Vent Kit - Does it Really Help?

[westies]

New coach and when bringing it home I burnt #5 and #7 wires. So no problem they replaced the wire set. Next trip it was found that #5, #7 and #2 plugs were missing. So again no problem they replaced all the plugs. Last trip back to dealer I again detected a miss and again no problem we are putting in the vent kit. My question is that if I have a heat problem, I understand that the vent kit brings fresh air from behind the grill.........if you are crawling up a long grade in 90 degree temps, where is all this cooling air coming from when you are crawling along at 30 mph? Seems to me this is a waste of time and money. Where does Workhorse go when this fails?..........Or am I missing something? Needless to say, I am getting a little ticked and any explanations certainly will ease the situation. Thanks

[westies]

New coach and when bringing it home I burnt #5 and #7 wires. So no problem they replaced the wire set. Next trip it was found that #5, #7 and #2 plugs were missing. So again no problem they replaced all the plugs. Last trip back to dealer I again detected a miss and again no problem we are putting in the vent kit. My question is that if I have a heat problem, I understand that the vent kit brings fresh air from behind the grill.........if you are crawling up a long grade in 90 degree temps, where is all this cooling air coming from when you are crawling along at 30 mph? Seems to me this is a waste of time and money. Where does Workhorse go when this fails?..........Or am I missing something? Needless to say, I am getting a little ticked and any explanations certainly will ease the situation. Thanks

[Jestme13]

westies, the kit will cure the problem if installed correctly. The manifolds only get red hot and burn wires when under sustained heavy loads "hills, long grades, passing". so when this is the case you are moving fast enough to push enough cold air to the manifolds and prevent the burn down. In slow traffic there is no load, therefore no burning.

[oemtech]

This not a WCC problem per si. It is a coach builder problem, as there is not enough air allow through the grill area or the air flow around engine is impaired.

[Full-Timers]

Westies,
I too questioned the vent kit when they wanted to install it on my coach after burning the #5 wire 3 times. I called Workhorse and talked with Winston about getting enough cool air traveling up a 6% grade at 40mph in 100' temperature. He assured me they tested it and it Will do the trick. After the install I burnt another wire. Workhorse asked me if the output of the vent was directed directly at the #5 plug wire. It was not and after doing so, I have climbed long 6% grades in hot weather and have gone almost 10,000 miles with no more failures. With my results, I can only say, It must work.

[iRV4FUN]

Seems that we may be missing the point here. We are dealing with a lot of heat. Not only are our wires getting hot , so are we. In our passenger compartment, the heat radiates from the motor about an hour into our drive.

MotorHome Magazine (June 2006) has a article on Noisy Engines. I like my engine noise. I don't like the heat.

I've heard of some adding electric fans.

Seems like a good answer to the real problem of to much trapped air -- kind of like an oven.

My question is has anyone tried this approach?

2003 Dahman Daybreak P32 Workhorse 8.1L

[BellaBo]

I wonder if electric bilge fans used for boat fumes could be used? Maybe tied in with the electric radiator fans when they come on. I would think they could be installed and positioned so they don't compromise the rubber air dam in the engine compartment.

OEM guy probably already figured this one out.

[BellaBo]

http://www.marineparts.com/Kel/kel555.aspx

Here's a webpage with blowers listed. I read on a forum somewhere, that someone hooked one of these up as a ramair induction system for their fuel injection. They claimed it didn't impair the normal air flow and only turned it on when a they need a little boost in power??? Don't think I would do that though.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by iRV4FUN:
......, so are we. In our passenger compartment, the heat radiates from the motor about an hour into our drive. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Have you considered adding additional relective insulation under the dog house?

[Jestme13]

I have been studying this problem very closely, since my cab area is the proverbial oven. I am looking closely at some ducts and scoops to bring in and channel out air from the dog house and forward chassis area.

[bsinmich]

My problem is the bolts that hold the exhaust manifold keep breaking. I thought that was over when I went from the 454 but it seems to have followed me. Holland Motor Homes is the local WH Service and they had a wait until I could get in with the same problem on another coach. They ended up replacing the head because they could not get the bolts out.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bsinmich:
My problem is the bolts that hold the exhaust manifold keep breaking. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Do you mean the bolts broke more than once on the new head?

The cold air kit(CAK) should have been fitted at the same time the head was replace however the kit may not have been released at that time. I'd recommend the CAK, it works as advertised.

This week on TV re. the Pocono cup race I saw an air brake vent hose and it was just an open end air dump type vent hose exactly the same as the WCC CAK but slightly smaller.

You don't need much air but some helps a lot.

[bsinmich]

This is my first time for the bolts to break but it apparently is enough of a problem that I had to wait my turn in line to get the warranty work done. I would think WH would be very willing to put the CAK on to eliminate any future problems but that isn't the case.

[Jestme13]