[Loc]

This is only an opinion. Others may disagree and in the end you have to decide what to do.

We have had 3 XL coaches, and while different from an H I think I understood how and why Prevost evolved the designs relating to engine cooling.

On the first coach the engine cooling fan drew air through the radiator and there was an opening to the ground around the engine and also on the passenger side engine area door there were slots for air flow. The air drawn through the radiator spilled down and out the bottom openings, and to an extent out the side door slots.

The second coach was similar, but there appeared to be less opening at the sides of the engine to the ground, but in the rear engine doors there were full width slots at the top of the doors where the low pressure area immediately behind the coach drew air from the engine area out through those slots in addition to air flow out the bottom and side door slots.

The current XLII has completely different air flow. The driver’s side opening next to the engine is closed with a plastic shield and there is a vertical baffle to direct air flow with a warning it needs to be in place. The opening to the ground on the passenger side remains, but to escape there the air flow through the radiator has to go over and around the engine. But what is significant is the rear doors are probably 75% open area through louvers that spill air into the low pressure area behind the coach.

Each coach was clearly designed to provide a path for cooling air flow. A converter told me on my first coach not to use a full width flap under the rear bumper because while it was stylish with a polished stainless decorative strip or a converter’s name the flaps inhibited air flow out the bottom of the coach. My XLII does have a full width rear flap and that appears to be a part of the design to create a greater pressure differential at the rear of the coach so air flow out the door louvers is increased.

Prevost once stated at a seminar how many millions they spend on cooling system design so the engine manufacturer will provide a warranty for the engine. I am sure we are not running our coaches in such temperature extremes that we have over heating issues, but anything we do to hamper or redirect air flow, or increase our HP and thus add to the heat load will push us closer to having issues, especially if we live in the desert southwest, tow a heavy trailer or have to climb steep mountains.

The only coach I ever had cooling issues with was the original with a 8V92 engine that seemed to cause the radiator to slowly have blockages despite adhering to the required cooling system maintenance schedule. Both Series 60 engines never experienced cooling issues.

[Jeff]

I know I have an XL, but that area on my coach is closed in and is where my chassis batteries are mounted.

[Roy]

John, I don’t know that I would want to put anything in that location that could not easily be removed for service purposes. As to the skirting (Vantare is the only one I’ve seen with it) I’ve never understood it’s purpose. Maybe someone can enlighten me. Ours has been removed and I’ve been up and down just about every mountain chain in north America and often towing a 32′ trailer with no cooling issues. Geo.

[AL]

I doubt a tool box would cause you any issues, but totally enclosing it may be a bad idea. My previous Marathon H had a really nice Aluminum box in that location for storage. It was a PIA removing to get to the engine, but I sure miss it for carrying stuff that heat wouldn’t bother.

Corey – I think the skirting is just for a reduction in water spray for the driving public.

[Fred F.]

Can’t yet say that I’m a fan or not of the skirting or the rear flap. I wondered if the skirting helped or hurt air flow from house airs or generator. This afternoon I got a welcome surprise when the house air woke up & blows a cool 55. Back to the issue at hand though. I am curious the affect of trapping generator outlet air especially during summer months. I assume the rear flap helps keep bouncing rocks off the toad. That would be a plus but it is kinda ugly though. On my Eagle the OTR AC compressor & AC radiator fan combo was located in this same compartment. It didn’t work so it had to go. I enclosed that area for start batteries, tool box & supplies, oil, filters, etc. I never saw an affect on engine temp but the Eagle has a 6V92 not a 8V92. The 8V is more of an air hog if you will. By the way it’s been fun watching my wife try & figure out what to do with all the storage space.

[Archived]

John, this is mine. A tray that holds an extra section of sewer hose.

[Kirby]

“Storage space”… she’ll find something for every inch of it, LOL.

Linda

[tom]

This post is for the guys. The ladies are not allowed to read it.

When we all get our coaches, whether we have traded or whether it is a new purchase we all go through the process of loading the coach. We actually consider if we need certain items and generally we tend to pack wisely. Typically when we think we are done loading and outfitting our coach we still have room and what we are carrying is often enough for the average trip of 10,000 miles.

But as time passes the men decide to add more tools or more spares. We buy different types of tire dressings and waxes. If we have one set of box and open end wrenches we justify adding a second set “just in case”. After a while the space we are allowed is used up.

Upstairs in the house we we men are allocated one drawer and 12″ of hanging space in a closet we find someone else’s clothes starting to crowd our already modest space entitlement. We then find the medicine cabinet crowded with makeup, and other items like 6 bottles of Motrin “just in case”. The pantry seems to be the collection point for enough napkins and paper plates for a small army. We end up with 5 different kinds of cereal “just in case” as well as duplicates of all kinds of canned food that we likely haven’t eaten in years.

We accumulate extra cookware, small appliances, more bath towels than the average Bed and Bath store all “just in case”.

If you are a women this is the part where you have to stop reading. Now!

On occasion is either go on a trip in the bus by myself, or if I have nothing better to do and I am willing to endure the wrath of my wife (if caught) I secretly go in the bus with big black strong garbage bags and start loading them with stuff I see as excessive extras, stuff we haven’t used in years, items we haven’t eaten in a decade but have been carrying around forever, small appliances we haven ever used, etc.

Then I find a spot out of the way in the garage and stack the bags so nothing get damage. In other words I am protecting these valuable assets that I removed from the coach.

If after a trip or two I have not been asked where the 5 extra bottles of Motrin are, or where the bagel toaster is I fess up to the need to take some stuff out of the bus. I am very careful to never say to create some space or room because that is an invitation to load up more stuff.

This method might not work for everyone. It requires a great deal of care in explaining what happened to a widget that was removed four years ago, but it is a vital part of bus maintenance and despite how it has to be done, it is required.

What Andre and Ann are about to find out if they have not already is going from a no slide coach to a 2 slide coach is going to be their wake up call regarding this practice of loading or overloading. Every slide takes up space usually available in a non slide coach.

[Archived]

Kirby, My Wife has an interesting method of loading the coach. Our Coach could be 80 feet long and she would have every nook and cranny filled. Case in point One knight I was going to fix some potatoes on the grill. I ask Dear where are the potatoes at She quickly said I will get them, As she walks past me she goes into the bathroom. Me thinking nature calls. Wrong I look up she comes out of the bathroom with the bag of potatoes. I said you surely did not have those in the medicine cabinet did you? Nope She said they are full I keep these underneath the bathroom sink. I could not find the Salt and Pepper . I cooked with out it. I did not want to know where they were.