New to bus ownership

[noolieskoolie]

I just purchased a 1987 GMC/BlueBird with the 8.2L Detroit Diesel. I'm glad I found this site, there is so much info on here I could spend days going thru the galleries to see some of the amazing things you guys do with your Skoolies. I have worked on a lot of vehicles but NEVER a bus, I'm gonna have to buy all kinds of new tools hehehehe. Anyways do you guys have any tips or concerns about this engine cuz it seems to run and drive fine its just doggie on the highway(which seems to be common) but I can't seem to find very much data on this engine. Is it junk or a diamond in the rough? Its got about 150,000 on the bus and it has hardly any rust for being a Michigan bus. I'm pretty pumped about workin on it but for some reason I get a lot of laughs from everybody I tell that I bought it.

Thanks and I look forward to posting progress pics to share.

Mike

[phillbus914]

You live by me. Kinda, I live in Grand Rapids but I grew up in Muskegon.

Where did you get your bus?

Have you thought about turning the governor up on your bus, Jason did mine for me and it really made it go a lot faster. My speed-o is off but it now tops out at 77mph on flat ground. I've found that at that speed though my mileage drops to about 6.5 or so, so I usually go about 65mph and get about 10mpg. At 55mph I get about 12mpg, but I dont usually drive that slow.

What’s your top speed now?

Do you know the gear ratio?

Looking forward to seeing some pics.

[lapeer20m]

i think the 8.2 detroit was not the best motor ever put in a skoolie.....i tried to tell phill the same thing about that 5.9 cummins motor. With his motor he gets almost double the fuel economy i do, he outpulls me during acceleration, and uphills. That 5.9 cummins seems to be bar better than my dt 360. Anyhow...i've read that the 8.2 isn't necessarily a bad motor, but it's kind of wimpy. There are ton's of them out there though.

[bdavis441]

Originally Posted by noolieskoolie

for some reason I get a lot of laughs from everybody I tell that I bought it.

screw 'em!
people with no creativity don't get it!

[Firearm]

Have you gotten the Partridge Family comment yet?

[trentet]

Have you gotten the Partridge Family comment yet?

Dude, I get that from like every other person I talk to, the other half suggest hippy bus paint scheme. Seems most people have no imagination beyond what TV and popular culture present them with. I like to blow folks minds whan they ask if I'm turning it into an RV, I say no, I'm converting it into the worlds largest deisel powered SUV. I can like totally crush Hummers, Bwa Ha! Bwa Ha! Bwa Ha Ha!

[noolieskoolie]

I bought it from Neals on Chicago Dr, that place has a crap load of Skoolies. I'm not real sure what the gear ratio yet, is it stamped on the rear end? My top speed is about 60 mph on completely level ground. Does anyone have pics of the govenor and how to adjust it? I really don't know anything about diesels so I really dont want to adjust it until I get a tach for it.

This may sound like a stupid question but anyway where do you hook up a tach because I know on gas that you hook it up to l the distributor to monitor the spark but on a diesel it is my understanding that fuel is compressed so much that it explodes. So is that a cam sensor or some other timing component that you hook up a tach to?

Most of my auto repair knowledge is by picking up a manual on what ever vehicle Im workin on so if I could get my hands on that I should be all set, any advise on where to get a tech manual for it?

As to the Partidge family remark - its getting pretty LAME
I think people just see a bunch of seats in it and dont look a its size and the endless possibilities. I look at it as the ultimate BOOZE Cruiser to games, camping, tubin on the river(one semi plastered driver or 20 completely wasted drivers returning from a long day on the river), races, drive inns and Bitchin to drive.

Alright Ive rambled enough, Sure the answers to my questions are in this forum some, just gotta find um.

Later Mike

[the_experience03]

Your rear end ratio should be stamped on a plate attached to the rear axle. Mine was on the right hand side on the front of the axle tube about midway between the third member and the spring perch. Prepare for it to be dirty and hard to read. You might also find it on the line sticker somewhere in the cabin, on the firewall, etc. I would try the axle first, however, as the axles come from a different manufacturer than the chassis even so they need a way to identify them at the IHC factory, Ford Factory, etc so there should be something on the axle itself.

[noolieskoolie]

Originally Posted by lapeer20m

i think the 8.2 detroit was not the best motor ever put in a skoolie.....i tried to tell phill the same thing about that 5.9 cummins motor. With his motor he gets almost double the fuel economy i do, he outpulls me during acceleration, and uphills. That 5.9 cummins seems to be bar better than my dt 360. Anyhow...i've read that the 8.2 isn't necessarily a bad motor, but it's kind of wimpy. There are ton's of them out there though.

Where did you read up on it, I would like to find out as much info on this engine as possible?

Has anyone put propane on a naturally aspirated diesel and if so is it worth it or a waste of money? I've read a few things about it but those articles referenced turbo diesels. I would like a little more speed cuz Im just not used to people passin me on the highway "I'M the passer not the passed, damnit" Just kiddin I dont want to blow the beast up before I convert it.

It just sucks cuz I didnt research the engine before I bought it and I am finding more negative than positive. It ran and drove good and the body, tires, engine compartment and interior are excellent for an '87 even the body and under body has very little surface rust. I thought it was a good buy for $1600 out the door.

Mike

[the_experience03]

For $1600 you probably won't do better. Opinions on every bus motor varies. You'll even hear people complain about the venerable DT466 because it "tears up drivetrains." I think the 8.2 gets a bad rep because it was Detroit's first attempt at a 4 stroke diesel and it just didn't perform like the 2 stroke diesels they had 40+ years experience building. Remember...opinions are like assholes...

I've heard both good and bad about my motor (6.6 liter Ford/New Holland "Brazilian" turbo diesel), but I haven't found anything bad about it. It gets decent mileage and is rumored to last forever. As for performance....it performs about the same as my 22re in my Toyota so I'm satisfied. I guess I'm just used to being passed. There aren't many buses that are "passers" in the vintage any of us own. Perhaps a new IC with a C7 in high output trim?

If I were going to build a "hot rod bus" it would probably have a gas motor. I think a $5000 mild 500 caddy would move an 11 or 12 window model just fine, but truth of the matter is I like to see the scenery so I just live for it.

[phillbus914]

Neal’s is only about 3 miles from my house. I looked there when I was bus shopping a few years ago. I still stop by there when I'm driving by and see what they have. I bought my "new" drivers seat there too. Anyway...

I have a 91 bluebird and I found my axle ratio stamped on a tag inside the bus by the front door. There was the engine serial number, and a bunch of other useful info on the tag as well.

As for adjusting the governor, I didn’t do mine but I watched Jason do it. On mine all he had to do was unscrew a cover and turn the spring in a few turns, then adjust the idle. It's going to be different depending on what injection pump you have. Maybe post a pic of your injection pump and someone on here can tell you how to adjust the governor.

Here is a link to a post about adjusting the governor

http://www.skoolie.net/forum/viewtopic. ... light=tach

Here is a post I started last summer when I was looking to add a tachometer to my bus

http://www.skoolie.net/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=

I never did it; I ended up using a rear end gear ratio calculator to get my RPM's at a given speed. Heres a good one.

http://www.idavette.net/tech/ratioc.htm

[busone]

I just bought the same bus as you except mine is a 1990. The 8.2 is a dog but I like it. I get 10MPG and can go 75 on the flats. When I hit a hill it is all over. We moved using the bus as a moving truck. Going up the 8000' passes in Wyoming was not fun. We did about 30 up most of them. Even fully loaded trucks were passing me. Though down hill I could do the speed limit.

We moved to Idaho near Twin Falls. For the most part it is flat so this bus works good for me. I really wish this bus had a turbo but the fuel mileage is so good without one.

After I get my leaky basement fixed the wife will let me work on the bus. I am going to convert it to WVO. The 8.2 is a great engine for a WVO conversion. It is just like the 2 strokes. It has no injectino pump so this engine runs very good on veggy oil.

A lot of gearheads hate this engien because it is just like the two stroke. You have to run the rack the same way and all. Most mechanics don't know how to work on them properly. A good 2 stroke mechanic should be able to do it though. My bus has almost 200,000 miles on it but the engine is a Jasper rebuild 13,000 miles ago.

Right now my only problem is a leaky power steering hose. I will be working on that one tomorrow.

[BlueCruzier]

HI everyone!! I also just purchased my bus...yep, everyone laughs and I've gotten many of the same comments as you all. I am from southeast Louisiana. I am so excited about transforming my 1988 chevy/ward into a motorhome. I am so glad I found these site, you all will be a great deal of help. I will post a pic as soon as I can.