"The Raven"

[the_experience03]

Is that rusted off piece preventing it from pressurizing the cooling system? That would be a place to start. Then go with the other obvious stuff...thermostat (or is it thermostats like a 366?), coolant level, fan clutch operation, yada yada yada.

Rip that ammeter out and replace it with a voltmeter. Voltmeters tell you about the state of the electrical system as a whole...and ammeter tells you what the alternator is doing. Maybe it's just a personal thing, but I like voltmeters...and they're CHEAP.

[lapeer20m]

paint job sounds cool...

as far as the other issue. Air brakes are dead simple. I'm not a big truck repair guy, but my guess is that the slack adjusters were not adjusted properly. I'm sure you know the procedure now, especially sicne you had the problem. Use a 9/16 wrench and tighten till it stops, then back it off 90 degrees.

when you're in the mountains and see a sign that sais "truckers check brakes" they are really telling the truckers to get out and adjust their slack adjusters......but probably all new trucks have automatic slack adjusters now-a-days. I like my manual ones! When automatic ones dont' automatically adjust they can be a pain....

[the_experience03]

My slack adjusters have a locking mechanism around the bolt. You have to push the lock in which releases the lock as well as exposes the head of the adjuster nut. If they don't lock again after I adjust them they can do mysterious things. I learned this on a short trip to the gas station and back. One backed off while the other tightened up. To remedy the problem I just scraped the crud off, shot a little brake cleaner on there, wiped, and applied some Aerokroil.

Make sure the s-cams and all other related greasable parts are in fact greased while you're under there. I don't think that was the cause of your troubles since backing the slack adjusters out fixed the problem, but it's good practice any time you're near the front end.

[Steve]

My bus would get hot running on the interstate all day so I put on an electric radiator fan and have never had a problem since.

[sportyrick]

Some thoughts on "our" 427 busses:
My temp guage is off too, only 10 degrees high, I usually am running about 195 down the road and 210 on hills.
I just had my radiator re-cored $850 clams, it's 30 years old so why not
the spit tube on the neck does just that, directs spit to the ground instead of all over the engine, it won't affect temp and can be changed while in the bus by a competent radiator guy
change all hoses and belts when under there, it's easier with the radiator out and it's not that hard to get out
I think my new $160 fan clutch only comes on about 200 degrees so under that you are using natural air flow to cool, an electric fan might help
I can run 65 MPH on a flat with my foot most of the way into it, 40 uphill is not uncommon, live with it. I can drive for at least 10 hours on the fuel in my tanks, I have a bathroom and kitchen on board so I don't have to stop. I can get to the same spot at the same time as someone else because they keep stopping for gas and liquid refreshments. Install a bathroom and kitchen and you can do the same, think like a tortus.
You can't install a diesel without changing the rearend too, 3600 RPM will kill a diesel.
5.5 MPG is all I get. I did try some Lucas fuel conditioner and it cleaned up my intake valves and now it runs quite a bit better and my fuel milage seems a little higher but no numbers yet. I am going to try my old water injector setup again for fun and see if that helps.
My exhaust system would make NASCAR jelous, how is yours? dual 2 1/2's into 3 1/2 "Y" into a 10" muffler 4' long and out with a 3 1/2 tip. Think over the road truck muffler and pipes. I just installed factory shorty headers I found on Ebay, welded up the air injector holes, I hope they help. My drivers side manifold was cracked half way around, I have the extra right side if anybody needs it.
The distributor module is for any standard 70's GM car/pickup without a computer, 4 pin is what they call them. High voltage from the coil will kill a module, change plug wires often or they will take it out also.
See Chevy 366 hop up in "everything else" for more information on chevy engines
454 and tall deck 427's are not created equal, a 454 will burn up in a bus unless it's severely de-cammed.
Your carb is not 750 cfm, probably more like 600, they are pretty simple, rebuild it with some help.
I am running 10-00 20's, can you increase your rear tire size to get some more speed, at the expense of power unfortunately.
I would say your brake shoes were too tight and things got hot and swelled up and locked up.
Pancakes shouldn't leak, replace them, that is one thing I haven't had to do yet.
I put an electric fuel pump back by the tanks for a back up in case my mechanical stopped working. Mine mech was out also and the place I bought it from put an electric in instead but it, but it was pulling instead of pushing so I moved it closer to the tanks to push and installed the right mechanical one.
the ampmeter has a "shunt" so all the amps don't have to go through the guage itself. Mine is under the driver on the frame, it's wavy copper on a couple of big studs and has pretty good size wires going to it as well as 2 small ones. I had to wiggle my wires and it took off and ran the guage, corrosion.
Lots of luck, sportyrick

[paul iossi]

change the condenser/capacitor in the distributor when the module fails,it is in there to protect the module. the other thing to be aware of that the green&white wires going from the module to the pickup assembly flex at the pickup every time that the vacuum advance operates, if the engine has high miles you may want to replace the pickup just because, IIRC you have to remove the distributor and disassemble the gear and shaft to change the pickup, a whole lot easier to do at home/leisure than along side the road.
when it comes to replacing the pancakes on the brake system, make sure that a qualified technician assists in the disassembly and reassembly of the brake chambers or just buy reman assemblies, their is a healthy coil spring inside the chamber that is just waiting to jump out and bite an unsuspecting backyard mechanic.

[Abbott]

Once I got back here to LA, I went through EVERYTHING.

That's the nice thing about running that GM Big Block...you know the engine. I run a 396 ci in my truck, as you know, same block as the 427. I went with a diesel in my bus and its a whole new ball game. From reading here it sounds like you have things moving along pretty well.

[Abbott]

Ouch. Who would have expected that. Good info there, I will inspected my heater hose setup a bit closer now.