I've had cooling issues since I bought our MCI 5A. 6V92, 5 Sp auto, large (12") blowers, and stock dimension, (5 core) rads. I know, I know I need more radiator capacity. Anyway until I can scrape up a spare 2 or 3 grand to have two more custom rads made and the remodel involved while living it, I'm stuck with it.
Anyway I just wanted to share my trial and error experiments with using misters. Some say to point them out to cool the incoming air. That works very little and only if there's little humidity. otherwise it doesn't work at all. At best you're only going to lower the ambient air 20 degrees. Plus with the blowers all but sucking the paint off of everything you pass, you will get that mist on your rads. unless you are using distilled water you will get build up of minerals and whatever else is in your water.
I tried the outboard approach and I could notice no help.
I then started trying different size mist heads. I made a "hoop" on which was mounted 4 mist heads pointed at the rads. I experimented with distance as to get the most coverage without waste. I started with 1/4 gph each, (1/4gph X 8 = 2gph total), No help. then 1/2gph each = 4gph. No help. 3/4 gph each = 6gph Some help but not enough if the ambient was over 80. I then switched to a TWO head system on each rad using 2.5gph each for a total of 10 gph. BIG help. That setup allowed me to use THREE more pounds of boost out of the turbo without any increase in temp. Now instead of running 50 or 55, (if it's hot out), I can run 65-75.
In conclusion I feel that you can throw all the mist you want at it with little or no help, BUT, put water on the rads and it eliminates more BTU'S. On a hot day I'll go thru my whole tank of fresh in 7 hours. And I have to clean the rads regular. But until I get more rads I can use my bus for the reason we bought it.
Don & Sheila
Good info, Don. Thanks for the post; I'm printing it out.
Dennis
There is a recent post wher a member said that Detroit Radiator made 7 cor oversize 8V92 radiators for 1,300 plus shipping. Another paid 1,800. You may be closer than you think.
Nice write-upn the misters. Thanks
John
I agree with Don. I have 15 misters that use 8gph (one gallon of evaporated water equals 8,000 btu of heat reduction). I just got back from Mammoth (live in L.A.) and yesterday the Mojave was 107 degrees. While two roof top A/C's kept the inside at a nice 75 degrees, and the generator was fine with the heat, the newly turboed 8V-71 was running a bit hot. I used the misters on the long up grades taking it easy and didn't get above 200 degrees. I would like to put a larger radiator in, but I already have a 6 row serpentine core that is the largest that will fit in the space. I did notice a bit of calcium buildup after getting home (misters are plumbed into the water system) so this weekend will spray CLR on the radiator and rinse it. With the amount I used the misters, it looks like the misters are only necessary when temps are above 90 degrees. In my case, I travel more in the none summer months, so it should be alright. I used the Orbit misting system from Home Depot, with 4 rows of pipes in front of the radiator. Good Luck, TomC
Don, per our discussions, you may want to also think about installing an air to air cooler. This will dump the turbo heat a bit and thus not add heat to the water via the water to air cooler under the blower.
I know you are short of space, but you could try the one I took out and see if it helps. Taking any heat source off the cooling system will help.
TomC has that modification and I would bet it helped a bunch with his new set-up.
BTW, Don did not mention it, but he had a lot of work done on his engine before his last trip. None of that seemed to help the heat problem.
Jim
the 4108 we have for sale has a Desert Cooler ( Brand Name) radiator system. It does not mist but rather drips water in front of the radiator