Community Forums

Darbycreek · 09-06-2005, 12:41 PM

Was driving along last weekend and all of a sudden heard a loud noise coming from under hood. Stopped to investigate and found it was the cooling fans making the noise. Since I was not too far from home, I called local WH Service shop. He said I should bring it back in, instead of continueing the trip, to let him check it out. When I got to shop and he checked it out, his comment was"Oh that is normal for the 8.1". Their was another WH owner there getting plug wires replaced and he also said "Mine is louder than yours.
My question to all of you, is this true on everyone of them? If it is WH needs to take a look, as this noise is very disturbing when trying to talk to someone in the passenger seat

Darbycreek · 09-06-2005, 12:41 PM

Was driving along last weekend and all of a sudden heard a loud noise coming from under hood. Stopped to investigate and found it was the cooling fans making the noise. Since I was not too far from home, I called local WH Service shop. He said I should bring it back in, instead of continueing the trip, to let him check it out. When I got to shop and he checked it out, his comment was"Oh that is normal for the 8.1". Their was another WH owner there getting plug wires replaced and he also said "Mine is louder than yours.
My question to all of you, is this true on everyone of them? If it is WH needs to take a look, as this noise is very disturbing when trying to talk to someone in the passenger seat

troth · 09-07-2005, 01:59 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">My question to all of you, is this true on everyone of them? If it is WH needs to take a look, as this noise is very disturbing when trying to talk to someone in the passenger seat </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Every coach I've been in since the mid '80s has had substantial fan noise when they kick on. But it's no big deal to me, and I've never had a problem maintaining a conversation or hearing the stereo up front. Granted it's a change in the noise level, but generally the fans kick back off after a minute or two anyway. You might want to consider getting one of those insulation blankets to mount under your doghouse cover. What kind of coach do you have?

Captain Bud · 09-07-2005, 02:27 AM

Troth is right, all I've ever been in make noise. I look at it as a good thing, when driving along for a length of time, I tend not to scan my gauges frequently enough. However when those fans come on, I get a wake-up to check all my gauges to verify if it was a normal operation or there is something wrong.

E Z Livin · 09-07-2005, 03:03 AM

I thought my transmission was slipping on my first trip. My Brother in Law told me it was the fans. Looked in the manual and Workhorse even has a statement that tells you to not think your transmission is slipping, that it is only the fans.
Like you, I wish there was a way to quite them down. Mine are very noisy and my wife and I just quit talking until they cut off. My gauge always runs below half, but they cut on any way. Quess they are doing there job.

DriVer · 09-07-2005, 04:59 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Darbycreek:
If it is WH needs to take a look, as this noise is very disturbing when trying to talk to someone in the passenger seat </div></BLOCKQUOTE>If you run your air conditioner, the fans will come on. The fans do more to cool your air conditioning system than anything else.

They do cut in on excessive engine heat but there's a huge fan with a clutch that does practically all the engine cooling.

Depending on who your coach builder is you may experience different sound levels from the fans. You may have also noticed that the fans feature variable speed. They will make more sound when there is more demand.

The sound that your are hearing is the engine taking care of itself and rest assured aside from disturbing your conversation your engine is running the way it was designed.

Workhorse can do little if anything to reduce the sound level since they don't build the coach body. As suggested if it's possible for you do do so you may want to pursue some type of sound barrier on the inside of your doghouse. That might help.

What most of us have experienced is that the low placement of the engine in between the frame rails allows much of the engine sound to pass through. Our engine sound isn't at all troubling and we can maintain a normal conversation.

I am reassured when I hear my fans cut in that I don't have to concern myself about my cooling system.

The only way to absolutely cure your engine sound concerns would be to consider getting into a rear diesel pusher. WCC makes an R-Series that you may want to check out and there are a few other manufacturers that also make RDP products.

tmitchell · 09-07-2005, 08:31 AM

My last motor home was a 2002 on the workhorse chassis. One of the few if any complaints I had was the roar from the cooling fans. They would come on when I was driving in 80 degree weather on level ground. I could understand them activating in hot weather or driving up an incline.

"007" · 09-07-2005, 11:23 AM

I have never seen my temp gage go above 1/2 or below 1/2

just know everything is a ok when those fans come on. On the Fords I had owned temp gage did have movement but alot louder

than WH. Still like the sound of them fans.

"007"

ronboc · 09-08-2005, 12:28 PM

Hi -

In trying to nail-down some subtle squeaking noises I was getting from what sounds like somewhere 'overhead and behind me' (I think it's a slide-out, but still checking), I needed to quiet that irritating wind-noise and fan/engine roar coming from up front, too.

I looked up and under the dash, and found there was minimal insulation to temper the sounds (However, I was amazed that the huge bundles of wires crammed in there didn't stop ALL sounds from coming thru, but that's a different story). Anyways, images of high-tech sound-absorbing foam, lead-lined panels and double-insulated vacuum-gaps filled my head for a moment, and then I hit on a temporary solution.

I quickly ran out and procured several Synthetic Cranial-Support Recumbent-Repose Actuators (SCSRRA) and carefully stuffed them in and under the dash open spaces, and then took a test-drive. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Those old flat foam-pillows .... ahhh, I mean SCSRRA's.... cut down on most of the high-frequency engine and wind sounds as well as muffled some of the road-noise coming thru too. I was careful to not dislodge and wiring or impede any controls/levers, and made sure the vents were't obstructed either. Didn't try it with a sound-level meter, but the subjective changes were good enough for me.

I had stuffed carpet-padding up under the dash on my previous motorhome, but this is better. The original plan was to use the SCSRRA's til I found my squeak, but I may leave them in there now since this works so good.

Thanks,
Ron

DriVer · 09-08-2005, 06:02 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by tmitchell:
They would come on when I was driving in 80 degree weather on level ground. I could understand them activating in hot weather or driving up an incline. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Weather conditions have little to do with the auxiliary cooling fans. They basically serve the air conditioning condenser coil. The fans will come on at anytime you are running the air conditioner.

N9UOM · 10-24-2005, 07:32 AM

I have noticed that my 2 electric fans on my bounder don't make the "roaring" sound when runnig they are pretty quite, but when the main engine fan kicks in, HOLD ON BETTSY, sounds like a bunch of lions comen at me, i bet the wind that the main fan makes is a Cat 2 hurican!!! hold on!!!

YosemiteBobR · 10-26-2005, 10:03 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The only way to absolutely cure your engine sound concerns would be to consider getting into a rear diesel pusher. WCC makes an R-Series that you may want to check out and there are a few other manufacturers that also make RDP products. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Been there done that - my wife likes to rest in peace (no pun intended) and she had no rest with the engine under her.

crashnash · 05-23-2016, 07:20 PM

I would like to know where to get a replacement cooling fan motor or assembly. I do not know if you can replace just the motor and if you can buy aftermarket motor.

CJ7365 · 05-23-2016, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crashnash

I would like to know where to get a replacement cooling fan motor or assembly. I do not know if you can replace just the motor and if you can buy aftermarket motor.

Hey Crash welcome, you could try Ultra RV Products They are a site sponsor and great customer service.