air compressor form engine

[5B Steve]

    There was a previous post in the last several days with a picture in the right rear engine compartment of a air line with a

    barb attached.  I too, have one of these. Can a hose be hooked up to one of these to possibly air up a tire?

    Steve 5B.......

[Sean]

If by "barb" you really mean a quick-connect coupler, the answer is "probably."

It really depends on where that fitting is plumbed in, and whether or not there is a check valve in the line.

For putting outside air into the coach, you want the fitting upstream of the dryer, and there might be a check valve to ensure air can not flow from the wet tank to the fitting, but only the other way around.

For using coach air for tires or other things, you really want the fitting downstream of the dryer and, ideally, ahead of the check valve for the brake tanks, preferably from the auxilliary supply.  And, of course, air needs to flow to the fitting, so no check valve here.

I would guess the one in your engine compartment is connected to the wet tank, and is really for airing up the bus for towing.  But if it has no check valve, you can probably get air for your tires here; just add one of those little in-line dryers to your hose.

Perhaps someone more familiar with how MCI equipped the 5 from the factory will chime in (although I never count on things still being plumbed the way the factory did it on an older coach).

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[buswarrior]

I wouldn't use the connection in the engine room to use as a supply.

It will be wet and oily, and fill your airline with crud, to be passed to everything else later.

Set up a take off from the aux under the driver for an easy access for a supply.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[bevans6]

The barb in the engine compartment that you describe is the feed line from the compressor to the air dryer and wet tank.  It only has pressure in it if the compressor is in a fill cycle.  After the air dryer purges, that part of the line is at zero pressure.  I use it as a fill only, if I need air I have another quick connect on the drain of the accessory tank under the driver's seat.

Brian