| Author |
Message |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 3:13 am: | |
I'm contemplating moving the radiator in my 62 mid-engine crown to the front of the vehicle. In theory I would gain mileage and HP not having the side-fan sucking 20-30 hp all the time, and I could probably use electric fans for slow traffic and hills. I would also gain a BIG storage space under the bus where the giant duct now is.
Has anyone done this or something similar? Am I barking up the right or the wrong tree?
Thanks
gary |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (216.67.217.15)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 5:26 am: | |
Gary,
not a new idea, the Brill used a driveshaft connected to the front of its mid-motor to drive the fans for the front mounted radiator. I don't think that the radiator was fully at the front, it may have been around the front axle area. It has been a while since I looked under one of those buses.
Madbrit. |
Lin (65.184.0.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 5:15 pm: | |
Are you talking about mounting it out front and maybe have a grill over it? I'm sure it could be done to work and would look pretty distinctive. The gent we bought our Superior from had replaced the original radiator with a huge one from a semi that sticks out the back. I have not put any grill over it yet, so it looks rather raw. Some people don't like that kind of stuff, but sometimes I consider it Industrial Chic. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 - 5:32 pm: | |
Naw, I was thinking of putting it just behind the front of the bus in the space where the "people heater" now is, and it would look entirely normal. But what I'm finding is that the space is much smaller, so I'd have to use a smaller radiator. Currently though, the engine never gets hoter than 140, so I think the thermostsat is stuck opened, but the radiatop is certainly big enough!!!
Cheers
Gary |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 6:57 pm: | |
Hello Gary;
Thanks again for your great help. Quess you can move the Crown radiator where you want--you certainly have the energy for it!!! He, he, he.
But why? My '74 10-wheeler with the Cummins has a 102 quart radiator with gobs of engineering development to make it work all the time.
Yea, the fan has got to use 30 hp minimum, but it is already there and working correctly--who knows what may happen if the radiator is moved. Having said that--do what YOU want!! CROWNS FOREVER!!!
Henry |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 8:53 pm: | |
Hi again Henry..
I decided to nix the idea of moving the radiator to the front... too big for the availiable space...although the 30 hp is somewhat of a waste if it's being used all the time. SOOO instead I found (and purchased) a very neat electrically operated fan clutch. I had to machne a V belt pulley for it but the scoop on this particular unit is this: It's a new product from Horton Engineering called an eddy-current clutch. It has a regular 12 volt clutch that turns the fan on "hard" but when that clutch is off, there are two sets of permanent magnets running almost up against an aluminum disc that create eddy currents and pull the fan along at a much lower speed, using much less horsepower. They specifically recommend this unit for side-radiator busses like ours... it only uses a few HP most of the time, but when the engine gets to a set temp, the clutch kicks in and you then get full cooling. Best of both worlds. It's so new that it took me 2 weeks of phone calls just to figure out how to buy it, but I now know how and where if anyone's interested.
Here's a photo of it:
http://www.heartmagic.com/zzfanclutch.JPG
The photo doesn't show the mount... it has a big cast piece right behind the pulley that mounts to the bus (you can see the clutch wires coming out there too) and the fan bolts to the front bolts in the photo. You can also see one of the magnet assemblies on the left about 11:00 in the photo.
Coupled up with one of the new lightweight plastic fans from West Coach, it's a VERY cool unit (no pun)
Cheers
gary |
Hal StClair (Hal) (24.234.165.173)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 1:53 am: | |
MCI is using one of these units on their E series coach.It is one PRICEY piece of hardware ($1900 from MCI)I'm using one in my Eagle now and it seems to work great. On a trip from NV to GA this March, the fan never had to lock up-just ran at the reduced eddy current speed (about 1/2 engine speed), Not bad for 46,000lb load and 600hp!
Hal |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 10:03 am: | |
There's a better trick to getting it for a LOT less $....it comes in slightly different form as an option kit for a Case skid-steer tractor. Called "ECI"or "Fan mount with Clutch" kit; the Case P/N is: 336 635A1 for $560.77 (it is NOT an "agricultural" part and so Case "AG" dealers won't know what you're talking about...you have to go to a heavy equipment Case place that sells and services earthmover type stuff and have them order it from Horton)
This kit comes with two actuating sensors, unfortunately set at a fairly useless 200 and 210 degrees, a wiring harness, the clutch, an operator override switch, etc. The only problem is that it is set up for a flat, 8 v-groove style belt, so if you have a standard v-belt like I do, you'll have to machine the v-grooves off, and make a new pulley and press it on. It wasn't too hard of a job with the one exception that I evidently grabbed a slug of chrome-moly or some extremely hard tool steel from the steel yard.... It was so tough that took me 5 hours to turn it on a rather large lathe! But it was neat... I made the pulley ID 7 thousanths smaller than what I turned the clutch; stuck the clutch in the freezer and torched the pulley, and they just fell right over each other until they finally touched, then it took about 20 tons to press them together that last 1/4 inch!
In taking the unit apart to do the modifications, beware that the magnets are fairly easy to chip because they are neo- ceramic magnets. I chipped one and had to go thru some hoops to get a replacement...
Cheers
Gary |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj) (63.224.197.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 7:52 pm: | |
Hey Gary;
Curious as to how well your fan clutch works out in hot weather. Also do you still have that big mudflap dohicky thing running clear across the underside of the Crown?
This is in front of the mill, if memory serves correctly. It was designed to create a suction effect around the radiator soosss air would suck thru it if the fan belts broke.
Anyway, back in 1970 or so, my '63 Crown 10-wheeler broke BOTH belts (BANG!) and the old 743 Cummins did not overheat. Must have been the suction effect.
Wow, if you are saving 20 to 30 hp by not running the fan all the time and all it cost you was around $575 bucks, then it is a super good idea. I may steal it for my '74 10-wheeler.
And....thanks again for the roof raising pics. Have studied them for hours. Seems you have been there and done that while I am just starting out. CROWNS FOREVER!!! Henry |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, June 21, 2002 - 9:18 pm: | |
Henry, I'll let you know in a month and a half... I'm taking it on a trip to the desert.
I still have that flap... no reason to remove it... good to know that the radiator still works somewhat without belts!
I'll post more pix fairly soon...
Cheers
Gary |