Community Forums

scoutmstr · 04-19-2007, 03:56 PM

I am unclear how you with a Newmar know what Rexhall does. If you have a copy of the Workhorse Gas Motorhome chassis guide, I would suggest you read it. FACTS, Page 49 of book published 0805 states Workhorse provides three sections and lists part numbers. I don't care who installed the three section. The design is poor from the outset. It does not force all incoming air through the cooling pack nor does it allow retention of air to pass by the manifolds. It dumps the air into the wheelwells reducing the cooling on the manifolds and I believe helps cause some spark plug wire failures. Approached from an engineering viewpoint, this is a less than optimal situation. Look at an old Chevy P-32 and you'll understand why the left manifolds on the 454 rarely failed but the right ones did more frequently.

DriVer · 04-19-2007, 05:34 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by scoutmstr:
I am unclear how you with a Newmar know what Rexhall does. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>scoutmstr, The fabric is delivered to the coach builder and is rolled up and secured to the top of the cool pack with tie wraps for shipping. The coach builder integrates the fabric with their particular coach body.

Some OEMs do a better job with the fabric than others and I would suggest that the more holes that can be plugged up the better the cooling efficiency of the cool pack will become.

My original fabric dried out tore and completely disintegrated. My new fabric has a woven reinforcement and is approximately 1/8 of an inch think and is performing yeoman service on my motorhome. Not all my openings are occluded including a cut out for the TCM/ECM computers and a loose fit over the top of the radiator shroud. The sticks are also a tad loose however I haven't had any plug wire or over heat problems or failures.

It would be impossible for WCC to design sealing materials for every OEM and I'm sure the OEMs are not going to dedicate a lot of time and effort toward getting everything flowing at peak efficiency. It is what it is I guess. It would seem to be a compromise. WCC provides the materials and technical information regarding why the fabric needs to be implemented and the OEM assembles as best as it can without too much labor over run the materials that they have.

edgray · 04-19-2007, 05:34 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am unclear how you with a Newmar know what Rexhall does. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Scoutmstr: I am unclear why your response to my simple statement of FACT is so hostile. Here on iRV2.com, we pride ourselves on trying to help each other, however I really think you are being just a little too agressive with your suggestion that I should go read the chassis guide.

As a Workhorse Ambassador I do happen to know a little about these chassis, and common sense says that REXHALL (and all the other body builders as well) MUST be responsible for the INSTALLATION of the air dam, since it can't be installed until the coach is built around the chassis. You can certainly criticize Workhorse for the QUALITY of the thin non-reinforced rubber "fabric" used in the earlier models. It has been significantly upgraded with a cord-reinforced version for the later models and the replacement parts. But you should not blame WCC for how it is attached. As for it being in three pieces, please remember WCC is providing a basic sheet of material that can / will be modified to fit a multitude of OEM applications. It would not be feasible for WCC to engineer a specific fitment for all the various coaches which are built upon the chassis.

Since you made reference to it, I will now publish the entire text from the chassis guide as follows:

It is extremely important to ensure air flow is allowed to circulate through the radiator. Although the body manufacturers are responsible to ensure the opening is of the correct size, restricting the flow through the grill opening with a screen or any other item will reduce the chassis ability to cool the engine and the associated components. In an effort to direct all air available through the radiator, Workhorse provides on all W Series chassis air diversion fabric to go between coach body and the radiator. Since this is rubber material it does require inspect for signs of aging as well as fitment to the body. This material is provided in three sections top, part no. W0005312, and two sides, part no. W0005313 and W0005314.

I hope you will accept my statements as factual and without hostility on my part. My only purpose in posting here is to provide objective information and attempt to correct mis-statements when I think there is a possibility those statements might mis-lead another reader. ED

dnebout · 04-19-2007, 05:46 PM

Any pictures of the CAK

M&EM · 04-19-2007, 07:44 PM

Ed, The part I recently replaced, W0005312, is certainly heavier then the original. I am confused and curious about the other two air diversion part #s 5313 and 5314 for the sides. What is meant by "sides"?

1) The sides between the radiator and front cap openings?

or

2)The sides alongside the exhaust manifold to prevent air flow into the wheel well openings?

or

3)?? any other ideas?

My Dolphin came with a non rubber material, looks like a fiberglass fabric. These effectively cover the opening between chassis rail and floor. They seem to keep hot engine and ex manifold air away from the wheel well space.

This same material appears around the frontal opening to my air filter housing too.

I have seen other coach brands on the W22 chassis that lack this material, including some Dolphins and other NRVs.

On those, I could easily see the manifolds and spark plug wires from the wheel well.

Marty

DonavonP · 04-20-2007, 05:29 AM

Scoutmstr, I've been reading the forum for a couple years and it seems that the Rexall has benefited from the cold air kit supplied by Workhorse more than other makes. The Rexall seems to have a front end that creates more heat in the dog house area and burns spark plug wires more than others. Once the cold air kit is installed the problem seems to be cured.

I have a Winnebago and I have not had any spark plug wire issues.

Rexall is a good machine, just needs a little more fresh air in the engine room.

edgray · 04-20-2007, 05:32 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">What is meant by "sides"? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
M&EM: I'm not really sure, but will try to get you an answer and will post here shortly. ED

DonavonP · 04-20-2007, 09:43 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by dnebout:
Any pictures of the CAK </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

There use to be pictures on one of the guys personal site but I can't find any on IRV2. Maybe someone else will find it. Ref: Cold Air Vent Kit

Wireman1 · 04-20-2007, 11:47 AM

Yes I have had 2 #5 plug wires fail.MH is a 2002 so Workhorse fix is probably not an option.It seems that Monaco gassers are prone to this problem. Wireman

scoutmstr · 04-20-2007, 12:00 PM

DonavonP, I will be the first to admit tha there are a number of things that Rexhall can do better. One of their problems as you pointed out was insufficent cooling area for Workhorse chassis. The min is 550 sq in which I understand they had corrected by my coach. Earlier Rexhalls have had numerous problems with cooling.

edgray, you are right. I was defintely too hostile in my response to you. I was not criticizing Workhorse in the quality of the fabric although mine was very poor (not Fabric reinforced) I have totally redone it. Unless Rexhall cut the two side pieces to only fit from radiator to frame (entirely possible) Workhorse did not supply enough to fit from cooling pack to coach body. That was my main com;iant. Also there is no fabric supplied that goes frontward of the frame rail to the grill opening (again to direct all incoming air through the radiator)

DriVer · 04-20-2007, 04:45 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by scoutmstr:
Also there is no fabric supplied that goes frontward of the frame rail to the grill opening (again to direct all incoming air through the radiator) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I had a 97 Ford F250 with this type of device fitted to the front of the truck. Now if we can get an OEM to do the mod I think that would useful. WCC surely would not be able to provide a piece that would be suitable for use on all the OEMs that build on Workhorse due to the variety of configurations.

If you are convinced that you can make one for your rig I think that might be a good thing.

Jestme13 · 04-21-2007, 04:33 PM

Then there are cases of everything being done for cooling the manifolds "CAK", and even a creative approch by workhorse and still it burns plug wires

GO FIGURE. I believe workhorse needs to build the cool pack with direct channels to flow air to the manifolds that the box builders can not for the life of them, SCREW UP.

Now they would be responsable designers.

M&EM · 04-21-2007, 09:21 PM

Steve,
That might be called a robust design! or a 6 sigma design.

Gary N. · 04-23-2007, 05:51 PM

Workhorse authorized a repair center to install the kit on my unit because I had five bad spark plugs at 15000 miles. I knew of this kit for the burnt plug wire problem so I asked the tech if I had any bad wires and he said no.

I don't understand how this kit will keep the spark plugs from failing??