2003 FS-65 Conversion (no name yet.)

[Seriousracer]

How did you find it

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

Cat 3126 and an Allison md-3060. It's a reasonable size, 10 windows is still a lot of space but it's not a monstrous type d 40 footer

Very nice rig, man!!!

I love the way the Cat 3126 sounds.

[Ab01ns]

Made it home safe across the border. I just need to wrap up the RIV process. So far it's been really easy

New bus means new tools. After that impulse purchase I moved it to its semi-permanent home, my friends farm near Goodwood,ON about a 45minute drive from Toronto.

I'm sorting out bringing it to the Frieghtliner dealer for a minor recall to satisfy the RIV so I probably won't have the bus for a few days. But, this weekend the major work will commence

[Native]

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

Made it home safe across the border. I just need to wrap up the RIV process. So far it's been really easy

Nice, now the adventure begins.

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

New bus means new tools. After that impulse purchase I moved it to its semi-permanent home, my friends farm near Goodwood,ON about a 45minute drive from Toronto.

I like new tools ... and those are good ones.

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

I'm sorting out bringing it to the Frieghtliner dealer for a minor recall to satisfy the RIV so I probably won't have the bus for a few days. But, this weekend the major work will commence

The Freightliner recall may be the emergency door latch, a simple fix. If it is, you should have it within a day.

[Ab01ns]

Originally Posted by Native

Nice, now the adventure begins.



I like new tools ... and those are good ones.



The Freightliner recall may be the emergency door latch, a simple fix. If it is, you should have it within a day.

I've used Milwaukee, Makita and delwalt extensively. The only tool I want from a specific brand is the Milwaukee portaband these were the best battery capacity/dollar and only ran me $185.

It is the emergency door latch. They just weren't sure if they had it in stock when I called them

[Ab01ns]

Seat removal was a success. The bolts were badly stuck so I used a portaband to chop them off at the legs. Seats were out in the better part of an hour.

Now I'm grinding the bolt heads off and using a large pipe to bust the feet off the bolt stubs. It's slow going for sure, but they're yielding.

[Native]

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

Seat removal was a success. The bolts were badly stuck so I used a portaband to chop them off at the legs. Seats were out in the better part of an hour.

Now I'm grinding the bolt heads off and using a large pipe to bust the feet off the bolt stubs. It's slow going for sure, but they're yielding.

You are making great progress. When I removed our seats, I discovered the method you are using on the last one or two seats. Proves that you are a quicker learner than I! (You must be younger, yeah, that must be it.)

[Ab01ns]

Originally Posted by Native

You are making great progress. When I removed our seats, I discovered the method you are using on the last one or two seats. Proves that you are a quicker learner than I! (You must be younger, yeah, that must be it.)

I'm about to turn 19. [emoji2369]

[Native]

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

I'm about to turn 19. [emoji2369]

Add 40 to that number ...

[Ab01ns]

Welp, had the first bus breakdown today. Last night I went out to the bus at it didn't start. Batteries dead. Weird but didn't think anything of it. Called CAA and got a big tow truck to come out and give me a boost. I noticed that the batteries were about 4 years old. Sucky but not a huge ordeal. Put a note to fix them in my head, clean the terminals, chassis ground and check the batteries and various electrical stuff with a multimeter. Disconnected the batteries, parked the bus and went to bed.

Went out to the bus this morning. Reconnected the batteries and it cranked over... Barely cranked but started up. 14v on the gauge let it idle and charge the batteries. Headed out to the dealer to get the door handle recall done. First half of the drive was fine. No issues at all, bus ran great.

Then I started noticing that when I had the pedal all the way down I was losing power and was slowing down. Weird but I just need to limp to the dealer. I continue on, albeit slowly and very carefully now. Power loss got worse, getting off the gas would fix it briefly but it kept losing power. Now it's really struggling but I'm ridiculously close. As I pull onto a bridge right before the LH turn onto the dealers street I have no power at all. Big cloud of smoke and oil pressure drops to nothing. Immediately hit the hazards and shut the engine off.

Well ****. I call the dealer and check the oil level on the dipstick. Super low. I ask them for bring me a 5L jug of Rotella and a truck that could boost my bus if need be. They send out a tech and a small pickup. We add oil and luckily he brought a diagnostic computer. We scan for codes and nothing. try to start the bus and batteries are dead again. Try to boost the bus with no luck.

Remove the air filter, and prime the engine by hand. It'll crank now or sputter for a few seconds but then die. We bleed the fuel line and prime it by hand again. It turns over. Step off the gas or bring the key to run and it does almost immediately. We repeat the above a few more times with no further progress.

I decided to throw in the towel and have it towed to the dealer. And since it's a big bus and somebody forgot to get CAA RV coverage I have to pay. $250 to go 1.1km to the dealer [emoji849]. It's sitting at the dealer and they need it to be running before they'll do the free recall so I'm on the hook for potentially 2+ hours of diagnostic time (at $159 an hour). No idea what the actual issue might be.

We'll find out tomorrow. How was everyone else's morning?

[Native]

That is a real bummer, man! At least it is in good hands now. Have them check the AIP sensor that is at the top and front of the driver side of the engine. This sensor controls the HUEI pressure and will cause non-start similar to what you are experiencing. Beware, it is a CAT part, but not excessively expensive ... well, I just looked at my records ... about $300.00 US.

[Ab01ns]

Originally Posted by Native

That is a real bummer, man! At least it is in good hands now. Have them check the AIP sensor that is at the top and front of the driver side of the engine. This sensor controls the HUEI pressure and will cause non-start similar to what you are experiencing. Beware, it is a CAT part, but not excessively expensive ... well, I just looked at my records ... about $300.00 US.

Saw a few posts about that on school bus and diesel forums. I'll definitely make sure they check that

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

Welp, had the first bus breakdown today. Last night I went out to the bus at it didn't start. Batteries dead. Weird but didn't think anything of it. Called CAA and got a big tow truck to come out and give me a boost. I noticed that the batteries were about 4 years old. Sucky but not a huge ordeal. Put a note to fix them in my head, clean the terminals, chassis ground and check the batteries and various electrical stuff with a multimeter. Disconnected the batteries, parked the bus and went to bed.

Went out to the bus this morning. Reconnected the batteries and it cranked over... Barely cranked but started up. 14v on the gauge let it idle and charge the batteries. Headed out to the dealer to get the door handle recall done. First half of the drive was fine. No issues at all, bus ran great.

Then I started noticing that when I had the pedal all the way down I was losing power and was slowing down. Weird but I just need to limp to the dealer. I continue on, albeit slowly and very carefully now. Power loss got worse, getting off the gas would fix it briefly but it kept losing power. Now it's really struggling but I'm ridiculously close. As I pull onto a bridge right before the LH turn onto the dealers street I have no power at all. Big cloud of smoke and oil pressure drops to nothing. Immediately hit the hazards and shut the engine off.

Well ****. I call the dealer and check the oil level on the dipstick. Super low. I ask them for bring me a 5L jug of Rotella and a truck that could boost my bus if need be. They send out a tech and a small pickup. We add oil and luckily he brought a diagnostic computer. We scan for codes and nothing. try to start the bus and batteries are dead again. Try to boost the bus with no luck.

Remove the air filter, and prime the engine by hand. It'll crank now or sputter for a few seconds but then die. We bleed the fuel line and prime it by hand again. It turns over. Step off the gas or bring the key to run and it does almost immediately. We repeat the above a few more times with no further progress.

I decided to throw in the towel and have it towed to the dealer. And since it's a big bus and somebody forgot to get CAA RV coverage I have to pay. $250 to go 1.1km to the dealer [emoji849]. It's sitting at the dealer and they need it to be running before they'll do the free recall so I'm on the hook for potentially 2+ hours of diagnostic time (at $159 an hour). No idea what the actual issue might be.

We'll find out tomorrow. How was everyone else's morning?

I learned the hard way. I was at a race and my motor started make strange noises. I talked to the crew and they said you 3 choices, you can load it up and go home, you can race and maybe finish, or you can race and it'll blow up. I opted to race since I was there and qualified. It lasted 2 laps before a rod came through the side of the block, destroying a motor I could have just rebearinged. Rule after that was "Hear noises, shut it down now.

[Ab01ns]

Originally Posted by o1marc

I learned the hard way. I was at a race and my motor started make strange noises. I talked to the crew and they said you 3 choices, you can load it up and go home, you can race and maybe finish, or you can race and it'll blow up. I opted to race since I was there and qualified. It lasted 2 laps before a rod came through the side of the block, destroying a motor I could have just rebearinged. Rule after that was "Hear noises, shut it down now.

Yup. Should have just pulled off and stopped when the trouble started. Hopefully I didn't destroy the motor

[o1marc]

Big clouds of smoke and no oil pressure is never a good thing.

[Mekanic]

The bus I drive at the school is twin to yours.
Mine all at once one day at about 145,000 miles it slowed to a crawl .
Mine had a fuel tank vent line plugged 100%.

[Ab01ns]

Originally Posted by Mekanic

The bus I drive at the school is twin to yours.

Mine all at once one day at about 145,000 miles it slowed to a crawl .

Mine had a fuel tank vent line plugged 100%.

Add to the list of things to have the expensive dealer check over

[Mekanic]

Originally Posted by Ab01ns

Add to the list of things to have the expensive dealer check over

I'd defintly tell the dealer there is a limit to how much money you will pay them to fix it.
I'd tell them that Real quick too.
And then say Fix it reasonable and i'll be a future customer buying some parts.
If i have to have it towed away.....

[Ab01ns]

Originally Posted by Mekanic

I'd defintly tell the dealer there is a limit to how much money you will pay them to fix it.

I'd tell them that Real quick too.

And then say Fix it reasonable and i'll be a future customer buying some parts.

If i have to have it towed away.....

For sure. Called today and gave them a list of things I want checked over. They seem to think it's a fuel issue, so I told them to make sure to check the fuel filter, any inline filters that might be there and the vent line.

Still looking for a good independent mechanic though

Oh and I'm on a 45 day timeline to get it running so I can get the RIV inspection and finish the import to Canada.

[Mountain Gnome]

Originally Posted by Native

That is a real bummer, man! At least it is in good hands now.

Dealers!
They are the ones who hire "techs" straight outta school, and pay them next to nothing while charging you more than most other shops.
Last time my mom went to a Nissan dealer (my tools were out-of-state) they misdiagnosed her problems, and sold me the wrong part to install. (then again same thing happened to me at an independent shop with my Honda - they told me fuel pump, which I bought and replaced in 30 mins with a leatherman multitool - saving me $260 in their labor and parts markup; but it was the ignition distributor that was bad, causing the fuel pump circuit to never engage - however, you could hear it pump-up the pressure at key-on when it bypassed that circuit)
A client of mine took his Chrysler minivan to the dealer for "random no-starts" - turn the key to start and the motor does not spin. They gave him a tune-up, replaced his spark plugs and wires, valve cover gasket, PCV valve, etc. etc. to a total of near $2500. He went to pick it up and the motor would not spin. The "tech" came out and tried for 10 mins, "forcing the key harder and harder" until it started, and then said, "there you go, it works." He drove it to the gas station, filled up, and it wouldn't start. Towed it back to the dealer and they charged him another $125 and scanned it and told him the transmission needed to be replaced, at a cost of $4700. He got it out of there.
His friendly neighbor, not pretending to be a tech, just guessing, installed a new starter. Nope. Notta.
Then they got my number as a mobile mechanic (I worked by reference only, and generally had a 2-week waiting period).
I looked at it and told him first: "the dealer ripped you off; the tune up has nothing to do with the motor spinning".
I scanned it for free and verified the transmission code, and found no power sent to the "engage" terminal of the starter when turning the key to start, but had no wiring diagrams (and did not yet know where to find them free). I found them through the public library website (that job forced me to find them, and made my future repairs so much smoother!), and noted the tranny error code circuit was part of the starter circuit. Back at his van, I pulled a relay where these two circuits interconnect and found no power where there should be power at key-on, but had power at "start." The "start" pin never got power.
So I tore apart his steering column, tested his ignition switch, and it was bad. The cylinder had come apart inside, and the electrical contact points had rotated out of alignment. That made relays "click" and things seem to come to life when you tried to start the vehicle, disguising its problems.
new switch was $20, and I charged him $90 (since I spent more time bumbling around without a wiring diagram than I did actually fixing the problem). The tranny error code went away when the circuits received power the way they should. The dealer would not refund him, and unfortunately his credit card would not accept "my" diagnosis and expert opinion, because, well, to them I'm a hippie, not a shop. (I'm not a hippie!)



Moral of the story: dealers suck, modern systems are intertwined and you can't simply make assumptions, and therefore computer error codes are starting points not necessarily a diagnosis.
But don't let me bummer your day...just be wary and smart...and at 19, you got plenty of brain juice left to learn ya some tech and mechanic skills, and at least save yourself from getting ripped.