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Old 05-02-2017, 07:58 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 11
Year: 1998
Coachwork: International
Chassis: AmTran
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 22 +3 wheel chair
We're Converting

On our trip to Florida in March we finally purchased our bus to full time RV! We ended up with a 1998 International 3800 T444E 9 row 32' Bus. Just got to the floors yesterday, I'm procrastinating on the drivers area due to all the wires and components. But the rest of the bus is fully gutted and looking forward to a sanding and some sealant. If anyone has tackled reconstructing the drivers console, some opinions and or helpful tips would be nice! We're recording most of it, just need to get around to uploading.

Thanks to everyone on here for already answering most of my questions!
https://youtu.be/-Z1jGDTwvJA
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Old 05-08-2017, 08:14 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 11
Year: 1998
Coachwork: International
Chassis: AmTran
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 22 +3 wheel chair
Hoping someone knows.

Hello fellow Skoolies! I've been tracing wires all day, making sure to keep the clearance light wires. Didn't hesitate to take the interior lights, speakers and emergency lights out. I'm now at the console and have hit a wall.. The bus came with a bus light monitor and we planned on keeping it, but is it worth it? Do any of you still use it?
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Old 05-08-2017, 08:54 PM   #3
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Actually a number of us have kept our external light monitor. Quite simply it shows you when you have a bulb burnt out. If you don't like looking at it you can put it behind the bulkhead above the windshield.

Personally I think it would be complicated to try to remove, and many of us have experienced problems from snipping wires that were just as well left alone. It's much easier the hide the light monitor than it is to take a chance by snipping wires.
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Old 05-10-2017, 12:35 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 11
Year: 1998
Coachwork: International
Chassis: AmTran
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 22 +3 wheel chair
Ok question for you all! Ive taken the wires running to the emergency door and have taken the sections off up till the instrument panel, from there they run under the hood. Once under the hood I can't tell where they end up. Should I leave it or is it best to disconnect it from its destination point? I'm worried if not properly disconnected I'll have a constant alarm.
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Old 05-10-2017, 01:24 PM   #5
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Location: Willamina, Oregon
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Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Have you attempted to start your engine since you snipped those wires?
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Old 05-10-2017, 04:33 PM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 11
Year: 1998
Coachwork: International
Chassis: AmTran
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 22 +3 wheel chair
disconnected entire battery because I'm debating gutting the console and heaters to redo the floor....
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Old 05-10-2017, 04:56 PM   #7
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
you can pull that heating unit out, just prepare that if the height of your floor has changed when you put it back in that your outside air intake / defroster vents, and bezel panels very well may not fit right back together the way they came out... be sure to close the coolant valves under the hood and there is GALLONS of coolant in those loops unless you have already drained them..

wires - label each wire and each terminal it came from and take lots of pictures.. like 100 pictures.. a new pic after you remove every couple wires.. I like to number them in an order as I take them out sequentially so i can place them back in reverse order.. skipping of course the ones I delete while things are apart..

while those 2 front heater units are out, replace the motors, clean the heater core and paint the cabinets.. if you are ambitious like me you can mod them for dashboard A/C..
-Christopher
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Old 05-10-2017, 05:30 PM   #8
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
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Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Hey, I'm ambitious. No, I was ambitious once though. I'm going to hook up my AC vent to a flexible clothes dryer hose and put the cold air where it needs to go. Not exactly defrost vented, but I could point it up there.

I've moved the driver's control panel to put flooring under it before. I agree with cleaning all your heaters and servicing the motors, but then put your flooring around the panel just to avoid spending lots of time figuring it out. It didn't seem worth it when I did it for flooring that nobody is going to see.
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