Heavy Fuel - Page 19

M1031A1 · 11-09-2016, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

sure looks good!! plenty of room in there now!
-Christopher

More room to follow either this weekend or next........ Depends upon how my doctor's appointment goes on Saturday. I had a compression injury with my neck about five weeks ago, exiting the rear door of (drum roll please.......) a conventional 72 passenger school bus.

Felt about that good too..... NOT! So if I can get my neck from C2 or so down to T3 or so loose again I should feel much better. News at 9, film at 11.........

M

elkoskoolie · 11-10-2016, 10:34 AM

I didn't read every post in the thread, maybe this already came up. You mentioned low road speed at 2300 RPM; that's too low for a 3208. I run my NA at 2800, I think the turbo version is rated a tad lower, maybe 2700? Everything I've read says running a 3208 at too low RPM will destroy the main bearings. Watch for a leaking throttle rod, and consider adding an electric booster fuel pump some day.

M1031A1 · 11-10-2016, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkoskoolie

I didn't read every post in the thread, maybe this already came up. You mentioned low road speed at 2300 RPM; that's too low for a 3208. I run my NA at 2800, I think the turbo version is rated a tad lower, maybe 2700? Everything I've read says running a 3208 at too low RPM will destroy the main bearings. Watch for a leaking throttle rod, and consider adding an electric booster fuel pump some day.

She's governed at 2500 r.p.m. and she loves running at about 2300 r.p.m. It's also where I get my best fuel mileage. She's got the largest turbo available for '89, so running at 2300 r.p.m. is not an issue. Running her higher I can hear her strain hard especially at 2500 r.p.m.

M

M1031A1 · 03-18-2017, 04:14 PM

Hey everyone! Sorry for such a late post. I was hoping to get this done over Christmas Break. However, wife got sick and then gave it to me. Then after we recovered, I got a hernia and took two weeks to get over that. Then wife got three bleeding ulcers and took three days in the hospital and then two weeks to recover. Then I got sick from the kids in the bus AGAIN! It hasn't been until this Spring Break before we had a chance to get ANYTHING done with Heavy. Poor girl has been very patient with us through all this. She started right up yesterday morning and didn't need any liquid top-offs. Good girl! She's getting more use and starting to show how she loves it.

So since last time:

New driver's side window!

Got rid of the old leaky one and really went to town with sealers. This window set up has solid green tinted windows (LOVE them!) Thanks soooooooo very much to AAA Bus sales in Phoenix AZ for them!

M1031A1 · 03-18-2017, 04:16 PM

Hard to see the caulking on the outside, but it's there:

BurlKing · 03-18-2017, 04:21 PM

Awesome! Wish i had a drivers window like that. Glad to hear youre both better and heavy is still breathing!

Sent from my LGLS775 using Tapatalk

M1031A1 · 03-18-2017, 04:22 PM

The sub-floor is now getting installed! WoHOO!!!!!!

I'm using 1X3s (really 3/4X2 1/2s) and I've found an R3.2 hard board that cuts well and doesn't give me a hard time with cutting the plastic sheathing unlike the pink and blue boards I bought with to figure out which ones I preferred. Plus these R3.2 boards are $3.50 cheaper EACH!!!! SWEET!!!! So I got about this far in three days of building. Oh yeah, I used four tubes of caulk to seal up the holes in the floor. THAT took two days alone!!!! YUCK!!!!

M1031A1 · 03-18-2017, 04:31 PM

Next we have 16 gauge angle steel that's 1.5 in X 1.5 in X 25 7/8 in to secure the bottom parts of the window blanks. Those are on order from my favorite custom steel shop, Blumenthal's! Those guys always do good by me! They're worth the extra money because I know they'll get the job done right the first time. Never had any returns with them!

After this another good friend of mine is welding a sub frame to under the cargo bays and reinforce them for the Webasto we're getting ready to install. He's also doing a frame to have the A/C unit mounted below deck and the hot water heater the same type of mount. So much to do!

How does Tango say it?????

ONWARD!!!!!

M1031A1 · 03-18-2017, 06:46 PM

Wife found this:

Tango · 03-18-2017, 10:04 PM

Glad to hear you are both feeling better and making some serious progress. Lookin' good!

M1031A1 · 05-14-2017, 03:30 AM

Quick update before I head off to work. Yesterday my ex and I worked on HF! Even SHE is interested in building a skoolie! (What have I done?????) Anyways, she is helping me run the coolant lines below the floorboards. We got about 40% of that project finished. She told me she wants to learn how to do things like this so she can build her own bus. I'll have pics in a couple of days. We were filthy dirty from crawling under HF. But the good news is the front part of the project is almost finished. We have a family trip planned for the beginning of June shortly after my son finishes up school. When we return we'll tackle HF with much needed help from a close friend of mine. He says HF should be finished by Christmas time or sooner. Time will tell. Went to Blumenthal's to get some angle steel cut and now they are working on a design to help the A/C unit become bottom mounted below the floorboards. We also have the gear ratio for HF being changed out later on in the fall with the help of and International dealer in Houston and Chalk's Bus Parts not too far away from them on the east side of Houston. I know there are several builders on the site that want that information, so PM me for it. The overall price for upgrading the ratio is around $3800, pricy, but worth it to me.

Well, gotta go!

M

M1031A1 · 07-10-2017, 06:48 PM

Sorry folks for being away for so long. Had a family trip to Kansas and studies to attend to from my last post.

Got some work done on HF last week. Here are some pics.

Got some angle brackets made, cleaned, primed, painted, and mounted to secure the bottom part of the window blanks.

I also am re-directing the coolant lines to below the floor and in between the frame rails. When I get the Webasto properly mounted with the reinforcing frame below the cargo bay I'll then be able to hook up all the coolant, fuel, and heat register lines. SOOO looking forward to that! Wednesday is a BIG day getting the adapting bracket to hook up my A/C and get some A/C going in the bus! THAT will let me work inside her with relative comfort.

Looking now for a spray foamer in Houston that can do a two stage foam job in HF. Then I can really enjoy the A/C and work in comfort.

Believe it or not even my ex is helping! I'm teaching her how to do some metal work/caulking, electrical, and plumbing. I'll say she's a quick study...

Now onto the pics!

cadillackid · 07-10-2017, 07:47 PM

What are you doing for AC a mini split? Or the engine AC?

Tango · 07-10-2017, 09:04 PM

Glad to hear you are back at it and making progress. Keep the pix comin'!

M1031A1 · 07-10-2017, 11:36 PM

ck,

I'm doing a 15K BTU mounted below the floor "window unit". I have the design being built by Blumenthal Sheet Metal in Houston. I'm ducting the A/C with PVC pipe (hey Tango, sound somewhat familiar?

) and spray foaming around/over it. I'm also getting Thomas of Houston to work up a quote for a rear A/C unit and getting it installed. So my A/C system is two fold so I can use shore powered A/C or engine driven A/C. With approximately four inches of spray foam after all is said and done, I should retain most of the cooler air. Wife is getting started on the thermal curtains too!

I'm also planning on using the amber and red flasher lights for the front -mounted about the same height as the headlights and clear lenses for them so when we're out on a lonely stretch of road/off road I have extra light on the front to see more effectively. I'll have details on that part of the build in the coming weeks. I'm planning on using a heavy duty relay to wire in the lights and make things safe.

M

1olfart · 07-11-2017, 12:33 PM

Now I'm confused. Exactly how may women are assisting on this build? (lol)

Please teach them well, so that in the future, the rest of us might have more available help.

M1031A1 · 07-12-2017, 06:46 AM

LOL 1oldfart!

My wife is doing some of the interior things from home, like curtains, pillows, and things like that. My ex is helping with coach work, electrical, coolant lines, and stuff like that. The reason why they are doing different parts of the build is because my wife has no cartilage in her hips and knees in addition to her having a T.I.A. and heat stroke in the past. So her health is not very good right now. My ex feels sorry for her but also wants to learn from my build so in the not-so-distant future she can do something similar.

Hope this helps........

M

Tango · 07-12-2017, 08:49 AM

Hey M --- sounds like progress to me. The basement A/C system should be awesome. Hope to see the design soon.

1olfart · 07-12-2017, 12:08 PM

I can relate to your wife's situation, being hat I'm still trying to learn how to walk again (without a cane) 4 yrs. after my stroke. Gotta love em. I must admit I don't think I have any chance of getting any work (or anything, for that matter) from my ex. My hats off to you and the ladies!
Keep us up to date on your wonderful build.
I can't imagine building a bus and fighting off those monster Katy mosquitoes

cadillackid · 07-12-2017, 12:48 PM

be sure your window A/C can build the static pressure needed to traverse small ductwork.. every run,. every elbow requires a bit more air pressure to push through the pipes.. the window units im familiar with dont have a very strong blower.. they are low speed big-buite blower wheels which move lots of air at zero pressure (ie right from the fan to the vent). you may want to do some tests with your unit before you install it.
-Christopher

You may also like: