What is the best tempeture to run a 3208 engine?

[Gregory OConnor]

Engine water temps are a result of friction of operation and the
ability to cool. Any one factor in the equation will change the
operation temp. To keep the water cool does not mean that you have
reduced the engine stress. if you over build the cooling ability you
lose the temp stress gauge. Engine oil temp is closer to a gauge
of friction stress. but engine oil is effected also by water temp.

When I make a hill climb. I always down shift and find a range where
I can maintain a higher rpm but have the ability to move the bus
faster by dumping more fuel. This tells me I am running the bus with
less stress that the maximum engineered .

It is quite possible to overheat an engine on a long down hill run
with engine backpressure and over the limit rpm. I find a down hill
comfort zone there I can relax knowing if the little 12 volt wire
that is keeping my tranny in drive fails I can still use my brakes
independent of any jake, driveline, exhaust, or trans relarder. Down
hill is a chance for the fleetwoods to catch up.

Its shamefull that he can return tuesday to 'good news' that it is
not a $20K repair but simply a $6,500.00 head gasket job. I had a
government fund letter requesting over $100,000 for underpayment of
club dues. After a review by a private mathmatician, he said, "I have
good news, you only owe $17,800.00",,, no relief was experienced.



GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> On my 82 Fc 3208 NA with an aftermarket turbo, the electric fan
clutch kicks in at about
> 195 degrees and immediately starts dropping the temperature. (I
haven't installed the
> manual switch overrride yet but I will). When climbing grades in
temperatures above the
> mid-90's the clutch almost always kicks in and reduces the
temperature. If the
> temperature of the engine kept climbing, instead of dropping, I'd
slow down or pull over
> and let it cool down for a while. This has never happened to me.
> I also think it is quite premature to conclude that Andy's problems
were caused by high
> coolant temperatures when climbing grades in hot weather. I don't
think anyone knows
> why the head gasket failed. It's possible that the head gasket
failed first, causing higher
> coolant temperatures. It seems extremely unlikely to me that
running a 3208 at 200
> degrees, which is the temperature that Andy reported, would by
itself cause headgasket
> failure. Headgaskets do fail, and a google shows reports of people
replacing headgaskets
> on 3208s.
> I think there's an odd combination of events associated with Andy's
problems that should
> be considered. He reported repeated problems with belts coming off
earlier this year,
> then he had a fan clutch bearing failure,then he had a water pump
failure, replaced it, then
> had the head gasket failure. Alll those items are associated with
the cooling system.
> There's something odd going on. I'd want to try to figure out if
these problems are related
> and perhaps have a common cause. He also said his coolant lines to
the rest of the coach
> were disconnected. Is it possible that blocking those lines can
cause inadequate coolant
> circulation or high pressure leading to the other problems?
>
> Kerry
> 82 FC 35
> Denver
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jon" wrote:
> >
> > Just completed reading about Andy's trouble up in Reno and was
> > wondering at what temperature should these old 3208'S run at?
> >
> > And I have just drove down to California from Washington and the
> > average temperature outside during the day coming down I-5 in
Redding
> > were over 100 degrees. Could this possibly have cause part of his
> > problems with this heat situation?
> >
> > Also is there anything that you can use in your coolant to
lubricate
> > the water pump?
> >
> > Oh yes one more thing, would you think when you are in really hot
> > weather it would be better to run your machine at night to
wherever
> > your going?
> >
> > Jon
> > Rebel Bird
> >
>