August and my bus is running too cold.

[Ednj]

August and my bus is running too cold.
I had to plug in the block heater to get her to fire 48º outside temp with rain.
If I lug it uphill towing a trailer with the over the road A/C on I can get it to 190º.
Do they make a Trans oil warmer? It took about 100 miles before it would shift right, then driving in the cold rain everything cooled off again.

I guess I'll have to fix those shutters on the radiators and replace those flaps under the blowers.

We had a great trip upstate to the Quad party; the only wrenching was on the 4 wheelers.
Jackets, Proheat, block heaters in August, where's global warming?

I saw 5 bus conversions and allot of campers all had Canada plates, I guess the cheap fuel here in the states and the value of the Canadian dollar.

[TomC]

You might want to get a heat gun and check it against the gauge on the dash.  I have a mechanical gauge in the engine compartment just to make sure also.  You're about the first complaining about a cool running bus in summer.  Good Luck, TomC

[jjrbus]

My MCI5C always ran very cool. It is a Saudi model with oversized radiators and no shutters. I changed to higher temp thermostats.
I also found on the expansion tank the presure relief did not work and the filler cap seal was no good. I removed the pressure relief valve and plugged the hole. Then modified the filler cap to use an automotive type radiator cap. There are pictures of it somewhere in the archives.  HTH Jim

[Ednj]

I did check with an IR gun, the dash temp gauge is 5°
Hotter,
Running down the road with the bus up on plane its running between 165°
/ 175°.
That's barely warm enough to light the diesel!
Guess I shouldn't have put in that Lucas oil treatment.

[Busted Knuckle]

Well Ed I must say yours is a different type of problem. But on the other hand sort of a good one to have.

Now first off you stated 48* and running in rain. Those 2 factors there will cause cool running! Now you also mentioned fixing the shutters! Yes by all means those should be fixed to work properly! Especially running in the north! If you only ran south or south west, you could do with out them.

As far as needing a trans warmer? In all honesty unless you ran constant frigid temps like cross Canada & Alaska trips all winter long, I just can't imagine needing it! But I agree that it sounds as if your trans is running too cool to perform right. Maybe some Severe weather enthusiast can shed some light here.   BK 

[Sojourner]

I did check with an IR gun, the dash temp gauge is 5°
Hotter,
Running down the road with the bus up on plane its running between 165°
/ 175°.
That’s barely warm enough to light the diesel!
Guess I shouldn’t have put in that Lucas oil treatment.

Ed... "Running down the road with the bus up on plane its running between 165°
/ 175°."
Is an indication of partial open thermostat (sticky or binding or stuck). Check with IR temp gun to see if the temperature is same at the bottom thermostat housing as well the top thermostat housing....meaning no thermostat or froze partial opening.

The bottom line is whatever a working thermostat temperature setting is such as 195° F will not let any radiator coolant flowing until it reach about 4% before the 195° F....wide open at 195° F.

About transmission oil not warming up faster than is should is an indication your coolant is not warming your transmission oil fast enough.

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry

[Dallas]

Ed, this may be a really stupid question, but from the readings you give it sounds like you may have 160° - 165° thermostats.
When did you last check or change them?

Dallas

[Ednj]

Ed, this may be a really stupid question, but from the readings you give it sounds like you may have 160° - 165° thermostats.
When did you last check or change them?

Dallas
Ruffly 2 years ago new radiators, hoses, stats.


About transmission oil not warming up faster than is should is an indication your coolant is not warming your transmission oil fast enough.

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry
Sorry Jerry I should have said 4-speed manual so no extra heat to the cooling system.
>
As far as needing a Trans warmer? In all honesty unless you ran constant frigid temps like cross Canada & Alaska trips all winter long, I just can't imagine needing it! But I agree that it sounds as if your Trans is running too cool to perform right. Maybe some Severe weather enthusiast can shed some light here. BK

May be use ATF instead of 40wt?

Let me add on the trip north I had closed the coolant lines to the front of the coach (who needs stinking heat, 90°F
Outside).
On the trip back home I opened the valve, thought I might need defrosters (outside temp right around 50°F
).
engine temps were fine on the drive up

[Bob Gil]

I guess if you want to warm it up one way would be come on down here to texas it is warm enough to get any thing hot.  Or has been the last week or so but it is cooled down a little the last few days.

[white-eagle]

am i missing something again.  i run right around 170-180.  i found out they stop at 200, the hard way.

i only have guages, but at most, i've seen the tranny get up to 190 going uphill.  on rare occasions, i've seen the engine there.

we pull a big van most of the time, but no overheat.  am i running too cool also, in my 8v92t with 740?  are you all saying that 180 is cold?

[van]

Got one thing to say,VEGAS BABY!.Whish I had that problem,hope ya figur it out.


    Van.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Ed,

I would have to agree about stuck-open t-stats.

My bus with the two new radiators seems to always be at 190deg., summer or winter.  Even towing the H2 Hummer twice now,

it still stays at 190 and it was hot out both trips

Ed, the trip looked like a good time.
Nick-

[Ednj]

Hi Ed,

I would have to agree about stuck-open t-stats.

My bus with the two new radiators seems to always be at 190deg., summer or winter. Even towing the H2 Hummer twice now,

it still stays at 190 and it was hot out both trips

Ed, the trip looked like a good time.
Nick-
>
Yes Nick we had a great trip ( fun in the mud), the cold running bus smoked black some and lacked some power.
On the trip home I stopped at Flying J and dumped 1500 lbs that helped some
>

am i missing something again. i run right around 170-180. i found out they stop at 200, the hard way.

i only have guages, but at most, i've seen the tranny get up to 190 going uphill. on rare occasions, i've seen the engine there.

we pull a big van most of the time, but no overheat. am i running too cool also, in my 8v92t with 740? are you all saying that 180 is cold?
>
My bus always runs at 180, originally thought the gauge was broke.
>

I guess if you want to warm it up one way would be come on down here to texas it is warm enough to get any thing hot. Or has been the last week or so but it is cooled down a little the last few days.
>
Yes I guess I'll have to take a small trip South next weekend the 23rd to check this out.
A nice little 200 mile trip.
That would put me right around the RnR where I could PONDER this and crash a birthday party (the 28th).
What do ya think?