Replaicng the Engine Bay door

[Fred Mc]

I was having a shower tonight thinking about putting an egt gauge (pyrometer) in my diesel truck.That got me to thinking about how hot the exhaust gases are in  a diesel which got me to thinking abnout how hot the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe on my GM 4106 is which then led me to think about how much heat the muffler in my bus gives off as it is inside the engine compartment. And that got me to thinking about replacing the engine bay door skin(aluminum) with screen to reduce overheating problems (which I don"t have but which a lot of buses do).
Is this a viable option? I realize that not all buses hav the HUGE engine bay door that a lot of the GM's have but it only seems logical that it would reduce a lot of heat in ther engine ay that MUST contribute to overheasting problems.

Regards

Fred Mc.

[John316]

Fred,

That was a worthwhile read. Now we know how you think in the shower . It is funny how our thoughts lead to the next.

As far as the engine door, I have no idea. I would be on your side though. It must help, so why not?

Cheers,

John

[bevans6]

A lot of people have put louvers on the rear door, or created a way to keep it half open, and reported a useful drop in engine temps as a result.  Problem with screening is that people will be able to see the engine through it, meaning you will have to keep it clean and tidy, and we all know that prying eyes can lead to intrusive fingers...

Brian

[Sam 4106]

Fred,

I recognize your post as being from someone that doesn't have enough to do. Why are you looking for a solution that doesn't have a problem? I fully understand the need to keep busy, but wouldn't it be better to solve a problem that your wife doesn't have, and at the same time earn a lot of brownie points? LOL How about building a slide out shelf for her pots and pans drawer or a magazine type rack for the atlas maps, and campground directory? Those are a couple of projects for my wife I did this winter. Kept me busy and made my wife happy.

If you are serious about your engine door project, I would suggest you think about it, in the shower if you must, for the next month and if it is still important to you, start on it then. My guess is it will be less of a priority by then. This advise is offered by someone who has been there done that, in only half seriousness.

Good luck, Sam

[uncle ned]

To  fight a heating problem in HUGGY . I have louvers in the lower part of the engine door  and expanded grill in the
top  At first I just had the louvers, but during a run down the interstate pulling my box trailer. I did not get the door
latched. and the door came up.

That is when I figured that the air could not get out and added the expanded grill to the top.It also seemed to help
the heating problem some

uncle ned

[lvbob]

This is what works for me to help exhaust the eng compartment hot air. I bought a fan from a junk yard for $20.00 (AC fan from wrecked cady), a few feet of wire and a toggle switch. In the summer and/or approaching a hard pull(mountains), I flip on the switch. It can't hurt.

[Utahclaimjumper]

 The 06 has an area above the door hinge line that is perfect for a set of stainless polished marine louvers. As you know heat rises and is trapped in this area,, opening this area really makes a difference.>>>Dan

[TomC]

I used an 18"H x 20"W aluminum door louver from McMaster-Carr (19605K891). Nice thing about door louvers is they come with two pieces-so I automatically had two vents for around $65.00. They're anadized and look great. Good Luck, TomC

[Scott & Heather]

bleh...i just bungee my engine bay doors open. who needs to see my license plate or tail lights?
in all honesty though, once when our coach was slightly overheating, we unbolted the two engine bay doors on the side of the road, threw them in the luggage bay, and drove off. people stare funny when your engine is all exposed like that.  "what did they expect was back there?"

[gus]

GM engineers knew what they were doing. The buses were designed to exhaust engine heat out the right side and bottom.

If you have an overheating problem make sure you have the center and wheel mudflaps in place and a good radiator fan shroud (Not really sure about this on a 4106 but needed on a 4104).

Originally these older buses also had belly pans which were long ago thrown away because they were in the way for maintenance.

A tiny blower is like spitting into the ocean, we're talking huge volumes of hot air here.

If you have no overheating problem you are trying to solve a non-existent problem!!

[Utahclaimjumper]

 If you have a rear bedroom like most do,, louvers to let out the accumulated heat will also leave you with a cooler bed on a hot summer night.>>>D

[Kwajdiver]

Vents can never hurt.  This is what I did on the sides.  Found these vents at a boat supply company.

Good Luck!

Bill

[luvrbus]

Why does the GM have shields on the bottom of cradle surely that is designed to take hot air out at a certain area where ?

[gus]

If the engine installation is original the most important external thing is the center and wheel mudflaps, these create low pressure under the engine to exhaust hot air. If it has been modified all bets are off.

It appears to me that those engine rooms were designed to have air flow from the radiator over the engine to exhaust right bottom and side with belly pans in place. There doesn't appear to be any other path for intake cooling air other than via the radiator?

Of course it also appears that most bus company mechanics removed the belly pans first thing!!

I stand to be corrected on this by the resident experts, but this is the way it appears to me.