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Old 11-25-2009, 12:04 PM   #1
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Year: 1994
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Chassis: Ford B700
Engine: Cummins 5.9
5.9 5 speed fuel mileage

I'm looking at a 1994 Ford B700 65 passenger school bus. It's got a 5.9 Liter Cummins in it and a 5 speed tranny. I plan on making it into a car hauler/camper. I was wondering what kind of mileage i can expect from this rig? loaded with the car shouldn't be more then 4k lbs more then the empty stock bus. Thanks in advance.

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Old 11-25-2009, 09:25 PM   #2
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Re: 5.9 5 speed fuel mileage


A stick shift?! Many of us lie awake nights hoping to find a stick shift bus!

Above all, fuel consumption is determined by travel speed. At 55 MPH, you may get as much as 10 MPG. But terrain, driving style and many other factors play in, so "YMMV".

Welcome aboard!
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Old 11-26-2009, 11:25 PM   #3
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Re: 5.9 5 speed fuel mileage

most of my driving is pretty flat. I live in central kansas. There's not a lot of hills or mountains .

I'm going to go look at it sometime around the 4th or 5th. I wish it had a 2 speed rear end. I'm trying to replace my 3/4 ton suburban as my tow pig for next show season. It gets about 8 mpg towing my 16ft trailer with my truck on it. So if i can get a bus that'll get about the same or better mileage then that then I'll be set. maybe even pull my trailer with another truck on it. Plus i'll be able to haul a couple extra guys to split fuel with and won't have to get a hotel. Car shows can get expensive.
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Old 04-09-2016, 11:42 PM   #4
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I have a 1997 12 valve cummins in a 34' bluebird TC2000. It tops out at 60mph and I drove it from Baltimore MA to Michigan at 55-60mph.

I calculated 9.98mpg for the trip.

Bill
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Old 04-10-2016, 12:37 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elliot Naess View Post

A stick shift?! Many of us lie awake nights hoping to find a stick shift bus!
Come to Canada! I struggle finding not stick shift buses...
Most Thomas's pre 2000 on the used market are damn 5 speeds.
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Old 04-10-2016, 02:10 PM   #6
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If you grew up driving a stick it feels very natural in a bus, and it feels like a lot better way to control the power. Automatics are great for highway and around town. Out in the boonies a stick feels better and you don't have to use your brakes as much. These free wheeling 4 speeds are a pain going up or down hills.
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Old 04-10-2016, 02:22 PM   #7
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I looked at a couple sticks at BGA in florida a couple weeks ago.. they pop up now and then... I wanted an automatic just because I SUCK at non-syncro transmissions...

-Christopher
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Old 04-10-2016, 02:30 PM   #8
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When you get stuck with a non-syncro transmission is when you learn, and you'd get better quickly just by ear. I'd enjoy a stick because I know I can coast start the bus if necessary when I'm way out in the boonies.
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Old 04-10-2016, 02:34 PM   #9
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my experience was on an old early 70s Gasoline Superior (Chevy I think?) (8 speed? maybe 10?)..it had a 366 Gas motor in it.. and was tough to RPM match.. it want to rev easy or drop quickly.. esp making it hard was when the A/C compressor cycled in and out when I was trying to shift... it was a Church Bus..
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Old 04-10-2016, 02:42 PM   #10
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I have never encountered a bus that needed to be double clutched. Most manual school buses have 5 speed spicers which are synchronized except for reverse and first, which doesn't really mater because unless you are stuck or on a really steep hill you don't need first.

I have only seen two with 7 speeds, one was on here i think and another was out in Ontario.
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Old 04-10-2016, 02:48 PM   #11
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I've still got a GMC 5 window with a 366 and a 5 speed. That's where I stick all the stuff I can't keep in this bus. I've had such problems with people stealing gas out of my GMC, and previous gassers, or I might not have switched to a diesel.

Yeah, gas is more difficult to learn on if you've got a stick especially with one of those older trannys. Those were the good old days when I was usually grinding someone else's gears.
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