Heat after a long day's drive

Don, I would think that a sheet metal shield would help, said shield to be suspended between exhaust and floor bottom. It would be considerable work to fabricate and install with durability in mind. Your box fan idea might work just as well.

It's a result of the various aspects of a C. A big engine in front, a long exhaust system to reach down the back, and a floor that's not a couple feet higher like it is in an A. The fact that it's at or very close to it's GVWR also doesn't help since the engine is working so hard, thereby making more excess heat.

Some reflective heat shielding might help, but it find a very slow drive for a few minutes does a pretty good job of dissipating the heat. In fact if where I'm stopping for the night is right off the highway I'll often take an intentional 'wrong turn' and do a little drive around and scout out the area before actually parking for the night.

Any chance of insulating between the catalytic converter and the floor?

Is your infloor radiate heater turned off? :)

Seriously, though, the tires will be hot, the exhaust is hot, drive train, etc. The asphalt/ground is probably hot from the sun before you parked there.

I bet if you crawled underneath and CAREFULLY felt around with your hand (in the air, not actually touching anything), you'll find the spot with the most heat.

Heat shields and such can help, but if there isn't air moving over the area, it must eventually radiate upwards.

I find that most of the heat comes from the mass of the eng. I put a double layer in insulation on the inside of the doghouse and open my hood after a long hot ride to let the heat dissipate. The exhaust system cools off quickly because it is thin compared to the eng and transmission.

Don,

The simple fix that I found is to open the hood when you stop for an hour or so to let most of the heat out instead of trapping it inside. Works well and doesn't cost a thing. Give it a try and see what you think.

John

Hi,

There is already a heat shield over the catalytic converter.

I like the hood idea and I'll try it.

As for driving slow -- I already only go 78 kph (49 mph), much slower that perhaps I should not go. If I wish to have "legs" on a particular day I'll bump that up to 90 kph (55 mph). Yesterday was one of those days--826 kilometers covered.

The scan gauge tells me the engine in summer time runs at between 202 and 216 F. Once it hits 216 the cooling fan jumps into operation and the range of temperatures becomes 202 to 211.

Sheeze! Freezing or Boiling. Poor Don!

Hi Mex,

Yes, it hit 32 c (91f) yesterday. I'm in the Rocky Mountains today so it will be much cooler (thank heavens).

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Sheeze! Freezing or Boiling. Poor Don!