Alcohol Evaporator, Block Heater etc.

[devilman96]

I think these guys have everything under the sun for heaters... http://www.kimhotstart.com/kimhotstart/sub.aspx?id=3813

From what I was reading they are all serviceable units... Meaning if it takes a crap on you its repairable rather than just replaceable... Kinda nice when you are in for the long haul...

 

[JDToumanian]

Bjorn, I just caught your note on the bottom of that PS Magazing article about not forming the J-bend at the top of the vent line due to the risk of clogging...

My truck has already had this MWO installed and my truck has the j-bend in it. Is it worth modifying? What is the risk of clogging and what clogs it? Gunked up brake fluid? Ice? (That wouldn't be a problem out here...)

Regards,
Jon

 

[cranetruck]

Jon, as you know the little breathers are spring loaded and do work in any position, but upside down you open the possibility of filling the cap with water, condensation, oil or whatever and in that case it wont open. When it doesn't open your brakes wont release.

I took it one step further and separated my airpak vent completely from the other vents. I hear a distinct hiss as the brakes are released.
Kind of a confirmation of the workings of the brakes.

 

[baja_power]

Bringing back an old one here....

Since the majority of the air still will come from the engine air filter, will only a part of the incoming air be from the alcohol evaporator? Would it be overkill to build a massive evaporator with the intake using the 1" ID fitting on the bottom of the intake?

 

[cranetruck]

Bringing back an old one here....

Since the majority of the air still will come from the engine air filter, will only a part of the incoming air be from the alcohol evaporator? Would it be overkill to build a massive evaporator with the intake using the 1" ID fitting on the bottom of the intake?

The vaporizer shown in the TMs is all you will need, vapor of methanol is taken in by the compressor and mixed with the (if any) water in the air system. The system uses about a pint of alcohol every 1,000 miles or so in my experience....

 

[Stonewall]

Please check out a thread from sasquatchsanta, titled forty below deuce. It discusses the block heater option and gives a p/n for the heater from carquest. He used the front and rear freeze plug on the passenger side of the engine.

 

[bgekky3]

This is what I set up for the alcohol evaporator. Before you laugh at the duct tape and the foam insulation, take into consideration I had to swap in a broken engine last weekend and next weekend I am moving across the country. I used some fittings I had in my scrap brass bin and a pasta sause jar with a steel lid. Once I get to Ohio I will fab up a bracket and make it look nice.

 

[FMJ]

This is what I set up for the alcohol evaporator. Before you laugh at the duct tape and the foam insulation, take into consideration I had to swap in a broken engine last weekend and next weekend I am moving across the country. I used some fittings I had in my scrap brass bin and a pasta sause jar with a steel lid. Once I get to Ohio I will fab up a bracket and make it look nice.

If you get to Ohio.....

You know, making moonshine is a Federal Offense....

 

[bgekky3]

I can always put it in the tank like the Duke boys, and if I getted dipped I can tell the officer that it is not a diesel truck it is an E85 truck. At least I am putting my BS in Chemistry to good use.

 

[jesusgatos]

Während des zukünftigen…

Napa makes bleed kit with a check valve so bleeding is a one man job PN is in the tool catalog under KD service tools #2838 and sells for a whopping 12$...

I'd like to read more about how that brake bleeder works.

You may also be interested in checking out this thread. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=6664&highlight=brake+bleeder Kenny built this handy little unit and I have helped use it first hand... It works WONDERFULLY!!!

Dead link. I tried the 'old' trick, but it's not working for me.

I took it one step further and separated my airpak vent completely from the other vents. I hear a distinct hiss as the brakes are released.
Kind of a confirmation of the workings of the brakes.

I've been reading everything I can find about the air lines and fording kits, and have found a lot of your posts to be VERY helpful. Thanks.

 

[1stDeuce]

Just a quick not on the block heater... I don't recall the dia, but the the block heater for a 90ish to 2003 Jeep 4.0L works good. I think they're only 600w heaters, so I used two, one in the front and one in the back. I have a magnetic oil pan heater too, and all three plugged into one three way adapter. Takes a few hours, but gets the old girl running even at -20F. On WMO mix nonetheless. (Flame heater doesn't seem to work well with WMO mix...)
Chris

 

[Srjeeper]

Here's part #s

Here's some info on the evaporators. They can be purchased at any heavy duty truck parts supplier and the cost is minimal. I would not recomend riding around with glass jars full of alcohol or any other liquid under your hood.

I will tell you that the AE-1 is what the military use to use, but it's no longer available to the best of my knowledge. So AE-2 is what you'll find now at most places. I lucked out and got a military one off e-bay several years ago, so keep an eye out there also.

Good luck...........

 

[jesusgatos]

Hmmm, why would Bendix not approve of using alcohol in air-brake systems?

 

[Srjeeper]

Hmmm, why would Bendix not approve of using alcohol in air-brake systems?

They don't want you using it on the newer trucks with air dryers as it 'could' cause an explosion when it gets to the heated dryer.

On the systems like are used on older trucks and the deuce it's totaly safe.

 

[jesusgatos]

Oh, thanks. I guess that makes sense. I dug through a bunch of old threads last night and thought I read something about it being OK to use an alcohol evaporator with a heated air dryer.

 

[Srjeeper]

Tech Bulletin

Here's a 2007 Bendix Tech Bulletin that addresses alcohol and other additives in newer style systems.

 

[jesusgatos]

Thanks! But are you saying that doesn't apply to our deuces because they're not full air-brakes? What about the seals in the air-pack?

 

[Srjeeper]

My understanding is, that the older systems are less affected by alcohol than the newer systems. The reason given to me was that the older seals were made with more real rubber and most internal parts were some sort of metal. Nowadys these seals and internal parts are made from various plastics and nylons.

Thats not to say older parts won't at some point fail, but I was taught over the years that moisture and rust were whats most harmfull to brakes.


I've owend and driven trucks for 46 yrs., so much of what I learned is from experience not tech bulletins.

You decide what your most comfortable with in regards to your equipment and go with it.

Above all, make safety your first priorty.

 

[wdbtchr]

The air system on my DTC 8606 forklift has the alcohol evaporator AFTER the compressor in the airline going to the wet side of the air tank. The thing is the manual doesn't say how to get the alcohol into the evaporator. There's a drain on the reservoir, but I can't find a cap or plug on the top.

 

[jesusgatos]

My understanding is, that the older systems are less affected by alcohol than the newer systems. The reason given to me was that the older seals were made with more real rubber and most internal parts were some sort of metal. Nowadys these seals and internal parts are made from various plastics and nylons.

Thats not to say older parts won't at some point fail, but I was taught over the years that moisture and rust were whats most harmfull to brakes.


I've owend and driven trucks for 46 yrs., so much of what I learned is from experience not tech bulletins.

You decide what your most comfortable with in regards to your equipment and go with it.

Above all, make safety your first priorty.

No, I'm not trying to dismiss anything you're saying. These are EXACTLY the type of answers I like. The only thing I don't want to hear when I ask a question is, 'I dunno, but it works for me'. I'll take technical information and anecdotal experience any day. I like having enough information to do exactly what you said (make an informed decision for myself). In this case, I'm trying to build a motorhome (M109) that I can take ANYWHERE - from one extreme to the other. But this isn't a zombie-apocalypse / weekend camper: I'm living/traveling in it full-time.

I like the simple/effective alcohol evaporator on one end, but what about some of these high-end air dryers? I've read about the Bendix AD9 on here, but I know there are a lot of different units on the market (Bendix, Haldex, meritorwabco, etc.). On the other end of the scale, what are the best uber-overkill options? I like how some of those systems are redundant and alternate between the dryers while the other one is being recharged (automatically). That's sort of a theme with this project. We've got back-ups for back-ups...