Over Torqued Headbolts on Big Block 454

[HamRad Mobile]

Good morning, StopnGo; 

     Yup, there really is such a thing.  The Atwood GCH6A-10E 6 gallon version is going into my Elandan.  It is replacing the propane only fired version in there now.  As Terry said, the "H" in the Atwood model designation is for the "Heat Exchanger."  I think one name for this kind of engine coolant heat exchanger hot water system is the "Motor Aid."  The version I bought uses propane, 120 VAC electricity, and the engine coolant to warm the water.  And, you can also run different 5/8 inch hoses and pipes up to a solar heated hot water system for warming the water through that heat exchanger system when you are parked.   

     And, there are some school bus type vehicles that have up to three engine coolant remote heaters at intervals along the length of the body.  My old 1970 Ford Econoline E-310 "ClubWagon" van had one in it under the second bench seat.  At full coolant flow and high speed fan, it would run the passengers out of there.  Those remote engine coolant heaters do work. 

     Applying that same technology to a heat exchanger for a hot water tank is fairly simple.  Yes, like all additional things that are put on a vehicle, it does require that you go underneath every once in a while and look to see that there are no leaks and everything is still OK, but it is nice to have when everything is working properly.  And with the reputation of the Chevy 454 cid gasoline engine for "running hot," it is nice to have a little more heat dissipation capability in the warmer times of the year.  I also have a large external radiator just for the automatic transmission fluid, instead of running it into the engine cooling radiator.  Yes, you can get a thermostat to control the ATF temperature also. 

          Enjoy; 

          Ralph 
          Latté Land, Washington 

[stopngo]

Thank you All seriously. I apologize for appearing to be a doubting Thomas.
Great Forum. Thanks again. Will certainly check mine out.

[Rickf1985]

A lot of people put that heat exchanger type of hot water heater down but it is nice to have hot water as soon as you get to where you are going or even while on the road without having the propane going. Same with the auxiliary rear heater, there is no way the engine heater is going to heat a 31 foot RV from the front so having another heater running off of the engine coolant in the back is great. That way you do not have to run the propane for the heater. And if you have a DC powered fridge then you do not have to have the propane turned on at all.
If you have the dog box off you will see the Tee fittings on the heater hoses on the right side of the engine.

[stopngo]

Tee fittings

Guess I don't have that option then. I thought mine had all the bells and whistles. I do have thermostatically controlled 2 way fans in the Vents though.

[HamRad Mobile]

Good morning, Rick and Stop'nGo; 

     There are also 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 inch "Y" shaped heater hose "fittings."  I used those with the additional things I had put into the 1970 Ford E-310 van and its Ford 302 V-8 engine, such as the dual 850 Watt engine block heaters (one on each side) that I put into the E-310.  I felt that the lower turbulence and a higher flow rate with the "Y" type was better than with the "Tee" type that I could find locally.  I also used them with the remote heater in the back.  And it was nice to have them come on with the timer about two hours before the alarm clock went off in the morning, and by the time I went out to the truck to head to the shop, the engine was warm, and the windshield was clear of dew or frost, and usually most of the snow. 

     That particular engine in the E-310 van was known for running cool, plus the use of the air conditioner rated engine radiator (I had ordered it with everything for the air conditioner, except the air conditioner), meant that usually it did not warm up until I arrived at the shop, so the engine block heaters were installed to overcome that tendency in the Winter.   That pair of heaters did the job very well. 

          Enjoy; 

          Ralph 
          Latté Land, Washington 

[stopngo]

Interesting.

[SLEETH]

got a pn# for the y-fittings 1/2 & 5/8=cant buyem around here

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

http://www.dormanproducts.com/gsearch.aspx?type=keyword&origin=keyword&q=heater-hose-connectors&parttype=HVAC%2520Heater%2520Hose%2520Connector&start=0&num=100

[Rickf1985]

E-310?? E350 maybe?

[SLEETH]

special addition rick

[Rickf1985]

E250.66   :)rotflmao i??   Sorry Ralph, couldn't resist. W%

[stopngo]

Good morning, StopnGo; 

     Yup, there really is such a thing.  The Atwood GCH6A-10E 6 gallon version is going into my Elandan.  It is replacing the propane only fired version in there now.  As Terry said, the "H" in the Atwood model designation is for the "Heat Exchanger."  I think one name for this kind of engine coolant heat exchanger hot water system is the "Motor Aid."  The version I bought uses propane, 120 VAC electricity, and the engine coolant to warm the water.  And, you can also run different 5/8 inch hoses and pipes up to a solar heated hot water system for warming the water through that heat exchanger system when you are parked.   

     And, there are some school bus type vehicles that have up to three engine coolant remote heaters at intervals along the length of the body.  My old 1970 Ford Econoline E-310 "ClubWagon" van had one in it under the second bench seat.  At full coolant flow and high speed fan, it would run the passengers out of there.  Those remote engine coolant heaters do work. 

     Applying that same technology to a heat exchanger for a hot water tank is fairly simple.  Yes, like all additional things that are put on a vehicle, it does require that you go underneath every once in a while and look to see that there are no leaks and everything is still OK, but it is nice to have when everything is working properly.  And with the reputation of the Chevy 454 cid gasoline engine for "running hot," it is nice to have a little more heat dissipation capability in the warmer times of the year.  I also have a large external radiator just for the automatic transmission fluid, instead of running it into the engine cooling radiator.  Yes, you can get a thermostat to control the ATF temperature also. 

          Enjoy; 

          Ralph 
          Latté Land, Washington

And Good Morning to you Mr Hamrad

I also have a large external radiator just for the automatic transmission fluid, instead of running it into the engine cooling radiator.  Yes, you can get a thermostat to control the ATF temperature also. 

I would think a Thermostat would be a Must. Too cool trans fluid is probably just as harmful as too hot.

Having said that IMHO.........The Transmission likes to be around 180 which is in line with the 180 thermostat. Unless there is a problem with the Factory Cooling system there is nothing IMO that can be done to improve transmission optimum temperature of 180 as long as the Fan and Radiator can keep up. If not the Engine will be toast in short Order.........No?? Just my take on things.

[HamRad Mobile]

E-310? ? E350 maybe?

Good morning, Rick and Stop'nGo;   

     Yes, Rick, it really was an E-310.  This was back in the late 1960s.  The vehicle was a 1970 Ford E-300 Series One Ton Model E-310 Ford "ClubWagon" van with windows all the way around and at least two rows of seats so that it could be driven on all of the "parkways" on the East Coast that were listed as "for passenger cars only."  It was built on the 123.5 inch wheelbase version chassis instead of the standard 108 wheelbase, and while the standard engine was the 300 cid inline 6 cylinder engine, for the performance minded, there was available the bigger truck version of the Ford 302 V-8 (which was my choice) feeding a Ford RAT or 3.03 three speed manual transmission going back to a Dana 60E3 rear axle with 3.73 gears in it and 800 by 16.5 Load Range D tyres on the ends of the axle.  It had everything in it for the air conditioner, except the air conditioner.   It was designed to be a highway cruiser.  Between 71 and 73 MPH it seemed to drop into a resonance and just hummed on the highway.   I put a lot of miles on it, but it did not survive the death of a marriage.  I had that vehicle for 23 years, and I still miss it.   

     Actually, the Ford was my compromise vehicle that the woman I was married to at that time was willing to accept.  This was around the time that I had become aware of the motor home RV, and I was interested in the Dodge Travco, but she vetoed that idea.  Well, it did take a few more years, yes, but two years ago I finally did get a motor home; the Winnebago Elandan. 

     Some of the things I did with the Ford E-310 are things I am also doing now to the Winnebago Elandan to see if I can improve some performance characteristics in the same way that I did with the Ford. 

     And, for Stop'nGo; yes, I agree that the 180º thermostat to help get the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) up to temperature and keep it at that optimum point is a good idea, and that is why I mentioned it in the earlier message.  There is also a deeper aluminum transmission oil pan with 2.5 quarts additional ATF capacity.  The 3L80 (or THM-475b) transmission has been "reprogrammed" for less clutch slippage and more "positive" shifting (translation; less heat generation).  Even the engine oil filter is a bigger "double length" or "2 quart" oil filter.  I have had sufficient temperature related problems with this motor home and the loss of the Chevy 454 engine last Summer due mainly to the blocked air flow through the radiator core, which could not be seen until the air conditioner condenser had been tilted down away from in front of the radiator.   

     There have been several things with my motor home that I felt could be improved by adding to or modifying things to make them perform better.   I am doing what I can to not only make it perform better, but also do do so more reliably. 

          Enjoy; 

          Ralph 
          Latté Land, Washington 

[M & J]

Rick is on a bit of a Sabatical and will return around the end of the month 

[stopngo]

Rick is on a bit of a Sabatical and will return around the end of the month

Wow he sure gets a lot a Holidays Huh?? Or as we say in Canada.........Eehhhh!!!!!   Guess my Winnie has to wait.

[stopngo]

Oil Test Results are in . Substantial Glycol in oil

[bluebird]

Intake or head gaskets, could be either. Were the heads crack checked when they were off? Usually with a cracked head though it just burns in the cylinder.

[stopngo]

I doubt very much whether they were checked. Once the antifreeze gets in from the research I did ,simply changing the oil and filter does nothing.
It is like Cancer cells and at least 15% of oil remains in the engine at oil change time. The new oil additives then set up an ugly reaction with the residual
contaminated oil and the cycle repeats itself.

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/193/oil-glycol