The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

[BlackJohn]

"Can anyone think of anything else it could be -- something I am completely forgetting?"

I don't know your bus but could it be a lift pump relay? Or you may have an electrical priming pump on the fuel system?
Any air devices on board? A compressor or air horn?

That is nasty work you have there to do, who puts start relays where you can barely see them, let alone work on them.
I would get rid of all that road dust in that area too and wipe the wires down good, clean all connections too.

John

[Elliot Naess]

Sure appreciate these suggestions.

The lift pump is mechanical -- similar to traditional automobile pumps.
No electric pump.

Normal air brake system with mechanical compressor.

BB built the chassis first, with engine wiring harness. Then they dropped the engine in. Then they set the body on it. So... they would probably say... "We had no problem with it". lol

That ain't no "road dust".
It is much-much worse; Playa Dust.
Highly alkaline, and seriously corrosive when touched by moisture.
But she has been to the Playa (Burning Man event) 11 times now, and Dust-related problems are so far minor. An accepted risk.

But yes, certainly... when I work on something, I expect to find corrosion and clean accordingly.

[Brewerbob]

You've probably got it figured by now but...

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Can anyone think of anything else it could be -- something I am completely forgetting? All the lights work without the key on. And the heaters.
Earlier, I forgot about the windshield wipers, but they still work now.

Fuel like you said or possibly e-door lock-outs? My relay for those are much smaller and are inside the bus so... stick with fuel pump.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Sure appreciate these suggestions.

The lift pump is mechanical -- similar to traditional automobile pumps.
No electric pump.

Normal air brake system with mechanical compressor.

BB built the chassis first, with engine wiring harness. Then they dropped the engine in. Then they set the body on it. So... they would probably say... "We had no problem with it". lol

That ain't no "road dust".
It is much-much worse; Playa Dust.
Highly alkaline, and seriously corrosive when touched by moisture.
But she has been to the Playa (Burning Man event) 11 times now, and Dust-related problems are so far minor. An accepted risk.

But yes, certainly... when I work on something, I expect to find corrosion and clean accordingly.

Do you take precautions on the Playa by trying to seal out the dust where possible?

[cadillackid]

what about grid heater? or is this engine too old for that? something you wouldnt notice a difference. being the weather is warm right now
-Christopher

[Elliot Naess]

Seal out the Playa Dust? Heck, I leave the windows open all day, except in the strongest winds. Sometimes I sweep out the floor when the Dust becomes much more that 1/4 inch thick.

No intake-air grid heater. Apparently, those are on the Dodge version of the engine only.

(And she has never failed to fire right up. When I started her two days ago, she had not run since October, yet she fired instantly. Of course, I never start her in anything like "winter" temperatures.)

Pretty sure I have all the emergency door stuff removed.

Back to Dust.... When I swept out the new bus after unloading at home (the white bus in the photo), I filled two 1-gallon ice cream tubs with Dust. There was probably four gallons or more in there. Call it a five-gallon bucket's worth.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Back to Dust.... When I swept out the new bus after unloading at home (the white bus in the photo), I filled two 1-gallon ice cream tubs with Dust. There was probably four gallons or more in there. Call it a five-gallon bucket's worth.

Hope you weren't idling for hours. Air filter will need some help.

[Elliot Naess]

No, I never run the engine while I am there.
And... I have an old air filter that I install in Gerlach, just before I drive onto the Playa, and switch back to the good one after I leave.

The infamous Playa Dust is a nuisance, but we embrace it as symbolic of the Event.

[Brewerbob]

Good idea!!

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

The infamous Playa Dust is a nuisance, but we embrace it as symbolic of the Event.

I get it. The dust is as much a rite of passage as removing 15 rows of school bus seats.

I'd prefer to avoid sleeping in it though, if that's possible.

[Elliot Naess]

Yes, "rite of passage" is kind'a it.
Keeps the wimps away, too. By that... I mean that Burning Man is not a casual thing -- or certainly should not be. It is something you commit to. And if you "truly get it", as most do, suddenly the Dust is trivial.

Anyway... here is the new relay in its new location. (Yes, I will tidy up the wires and such.)
Goofy thing is... the two heavy wires were plenty long enough to reach here! They were doubled up in the harness. Grrrrr. I needed to extend only the small wire that engages the relay.

So, now she starts with the key again.
Reckon I will change fuel filters and such -- normal out-of-hibernation stuff. Then some test-driving close to home.

By the way... the new thermostat now has two "extra" 1/8" bypass holes in it, top and bottom. Hopefully, that will help fill and drain the system, which was always a two-day process before.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Twigg

I get it. The dust is as much a rite of passage as removing 15 rows of school bus seats.

I'd prefer to avoid sleeping in it though, if that's possible.

Elliot,
I doubt I fit the Burning Man profile much anyway but ^this^. I wouldn't mind seeing it once anyway. I'm also an East Coaster; things aren't supposed to be that damn dry. There's a color called "green"; I'm here to tell you it's not just a myth.

Originally Posted by Elliot

Goofy thing is... the two heavy wires were plenty long enough to reach here! They were doubled up in the harness. Grrrrr. I needed to extend only the small wire that engages the relay.

That little wire is expensive stuff. Why put it somewhere serviceable when you can save almost a whole nickel per bus?

I'm fairly certain automotive engineers have to go to special design classes to make things annoying. We could use a 12mm bolt with a 12mm nut here but why? Let's use a torx bit in metric on one side and a 9/16" not on the other. And if we cover it with the alternator, they will never be able to see it.

[Elliot Naess]

Well... now, see.... I am trying to make the point that... one does not go to SEE Burning Man.
One participates in CREATING Burning Man.

If everyone went to SEE it, there would be nothing there to see!
And I realize this is a difficult concept to understand. That's why I bring it up. And I dare use myself as example:

I run a camp of close to 40 people. Our main gig is bicycle repair. Last year, we repaired 677 bicycles. In the one week of the Burning Man event, yes.
Also, I work security for the event itself, keeping anyone from sneaking in.
Thus, I contribute to making the event what it is.

Burning Man is a No Spectators event.

[Brewerbob]

Oops, my bad. I was thinking it was more like Firefly. I forgot it was a "Mad Max reenactment" <-- for lack of a better term.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Well... now, see.... I am trying to make the point that... one does not go to SEE Burning Man.
One participates in CREATING Burning Man.

If everyone went to SEE it, there would be nothing there to see!
And I realize this is a difficult concept to understand. That's why I bring it up. And I dare use myself as example:

I run a camp of close to 40 people. Our main gig is bicycle repair. Last year, we repaired 677 bicycles. In the one week of the Burning Man event, yes.
Also, I work security for the event itself, keeping anyone from sneaking in.
Thus, I contribute to making the event what it is.

Burning Man is a No Spectators event.

Ahhh .... The famous bicycle repair guy

I've read and seen lots of info about your camp. If we ever manage to get time off during BM, that's a camp I'd be interested in contributing to.

[o1marc]

The founder of Burning Man, Larry Harvey, just died last month.

[Elliot Naess]

Originally Posted by Twigg

Ahhh .... The famous bicycle repair guy

I've read and seen lots of info about your camp. If we ever manage to get time off during BM, that's a camp I'd be interested in contributing to.

Thank you! Yes, we do have a good reputation, and it is always nice to hear that we are appreciated.

We give massage and wash feet and paint people and whatnot else, also. Anything fun or useful. Our name keeps growing accordingly... currently is is Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service, Healing Arts, Body Painting, and Piano Lounge. Yes, we have a real piano.

Right... Larry Harvey passed away from a stroke. Only 70. He will be fondly remembered. Luckily, there is a solid Board Of Directors who are perfectly capable of carrying on in the same spirit.

Here I am repairing a bike even as the camp is being dismantled around me at the end of the week. One last happy customer!

[Elliot Naess]

And then.... Millicent is alive!
She made her first trip after the oil cooler trouble, and passed the test with flying colors. A bit over 500 miles round trip to the Kinetic Sculpture Race up on the North Coast.
The engine sounds a tiny bit different at times, so there is probably "a new clearance" or some such somewhere, but she runs normally and no fluid goes missing -- except for the old external oil leak which is probably the front main seal.

It took many rinsings with Simple Green to remove most of the oil from the engine and radiator, and there is still some left. Then I must do the heater system, which I disconnected to make the important part easier.

I left the thermostat out also, and may leave it out for now, since the engine warmed up to normal anyway, or close to normal most of the time.

Had to put a new tire on before the trip -- big crack in one of the 13-year-old recaps. Bought a new Uniroyal rib for $382 out the door at a local tire shop -- which, remarkably, had it in stock, and the manager is skilled with big rigs. We put that on the left front and rotated the 13 year old Double Coin to the rear.

There are two metric tire sizes that work for this beast -- 275/80R22.5, and 295/75R22.5. They are the same diameter and can be used interchangeably, so far as diameter goes. But the 275/80 can carry more weight, so I will stick with that from now on. We do max her out.

The mysterious noise at the front of the engine is definitely the new alternator, and the noise is becoming worse. I did not have time before this last trip, but the store said they would of course replace it. It had a bad bearing right from the rebuilder. Stuff happens. The NAPA store takes good care of me.

(Of course, they all run and hide when the see me come thru the door, because I always need something weird for a bleeping school bus. )

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service, Healing Arts, Body Painting, and Piano Lounge. Yes, we have a real piano.


One last happy customer!

Watch the dangly bits; get something caught in a sprocket and you will be one UNHAPPY customer.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

There are two metric tire sizes that work for this beast -- 275/80R22.5, and 295/75R22.5. They are the same diameter and can be used interchangeably, so far as diameter goes. But the 275/80 can carry more weight, so I will stick with that from now on. We do max her out.

You sure about that? Everything else the same a wider lower profile tire should carry more weight than a taller skinnier tire. Now if one is D rated and the other is E rated that makes sense.