Air shutters on radiator

[platinum mci]

OK I have another question on the 1983 MCI 9, how do the air shutters work that close and open to allow the air into the radiators.  How do the work and if its on a t-stat where is the location as mine do not work.

[buswarrior]

Hello.

How is it that they don't work?  Stay open or stay shut?

Is the air turned on to them?

The control is in a rad pipe, an airline runs to/from the control mounted in the pipe above the engine, to the controls on the right side wall, and lines run to each shutter and each damper door on the bottom of the fans, if you still have those.

If they have been turned off, you must be vigilant that the damper door pistons are still capable of fully retracting the doors. If a damper door is allowed to stay partially closed even 1 inch, you will overheat.

Because I have other priorities at the moment, I pulled the pins on the damper pistons, as mine are too weak, the pistons are aimed away from the arms, and the damper doors are left fully open. The shutters function properly, and that works pretty well to keep the motor warm in my winter conditions.

Southerners will quite properly suggest you scrap the whole works, as they just obstruct airflow. However, if you operate the coach in cool or winter weather, the engine will over cool, depending on how much heat you pull for interior heating, and the load. ie: city driving in stop and go traffic will suck the heat out.

Never minding the heresy, if you are forced at some point to idle for the night to stay warm, the temp won't stay up. (and to really spin your shorts, how about on low idle and defroster fan on?)

Let us know, I think I've got a pic of the guts somewhere in the 'puker.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[platinum mci]

Thank you for the help, the fins are in the full open position, and the air pistion is there on both sides but at cold temps they do not move not sure if they are even getting air to them our where the temp sensor is to operate them? or where the air supply woupld t-off to get to them.

[NJT 5573]

If you follow the air line back from the slave cylinder it will trace to the Shutterstat. Shutterstats are available in different temperature settings. Shutterstats will plumb into the water jacket of a head or water manifold somewhere generally on the top of the block and are made of brass. They will have a line in, (constant pressure), yours could be turned off, crack the line in at the shutterstat and see if it leaks air. If it doesn't then follow it and look for a shutoff valve. Once you have air to the inlet side, if the Shutterstat is working it will pass air at the proper temperature, (say everything below 180 degrees) to the slave cylinder and close the shutters or open them as necessary, (air stops and bleeds off through shutterstat allowing the springs to pull them open). Most shutters are held open constantly by springs and forced closed by air pressure on the slave so if yours are open now the springs are doing their job. The last Shutterstat I purchased was a 180 degree and cost around $90.

My old 05 didn't have shutters and I cut 3 pieces of plywood with a bolt taped into each side of the radiator to cover the radiator. When it was real cold it needed completely covered all the time. If I was going south I would watch the temp gauge and as it warmed up or I pulled a mountain I would open it up to keep the temp in the ballpark. The closer I got to Mexico, the more plywood could come off. If you do this you must watch the temp so you don't hang a piston, probably stay under 205 degrees with a 2 stroke.

In the old days, truckers were supposed to be tough and they let us freeze. Engines broke alot of crankshafts and engineers discovered it was from the cranks cooling off to fast after we went over the top of the mountain and forced alot of cold air into a radiator and rapidly cooled the engine. Shutters fixed both problems, constant cab heat and no more broken cranks.

Shutterstats are made by Kysor-Cadillac.

[gumpy]

In addition to the shutterstats mentioned by the previous responders, there is also a shutoff valve on the shutterstat air filter, which is located on the right hand side of the engine compartment as you look in from the rear. It looks like a small grey device that resembles an air regulator with a bulb and drain cock on the bottom. The T handle coming out the side is the shutoff valve.

Now, that's what's showing in the manual. However, it's not quite as I remember it, but it's too dang cold to go out and look just now.

[Ednj]

In addition to the shutterstats mentioned by the previous responders, there is also a shutoff valve on the shutterstat air filter, which is located on the right hand side of the engine compartment as you look in from the rear. It looks like a small grey device that resembles an air regulator with a bulb and drain cock on the bottom. The T handle coming out the side is the shutoff valve.

Now, that's what's showing in the manual. However, it's not quite as I remember it, but it's too dang cold to go out and look just now.

[platinum mci]

The pictures are a great help thank you. I will start disassembling this weekend hope to get them operating correctly.  Thanks to everybody for all the help.

[buswarrior]

Thanks EdNJ

The air supply is the pipe in the side, the drain is the valve on the bottom.

Open the air supply and see what happens. Perhaps the drain has to be turned backwards....?

And then see if you get some action.

happy coaching!
buswarrior