8V92 Temperature?

[Just Plain Jeff]

On some older coaches, the fan is a manual operation. You have to watch the temperature, then kick it in. There is also a 'circulating pump' switch as the distribution of coolant to the water heater is optional.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Tell me more about that manual fan. never saw one of them.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

What about that circulating pump. Are you suggesting the method Brian described he does running the heater on a hard pull happens automatically?

[Just Plain Jeff]

It's tough to make generalizations about some of the early coaches. If you are bored, read the rest of this post.

Prevost had primarly built for the Canadian market with a wide variety of models, lengths and features up until 1968. Most notably, they introduced the Super Panoramique, delivering the first coach to Summerset Bus of New Jersey in March of '68. At that time Prevost also continued to produce the Champion at a 35' length, both for seated coach markets.

As to 'motor homes,' their first entry was in 1951 with a Prevost Car conversion done. There is still one around, owned by Alan Hamer (there are pictures of it over on the Prevost-stuff site in the articles section).

During the 1950's there were several Citadin's around at a 28-ft length. Pretty funky looking critters.

In 1978, the first Mirage was introduced at the FMCA show in Columbus, OH. This was a serious attempt to have an integrated chassis into the M/H marketplace. The features of these coaches change quite a bit.

The oldest 'converted' coach I've personally seen was a 1981 Liberty. Frank Konigseder Sr., had built his first coach out of a 3-million mile Greyhound in his backyard and was looking for a better answer (there had to be a better one!), and landed on the Prevost shell.

For those in the TBC, you may find an XL manual that describes more or less of a standardized shell from 1981-....

The oldest coach I have ever put my hands on is a 1984 Country Coach. The control systems, as Joe indicated were 'manually enabled.' The idea being, I guess, that certain shell features and conversion features were not automatic or sensor driven as these are 12v coaches without any software, manual fuel injection (which did not appear until about 1987, '86 inch wide coaches.)

The standardization of shells really happened when Americans were running Prevost Car. They went to rallies, much as Bill Jensen comes to the POG rallies, to help explain and answer questions, which is a very nice thing for all of us.

One neat feature on the 84 CC that I saw was that it had the ability to enable electrically-driven cooling fans for the generator. Perhaps today's generators run cooler, but on our 96 Liberty, the cooling was passive, with a grate at the bottom of the generator bay (a converter-specific feature).

What put Prevost solidly into the 'motorhome' (camper) market was that the company was going head-to-head with MCI in the late '70's - early '80s. Prevost, with American ownership at that time, offered converters a special business arrangement, which was to provide a shell, with only a deposit, during the conversion period, with payment only when it was completed, to stimulate the sometimes cash-short converters to go with Prevost. It worked, and that practice continues more or less today.

Prevost has a long history of making special models for specific marketplaces. We know about the H5-60, the articulated bus/train; the H3-40, H3-41, H3-45, XL, XLV, XL-II and so on. Recently Prevost delivered some inventoried XL-II 40-footers and will build more if the demand is there.

Long answer to simple question.

But hey, I get up at 0400 every morning and have to something.

[truk4u]

which did not appear until about 1987, '86 inch wide coaches.

Very interesting and informative Sockman, but your loyal followers must point out flaws (rare as they are) when we see them. I think you may have meant 96" inch wide coaches and that was probably about the time they switched to 102".

If I am incorrect, I sincerely apologize and will go back to playing with my toy trucks.

[Just Plain Jeff]

Mr. Former Resinmobile man: Thank you for pointing out my 0400 this morning error.

Now you can go back to play with (Message garbled in transmission)

[Darrell McCarley]

Jon, You said that you had your radiator routed. Do you know the best way to flush a radiator without removing it from the bus? What type of flush is best? My 8v92 is beginning to heat up in the western mountains during the summer on I-8 from Eloy, Az to San Diego. My temp gets to 205 and I then pull over to cool down. May be forced to remove the radiator but will wait for your advise. Thanks for the post on manifold gaskets. Replaced my gasket yesterday. Glad you told about anti-freeze when bolt and stud are both removed. I drained the radiator before starting. Replacing the manifold gasket was not as hard as I thought it would be. Thanks

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Darrell, The core of the radiator was blocked as yours is likely to be. The radiator was removed and recored. A big vehicle radiator shop can handle that pretty cheaply. It was too long ago for me to know the specifics, but it was much less than a new radiator. I have never back flushed or used any flushing materials.

The problem is silicone dropout. I changed coolant every two years and the conditioning filters every six months and used only anti freeze meeting the DD specs, but at 10 years of life the problem occurred.

I think Loc had a similar problem. It is common for an 8V92 to have this problem and it reinforces why coolant maintenance is critical.

BTW, hitting 205 would not have alarmed me, but if it did not stop there then I knew the time had come to address the problem.

[Loc]

Darrell,

If you are starting to have temperature issues, I would spend the money to have the radiator pulled and sent to a radiator shop to be rodded. I replaced the radiator on my 92 XL when I blew the engine because of a clogged radiator. I put a new radiator in from Prevost at that time. Two years later (approximately 45,000 miles) I had the radiator flushed and had it inspected. It showed about 15% blockage after two years and I was meticulous on my maintenance of the radiator. I pulled the radiator and had it rodded after two years. If I remember correctly, I spent about $900 to pull it and have it rodded. If you decide only to flush the radiator, remove the bottom hose and visually inspect the inside of the core as best you can. I would do it personally, as I had mine inspected at purchase and the mechanic did not note any issues with the radiator (I blew the engine 2 years later).

Loc

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I am not satisfied with the response to my circulating pump question. JPJ throws out this suggestion about a circulating pump that assists in cooling high engine temps and does not answer sufficiently. That's O/K cause it has urged me to bring up these questions that I have been meaning to get answered.

We have OTR A/C. I have noticed in the top of the OTR heater core/evaporator bay a circulating pump plumbed into the copper antifreeze lines.

It is my assumption that on a car the heater core loop is small enough that the water pump has enough volume to flow water through it sufficiently without the necessity of an additional pump.

I'm also assuming on the bus this is not the case, hence this pump. Or is it?

My Bus 450.jpg

My Bus 451.jpg

So, is this pump to circulate water through the main heater core, or to pump it forward to the smaller drivers heater core, or both? Is it 12 or 24 volt. If it fails will we still be able to draw heat off the system or not? Is it there for, as JPJ suggests, specifically to lower engine temps. when necessary?

Also for the older coach owners. Does anyone have this same dash switch as pictured below and what is its purpose? When would it be used? I have never had to use this switch.

My Bus 455.jpg