Our second bus build, WanderLounge

[brokedown]

I haven't gone drag racing yet but I believe my governor kicks in around 2600-2700rpm, and I've read that the hp peak should be around 2500rpm.

[brokedown]

A bit of a setback yesterday.. The motor on my scooter (my only non-bus transportation!) seized up while I was riding in a torrential downpour... Unfortunately, the decision of how to deal with it depends on information I can only get by tearing into the motor. Not something I'm excited to do in a field in northern Florida where it rains every day.

I see top end rebuild kits on Ebay for a reasonable price, but I won't know if my failure was a result of something in the bottom end until I pull the cylinder off. The crankshaft is sold as an assembled unit with the con rod integrated and the price isn't awful but splitting the crankcase under a tree isn't on my list of favorite things to do!

[brokedown]

Wow it's been a while since I updated!

Work has been slow but steady. Highlistes:

We've revised our floorplan a few more times, always trying to get the most use out of our available space. Still putting a wall between the garage and the bedroom, but now the plan is to move the bed all the way back to the garage wall and put the bathroom in the space space. A few inches can make a big difference and I think this will make it a lot more comfortable. The plan is to build a booth for the toilet (which will be a new design) and have it on a wheel arch. That space can be hard to use if you're not creative with it!

I moved all my solar panels from the back of the bus to the front of the bus. Primarily to relocate the house batteries and power systems. It will be much easier to allow jumping between banks when they are physically close, and ultimately the place they were before was completely in the way of my kitchen plans.

My ceiling experiment is coming along, in the next few days I hope to have one or more vertical 2x4s in place for that garage wall. I've spent a LOT of time debating the best way to do it (given my skill level!) and it's looking like a winner. No photos until I'm happy with it though!

I crawled under the bus to look for some things. Last time I drove it, I found that the transmission wasn't paying attention to the throttle position when determining when to shift... So today I put eyes on both sides of the transmission. I discovered that I actually have a factory remanufactured unit, which was a bit surprising. I also seem to be leaking a bit of fluid from a couple places, but I won't worry about it until I've wiped it down and checked the tightness of the bolts. Still trying to determine the modulator setup, going between a service manual I downloaded and what I actually see down there. I expected a cable detent like on a car, since it's a mechanical 5.9, but it looks like it's probably an electric modulator. I'll get back under there tomorrow.

I've started brainstorming on an updated dry toilet system, stealing some ideas from other members and adding my own. We've been using a DIY unit for almost 2 years and it's been mostly positive, but I think I can do better. Hillary really wants a normal toilet seat so might as well change the whole thing!

I think my starter is weak. I eyeballed it as well and it doesn't seem too awful to get it out. I'll probably take it to a rebuilder. The bus is still starting but it spins slowly and winter is coming!

I got a pair of seats from the junkyard a few weeks ago, pretty nice ones with integrated shoulder belts. I also got a swivel base for the passenger seat and built a frame to mount them together. Super beefy all around! I'm looking forward to having a passenger seat even if it's not quite right next to me.

I also gave the bus a bath. Well, as much as I could reach from the ground. It was REALLY dirty.

Following up with some photos, I'll update again soon!

[brokedown]

Photos

[cadillackid]

Is it a little silver can coming out of the side of the trans with a 2 pin plug on it ? Those modulators are notorious for dying .. And when they do they will eventually take out the trans. The most common way to hook them up is a reed switch on the accelerator pedal. The design is to enable it at 75-80% pedal to give yourself a lockdown if needed . They are easy to test. Put 12 volts to the 2 pins and it should make an audible clock and extend a piston.

On an FE busi might be so inclined to install the mechanical modulator which was a cable that increased the pressure progressively thus giving you precise. Control over the lockdown function . The electric one is all on or all off and is not really a modulator but simply a kickdown.

I have. Nearly new electric modulator in my garage if you end up needing one. I changed it on my RedByrd a little too late and lost the trans anyway so when I did my 1000 swap i saved that nearly new modulator in case someone wants it . Your vista has one also..
Christopher

[gostrong_13]

I have the same seats for my bus but am STRUGGLING to figure out how to mount them to a pedestal I bought. Care to share how you’re making yours work?

[brokedown]

@cadillackid: The modulator is a 2 wire job indeed. It's covered in grime and who knows what color it is underneath! I did some tests with the bus in the "run" position but not actually running, and the transmission in both Neutral and Drive. Pressing the pedal up and down didn't seem to have any effect, no audible click and with my hand on the modulator I didn't feel any movement. I then disconnected the wiring clip going to it and put my meter on it, and with the pedal pushed all the way down I didn't get any voltage. I'm making an assumption that there isn't a relay somewhere detecting that the bus is running before actuating it. Next time I go out I'll bring a 12v source and see if I can trigger it with that.
On a side note, there's a huge plug on the side of the fluid pan, which I assume is a great place to put a temperature sensing unit?
x
@gostrong_13: When I grabbe the seats I also grabbed the rails. They're offset with the inner side about 3 inches higher than the outer side. I used some 3/16 angle steel to build a # shape, running sideways across the swivel base and then front to back on the seat's rails, and bolted them together with 1/2 inch hardware. Currently I have sections of 2x4 filling the gap on the high side but will be welding a brace soon. Despite a few attempts I do not consider any of my practice welds to be successful, so I need to keep practicing before doing something that matters!

[brokedown]

Went back under the TC2000. My cheap HF meter claims that the wires going into the modulator are shorted together. Applying voltage just makes sparks. Next step, finding a replacement modulator!

[cadillackid]

Is this what it looks like ? If so PM me an address and I’ll send it to you . I kept it for just this purpose in case someone wanted it rather than throw it away..



Mine ohms out to 4.7 ohms on a meter so it makes the continuity beeper beep but it’s not a 0 ohm dead short.

If yours is shorted it may very well have blown your Trans fuse in the chassis fuse panel.
Christopher

[cadillackid]

Oh I should mention that plug in the side of the pan is where the factory trans temp sensor goes. It doubled as the ability for a dipstick on either side and sensor on the other.
Christopher

[brokedown]

So after reviewing some additional diagrams I have determined that I am a moron. The thing I was looking at was in fact not the modulator and I'm still not sure what it is. The modulator is a cable that I previously mistook for the speedometer cable. Hopefully whatever that was I didn't fry it. So now I'm wondering why it is Shifting so early, I checked my fluid level and it appears to be low which may contribute to it. I just discovered that my new energy-efficient LED light bulbs do not dry enough power to trigger my blinker relays so I'm working on that now.

[cadillackid]

the concept of the mechanical modulator is the same.. it applies a piston when activated.. so you should be able to pull that modulator out of the side of the trans (catch about 1 quart of fluid).. and as you press the pedal see the piston progressively apply. the range of motion isnt huge.



if you were applying voltage and measuring a small 2 pin connector near your shift linkage that would be your neutral safety switch.. so it would be closed and shorted if you were in neutral. and its likely pretty hearty and not going to blow up too easily.



im thinkin g in your year your speedo should be a 2 wire electric.. the sender is on the driver side of the tail shaft right near the back of the trans..

-Christopher

[cadillackid]

I should also note that if its shifting early across the board but still responds to pedal pressure somewhat then you may need to turn the tension wheels inside the pan..



you mkay also be able to adjust the modulator cable at the accelerator pedal.. thats where mine is adjustable.. theres a linkage on it I can turn in or out to set it .. the firther that cable is pulled out the higher the shift point. you never want to rtighten it up so much that you lose range of motion on your accelerator pedal.



some people adjust that cable looser because they find that their 4th gear engagement is too late in town.. they want to ride in 4th at 30-35. as opposed to 40+. the resukt is it often makes the other 2 shifts way too early..



thats where the tension rings come into play as you can adjust each shift independently .


I HAD an at545 service manual but like a dumb*** I loaned it to someone and never got it back.. you can still buy them on various websites i think..



-Christopher

[brokedown]

Ok so my fluid level is a bit low so I wonder if that is complicit. I will pop that modulator out tomorrow if it's not raining and make sure it moves the way I expect it to.

Once I start pulling things out I might as well install the supplemental cooler and temp sensor and do a fluid and filter and seal change on both buses.

[brokedown]

I have the service manual on my web site, unfortunately it covers several models and isn't always contest which model it's talking about.

I fixed my ganky throttle lock handle today so I will be pulling up the pedal assembly to hook that back up anyway.

I should mention that the kick down worked fine before. I haven't driven more than around the property in the last 6 months and only recently drove it to fuel it up and noticed it not working then. I haven't purposely messed with anything related to the accelerator or transmission since it was working...

[cadillackid]

in general alot of the mechanical allisons were similar in theory of operation.. for instance the allison AT5xx series all pretty much were the same except for some updates over the years .. and the addition of making the deep pan standard at some point (late 80s i think).. even the MT-643 /653 shift schedule adjusters are the same as the 500 series..



fluid being a couple quarts low on the deep pan 545 usually doesnt cause issues.. (the filter assembly has a longer pickup tube and sits lower down into the pan from the valve body.. so it still grabs fluid at the bottom of the pan).. really low fluid like a cold level at or just off the bottom of the stick you'll start getting flared shifts till the trans warms up and fluid expands..



hopefully what you have going on is just a misadjusted cable and done..

[brokedown]

I pulled my accelerator pedal up to see what i cold see. I got the throttle lock reattached while I was in there.

THe kick down cable was not as I expected. There is a small range of adjustment, very very small really, and it was already at its maximum adjustment. It seemed that over the entire range of motion of the accelerator pedal, it was never achieving tension on the modulator. If I pulled the cable by hand, there was 2 or 3 inches of travel before it stopped being slack and I felt mechanical resistance.

As a test, i've put 2 zip ties around the excess cable to cause it to make contact earlier and hopefully engage the modulator at some point. It's going to be raining for the next week or so, no test drive for a bit.

On a side note, I may pop the PTO cover off and add a dab of RTV. It seems like it has a drip there and it's high enough to not dump fluid when I remove the cover.

Since the weather sucks I'll be working on the inside for a while!

[cadillackid]

I havent taken the modulator apart but my inderstanding of it is that inside the case the cable is wrapped around a drum and its a spiral drive that pushes the piston out.. it may be possible to shorten the cable slack at the modulator end itself..



again i havent taken it apart.. but this is how it was explained to me a couple years ago when I went to buy a new one for my DEV bus.. in my case. I found a turb-buckle and was able to adjust mine that way.. the turnbuckle was up near but not right at my pedal..

-Christopher

[brokedown]

I'll be back under there if we get a gap in rain this weekend. There's a thick layer of grime that needs to be cleaned off before I do much with the modulator itself. I've attacked the grime twice already with a degreaser and some parts cleaner but it's proven to be resilient. I have to clean up the area around the PTO cover before I take it off too.

If we get a long gap in the rain I might get a spray bottle with soapy water and try to find air leaks too!

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by brokedown

I just discovered that my new energy-efficient LED light bulbs do not dry enough power to trigger my blinker relays so I'm working on that now.

Had the same issue with mine after converting to LED's. They make a special flasher for that application.
Works like a charm on mine.