a lip along the top and forward edges. I am assuming that there is some kind of water trap before the filter. Which I don't have: my hose will go down directly into the filter. Now I am thinking why bother with a screen? I can easily take the filter out once in a while and shake it out. I might just weld 2 or 3 sloped louvers on the intake flange. Less restriction than a screen. My hose came in, so I'll have pictures in a day or two.
JC
JC,
I didn't think that is what you were looking for. Lol! I just happend to take a picture of it, so I posted for grins. The intake on my 6 is above both the radiators, left and right side. I do a lot of driving on gravel roads, and the dust doesn't seem to be a problem.
This is the only pic I have on my phone.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd843355f-c45e-5e46.jpg&hash=ace84664ef595abcc8f00a00b7713cf374cc241f)
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
If you do a roof top air intake, make sure you have a loop lower then the air cleaner with either a kazoo (rubber dust/water ejector) or just plainly a small hole to let water out before the air cleaner. Good Luck, TomC
Gary, I see the intake on your 6 is higher than mine, high enough to be out of the dust kicked up by the rear wheels and the air blast to the ground from the engine.
Tom, thanks, good idea. I'll look into a way of doing that. Not a lot of room anywhere though...
JC
How about something like this for the top?
https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/search/item_detail.html?section=10113&item=18390 (https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/search/item_detail.html?section=10113&item=18390)
or this?
https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/search/item_detail.html?section=10115&item=33586 (https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/search/item_detail.html?section=10115&item=33586)
Maybe a vacuator valve in the system would help?
http://www.donaldsontoolbox.com.au/documents/11ETT004_Tech%20Talk%20Vacuator%20Valves_Apr2011.pdf (http://www.donaldsontoolbox.com.au/documents/11ETT004_Tech%20Talk%20Vacuator%20Valves_Apr2011.pdf)
Some ideas to think about - Steve
JC, we are in Ellensburg Wa. right now. There is a chance we may be going up to Winthrop Wa. for the rest of the summer, should know by the end of the week. ;) If not, i don't know where we will end up. :)
I was thinking of something like Steve shows in the first link,......although i was also thinking that it would have to be homemade. ;D
Thank you stevet903, I found this moisture eliminator surfing the Donaldson site you linked. Wondering if it would work for me? Could I not install this inline just above the air filter? Anybody know anything about it?
JC
https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/search/item_detail.html?section=10106&item=33111
JC- Now that's what I'm talking about! Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: TomC on May 21, 2012, 08:57:20 AMJC- Now that's what I'm talking about! Good Luck, TomC
At Land Rover, we used to call them a "duck bill drain" but I figgered that that's what you had in mind.
i have that drain in the last bend before my filter assy... am planing sometime to move it so i can use the space it takes up in the engine compartment..
Does this moisture eliminator have to be mounted vertically, or horizontally, or does it matter?
I have room just above the air filter. The pipe is vertical.
JC
the duck bill thing is mounted vertically so that the duck bill itself points down...
So it would have to be mounted into a horizontal part of the intake piping, with the duck bill pointed down, right?
I might have room for it just inside the bedroom closet behind the intake flange. Maybe I could make a long drain extension to the engine compartment below.
JC
JC don't worry about it the ECO filter has drains already built into the filter housing
good luck
The Vacuator Valve is used when the air filter cap has a pre cleaner built in to lid you know the rubber do dad inside the cap you remove to change the filter they are really made for a 2 stage air cleaner not a single stage
good luck
Thanks Luvrbus Cliff, I really don't have room anywhere for anything other than the air filter. I do use a Eco filter, so that'll have to do! A little moisture is good for combustion right, LOL.
JC
Jc,thanks for comimg buy and visiting I look forward to seeing you again. Take some pics so we can see how it turned out. GHow far are you from seattle.
Don
Hi Don,
I'll take some pics tomorrow.
Seattle would be about a 10 hr drive from here.
Take care,
JC
Cliff, I looked at my air filter, it doesn't have any holes. It is a Ecolite by Fleetguard. Should I drill holes in the bottom of it? How big? and how many?
JC
Look at the back JC where the flange and the housing go together real small hard to see maybe Derrick can post some photos showing the weep holes,I have never saw a ECO without the weep holes fwiw
good luck
Not a real good picture, but if you look close you can see the holes. Be careful about drilling any holes. Drill in the wrong place and you could introduce non-filtered air into the intake system.
Thanks, I see them. Mine doesn't have any. I'll go without for now. I might drill a couple of 1/4" holes at the bottom near the end of the filter's life as an experiment.
JC
This is the intake up high on the side of the bus:
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi582.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fss267%2Flostagainphoto%2FIMG_0024.jpg&hash=6a74b66edf8d2b9acf3022bccab49c005225c385)
Inlet flange up close. I tried welding louvers, but gave up after burning holes through the material. My welding is not bad as long as the steel is not too thin. So I welded the mesh on instead.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi582.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fss267%2Flostagainphoto%2FIMG_0016.jpg&hash=dd9d26e269f3fabefe18f0b525d99d204c6411d5)
The hose inside the closet just behind the inlet flange:
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi582.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fss267%2Flostagainphoto%2FIMG_0012.jpg&hash=937cb488cd4d813ef80c2d0e28fd2b155e9cccb0)
Through the lower cupboard:
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi582.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fss267%2Flostagainphoto%2FIMG_0010.jpg&hash=1801b707b0110dff84a6488157b36e4c1b2e11c2)
Bottom cupboard:
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi582.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fss267%2Flostagainphoto%2FIMG_0011.jpg&hash=6c0addb8d9ada7d0afeac49e45631c214f68f820)
The hose goes straight down through the floor to the filter. Sorry it is dark.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi582.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fss267%2Flostagainphoto%2FIMG_0013.jpg&hash=e9693d336065aef8b6d5b17767cb171bda88e1e8)
Thanks JC, looking good what size is the inlet and tubing. I am going to be in Seattle in Nov. And had thought about getting together for a meal but that to far to drive for lunch. LOL
Don
The whole thing is 7": flange, hose, filter inlet and outlet, all the way to the turbo. Although it might reduce to 6" at the turbo, can't remember for sure.
Seattle for lunch: it is like the lady from NY state ask my wife: I'm going to be in Toronto next week, can I come by to see your horse for sale? LOL. We're 3000 miles away in BC.
JC
Quote from: lostagain on May 21, 2012, 07:43:01 AM
Thank you stevet903, I found this moisture eliminator surfing the Donaldson site you linked. Wondering if it would work for me? Could I not install this inline just above the air filter? Anybody know anything about it?
JC
https://dynamic.donaldson.com/webc/WebStore/search/item_detail.html?section=10106&item=33111
My bus came with a factory installed Donaldson air/water separator on the air intake, but mine is probably 15" tall.
Looks good JC, maybe a little eyebrow shaped drip rail just above your inlet to keep out rain coming down off of your roof while parked? If you are driving in the rain that won't help of course.
Thanks Ed,
there is an eyebrow drip edge around the top and forward facing side, about an inch wide, the picture doesn't show it.
JC