| Author |
Message |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 27, 2002 - 5:20 pm: | |
Last night I had a brainstorm that freed up enormous amounts of space for holding tanks, generator, etc.
The idea was to get rid of the engine exhaust system that runs from the middle of the bus all the way to the rear bumper, replace it with a "single ended" muffler located inches from the engine (I just happened to have three of them laying around), and route the output to a spot just in front of the rear tire. This frees up almost sixteen feet of usable underside space that was formerly taken by the exhaust pipe ....too hot for tanks, and totally wasted. Now I can stick my gene-set and two holding tanks on that side of the bus, which in addition will help balance the weights of many heavy things that were starting to all be located on the passenger side. REALLY nice now!
Here's the photo:
http://www.heartmagic.com/zzmufflerRelocate.JPG
The question: are there any codes or highway rules that say I can't do this? Any thoughts?
Cheers
Gary |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.8.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 12:22 am: | |
Gary -
AC Transit in Oakland, CA, ran a bunch of MAN articulated transits awhile back, and they all had the exhaust blowing out the side right in front of the rear axle.
Just remember to be kind to your campsite neighbors not to suffocate them in diesel dust!!
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Don KS/TX (63.15.244.243)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 7:13 am: | |
GM seemed to do something right I think, my exhaust comes out on the drivers side at the rear bumper. Not only does this keep any smell from ever coming into the coach, but that is my very own fuel mileage indicator. You can see the black smoke if you are doing something wrong by the movement of it in the rear view mirror. I had put tall turnback stacks on my Kenworth, and then noticed that the only way you could see smoke then was from shadows on the ground. Don't hide the exhaust from view. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 10:14 am: | |
Interesting about the smoke.. I'll have to ponder that!! The Crown also origionally has the exhaust coming out the driver's side rear bumper, but it's that long pipe getting there that I have to eliminate....just looking for other options..
Cheers!
Gary |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (216.67.215.2)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 2:21 pm: | |
Don,
how about running the exhaust through the roof, and installing a spectrometer to do the smoke check for you........ jus' kiddin.
I know exactly what you mean and I was going to run mine up, but as you say, monitoring the smoke is a good think to be able to do. Gives warning of any impending engine problems and how unnecessarily heavy one has their foot in it.
Peter. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 28, 2002 - 3:05 pm: | |
Hmmmm maybe not a spectrometer, but an LED and photocell up there at the roof outlet to measure optical transmission of the exhaust gases...hmmm now servo that to the injector pump and you might have a good gas-saver in the works. Oops, drat, the optics will get coated with soot making the vehicle go slower and slower until it finally stops for lack of fuel...ok, lets see... a little housing up there with long ventilated paths from exhaust pipe to optics, positively pressurized by air taken from the brake system...drat it gets complicated...
Well, maybe instead; a pipe running to the roof for "most of the time" use, with a damper valve that shuttles the exhaust to a "by the rear wheel" pipe for when you want to look at the smoke or blast some car driving too closely next to you .... |
Brian (204.126.2.226)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 10, 2002 - 2:54 pm: | |
Bluebird actually makes new (FE flatnose) school buses that have the side exhaust.
Brian |