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Old 07-26-2016, 03:17 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oswego IL
Posts: 34
Year: 2001
Relocating the heater

So I picked up my bus the other day and got it home last night. 66 passenger Chevy Bluebird, 115k miles on the CAT 3126 Diesel with an Allison Transmission (possibly has turbo?). Super clean school bus from Missouri, and had no issues with the 450 mile drive home to Chicago. Used approximately a full 60 gallon tank.

So I went ahead and got all the seat hardware removed and stacked up the seats (Anyone need good seats?), and came across the floor heater that hangs under a seats frame. I want to keep the heater for when I'm driving the bus in the winter, but I would like to relocate it or even just turn it so it goes against the wall. I removed the heater and disconnected the hoses from it and cleaned up the coolant, but I was wondering if I need to do anything to stop it from flowing while I'm driving for now until I reinstall it? There is coolant in the lines and in the heater, but I've wrapped the lines up so they aren't leaking everywhere.

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Old 07-27-2016, 08:29 AM   #2
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 175
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International FE
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 84 passengers
I'm not sure where your valve will be located on your bus but I have a flat faced AmTran FE and the coolant shut off valve is on the passenger side of the bus right behind the front bumper. Mine looks like a water spigot knob. Just squat down or lay down and turn it until it's closed.
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Old 07-27-2016, 01:11 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Franklin, Va
Posts: 28
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International
Engine: 444 International/545
Rated Cap: Handicap bus
On the two buses I have worked on (98 & 02 Int), there were heater hose shut offs pass side of engine near front wheels.
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Old 07-27-2016, 04:48 PM   #4
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
There's nothing stopping you from installing a ball valve in the heater lines right at the heater. I'd use a ball valve because then it's either on or off, no grey area. Right there with the heater simply because of convenience.
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Old 07-27-2016, 04:54 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oswego IL
Posts: 34
Year: 2001
I reinstalled the heater, it was just two hose clamps so no biggie. I found some coolant hose valves that I closed but when I moved the bus a few feet to see if that stopped the flow it did not.

I'm getting ready to rip up the floors, but I do not believe that there is plywood in my floors because they look so thin, but just the thick rubber. Is this a problem to get up? How do you begin ripping the floor up? Or should I just leave the rubber, plug up the holes and start on top of the rubber? I feel like getting to the metal would be good so I can sand and bedline, but from the underside I don't see any rust on the floor..
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Old 07-27-2016, 05:44 PM   #6
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: North carolina
Posts: 651
Year: 1986
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford
Engine: Detroit 8.2
Rated Cap: 60 bodies
Hi,
There are a lot of threads on here that discuss getting the rubber up but anyway. Tear it up with a good pry bar,heavy duty scraper bar or maybe a good wood handle flat shovel notched for shingle tear offs. You do want to get to that metal to inspect,patch all the old seat holes and any other areas,clean and primer it and then start fresh.
It is a lot of work but you will feel more comfortable later knowing exactly what the condition of the metal is below your feet. No surprises after the build is done or WTF later on.
I stripped mine traced all of the rust stains/water marks, went outside to address the issues in that specific spot and did the same to the entire bus so as not to have that problem again. Cleaned and painted the floor while watching for leaks.
Mind you I only had Sunday's to work on the bus because of my regular job.
Not to feel sorry for me but that company closed around Christmas 15 and the new. Job I took in January always worked 4-10hr days with the rest off as long as I have known them and I thought I could get used to that and I was kinda lost with 3-days at home and money but I was starting to get it figured out?
Now since June 1st I have been 7-days a week with July 4 the only day off? M-f working around home and Friday night leave work with a 3-hour drive to back up another job and 3-hrs back home after 10 on Sunday.
If you are working in the heat you need to be loaded on water before you get there not start when you get there.
If your valves aren't holding and you want to keep your lines you can find a barb fitting or piece of pipe and just tie them into each other but a set of valves at each piece of equipment is always nice.
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Old 11-20-2016, 01:16 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Johnston County, NC
Posts: 19
Year: 1990
Chassis: Blue Bird tc/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9 L L6 diesel
Rated Cap: 48 (12 windows)
When you reinstalled the heater how did you how much coolant to replace? Trial and error until you can see the level at the fill cap? Probably a dumb question but I am a newbie. I need to move my heater forward to mid bus and shorten the lines. Any helpful hints? I also have the 2 valves in the engine compartment (front engine blue bird tc2000 Cummins 5.9).
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Old 11-20-2016, 02:45 AM   #8
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Darrington, Wa.
Posts: 304
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Genesis/Am-Tran Tall Roof
Chassis: International, 643 transmission
Engine: DT 466ci 250hp, International
Rated Cap: 86 screaming Monsters
The right way to fill a cooling system is this funnel unit. once you use one you'll never use anything else. lets a system burb all the air.
Mitsubishi Endeavor Limited: How do I change the antifreeze/coolant
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Old 11-20-2016, 06:16 AM   #9
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
love it when they tell ya how to bid
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