International Problems? Ask me!

[chev49]

check fuel system.. filters, etc. hopefully u have travel with spares as everyone should do

[spgrogers]

Sounds to me like it has been overheated you will lose power and it will shut down. If it cools down and does not start again there may be other problems. Did you see a rise on your temperature gauge before this happened? These buses were not built to run over 55 mph. Running in hot whether and on hills will cause overheating.

[cowlitzcoach]

I don't think I understand what all your problems might be at this time.

Your going slower and slower indicates a lack of fuel unless you were going up a grade at the time. There are many places in the western parts of the US and Canada that appear to be flat when in actuality the area is flat on a tilt with a 1%-3% grade. Those kinds of grades are very deceptive and can overheat a rig when the ambient temps are over 80*.

In regards to a lack of fuel the two main culprits are clogged fuel filters or clogged vent.

The clogged filters are a result of water and gunk. If you are getting a water in fuel light then you probably have clogged fuel filters due to water. Replacing the fuel filters will get you onto the road but will not fix the water or gunk that is in your tank. The only way to do that is to drain and clean the tank and start over again.

More than once I have seen the tank vent has become clogged and does not let air into the tank as fuel has been used. Eventually the vacuum in the tank is greater than the amount of suction the fuel pump can pull and you start to run out of fuel. If you open the fuel filler cap and you hear air rushing inside it is a clear indication that the vent is not working. Once you let air in the fuel will flow. Just put the cap on tight enough to keep the fuel from sloshing out but not so tight as to not let air into the tank. Long term fix is to find the vent and clean it out.

As to why it won't start with three new batteries, it all depends upon how charged up the batteries are currently. If you have had a bad alternator and you have been taking more juice out than you have been replacing you could find yourself with three new batteries that are flat dead.

Keep us posted and let us know what you have tried and found not to work.

Good luck.

[rock649]

I have a 1997 3800 t444e with hydrolic brakes. I replaced both back calipers and new pads. I'm having an issue with one rear caliper dragging then the other one dragging. The brake pressure light is also on. I got advice from a school bus mechanic that it might be a brake pressure actuator...which is a block all the lines tie into after the master cylinder to equalize the pressure. Whatchoo think there boss?

[BeeLDub]

I got rid of my 2 piece rims for 1 piece with tubeless tires back in June. The guy at the shop told me to come back in after a few hundred miles to re-torque the lug nuts. Well, I can never make it there during his hours, so I was going to have a friend with a trucking business do it for me, but I have no clue what the lugs should be torqued to. Any idea?

They're Dayton 11R22.5 Wheels

[syntel]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

Couldn't tell you about internationals, we run all cummins here. If I remember right from school, you can change the governed road speed using the servicemaxx software without the need for any passwords from the manufacturer. The problem is, you being from the uk, I doubt anybody would have that software available. One thing you could try is shipping your computer across the pond to someone with the software and see if they could do it. Other than that, I think you're SOL aside from buying the software, licensing, and components yourself (read big $$$).

I think the software is free now.

https://www.navistarservicesoftware....-installation/

[Charleys Place]

Just bought a 2000 Bluebird School bus... T444E picked it up in Mississippi yesterday and drove it 500 miles. Everything seemed to be going well till about 300 miles into the trip. Stopped at a rest stop and when I started the bus up again got oil/water warning lights. Oil check was good water was almost empty but no obvious leaks on the ground. Let it cool and put 4 gals of water in and drove it the rest of the way. Got home and checked the water... very low level. No water in the oil but noticed a leak on top of the motor towards the back ... explains why the floor area around the front of the cab was slippery, kind of oily. Any ideas where to start?

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Charleys Place

Just bought a 2000 Bluebird School bus... T444E picked it up in Mississippi yesterday and drove it 500 miles. Everything seemed to be going well till about 300 miles into the trip. Stopped at a rest stop and when I started the bus up again got oil/water warning lights. Oil check was good water was almost empty but no obvious leaks on the ground. Let it cool and put 4 gals of water in and drove it the rest of the way. Got home and checked the water... very low level. No water in the oil but noticed a leak on top of the motor towards the back ... explains why the floor area around the front of the cab was slippery, kind of oily. Any ideas where to start?

first thing would be to try and narrow down when you say "back of engine".. if its back lower near a cylinder shaped device, thats the oil cooler.. thats a possible source of external leak. is coolant ending up in the valley? is it running out of the back of one of the heads?
-Christopher

[Charleys Place]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

first thing would be to try and narrow down when you say "back of engine".. if its back lower near a cylinder shaped device, thats the oil cooler.. thats a possible source of external leak. is coolant ending up in the valley? is it running out of the back of one of the heads?
-Christopher

Thanks for your reply. Yes coolant/water is gathering in the valley. Would the oil cooler be leaking water/coolant? While I have never driven a bus before this. it seemed to do well. The first 300 miles was at 60-65mph around 2500-2700 rpm

[cadillackid]

coolant in the valley.. its vaguely possible that its a timing cover.. but I would be looking at cleaning up the valley.. blowing it dry with an air hose, start the bus and let it warm up and see if you can tell where its coming from.. id be concerned it be a head gasket as there isnt a lot of passages up there exposed..

be sure its in fact coolant in the valley and coming fro mthere to the ground.. the freeze plugs in the rear of the heads are a more likely leak point.. wet valley is more often fuel or oil...

the oil cooler is on the bottom driver side so that wont put coolant in the valley.. the oil cooler on these is a water / oil heat exchanger.. it looks like a long cylinder shaped piece right next to the oil filter.

-Christopher

[Charleys Place]

Thanks...I will check it out and update when I do

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Charleys Place

Thanks...I will check it out and update when I do

Check the heater core, that will leak coolant inside the bus.

[Boondocker Express]

I have a question...I own. 1998 Thomas 3800 with a DT466E with Dayton wheels...can the front wheel hub be rebalanced I lost a weight(s) off the inside of the hub...any info would be appreciated...thanks

[AVL_BUS]

91 Navistar DT360 in a Thomas Built.

Bus has been sitting for 4 months while I was traveling. I came back and charged up the batteries. She would start and rev up and up to high rpms. I could not get engine to stop by the cutoff. Only able to get it to stop by putting it into reverse... not good! I found a broken line from the throttle pedal to the transmission. Throttle line itself is fine, so is fuel cutoff line. Im not sure what that line is... or where to get it or how to replace it. Any help is appreciated!

[Robin97396]

It sounds like your fuel shutoff valve isn't closing to shut the fuel off. As far as the engine reving immediately upon startup, that sounds like the linkage problems you found.

Is there anybody that would mess with your bus while you're gone? Any other signs of break in or anything?

[AVL_BUS]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

It sounds like your fuel shutoff valve isn't closing to shut the fuel off. As far as the engine reving immediately upon startup, that sounds like the linkage problems you found.

Is there anybody that would mess with your bus while you're gone? Any other signs of break in or anything?

i noticed the cable was broken when inspecting the pedal, i doubt someone would break it but it is possible. it seemed to snap right where connected to the pedal. Any clue what that cable does or is called?

[cadillackid]

are you talking about the cable from a dash knob to the pedal? or from the pedal to the pump under the hood?

ther pedal to dash knob is the high idle cable where you set your bus to run at high idle.. pulling that cable out increases the engine speed. and holds the pedal down.

the cable from a dash knob to the pump under the hood is the fuel shut off cable.
then there is a cable from the pedal to the pump on a spring loaded arm at the pump which is your normal throttle for driving (pedal up and down).
-Christopher

[Tango]

Thanks for reminding me Caddie. I need to jury rig a high idle thingie.

[AVL_BUS]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

are you talking about the cable from a dash knob to the pedal? or from the pedal to the pump under the hood?

ther pedal to dash knob is the high idle cable where you set your bus to run at high idle.. pulling that cable out increases the engine speed. and holds the pedal down.

the cable from a dash knob to the pump under the hood is the fuel shut off cable.
then there is a cable from the pedal to the pump on a spring loaded arm at the pump which is your normal throttle for driving (pedal up and down).
-Christopher

This is a modulator cable i have found out. it runs from the pedal to the trans.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Tango

Thanks for reminding me Caddie. I need to jury rig a high idle thingie.

I have a high idle thingie.. its automatic...