Wisconsin 2001 Bluebird All American RE - Page 3

WIbluebird · 10-13-2019, 07:35 PM

More paint....

bus-bro · 10-13-2019, 08:23 PM

I like your color choice. I guess you have to find the right tractor. I never would of thought of Massey Ferguson, just Ford, International and Allis Chamlers

WIbluebird · 10-29-2019, 08:38 PM

Tried starting the Webasto furnace the other day. The control panel with the bacon button lights up fine and I can hear the water pump kick on. No smoke from the tailpipe which tells me it probably needs a filter change and the nozzle cleaned/replaced. I'll be looking at the system more in detail in a bit.

My plan is to leave the heaters in the bus and change over the power source to the house batteries along with a couple thermostats. That way I just need diesel in the tank and no need for propane furnace.

Also beginning to look at water tanks, I noticed that 2 of these are cheaper than the 100 gallon tanks that a lot of folks get. Also seemed to be built better as well. Anyone have experience with a dual fresh water tank design? I'm assuming just do a T style connection going into the water pump?

https://www.amazon.com/Holding-conce...G9XGVJ3TT4T721

family wagon · 10-29-2019, 09:32 PM

Using two tanks instead of one does allow partitioning the water and reduces the effect of sloshing in partially filled tanks.

They can be joined simply by using a tee so that both tanks draw down together, but they can instead be connected in other ways if you want to. For example you could use a selector valve. That would allow you to draw down (and refill) the tanks independently, which might be useful if there's a chance of taking on bad or just unpleasant water by accident. It could also give a built-in warning that the water supply is halfway gone when it's time to switch the valve.

If you're going on a short trip and don't want to take on a full load of water, the ability to completely fill one tank while leaving the other empty yields zero sloshing. Filling both tanks halfway carries the same amount of water but with maximal sloshing.

Bon Voyage · 10-29-2019, 09:57 PM

I almost went with 2 tanks but ended up doing 1. Those 2 could be a useful way to do it, I didn’t see those tanks when I was looking. If I did 2 tanks I’d connect both along the same water line to the pump, but I’d put a valve at each tank to shut them off independently. It might help getting more water out of one or the other if you aren’t parked on level ground.

o1marc · 10-29-2019, 10:19 PM

I have 2 fresh watter and 1 gray water tank. One fresh water tank is under the sink cabinet. The other fresh and gray are in an understorage bin. The mani fill is on the inside tank with a 1/2" line through the floor to the lower tank, then a 1/2" line back up through the floor into the pump. When the upper tank goes dry, you're half full That tank fit perfectly under the chair rail.

WIbluebird · 11-01-2019, 01:13 PM

Half of my running lights don't work due to age/neglect. The newer Bluebirds at work all run these small grommet style LED lights for side markers. May decide to convert my bus to this style, esp if all it takes is a 3/4 inch hole and body filler to cover up the old holes.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...connector/829/

thoughts?

WIbluebird · 11-25-2019, 03:42 PM

Tried a new method for the front light covers. I used JB weld and 2 screws to hold the panels in place from the inside of the bus while it works its magic. I'll cut the screw threads off when it comes time to apply the body filler. How well does Bondo cure in the cold? It's hitting 30 degrees right now. Maybe wait until spring perhaps? Just need to delete the lights now to prepare for the State Patrol inspection and (hopefully) get my motorhome plates.

Also making sense of the cable spaghetti that is in the front bulkhead. I do have one of those Doran light monitors. I see no reason to dismantle and bypass it, i'll just stick it up inside the cabinet that is eventually going in that area of the bus. Lots of audio wiring that I won't need anymore. Hopefully bus still starts after all this.

WIbluebird · 11-30-2019, 12:28 PM

Finished deleting the school bus lights

I will scrape the black rubber gasket material and do body filler + paint in the spring.

Started the bus and ran it for an hour. Added Power Service anti-gel. Surprised at how quickly it started after sitting for 2.5 months. 3 big batteries + a new starter probably made a big difference.

Dismantled the Webasto and found the injector nozzle all clogged up. Will be ordering the $12 replacement and seeing if that does the trick.

Among other news, I checked the electrical and it seems like I have no running/tail lights at all. Fuse is good, checked the connections at the light and getting no current at all. I'm guessing I cut a wire somewhere by accident. Any suggestions on where to check?

Bon Voyage · 12-01-2019, 01:00 PM

Make sure there isn’t a separate switch for your lights. Mine has a separate switch from the headlights and I always forget to switch it on. But I’m guessing it’s not that. I’d check at the fuse with a tester light to see if it’s getting power there, if it is or isn’t you at least know which direction to go from there.

What’s a Webasto?

WIbluebird · 12-01-2019, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bon Voyage

Make sure there isn’t a separate switch for your lights. Mine has a separate switch from the headlights and I always forget to switch it on. But I’m guessing it’s not that. I’d check at the fuse with a tester light to see if it’s getting power there, if it is or isn’t you at least know which direction to go from there.

What’s a Webasto?

Webasto furnace is a diesel-powered coolant heater that pre-warms the engine and the passenger compartment. It's on a timer usually. Hoping to adapt it to use it for my primary heat source.

Nice thing is that it only burns at .2 gph and it draws from the main tank so no need to mess with propane tanks or seperate fuel tanks. It's also a dry heat source unlike propane which creates tons of condensation.

Anyway, has anyone had experience rewiring the factory heater boxes to run off house batteries? Ideally I'd like to rebuild them with more efficent computer style fans if possible. Any thoughts?

musigenesis · 12-01-2019, 08:07 PM

I've only done bondo in warm weather, but from what I've read you can apply it in cold temperatures, it just take longer (potentially a lot longer) to cure. So some combination of more hardener and more patience would work.

However, since you can't really paint in cold weather, might as well save the bondo work for warm weather as well.

I unfortunately read the directions on the paint I'm planning to use on the underside of my bus (Rustoleum rusty metal primer and Rustoleum high-performance enamel), and while I was assuming it could only be applied in 50F or warmer like most Rusto paints, it turns out both of these can be used at 32F or warmer, which means I have no excuse for not getting out there and doing it as long as it's above freezing.

grin61 · 12-02-2019, 08:01 AM

Love your bus! Thats pretty much just what I'm looking for. How many miles are on it? I'll be following your build as I've already picked up a few things.

BTW for caulking I use Trempro 635 it's used by many over the road companies for truck/trailer sealing, its polyurethane caulk

I'm new to this site and not sure if I'm posting right...I'm sure you guys will let me know.

WIbluebird · 12-02-2019, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grin61

Love your bus! Thats pretty much just what I'm looking for. How many miles are on it? I'll be following your build as I've already picked up a few things.

BTW for caulking I use Trempro 635 it's used by many over the road companies for truck/trailer sealing, its polyurethane caulk

I'm new to this site and not sure if I'm posting right...I'm sure you guys will let me know.

Thanks! Currently the odometer is not functioning but seller said the bus most likely has around 190K miles. I will be taking the bus to the shop at my work and seeing if they can get the mileage from the ECM (they have a laptop with the Cummins & Bluebird diagnostic software).

Thanks for the caulk recommendation, would you recommend it for patching small screw size holes in the body?

Also looking at the rubber floor and debating whether its worth pulling up. I am 5 ft 11 and the bus is the high headroom variant with 77" ceiling. I'm wondering if maybe just leaving the floor intact and building an insulated floating floor on top? Would save me a ton of time fighting the plywood floors and filling in seat bolt holes. I did some probing around the rear wheel wells and the plywood floor looks to be dry and in good shape.

Bon Voyage · 12-02-2019, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WIbluebird

Thanks! Currently the odometer is not functioning but seller said the bus most likely has around 190K miles. I will be taking the bus to the shop at my work and seeing if they can get the mileage from the ECM (they have a laptop with the Cummins & Bluebird diagnostic software).

Thanks for the caulk recommendation, would you recommend it for patching small screw size holes in the body?

Also looking at the rubber floor and debating whether its worth pulling up. I am 5 ft 11 and the bus is the high headroom variant with 77" ceiling. I'm wondering if maybe just leaving the floor intact and building an insulated floating floor on top? Would save me a ton of time fighting the plywood floors and filling in seat bolt holes. I did some probing around the rear wheel wells and the plywood floor looks to be dry and in good shape.

I think it’s worthwhile to take out the floors as there can be mould on them. Mine had some

grin61 · 12-02-2019, 08:31 PM

For patching the holes I don't think I would use it on its own, I would probably cut some small (1.5x1.5" patches) and secure them wit the Trempro. Sikaflex 221 is another good one. I didn't realize there was plywood under the rubber flooring, thought it was steel. If your pretty sure there's no water damage or any recent leaks you may be able to leave it. Not sure what the best route is there.

WIbluebird · 12-13-2019, 03:04 PM

New headlight time. Broke a trim piece that goes around the drivers side headlights in the process though

Got these headlights off Amazon. Paid a little extra for the DOT certified ones, was around $80 for the set. Took a little playing with the plugs to get them to wire up to the bus correctly but I got it in the end. Will still need to adjust the headlights especially the low beams.

A lot brighter than the stock setup on the buses at work. Bluebird seems determined to use the crappiest headlight designs possible.

Finally remembered that my running lights were on a seperate switch

WIbluebird · 12-16-2019, 08:43 AM

After 2 hours of trying to peel up the rubber puke mat I figured out a better method. I set my circular saw to .5" and just cut out squares of the floor with the puke mat sill attached. It's somewhat slow going and the Milwaukee saw chews up a battery in 15 minutes but it's progress!

Also the floor looks beautiful so far. If this was a Wisconsin bus I would've fallen through the floor when I wasn't busy prying up chunks of rotted plywood!

Also patching those hundreds of holes in the floor is going to be fun

ted@campbycanoe.com · 12-16-2019, 08:56 AM

I made a little jig to cut out strips of 16 gauge steel into 1"x2 1/2" inch strips. I squeezed some 3M 5300 hundred on them, my lovely bride stuck 'em down. Seemed to work pretty well.

JDSquared · 12-16-2019, 09:05 AM

I hated getting that plywood and rubber out of my bus. People told me to cut it into squares and I still took too long before I started doing that. Liking my battery operated saw didn't make it much better.

The hard part is almost over! The building part should be much more fun.

I got some plastic expanding plugs to fill my holes with. It was like $8 for a hundred of them. Set them in with some caulking and they're still holding strong.

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