Blue Tounge IV Review.
Submitted: Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 18:10
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Member - Jeff M (WA)
Well I saved my pennies and bit the bullet. Went and got my Blue Tounge IV and installed it under the bonnet in place of my old cheapie peice o' crap. Ran all new plumbing (bigger) new fittings, all real sweet.
Now for the test. We took the surf to Lancilen for a little play in the
sand dunes, good clean fun. Then is was time to hit the
bakery and have some lunch while we re-inflate the tyres.
Ambient Tempeture outside the vehicle: 17.9c
Engine Revolutions: 1200rpm 3.0 TD 4Cyld. (High Idle)
Power/Battery: Connected through a 30 amp Relay and 6mm Wire about 40cm direct to positive of battery through a 30amp blade fuse to a Power Crank 760CCA 17 Plate Battery. Earthed via 240v Power Cable Earth wire to windscreen wiper motor bolt.
Bonnet: Closed (no ventilation as it is right up the back near the firewall).
Tyre Type/Size: Bridgstone 10R R15 Desert Dullers on Alloy rims.
Starting Pressure: 16 PSI
Inflated Pressure: 43 PSI
Time: 4 minutes and 0 seconds.
And that time was consistant accross all four tyes without stopping, straight from one to the other. I had my watch timer set and made sure as to keep them going for the exact same time as a comparrison. The tyre Pressure was almost exact on every tyre from the first to the last.
So all in all pretty much as I thought. It's not the fastest thing out there, but it didn't even moan, in fact under load with the bonnet closed you could only just hear it purring away under the bonnet, the car engine was making a lot more noise than the compressor. Very happy with it, and it will be interesting to see how it goes this summer. Mind you in summer 40c days I will probally lift the bonnet to give it some fresh air and let some of the heat out. It certainly looks the part and I hope to get many years of relliable air out of it!
Reply By: DeanoNSW - Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 18:22
Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 18:22
Jeff,
How Much ? and did that include the install or did you do it yourself ?
regards
Deano
AnswerID:
77970
Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:06
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:06
RRP is $389 but I did get a "mates rates" deal on it. Installation was just so easy it is not funny. Three screws (that came with it) and a couple of hydrlic fittings from HOSCO, some 12 bar High Pressure fuel line for under the bonnet connections and away we go!
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:06
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:06
Oh yeah I already had the power there from the last compressor, but it was just like doing spot lights, switch on the dash hooked up to a relay hooked straight to the starter battery.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Peter 2 - Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 18:32
Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 18:32
Remember though that under the bonnet is not the best place for a Blue Tongue, they are not sealed and the motor is open allowing dirt, dust and
water to enter all of which will kill it.
Everything you drive through will be in and on it,
water, dust and heat all not good for longevity.
AnswerID:
77971
Follow Up By: Member - Cocka - Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 21:29
Monday, Sep 27, 2004 at 21:29
Geez your a tough man Pete.
The poor mans just given birth to another toy and your telling him it might have asthma 5 mins after its taken its first breath.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Peter 2 - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 07:21
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 07:21
Yes, but better than finding out in 6 months that his nice new compressor is kaput.
I've done it myself and as one of our clubs trainers I've seen plenty of others do it too.
Not only compressor's either, you'd be amazed at what people put under the bonnet,
inverters don't take kindly to underbonnet conditions either.
If you must put a compressor under the bonnet make it one of the fully sealed ones like the bullet or big red, although my preference would always be inside the vehicle or mounted in a plastic case which can be taken from vehicle to vehicle.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:03
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:03
I appreciate the concern, I did look into this before going ahead and just about everyone who has a blue tounge has it under the bonnet that I have read or spoken to. It is up quite high and in a neat little space that it fairly
well protected as
well as the fact that I siliconed up any holes in or around the guard where it is. Also, your altinator is exposed just the same as a blue tounge... I hosed it off with a high pressure
water before going out and it's still fine.
Not being sealed is it's strongest point as far as heat goes as it is able to cool it'self down.
When my new baby and my son and wife are sitting patiently in the air conidtioned car the last thing I won't is them deafeand by the hum of an internal compressor. Under the seats is not an option, in the back is not an options as space is already all taken up with other goodies. Under the bonnet was already plumbed and wired and is very conveinent. Even though the engine bay is very frequently covered in mud etc, I always do my best to ensure that it is cleaned ASAP and kept in good nick.
Besides under the bonnet of the surf is so much other CRAP it's amazaing the dirt and mud is able to find it's way through anyway!! LOL
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 13:38
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 13:38
Oh yeah, I bought the Under Bonnet Mount Kit with it, so I can only assume that it was intended to be mounted that way, and your right the motor is exposed (just like a car altanator) but the air intake and fan/ventalation intake both have air filters on them, so it's not going to suck any crap through it, just get some mud on the outer part of the motor which can be pressure cleaned or steam cleaned of and then some CRC sprayed in there, just like I do with my altanator. Should be sweet anyway, time will tell but I'm pretty confident. I spose like anything under your bonnet, maintenance is the key. I have electronic battery isolators, air horn compressors (2), aux fuse boxes, cruise control controllers, turbo timer sensors, that have all been thrid party add ons under the bonnet but then there is all the electronics that come on a modern diesel too, like ECU sensors, Main fuse boxes, Headlight Relays, Glow Plug Relays, Starter Motor Relays, windscreen wiper motors, electronic pumps, altanators, regulators, vacume pumps, etc etc that are all OME. None of these items are particually partial to being dunked in mud, but you seal what you can and you keep the rest clean and free of corrosion and you limit the trouble they'll give you.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: D-Jack - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:58
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 11:58
Jeff
Well done mate. You fought off all the 'get a maxair's and '
mine's quicker' to purchase a top quality tough compressor, like I said.
You say 16-43 psi is not quick, don't forget when the magazines etc do the tests they usually inflate only from 15-30 (30 being a reasonable road pressure to get you to the next spot) and the best ususally do it in 2-2.5 minutes. Given you are going up to top inflation I think the time is pretty good. Also, the 31/10.5r15s being a 15 inch rim mean they do require a bit more air than a similarly height 16 inch rim (which the tests usually use). Besides, 16 minutes is just the right amount of time to boil the billy, get a cuppa or tinnie and have a stretch.
I agree with you, I have mates with their blue tongues mounted under the bonnet, never had a problem though
mine is under the front
seat because there is room. Not too bad noise wise, much is absorbed by the carpet and
seat.
Enjoy years of dependable service from it. Just make sure your mates have a good compressor, otherwise you will end up like me and doing all 4 of my tyres and then 2 of theirs, the speed benefit of a good compressor is negated!
D-Jack
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 12:05
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 12:05
Thanks D-Jack, I feel pretty damn good about it actually and the weekend just topped it off with my expectations being fulfilled. Yeah 3 mintes to 32PSI from 16 is not far off the max air, and it can keep on going all day if I need it to. The noise out of the Blue Tounge is suprisling low too. Just purrrs.
We were joking about that just yesterday, with the old compressor you could have had a beer a tyre and still be under the limit to drive home! LOL
I think a beer a tyre with this one would leave you on your ass! :-)
And yeah, I can see the 12 minutes to road pressure being changed to 24 or 36 depending on how many of my mates are along with me! :-(
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Gossy - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 12:52
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 12:52
After having a good compressor, you will never go back to a cheap one. I have a "big red" one and I find it does get quite hot so good idea to give it some air on hot days. I have to pump up my mates tyres as
well so I pump up 8 in a stint. Gets very hot, but hasn't stopped yet. I use to live in
Perth and go up to
Lancelin. Miss it. Great tracks and great beach driving up to
Wedge Island. Excellent for crayfish too if you are into that.
AnswerID:
78064
Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 13:41
Tuesday, Sep 28, 2004 at 13:41
Yeah the sand was SO hard on Sunday, quite weird. I had the missus with me and she is pretty
well going to pop soon with our new baby girl and so I was taking a few "chicken tracks" and going slow to accomidate her conidtion, but still found it quite easy to just put the truck in low range and go slowly up and down some quite insain dunes with the
wheels barley even spinning! It was kinda cool, especially considering my cargo, however some of the more adventerous people with us were finding it a little boring! :-)
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