E450 heat from engine cover

Deb and Ed M wrote:


Thanks! That's good to know - we're probably stuck with the larger engine options simply to be able to tow 5000# so Hubby can use the "C" at the race track. But whatever we look at, we'll be taking the doghouse off and seeing where the exhaust manifolds go....

Don't omit the Chevy on that basis. The 6.0 V8 is very impressive in these C's. They can tow 5000#.

Snowman9000 wrote:

Deb and Ed M wrote:
Our 2003 E-450 chassis was a foot-cooker on the passenger side.... This is something we'll be watching carefully as we search for a new "C".

Obviously in many cases you have no choice but a Ford. Some of the big brands have some small and midsize Chevy C's. We have had two, and there is no heat problem at all. They are also very quiet as far as engine noise goes.

Thanks! That's good to know - we're probably stuck with the larger engine options simply to be able to tow 5000# so Hubby can use the "C" at the race track. But whatever we look at, we'll be taking the doghouse off and seeing where the exhaust manifolds go....

j-d wrote:

TyroneandGladys wrote:
...lack of airflow up and around the engine. ...fabricated an air dam that is bolted on below and behind the front bumper...

Could you get a couple pix of this fabrication? If you can't post them, PM or email me and I can do it.

I took a set of warped MoPar manifolds in to be machined back to flat. Machinist said "Out of a Van, Right? Poor air flow gets'em all the time."

On this topic, I believe we can abuse our manifolds. How? By diving right into the first gas station off the Interstate, and shutting down immediately. Cruise around slowly for a couple minutes. At least let it idle a little, then shut down. Can I prove it? Nope, but we've had less warping/leaks/loose/broken fasteners than many have reported.

. I think you are right. A while back someone on here posted that he observed the manifolds glowing read after a hill climb. He did some testing and concluded that several minutes of idling brought the temperature way down. After replacing manifold gaskets once and cracking the exhaust manifolds a year later I installed headers and that fixed the problem and also reduce heat under the dog house. Adding another layer of insulation eliminated the hot foot.

Deb and Ed M wrote:
Our 2003 E-450 chassis was a foot-cooker on the passenger side.... This is something we'll be watching carefully as we search for a new "C".

Obviously in many cases you have no choice but a Ford. Some of the big brands have some small and midsize Chevy C's. We have had two, and there is no heat problem at all. They are also very quiet as far as engine noise goes.

TyroneandGladys wrote:
...lack of airflow up and around the engine. ...fabricated an air dam that is bolted on below and behind the front bumper...

Could you get a couple pix of this fabrication? If you can't post them, PM or email me and I can do it.

I took a set of warped MoPar manifolds in to be machined back to flat. Machinist said "Out of a Van, Right? Poor air flow gets'em all the time."

On this topic, I believe we can abuse our manifolds. How? By diving right into the first gas station off the Interstate, and shutting down immediately. Cruise around slowly for a couple minutes. At least let it idle a little, then shut down. Can I prove it? Nope, but we've had less warping/leaks/loose/broken fasteners than many have reported.

My local shop explained to me the main cause for the excessive heat is lack of airflow up and around the engine. With no airflow the heat builds up and is not flushed out. They fabricated an air dam that is bolted on below and behind the front bumper. This forces air up and around the engine and flushes the heat out. Made a HUGE difference.

Thanks for your replies. Problem solved..bought a Class A!

I haven't noticed a problem Opps I have a Chevy

Our 2003 E-450 chassis was a foot-cooker on the passenger side. The exhaust manifold was only 1-1/4" away from the steel floorboard - I can't believe the carpet didn't melt. We added a heat shield on the manifold and additional insulation on the floor - each helped a bit; it was finally when I built a plywood platform (that allowed air circulation under it) to rest my feet on, that it was tolerable. This is something we'll be watching carefully as we search for a new "C".

Is the heat coming from the engine cover - or from the floor? Most folks mention it as coming primarily from the cab floor area in their E350/E450 Class C rigs.

Heat shields underneath between the exhaust pipe and the floor keep heat under control in our Winnebago product (Itasca Class C). These heat shields appear to be a Winnebago installation - as they're shown in Winnebago parts diagrams and have Winnebago part numbers assigned to them.

I'll bet that these heat shields could be ordered from a Winnebago parts supplier and installed on any E350/E450 based Class C. My heat shields do not connect in any way with the coach structure itself ... the shields are connected to the Ford frame.