Crown bus across country

[TrailLifeBill]

In addition to the above, worm gear hose clamps, wire ties, duct tape, grease gun (with grease). Electrical tape, fuses, spare headlight, check wiper blade condition, trucker type tire pressure gauge....etc.

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by TrailLifeBill

In addition to the above, worm gear hose clamps, wire ties, duct tape, grease gun (with grease). Electrical tape, fuses, spare headlight, check wiper blade condition, trucker type tire pressure gauge....etc.

What is a "trucker type tire pressure gauge"?

[TrailLifeBill]

Reads higher pressure than car gauges (most bus/truck tires are in the 90-120 lb range), also the inner tire on dual rear wheels may require a straight foot on the pressure gauge. https://www.amazon.com/Milton-S986-S...foot+air+gauge

Oh, and a Harbor Freight grade laser temperature gauge to keep tabs on tire/brake/bearing temps.

[Rawlings]

So we have finally departed California with our new family member Crown Bus, we believe we are going to name her Cali.

She's holding steady at 55mph we decided to take i40 to Missouri because we didn't want to push her too much going the Colorado route as we get used to her. She came with a jake break and let me tell you this feature helps tremendously down grades. Hopefully she holds it together on this long trip. She has a fixed engine and although she has an original transmission, its holding steady and no problems shifting up and down.


I will keep reporting each day. We left about 8pm from Riverside and plan on going to Flagstaff wit a stop halfway. Didn't realize how expensive these buses can be on diesel, the fill up was over 300 bucks ouch! We are trying to see what kind of milage she'll get but I suspect it'll be 8-9mpg. I think we can do the rear end later so she can cruise at 65+mph but that'l be once we save up for that sort of job haha

[Tango]

Here's hoping you have an "uneventful" ride and thanks for the updates.

[mikerob643]

Hey there!
Thanks for the updates, I feel pretty lucky, cause I happened to pass by you two on the 40 on my way home to Flagstaff (I work at the Kingman hospital as a nurse, stay there for my shifts). Saw you two chuggin' away between Seligman and Ashfork. "Cali" is a beaut!

This is my husbands account that he does most the postings on, so when I got home and mentioned your bus, he told me about your post! Wish I would have given you some honks!

Anyway, if you're staying in Flagstaff, we live on the east side of Flag, feel free to stop by for bus chat! We have a 1996 Thomas Vista 3600.

Either way, enjoy the ride in your new home.

Maggie and Mikey

[Easy]

Originally Posted by Rawlings

Hi guys, I will be making a trip from Orange county California to Missouri on our new crown bus I plan on picking up this week. Obviously it won't be converted yet but I was wondering if there are any campgrounds or parks that would be okay with me parking overnight to sleep and hit the road the next morning. Obviously I know I could stop at a truck stop on the highway or Walmart but it would be great if we could stop one of those days and take a shower and relax a bit more than you would at a Walmart or truck stop. I plan on having a 400watt hour lithium battery for electric on our stops, for recharging phones, maybe running a small fan in the daytime if it gets hot etc. So I don't necessarily need electric or anything lol. Mainly would be cool to choose one of our 4 nights to rest up. We plan on either going through Vegas and Colorado or going the south route through Arizona and New Mexico.

I have a 40' Bluebird. I have Good Sam Road Service. I have also used CoachNet Road Service. I have National General for insurance. They will insure a schoolbus conversion.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by mikerob643

Hey there!
Thanks for the updates, I feel pretty lucky, cause I happened to pass by you two on the 40 on my way home to Flagstaff (I work at the Kingman hospital as a nurse, stay there for my shifts). Saw you two chuggin' away between Seligman and Ashfork. "Cali" is a beaut!

This is my husbands account that he does most the postings on, so when I got home and mentioned your bus, he told me about your post! Wish I would have given you some honks!

Anyway, if you're staying in Flagstaff, we live on the east side of Flag, feel free to stop by for bus chat! We have a 1996 Thomas Vista 3600.

Either way, enjoy the ride in your new home.

Maggie and Mikey

Aww man I wish I would have seen this before I didn't get the usual email notification when someone replies on the forum. Thanks for reaching out, we are now cruising along between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, still a little ways to go, but Cali has been great to us. We had to add a gallon of oil after about 700 miles. I've read that Detroit 6-71s are oil thirsty and they leak a little. People have mixed recommendations between dello 400, 40 weight and Dello 100, 40 weight apparently they used to say 400 was fine but then companies said go back to 100. I guess both are fine but 100 is better. Anyone have any feedback? Also what sort of temperature should I be looking for when checking tire heat on the middle part of the wheel (metal round part, has oil inside I think)

Any advice on what my tire psi should be we checked all of them and they seem to be 90psi all around, she's empty at the moment, probably not heavier than 19,000 lbs.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by Easy

I have a 40' Bluebird. I have Good Sam Road Service. I have also used CoachNet Road Service. I have National General for insurance. They will insure a schoolbus conversion.

I got a reply from coachnet that they do "Skoolies" some people say they have to be self contained...what's the difference lol...

[qsukop]

We're leaving FL for St Louis on Thursday for the maiden voyage of our (underway) conversion!

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by qsukop

We're leaving FL for St Louis on Thursday for the maiden voyage of our (underway) conversion!

Are you guys moving or just going on a trip?

[qsukop]

Just a trip.

[Iceni John]

Originally Posted by Rawlings

Aww man I wish I would have seen this before I didn't get the usual email notification when someone replies on the forum. Thanks for reaching out, we are now cruising along between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, still a little ways to go, but Cali has been great to us. We had to add a gallon of oil after about 700 miles. I've read that Detroit 6-71s are oil thirsty and they leak a little. People have mixed recommendations between dello 400, 40 weight and Dello 100, 40 weight apparently they used to say 400 was fine but then companies said go back to 100. I guess both are fine but 100 is better. Anyone have any feedback? Also what sort of temperature should I be looking for when checking tire heat on the middle part of the wheel (metal round part, has oil inside I think)

Any advice on what my tire psi should be we checked all of them and they seem to be 90psi all around, she's empty at the moment, probably not heavier than 19,000 lbs.

All 2-stroke Detroits for road vehicles require straight 40-weight CF-2 rated oil. Delo 100 complies, Delo 400 does not, so don't use it - it has too much sulfated ash. If the jug doesn't say CF-2, it shouldn't be in your engine. Simple! The only exceptions to the weight ratings are if you're in the Arctic or in sweltering deserts, but you're not in either. Shell Rotella T1 is also CF-2 rated (but no other Rotellas are), as are a few other brands such as 76 T5X that I use, but you probably won't find any CF-2 on the road, so always keep a few gallons with you in the bus.

Hubs shouldn't get more than moderately hot - you should be able to keep your hand on a hub for at least a few seconds. If one is hotter than the others you need to find out why - tight bearings maybe, or insufficient lubrication. Find out before driving, otherwise you may end up with a BIG PROBLEM. Same thing with tires and brake drums - if one is hotter than the others or too hot to touch, find out why. Jack that wheel off the ground, spin it if it's a front wheel, feel it for bearing roughness, listen to it for bearing rumble, check runout. It's not possible to spin rear wheels unless the axle shaft is removed, but make sure the differential is full all the way to the fill hole with the correct gear oil (assuming you have an oil-lubricated rear axle like most Rockwells are).

90 PSI is a good starting point for your tires. Ideally you weigh the bus at each corner, then look up the tire manufacturer's recommended pressure for that load. Just don't under-inflate them! If in doubt, err on the high side.

John

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by Iceni John

All 2-stroke Detroits for road vehicles require straight 40-weight CF-2 rated oil. Delo 100 complies, Delo 400 does not, so don't use it - it has too much sulfated ash. If the jug doesn't say CF-2, it shouldn't be in your engine. Simple! The only exceptions to the weight ratings are if you're in the Arctic or in sweltering deserts, but you're not in either. Shell Rotella T1 is also CF-2 rated (but no other Rotellas are), as are a few other brands such as 76 T5X that I use, but you probably won't find any CF-2 on the road, so always keep a few gallons with you in the bus.

Hubs shouldn't get more than moderately hot - you should be able to keep your hand on a hub for at least a few seconds. If one is hotter than the others you need to find out why - tight bearings maybe, or insufficient lubrication. Find out before driving, otherwise you may end up with a BIG PROBLEM. Same thing with tires and brake drums - if one is hotter than the others or too hot to touch, find out why. Jack that wheel off the ground, spin it if it's a front wheel, feel it for bearing roughness, listen to it for bearing rumble, check runout. It's not possible to spin rear wheels unless the axle shaft is removed, but make sure the differential is full all the way to the fill hole with the correct gear oil (assuming you have an oil-lubricated rear axle like most Rockwells are).

90 PSI is a good starting point for your tires. Ideally you weigh the bus at each corner, then look up the tire manufacturer's recommended pressure for that load. Just don't under-inflate them! If in doubt, err on the high side.

John

Thanks for the tips! I Will be changing the oil this month and will look into ordering dello 100, 40 weight. Hopefully I can get it somewhere online, if you know of a place I'd appreciate it.

[Iceni John]

Originally Posted by Rawlings

Thanks for the tips! I Will be changing the oil this month and will look into ordering dello 100, 40 weight. Hopefully I can get it somewhere online, if you know of a place I'd appreciate it.

A good lubricants wholesaler or jobber should be able to get it for you if you buy a reasonable quantity, maybe two 5-gallon pails which is more than enough for a change for your 6L71. Then you can get it for less than $20 a gallon. O'Reilly can order it for you in cases of 3 gallons, but it's costly that way. Marine places will have it, but it may be at boating prices unless you can find a commercial marine 2-stroke place such as on the Gulf. Delo 100 40-weight is still out there, but you'll have to make a few calls to find it. Delvac 1240 is another CF-2 oil that works well in Detroits. I think that Citgo also makes, or made, a CF-2 oil for 2-strokes. Maybe there's others out there, but those are the ones I know of.

John

[Jerry Campbell]

What an exciting trip.
Listen to John about the oil. Delo 400 is for 4 strokes, Delo 100 is for 2 strokes.
I have been driving a 6-71N in a '75 Crown weighing 27,500 lbs towing a 2000 lb rig about 6000 miles a year for about 15 years. I drive between 55 and 60. Between 8 and 9+ MPG. It does not leak oil, at least none of it gets to the ground. I've never had any trouble with it. I'm not sure if there was a more dependable motor ever made (they were pushing most of the landing craft on D Day) and the Crowns were at the top of the list for the best buses ever made.
Good luck my friend and safe journey.
Jerry

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by Jerry Campbell

What an exciting trip.
Listen to John about the oil. Delo 400 is for 4 strokes, Delo 100 is for 2 strokes.
I have been driving a 6-71N in a '75 Crown weighing 27,500 lbs towing a 2000 lb rig about 6000 miles a year for about 15 years. I drive between 55 and 60. Between 8 and 9+ MPG. It does not leak oil, at least none of it gets to the ground. I've never had any trouble with it. I'm not sure if there was a more dependable motor ever made (they were pushing most of the landing craft on D Day) and the Crowns were at the top of the list for the best buses ever made.
Good luck my friend and safe journey.
Jerry

Thanks guys, I plan on learning to change the oil myself. I will be for sure switching over to delo 100. What do I have to replace to get it all switched over to the Delo 100? Obviously flush all of the old 400 delo, switch out oil filters? Should I also switch Fuel Filters? She was recently engine rebuilt. She has about 2300 miles on the current oil. On the 1800 mile trip to Missouri from California we added 1 gallon at the 700 mile mark and another 1 gallon when we reach Missouri. I was told it would be about a gallon per 1,000 miles. I guess once I switch over to delo 100 she will leak less?

If there's anything additional I need to do when switching the oil please let me know also should I wait till I reach 3500 miles before switching it?

[Jerry Campbell]

If it were me, I'd change the oil and all the filters including the air filter as soon as it was convenient. 2 strokes will have problems running 4 stroke oil. The air filter will affect your mileage.
As I understand it, engines will vary but for most 6-71s, if you fill the oil to the full mark it will blow it out until it gets down to about half way. I coated my little pickup with oil until I figured it out. Mine likes it between the low mark and half full. I use about a quart+ every 500 miles or so. My temperature never gets above 190. Usually much lower. My motor should be at about 175,000.
If this rig is new to you, I would find a truck place that knows these motors and and have them do a complete service on the entire and tell you exactly how everything looks. Then you will know. It will be a few hundred bucks. It doesn't matter so much if you never go anywhere but if your going to see some hiway it's important to know how it really is. One less thing to have to think about.
Jerry

PS For me , those huge filters are almost impossible to get off.

[bus-bro]

If there is one diesel engine that was made to be worked on it was the 6-71, though I'm talking about the WWII versions of them. I wouldn't be afraid to adjust the 4 exhaust valves and run the rack. The unit injectors make the fuel system simple.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by Jerry Campbell

If it were me, I'd change the oil and all the filters including the air filter as soon as it was convenient. 2 strokes will have problems running 4 stroke oil. The air filter will affect your mileage.
As I understand it, engines will vary but for most 6-71s, if you fill the oil to the full mark it will blow it out until it gets down to about half way. I coated my little pickup with oil until I figured it out. Mine likes it between the low mark and half full. I use about a quart+ every 500 miles or so. My temperature never gets above 190. Usually much lower. My motor should be at about 175,000.
If this rig is new to you, I would find a truck place that knows these motors and and have them do a complete service on the entire and tell you exactly how everything looks. Then you will know. It will be a few hundred bucks. It doesn't matter so much if you never go anywhere but if your going to see some hiway it's important to know how it really is. One less thing to have to think about.
Jerry

PS For me , those huge filters are almost impossible to get off.

thanks for all your feed back I have a question, our crown doesn't have a horn and I need one to pass inspections, under the bus I see 2 wires I believe 1 for + and 1 for - when i plugged them to the horn the horn just goes off and I can't shut it even by pushing on wheel or moving wheel which leads me to believe I am missing the relay (they probably took it off at school) anyways I see there are 5 pin relays, but I only have 2 wires I need to hook up + to #30 on relay and I need to hook up + from steering #86. I need to hook up ground (negative) to #85. and then + to 87 to the horn. But since I only have 2 wires, would I just hook up the positive wire to both #30 and #86 on the relay since that positive is most likely coming straight from the wheel?