Smells Like Teen Spirit: Conversion of 1999 Thomas MVP

[Diesel Dan]

Originally Posted by porkchopsandwiches

I prefer a knob creek or a makers mark on the rocks, and if all else fails a gin and tonic.

Try Makers 46; it's way better than the original Makers Mark (I just tried them side by side last week). I'm with you on the Knob Creek - awesome stuff. But if you are on a budget, the best bottom shelf bourbon I've had is Ezra Brooks @ $13/bottle. And in the same category, and cheaper still, is Evan Williams @ $11/bottle, which is on par with Jim Beam in that it is "drinkable" but not nearly as good as Knob Creek/Makers 46. It is less than half the price though. Like most things, ya get what ya pay for...

Don't even get me started talking about Scotch, I'll fill up a page on that topic...

Cheers!

[Stu & Filo. T]

Originally Posted by bansil

That doesn't make since...what are we going to do while waiting for the last person
.
.
you should buy the keg and we can partake when we get there
.
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no waiting then

Didn't mean to turn it into a political debate, was honoring you & your spirit & ability to think & create

[porkchopsandwiches]

I installed some LED taillights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms9C4nPxPUQ

Arguably unnecessary, but the left side signal / stop lights didn't work due to a ton of water leaking into them, they got rusted out. The new ones are sealed and entirely plastic. They are really bright! $20-25 a pop on Amazon. I also ordered LED marker lights for all around, adding 2 ambers per side. Anyone want the old ones? They still work fine, they just need some R&R. I also got 8 more LED license plate light deals to put on the pilars between the windows, 4 per side, for a cool effect. I may add some on the front and back later, but those are easier to get to when the inside is finished.

[porkchopsandwiches]

Finally getting back into the swing of things. I had been in the process of getting my bus ready to pass inspection, and I finally got it inspected and got tags. Due to an error on my part and an error on the dealer's part, the bus was sold uninspected, and MD state law requires dealers to sell all vehicles inspected. I didn't know this at the time, and I didn't think to ask for an inspection cert upon the sale. So I was caught in a catch-22 of not being able to register it and get tags (even temporary) because there wasn't an inspection certificate, and not being able to get it inspected because I couldn't get tags. The great state of MD. Eventually I just decided to drive it over to inspection tag-less, where I was passed by an officer without him batting an eye. I guess people leave army green buses alone.

I wanted to get it registered because my next door neighbor was letting me keep it in his yard. Very, very generous of him, but I have to say, the color it is, it really doesn't stand out too much.

I put on some new LED marker lights all the way around, $6 each from SuperBrightLEDs:





I added 2 per side for better visibility.

I got what every 19 year old guy asks for for Christmas, a Dometic RV toilet:



A 12 volt domestic water pump good for 55 psi:



Four of these roof vents, to which I will attach 12vdc computer fans:



And a power center, with slots for 120 volt breakers, a 55 amp 12 volt power supply, and 12 volt automotive style fuse slots:



Pretty good Christmas this year. Last year all I got was BMW suspension parts

So I finally got to drive it on public roads once it was registered (my cousin drove it up from where I bought it, and my uncle drove it to inspection) and it is pretty fun. Loads of low end torque on this motor, that quickly drops off as the RPMs climb. I guess the compressor wheel on the turbo is smaller for better low end but doesn't put out enough volume at the top end to keep the HP up. A variable geometry turbo would be a lovely addition to this motor (and a very expensive one). Most newer car and light truck diesels use VGT's so that they can rev higher and drive more like a gasoline car, while still keeping that low-end grunt that makes them so great.

The motor runs great on this bus, HOWEVER, I have noticed ridiculously high oil consumption, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere. There are no leaks, and the motor doesn't smoke at all, not even under acceleration. The blow-by is not excessive either. So I did a little research on the subject, and I was pretty sure I had a problem that never even crossed my mind: this engine uses a system called HEUI (Hydraulic [over] Electronic Unit Injection) which basically uses really high oil pressure off a separate oil pump to actuate the injectors, rather than an injector pump (like on the side of a 12v Cummins) or a cam-driven injector. This system works pretty well, but since both oil and fuel flow through the cylinder head, if a seal or O-ring goes bad on the injector, the two can mix, and send engine oil into the fuel return line to the tank (since the oil is at a much higher pressure than the fuel in that area). So I opened up the bleeder on the bottom of the first fuel filter and lo and behold:







This is fuel from the tank after it has gone through a filter. It is BLACK with engine oil. So I think it is safe to say that is my problem. I ran it by my cousin who is a diesel mechanic and he said that problem is not unheard of, and the fix is usually just to replace the O-rings on the injectors, which isn't too difficult or expensive. Worst case scenario the injectors need changed, which is about $165 each, but since the engine runs fine otherwise, this is unlikely. It was going through about a gallon of oil every 2 hours of runtime.

Here's how it sits now, right next door:



This week (hopefully) I will be insulating the roof, running wires for lights and speakers, and reinstalling the ceiling panels.

[bansil]

she looks like she's hiding in the woods

[porkchopsandwiches]

Not too much to update, I have been very busy and it has been very cold. I bought LEDs a while ago to convert the stock bus interior lights to individually switched LEDs, warm white, very bright. I wanted to use them because the holes were already in the ceiling. Here is how I did it:



Machine a rectangle for the switch in the lens with a drill press and brute force



Insert switch, and epoxy it on



These are the lights I am using. $80 for 20 of these on eBay with retrofit connectors for festoon, halogen and incandescent sockets. Hong Kong special, we will see how they hold up. Warm white, very bright, nice color.





All holes drilled and switches epoxied in



Harnesses made...solder and heat shrinked. I hate electrical tape.



Light boards siliconed in, all tested and working, ready for install.



Doesn't do it justice.

They will be individually switched (except the drivers, that has a dash switch) and also controlled by one main switch on the dash. Once it gets above freezing I will start installing insulation, the same way wmkbailey did (though not as much).

I hate winter!

[juliol]

Well done, do you have the link for the LED lights on eBay?

Julio

[bansil]

AND SWITCHES PLEASE

[porkchopsandwiches]

Toggle switches: http://www.amazon.com/Amico-250V-SPST-R ... ker+switch

LED lights: http://www.ebay.com/usr/2011_led came from this user on ebay.

They both took like 3 weeks to get to my door. Be aware there are other options out there, but they are very cheap.

[bansil]

thank you!!

[juliol]

I think I made a mistake when I ordered the LED boars, I noticed your boars have only 24 LEDs the ones I ordered has 36, I'm wondering if they are too big for the dome lenses. The website does not show the dimensions of the board, what do you think?

[sdwarf36]

Suggestion: also have a main switch near your bed too.

[porkchopsandwiches]

Originally Posted by juliol

I think I made a mistake when I ordered the LED boars, I noticed your boars have only 24 LEDs the ones I ordered has 36, I'm wondering if they are too big for the dome lenses. The website does not show the dimensions of the board, what do you think?

You could flush mount them to the surface of the metal bit (assuming yours are the same as mine) and the plastic cover will probably still fit over them. I just thought these were bright enough so I didn't want more LEDs haha. They will probably be fine.

Originally Posted by sdwarf36

Suggestion: also have a main switch near your bed too.

Yeah, not a bad idea. Though my wiring plans are complex enough already, haha. Thanks.

[porkchopsandwiches]

Yesterday, I picked up 10 pieces of foam board polyiso foil-backed insulation, 2" thick, and got started putting it in the ceiling. Within about 2 hours, I got this far:



It goes pretty quickly when you don't have to worry about fasteners or adhesives. I turned on the kero heater and it already feels warmer.

Opinion: I was thinking about putting some sort of barrier (tyvek or plastic sheet?) between the insulation and metal ceiling panels, since the metal panels are perforated and could let small particles of insulation dust through, and there is a decent bit of this since I used a circ caw to score it so it would bend. Is this a good idea? I plan on sealing any air gaps with foil tape.

[Diesel Dan]

Nat, I remember reading in other similar discussions people saying that the problem with a vapor barrier is that if any moisture should get behind it, that moisture will likely be trapped there and create problems. I'm not claiming to be an expert in this area by any means, and I'm curious to hear what others have to say about it.

[bansil]

I have to agree with Dan on this, if the roof can't breath where does the moisture from heat/cool cycle go? sure seems to me that it would end up being a condensation mess (I have no formal training in condensation studies)

[bansil]

The MCI buse scheduled to ship to Saudi years ago had an extra air gap roof made of alum, I plan to have deck and solar cool my roof by this summer

[Diesel Dan]

In a perfect world, there would not be any condensation since you have enough insulation between the roof and the vapor barrier that condensation does not occur. But Murphy's law insures that our world is not always perfect and somehow, despite our best efforts, a tree branch falls during a storm, or debris from a gravel truck hits the roof, and our glorious elastomeric roof coating is breached, and then rain water finds it's way into that cavity between the metal roof and the vapor barrier, and then the dreaded mold starts to grow in there. I didn't do anything with my ceiling due to headroom issues, and just used those "Hy-tech" insulating beads in my paint on the outside of the roof, but on my floor I used Red Rosin Paper as a substitute for the vapor barrier. At the time I was doing my conversion, this product was being tauted on this forum by some as the answer to the problem. It repels moisture to some extent, but also breathes. The analogy would be that a plastic vapor barrier is to a rain poncho, as Red Rosin Paper is to GoreTex. Maybe that will make sense to somebody...

[porkchopsandwiches]

What abou tyvek? I think it is supposed to breathe but not let liquid water through. It's expensive but I don't need to wrap a house so it shouldn't be too bad. That way if there is a small roof leak, it follows to the end of the tyvek and goes into the sort of internal gutter my bus has over the windows (behind the roof material) then it would evaporate. Then the insulation could dry rather than any moisture from leaks or whatever staying Between the ceiling and outer skin.

Even if I used plastic, there would still be breathing room around the edges so it could probably breathe somewhat, jus not as much. How does that sound?

[porkchopsandwiches]

Also, tyvek is much more flame retardant than most other plastic sheeting I think.