Transmission Options

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Kubla

I have also just gone for option B for travel buses, along with having a 2000 series to swap into my short bus

That's a friggin sweet bus, Kubla!

EC approved! lol

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by banman

Don't know why people balk at "driveshaft length" when doing a swap.
It's gotta be the easiest and cheapest part of the swap imho.
A local driveline shop will lengthen or shorten a driveshaft and rebalance for less than $150.

I think the hardest part will be putting the 545 in the donor -- I just wouldn't be motivated to put the donor bus back together for what it might bring. And if it has the same engine as your vista -- If it's also in good shape I'd be inclined to keep all the spare parts...

I agree... I have had driveshafts done before when I was in the IH scout hobby


I am picking up the 2002 bus tomorrow

confirmed it is an A-2000 has air brakes so the gearshift pic is R-N-D-4-2-1
and mine is R-N-D-3-2-1

I think from talking to him (he is the bus mechanic for his church) that it has the 6th gear unlocked...

Either way I intend to buy it for the trans and related parts.. but I may change the plan and keep more parts and sell the chassis..

plan is fluid..

stay thirsty my friends

[cadillackid]

no 6th gear on a 2002.. these transmissions werent 6 speed until 2006 / 4th gen TCMs.. (one of the reasons I went brand new parts i got 6 speed and 4th gen controls.. )


driveshafts are easy.. DriveLine One in columbus does all mine.. every decent size town has a driveshaft shop..



the only thing you May run across is that thje driveshaft offsets for the front driveshafts might be equal and you could possibly swap the shafts from one bus to another.. it is possible the front shaft carriers are in the same spot.. no way to tell until you measure it out..


lengthening driveshafgts is more pricey than shortening.. its possible one of them needs to be lengthened.. be ready for that..


you'll need to reprogram both ECMs for the busses to work correctly... the vista needs to get the trans type set to Allison MD, the donor bus needs to be reprogrammed to Allison AT/MT


replace the U-joints on the vista.. and get the shortened shaft balanced.. if you are doing it right you take all the driveshafts from the Vista and have the Joints changed, balanced and marked for Proper Phasing..



-Christopher

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

no 6th gear on a 2002.. these transmissions werent 6 speed until 2006 / 4th gen TCMs.. (one of the reasons I went brand new parts i got 6 speed and 4th gen controls.. )


driveshafts are easy.. DriveLine One in columbus does all mine.. every decent size town has a driveshaft shop..



the only thing you May run across is that thje driveshaft offsets for the front driveshafts might be equal and you could possibly swap the shafts from one bus to another.. it is possible the front shaft carriers are in the same spot.. no way to tell until you measure it out..


lengthening driveshafgts is more pricey than shortening.. its possible one of them needs to be lengthened.. be ready for that..


you'll need to reprogram both ECMs for the busses to work correctly... the vista needs to get the trans type set to Allison MD, the donor bus needs to be reprogrammed to Allison AT/MT


replace the U-joints on the vista.. and get the shortened shaft balanced.. if you are doing it right you take all the driveshafts from the Vista and have the Joints changed, balanced and marked for Proper Phasing..



-Christopher

I'll make it so captain

Tomorrows plan is to get the bus

I am fine without the 6th gear

I will report back tomorrow afternoon

[brokedown]

if you've got 4.78:1 rear end you'll be happy with 5th (0.74:1) and lock-up.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

It won't be a 100% bolt to bolt swap if your wheel bases are different.

Your 2000 that you're swapping for is about an inch longer then the at545 you're taking out. You'll likely have to do something with the driveshaft on both buses to get them to work.

I'm surprised christopher didn't mention anything. Read this in his redbyrd thread about what is required. http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/th...tml#post209821

DAG gone!! i just had to click on that link. and read part of my thread and see Tango's Posts of encouragement... Darn sure i miss that dude!!! met him in person and he was one special breed...



-Christopher

[RolesvilleMarina]

thanks lads

we're off tomorrow at about 8am

2.5 hours each way


I'll update around lunchtime

[RolesvilleMarina]

Been a bit busy to update

the trip was a bust
5 hours round trip. I was buying from a church so I was really surprised how much the fellow did not disclose when i specifically asked him

I won't bore you with all the details, but "light rust" on the side parts when I asked about rust wasn't even close to the salt rotted piece of West Virginia Crap he showed me

I got there was already running and "warmed up" (never buy a diesel ou can't see cold start)

It was actively leaking all fluids, some making puddles (steering gearbox)

and as I mentioned, rusted out... badly

Oh and almost forgot that despite it all I said lets see it go, so he drove and I watched and listened. 2 blocks out was ok, but then when he turned onto the country highway it hit 3rd gear and that was it... acted like limp mode... wouldn't go faster than 15 mph

He said first the fuel filter (ha, it runs fine lower gears) but I was already done. He also decides to now disclose after my 2.5 hour drive that no one has driven the bus in a year.. they charged it up and started it first time today.

give me a break


I left


So have another possibility but the man says it is a 2003 T444E with an Allison 3000.

I am unsure this would work? but it is a T444E he says

I have asked him to verify the transmission tag of course.. but thought I would ask here, and fill you in on the luck so far

cheers

[PatrickBaptist]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

Been a bit busy to update

the trip was a bust
5 hours round trip. I was buying from a church so I was really surprised how much the fellow did not disclose when i specifically asked him

I won't bore you with all the details, but "light rust" on the side parts when I asked about rust wasn't even close to the salt rotted piece of West Virginia Crap he showed me

I got there was already running and "warmed up" (never buy a diesel ou can't see cold start)

It was actively leaking all fluids, some making puddles (steering gearbox)

and as I mentioned, rusted out... badly

Oh and almost forgot that despite it all I said lets see it go, so he drove and I watched and listened. 2 blocks out was ok, but then when he turned onto the country highway it hit 3rd gear and that was it... acted like limp mode... wouldn't go faster than 15 mph

He said first the fuel filter (ha, it runs fine lower gears) but I was already done. He also decides to now disclose after my 2.5 hour drive that no one has driven the bus in a year.. they charged it up and started it first time today.

give me a break


I left


So have another possibility but the man says it is a 2003 T444E with an Allison 3000.

I am unsure this would work? but it is a T444E he says

I have asked him to verify the transmission tag of course.. but thought I would ask here, and fill you in on the luck so far

cheers

EXACT reason I tell people not to buy buses from so called churches.
And yes if it's already running or warm when you show up don't buy it unless they want scrap metal price for it. That is a sure sign they are selling you trouble and they know it.
Most these 501c3 businesses called churches don't take care of their stuff to begin with.

[Booyah45828]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

DAG gone!! i just had to click on that link. and read part of my thread and see Tango's Posts of encouragement... Darn sure i miss that dude!!! met him in person and he was one special breed...



-Christopher

Gosh, I found that through a search and didn't read the rest of the posts. I just went back through it all myself. Then I went through some more of his posts on here

Special breed is an understatement. The world lost a good one there.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

Gosh, I found that through a search and didn't read the rest of the posts. I just went back through it all myself. Then I went through some more of his posts on here

Special breed is an understatement. The world lost a good one there.

not only his Bus. and the incredible craftmanship he was putting into that but his art.. wow his concrete art is something to behold as well.. we were there at REHAB. and he is out there like a little kid playing in mud.. concreting away total blast to watch him go to town on a table he was building.



super layed back guy.. not a care in the world, just chilling runningthe art studio.. we worked on the A/C imn his bus a bit and just brainstormed .. brilliant mind.. cool stuff.. I hope whoever got his rig puts the care into it that he did..



-Christopher

[WIbluebird]

Agreed, wouldn't buy anything from the churches around here. Most of them just stick with E Series shuttles but a few get old school buses and then neglect them for years doing the bare minimum to keep them on the road. There's always that one church member that "does all the bus stuff" but theres rarely funds and/or knowledge to properly take care of them.

Church down the road from me sold a late 90s Thomas ER with a CAT and Dayton wheels but the thing was so rusty the front staircase was about ready to fall off the bus!! ANNND they wanted $6K for it!!!! Hopefully someone bought it just for the motor.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Just to update

I am still hunting a donor bus.

I've been trucking along on the build meanwhile.

I've got a line on a bus in VA... 2002 IH with T444E and the A-2000

He wants $4k.. I've offered $3k

Waiting to see

meanwhile I revisited this thread to re-read Chris's suggestions on Tablet for engine monitoring.. Going to order that today


Oh and we are finally starting to re-build from the house fire. Hoping they start hanging drywall next week. The missus is ready to move back home and out of the apartment we own (we rent on air bnb)

Cheers all

dave

Edit - I see Chris says he uses a google app for gauges and an Ipad for the GPS

I was planning on just a regular old Garmin for GPS, but I was thinking of getting an Ipad for the Gauges... the wife is more familiar with Ipad than Windows stuff being a graphic designer. She is my IT support lol..

Can I use an Ipad to do the engine monitoring?v Or must it be android/windows related?

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

Can I use an Ipad to do the engine monitoring?v Or must it be android/windows related?

The BlueFire gadget does not support iOS, so no iPad.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Any recommendations for a tablet?

Had an old ipad we lost in the fire... Insurance says I need to spend $300 and I will get $ back (depreciation clause we paid extra for)

It's weird but if I buy a $50 tablet I get nothing.. If I buy one that is $300 give or take I will get back $275


so please any recommendations on a good tablet would work for this application would be helpful

might as well go for the better of the tablets

[RolesvilleMarina]

I've found a bus

2003 International 3800
T444E
Alisson 2000 Transmission

2 hours 20 min away from me for $2500

We're leaving in the AM to get it

if you are on FB it is item/2476003092674627

[RolesvilleMarina]

Bought the 2003 international today

The difference in a lock up converter is huge too

going to rain next couple days so surgery will have to wait. I have them side by side ready to go.

I am not sure if anyone is still following, but here we go

[wrenchtech]

Good luck! Very ambitious. I am hoping I have the gumption to do an engine swap in my bus sometime in the future. Good donors are out there for very reasonable prices if you have time and patience to search. I would be looking to switch over from a caterpillar C7 to a Cummins 8.3. I saw an early 2000’s Bluebird RE with an 8.3 for sale for $1500 last summer. It was advertised as having a bad radiator, which could’ve meant that the engine was bad. I didn’t follow up on it for a number of reasons. In the meantime I am also keeping my eyes open (and ear to the ground) for a bus or truck with a 5.9 Cummins common rail to put in my Ford pickup. I am going to investigate a lead on an Allison transmission for the Ford tomorrow.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Here is a question

The Harness on my bus does have the 3 wire Pigtail TCM plug...
it is unused since I have the AT545
so in theory I can pull my ECM and put it with the AT545 in the donor bus (bus 89, the long one)
Then I can put the donor buses ECM, TCM, and A-2000 into my bus and skip the programming factor?

sounds too good to be true, but again the buses are identical other than length (and body company) They are both T444E

[brokedown]

I can say I'd want to have a Nexiq handy when doing this sort of job..