Diesel pusher heat transfer

[dgrsjim]

Our Holiday Rambler pusher has a problem with heat from the engine entering the area over the motor. During travel the rear of cabin is unbearably hot. I installed a heat insulated blanket under access hatch, but it is still too hot. Anyone else have similar experience?


2015 HR Ambassador 38

[Mr_D]

Evidently as Country Coach put a secondary OTR air con unit under the bed in my rig. I guess the found the an ISX creates a lot of heat in the bedroom.
Have yet to need it though since I haven't traveled in hot weather areas yet.
The interior of the engine bay is covered with insulation sealed and taped in place with aluminum tape. Due to the engine size there is very little air space around the engine and overflow tank to add more insulation.

[gcamper]

Our 2016 Winnebago Journey does the same thing.

[Dutch Star Don]

"dgrsjim"......You don't say what year and model Holiday Rambler you have, but Monaco had an issue with the Camelots heating up the bedroom. I believe the HR equivalent is the Scepter. The engine compartment was built very flat and low to the engine. The solution was cutting a 6' by about 10" tall opening above the engine doors. They then installed two electric automotive fans with thermostats.

Our friends had the issue and their son did the rework. It was a reasonably easy project.

If you don't have that model, you may need to get someone small into the engine bay and add some more insulation.

[Ray,IN]

I understand the problem, however I've not experienced than with my side-radiator Spartan chassis.
ThermoTec makes insulating products for racing under-hood applications, scroll down to Cool-it mat to find the details.

[slowmachine]

My Endeavor has an air gap between the rear cap and the rear bedroom floor, and another air gap around the radiator/CAC assembly. Both allow heated air from the engine bay to accumulate in the rear cap, where it can then flow freely into the bedroom ceiling. I used a combination of tubular foam plumbing insulation, swimming pool "noodles", and expanding spray foam, to seal the gaps. I know for sure that this air gap is a problem for pest intrusion, and it seems like an unnecessary health risk in the case of an exhaust leak, but those are different discussions.

The bedroom will always get warm, especially on longer drives, because insulation only slows heat transfer. If you can reduce the surface area where heat can travel into the bedroom, you should see a reduction. You have only three tools, insulation, ventilation, and air conditioning. The best place for insulation is on the outside. If you slide under the coach and look around at the bottom of the floor, you may see areas where insulation could be increased.

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by dgrsjim

Our Holiday Rambler pusher has a problem with heat from the engine entering the area over the motor. During travel the rear of cabin is unbearably hot. I installed a heat insulated blanket under access hatch, but it is still too hot. Anyone else have similar experience?


2015 HR Ambassador 38

Maybe all the insulation did not get installed at the factory. We are on our second DP, both have gotten warm back there but not hot. The good news is that it's toasty back there in the winter.

[Fiesta48]

I bought aluminum covered felt at Home Depot. $20 for a roll appox 24 x 96. Used spray adhesive and fender washers/screws to attach. Everywhere I could find a place in the engine compartment. Our rear bath floor is cooler but the biggest advantage is reduced engine noise. Before adding, noise was just bouncing around on several hard surfaces. Only at rear rad is it noisy and hot.

[slickest1]

We had an 01 H R Imperial and it would get warm in the bedroom traveling on a hot day.
It was not unbearable. It had a side radiator but had solid doors on the back. I was going to vent the doors so the air flow would be better and would aid in getting the heat out. I don't know for sure if that would help but it does seem logical.

[CountryB]

There are a lot of "stick on" flexible heat shields available. They are easy to apply - you just apply it directly to the inside floor surface above the engine compartment area under the bed/carpeting.

I used this "spray on" product on the floor of my truck (under the carpeting of course). It works very well. There are several similar (liquid applied or "mat" like products). https://www.summitracing.com/parts/liz-13032/overview/

I would stick a temp probe (like a cooking probe) in the area and see how much actual heat your getting. And put that probe in the engine compartment and see how hot that area is getting. As someone else mentioned, you may be better off finding a way to evacuate the heat from the engine compartment rather than to block it from entering the bedroom.

[hypoxia]

The extreme temperatures are from the exhaust, the engine is only around 200 degrees. Exhaust is over 1000 degrees.

Exhaust wrap or ceramic coating will keep a lot of the exhaust heat in the pipe.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

Hope you get the problem solved! Keep her between the ditches!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!