Which body company has the best access to the drivetrain in a RE model?

[bearhawk]

Originally Posted by bearhawk

ScooterNJ says the IC/Amtran has plenty of room to work on it. BB RE seem to have plenty of room to work on the engine but then again I've not been in one. How much room is in a Thomas RE engine compartment to get in there to work on stuff?

Today I went to a bus dealer that had about 120 used buses for sale with about 50 of them being RE. I had the place almost to myself other than a few other folks looking at buses and no salesmen were there.

What did I learn about RE buses? I believe ScooterNJ is very correct. The IC/Amtran buses I looked into through the back side doors showed they had the most room to get in to access most everything on the engine. It's also nice that the radiator fan is direct drive off the back (normally front) of the engine on a viscous clutch with the radiator at the very back just like the photos show from ScooterNJ. Both Amtran buses I looked at had the DT466 in them.

Next the BB.AA was OK for engine access and the Thomas Saf-T-Liner non MVP was the worst but I have to say I love the cockpit of the STL and those dog ear mirrors! I'm sure you can work on the STL but it would be a little more difficult. I was thinking I'd get a BB.AA but I really liked those STLs. The IC/Amtrans weren't much on my radar until today. I like each of those 3 models and they each have their own positives and negatives. All that to say the decision isn't much easier but I do know which one is easier to work on.

Thanks ScooterNJ. I didn't believe you until I saw it with my own two eyes.

[jctrembly]

This is what the rear of an 2000 AmTran RE 466 looks like.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[EastCoastCB]

I think so, looks like it to me.

[jctrembly]

When you open the side access doors the compartment bottoms fold up so you can stand beside the engine. It's actually pretty roomy. There is a access hatch above the valve cover that can be opened from inside the bus. To me, that is probably the best way to pull the head off.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[Rameses]

So from the picture inside the engine compartment, it looks like the rear seat bench has a bump built into the middle of it.

On a Blue Bird (don't know about a Thomas), that bench is flat all the way across. Makes it possible to put a bed across the bench.

[jctrembly]

Yup, the bump in the middle is the engine access panel. I have thought about building a platform level to the section above the engine and place a 3" foam mattress on it for the bed. Oh, That's the extent of my conversation at this time. Lol. We've put about 4K miles on this bus and that's all I've done to it conversion wise. I've been a little busy with other things.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[dan-fox]

What sells me on the Thomas RE buses is the lack of any ductwork going up from the engine compartment to air intakes set high on the back of the bus (as in the picture above). I dunno; that may be exactly what makes them the worst cooling setup. See that video earlier about all the crud in the radiator of an HDX.

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by dan-fox

What sells me on the Thomas RE buses is the lack of any ductwork going up from the engine compartment to air intakes set high on the back of the bus (as in the picture above). I dunno; that may be exactly what makes them the worst cooling setup. See that video earlier about all the crud in the radiator of an HDX.

The cooling setup is the same on a Blue Bird RE though. The intake that protrudes into the interior on a Blue Bird is the intake for the engine, not ducting for the radiator.

[jctrembly]

You also want your engine air intake up high. One county bus was an Old RE with a low intake. They couldn't keep clean air filters in it. On my amtran the top panels above the rear engine doors are just mesh, while it doesn't benefit from the air blowing thru as a front mount Engine it seems to be the least restrictive compaierd to the lower side mount on other RE buses. The fan is also direct drive vs belt or hydraulic power. When it needs to move air, it moves it.

Have to admit the full belly storage on some Thomas busses is pretty sweet.


Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by Rameses

The cooling setup is the same on a Blue Bird RE though. The intake that protrudes into the interior on a Blue Bird is the intake for the engine, not ducting for the radiator.

Ductwork is ductwork. It gets in the way; it makes the engine happier. Pick your poison. I do believe that I remember reading on this forum somewhere that the ductwork also conducts noise into the bedroom while underway.

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by jctrembly

Have to admit the full belly storage on some Thomas busses is pretty sweet.

Yeah, that's another reason I like the Thomases. I don't think that feature is unique to Thomas, though. IIRC I've seen pics of BB AARE's that have that feature.

[jctrembly]

Yes, BB and Thomas are the ones that have that as an option. I looked at a Thomas with that, the corrosion where the frame entered and exited the belly storage was bad. I mean layers of frame flaking apart bad. Once the frame was 6-12" away from the bad section it looked acceptable. This was from a bus used in Indiana then sold for use in Tennessee. It seems alot of Indiana busses end up in Tennessee as Indiana only allows them to be used untill they are 12yrs Old... Something like that. Anyway Tennessee allows them to be sued until 18yrs old or so. WV since they are sorta State owned is supposed to be gone by 20yrs of age but there are always exceptions.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk