Overheating questions...

[DaveNCari]

OK.....coming up the looooooong grade out of Wickenburg AZ on 93...our 4104 got hot....hotter than ive ever seen it...

I'm thinking that I likely need to clean out its radiator...WHO KNOWS when the last time it was done...we have only had this bus since Sept....

Any tips on the best way to clean out a 4104 radiator in place?

I'm thinking white vinegar and water and running it for a while...then drain and flush with clean water.....


What is the total capacity of a 4014 cooling system? I can only find that the engine itself holds 5.5 gallons....

Might anyone have a spare fan shroud lying about in your parts stash??

Dave



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[Cary and Don]

How hot was hot?

Don and Cary

[Cary and Don]

You can check the radiator function with a IR gun.  Check the top of the radiator temp and the bottom of the radiator temp and see if there is a good difference.  Some one should know the exact difference,  but I was thinking it was like 40 degrees?  Make sure that the shroud is completely sealed so the fan can't suck air without it going through the radiator.

Don and Cary

[luvrbus]

That grade heats up a lot of buses try it in Aug,watch the one from Searchlight to Boulder it will heat there also if not careful

[Lin]

Aside from draining and flushing the radiator, it might not be a bad idea to clean the outside.  Dust, ect. can build up between the fins and seriously reduce cooling.  Usually around this time of year I buy a can of the spray cleaner that they sell for swamp coolers and clean the radiators with that.

[chessie4905]

  What was the approx outside temp? Do you have a tach? What rpm were you pulling on the grade when it was overheating? How hot was "it never got that hot before"? Detroits are great engines, but don't tolerate severe overheating...cracked head/s, lost tension on piston rings, piston scuffing. Have you considered pulling the radiator and take to a radiator shop for a proper cleaning/rodding out and leak checking?

[Dlsnow]

I had an overheat on a 95deg day in Wisconsin last year.

After...
Sealing radiators
Replacing thermostats
Flush and replacing all coolant

I have no more overheating.  Even going from Lake Mohave up to Searchlight (3000 ft incline over 12 miles).  Or going from Tucson up to Flagstaff on a 100 degree day.

Thanks to all for walking me through all the fixes.

[luvrbus]

The outside temps were around 100 degrees when we came through some nasty grades between Wickenburg and Wickieup he should have went I 10 to Quartzsite then across or went 60 from Wickenburg to Parker over to Lake Havasu to I 40
Passed Wickieup not much in his way now plus he got to see the new bridge over Hoover Dam going that route 

[luvrbus]

Disnow that is Lake Mohave the tribe will be pissed you not spelling it right

[DaveNCari]

As to the actual water temp... I am unsure as the gauge is wildly inaccurate... it did get to 20 indicated degrees higher than I have seen before......what ever the hell that means...and it did for the only time ever actually push a bit of water out the overflow.....once...over the steepest crest...


I really think the fan shroud issues are likely the main problem... I have drained the system and am going to do a vinegar flush today...but the aft half of the fan shroud is missing on this coach...seems to not be a problem unless it is 100 deg...and we are going up a loooooooong hill...lol


Does anyone have a back half they would be willing to part with??

Dave

[chessie4905]

You definitely need ALL the shroud or loose a good deal of cooling efficiency. I finally replaced/fabricated a small 8 inch long piece on front of shroud (previous person removed/discarded to make cooling fan removal easier) and it stopped getting too hot on long pulls. 6-71 turboed.Keep engine wound up  on long grades; no lugging. Accurate temp gage and tach. With clean rad, full shroud, and even larger injectors, 04's shouldn't have heating issues

[DaveNCari]

So....anybody know where I might find an aft half of a fan shroud? Preferably within a sensible UPS trip from Wickieup AZ??


I really would hate to have to hand beat one out of sheet here in the desert.....  ;}

Dave

[gus]

You need all the fan shroud, all the mud flaps and probably should have been in second gear, maybe even first.

It will run all day without overheating if you don't lug it in a too high gear, don't hesitate to shift down while you still have enough speed to keep it up.

If you can't accelerate in a gear at full throttle you need to shift down.

[luvrbus]

I have a place in Mohave Valley AZ about 100 miles from Wickieup that makes shrouds for me only problem he won't ship I am sure some AC place in Kingman could make you one about 50 miles from you

good luck

[DaveNCari]

Well...we flushed the cooling system with the vinegar/water solution....an amazing amount of crap came out when we drained it... that should help...

I have fabricated a temporary (or better) fan shroud....if it works as I suspect...will post pics here....

Dave