My Unnamed '99 International Amtran

[dmattarn]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Navistar's prices are ridiculous. I'm sure someone else makes one for a few hundred bucks.

I got a 1"×2" piece of bar stock steel that was just longer than the diameter of the liner. Put a floor jack below and a 1x3 of wood to bridge the gap. Even out in the mud I was able to pop it. Total cost: about $7 for the steel, everything else I had laying around.

Now that I know it works, I plan to make the steel a perfect fit with a lip so I don't damage the crankcase when the liner shoots out of the block

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[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by dmattarn

I got a 1"×2" piece of bar stock steel that was just longer than the diameter of the liner. Put a floor jack below and a 1x3 of wood to bridge the gap. Even out in the mud I was able to pop it. Total cost: about $7 for the steel, everything else I had laying around.

Now that I know it works, I plan to make the steel a perfect fit with a lip so I don't damage the crankcase when the liner shoots out of the block

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On the engine you're rebuilding- I'd pop for new front cover seals. Would be much easier to do out of the bus and would be peace of mind.
My 04 466E has a leaking front timing cover. PITA to fix.

[BussBry]

Hmmm I was looking at MacAlister wish there was more info on them in the forums though. The prices are pretty good on some of the buses. I am no mechanic though and would need to drive mine 1500 miles back to Utah. Sounds like you had quite a bit of trouble with yours and now I am questioning if the price is worth it.

[sparq]

Originally Posted by BussBry

Hmmm I was looking at MacAlister wish there was more info on them in the forums though. The prices are pretty good on some of the buses. I am no mechanic though and would need to drive mine 1500 miles back to Utah. Sounds like you had quite a bit of trouble with yours and now I am questioning if the price is worth it.

He could have bought it for $5,500-6,500 and ended up with the same exact thing happening. You are buying a used vehicle, no one will take care of their vehicle like you would unfortunately... especially since most are school buses, where you have drivers with "eh, who cares about cold start ups, long idles, etc. the school will fix/replace it" attitudes -- If you don't want "hiccups" out the gate - buy a NEW bus.

[dmattarn]

Originally Posted by sparq

He could have bought it for $5,500-6,500 and ended up with the same exact thing happening. You are buying a used vehicle, no one will take care of their vehicle like you would unfortunately... especially since most are school buses, where you have drivers with "eh, who cares about cold start ups, long idles, etc. the school will fix/replace it" attitudes -- If you don't want "hiccups" out the gate - buy a NEW bus.

Yes very true. Unless you plan to do oil analysis and test coolant PH and SCA levels it's gonna be a crap shoot. When I drove off the lot everything was fine and dandy. My initial engine failure from the liner o ring was probably months in the making but didn't show up until later.

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[sparq]

Originally Posted by dmattarn

Yes very true. Unless you plan to do oil analysis and test coolant PH and SCA levels it's gonna be a crap shoot. When I drove off the lot everything was fine and dandy. My initial engine failure from the liner o ring was probably months in the making but didn't show up until later.

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I mean I guess everyones "End game" is different, the person who is driving it only far enough to park it on some lot and never really drive it isn't going to care or worry about certain things compared to the people living in theirs and traveling criss crossing the country and on the road all year long. But even at $2500... even if you have to dump $5000 in to it right off the bat, it's going to likely be better than any $7500 motor home youll find, and once you've dumped money in to it, MOST of us, will NEVER have to worry about those things again. You buy new tires, it will likely be the last set of shoes she ever wears, you rebuild the engine, its the last time it will need any major service work etc.

My bus project is going to be a road warrior, traveling about 3,000 miles round trip every other weekend... can't wait to get started!

[ennonne]

Good to hear you are still working on it. I drive by and see it sitting there hoping you're still working on it.

You are. Keep at it!

[dmattarn]

Originally Posted by ennonne

Good to hear you are still working on it. I drive by and see it sitting there hoping you're still working on it.

You are. Keep at it!

You drive by????

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[ennonne]

Originally Posted by dmattarn

You drive by????

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Stopped by with the kids on our bikes after you first got it. Frequently drive by.

[dmattarn]

Ok I remember that

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[dmattarn]

I've been dormant for quite some time. Things have been hectic and the city wants me to move my bus. I've been trying to rebuild my new engine. Waiting on cam bearings now. Whoever was in the engine last didnt install them correctly

[dmattarn]

Made some more progress on the engine swap today. I am beat. I'll have to expand further in a later post on my method of removal

[EastCoastCB]

Oh man, wow! Cool to see the pics!

[dmattarn]

The supplier I ordered my rebuild kit from messed up and sent me a kit for an 04+ egr engine. I'm now delayed until Monday for new parts. Hopefully the city doesn't complain, and I also hope my crank doesn't bend while its suspended by a pair of seatbelts.

As I do more and more reading on variations of the engine and parts, I find information that is encouraging and discouraging.
My original block is a 99 230HP HT block.
The block that magically appeared for $800 in the back of a pickup truck had no tag on the valve cover and the serial number on the block has mostly rusted away. I know it's a non egr engine like mine but didnt know much else. Upon further inspection for my parts guy I can see my new block has date codes on the bearings of 07-01 which at least puts it in the 99-03 group. I was worried the new block wasnt a HT model but last night I looked at injector part numbers and both start with BI which is very encouraging.

My plan is to use my old cylinder head that has already been inspected/reman'd, my old injectors, and my old pcm. Lifters, pushrods, and rocker assembly from my old block will be used, and I based my rebuild kit on my original engines serial number.

The tech at the international dealer thinks I'm out of my mind for pulling the powertrain in my driveway in the manner I did, and was very skeptical of my hodge podge of parts to put a new block together.

I am optimistic that this will work out just fine and she will run for a long time, but part of me knows I run the risk of a big boom that will leave me with a new inspection hole in the side of my block.

[ennonne]

I noticed it had moved and wondered if the village had said something.

Good to see you're on it and it'll be running again soon.

[dmattarn]

Originally Posted by ennonne

I noticed it had moved and wondered if the village had said something.



Good to see you're on it and it'll be running again soon.

The village did indeed pay me a visit, but they are working with me thankfully

[dmattarn]

I was paid another visit by the village and I have until dawn Wednesday August 7th to remove the bus from the property of face fines.

In other news the cylinder head has been installed!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by dmattarn

I was paid another visit by the village and I have until dawn Wednesday August 7th to remove the bus from the property of face fines.

In other news the cylinder head has been installed!Attachment 36114

Sucks about the village people giving you a hard time.

[HazMatt]

So parking at the YMCA is probably right out..!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

So parking at the YMCA is probably right out..!

Glad you caught that!