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Old 01-27-2016, 03:27 PM   #1
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please help make decision on 94 blue bird

been a long time lurker but have a few questions that I couldn't hunt the answer for so I need so help

picked up a 1994 flat front blue bird tc2000 with 5.9 with at 545
has 138,000 in good shape here is the current specs
30k bus 66 passanger
drove home 500 miles ran great just slow

5.9 with at545 138k ran 52-58mph at 2250-2500rpm with 4.78 gears and 10x22.5 tires
boost around 10-20psi, EGT's around 800-1000 spiked 1200 on two long pulls 6%grades coolent temp 170-190F

so my plan is to chop the back add air ride fifth wheel hitch to pull my 40 foot camper weight is 12,200
weighted bus today and it weights in at 16,500 but I still haven't cut frame yet

QUESTIONS:
main goal is to be able to pull doing at least 60 but truly 65-70 if possible
I know the at545 has to go to do this so I have sourced a mt-653 the one with the super low granny wich is hooked to a 8.3 cummins with 87k miles I could get this whole set up for around 1500 cash or 500 for just the tranny..
so what should I do
freshen the 5.9 that's in the bus and just hook up the mt653 or rip it all out and try to mount that HUGE 8.3 in the front ???? can this even be done with the space that's there and what would be involved just mounts or even more???
also what rear gear would I need to run for this speed I don't know how to do the formal so help would be great!!!

Last if I should keep the 5.9 in the bus how would I tell if I should pull the motor and rebuild or just freshen and change things IN FRAME again bus runs good but I want a dependable rig b/c I plan to travel coast to coast and my family will be with me
Thanks guys cant wait to read the responses

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Old 01-27-2016, 05:14 PM   #2
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changing tire size to 11x22.5s would give you 67mph @2500 rpm.

i have that same set up, however, i doubt it could pull a 12K lb trailer. its a hard day pulling my atv trailer (2500lbs) up the mountain.
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Old 01-27-2016, 05:30 PM   #3
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Well that's not what I want to hear
Anything that could be done to make this set up more feasible at pulling 12k
We really like the bus and how everyone can ride togather while we pull
If this set up won't work what would be the best bus to start with for the plans that I have ??
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Old 01-27-2016, 05:40 PM   #4
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the smaller tires and going slow are the way to tow that heavy of a load
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Old 01-27-2016, 08:08 PM   #5
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I have also sourced a 1993 front engine blue bird with the 8.3 and mt643 already in it but needs love and lots of work

It's also have way accros the U.S. And has not been started in 2 years but he's only asking 1800 ... Is this a better frame to start with for my end goal,

I really can't see why that 5.9cummins 12 valve... hoped up and with the right trans... unable to pull the 12k I need
But I don't want to invest a lot of money in this set up to find out it won't pull ������
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Old 01-27-2016, 08:17 PM   #6
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the engine can pull the load, the AT545 cannot handle that load, if you change the transmission, you could pull your trailer, but you are not going to get anywhere fast, you are already pushing a large box through the air, the high boost at speed says you are pretty much maxing the available power, the EGT says you do not want to crank up the engine any, to go faster you are going to need a bigger engine
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:28 PM   #7
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Those numbers are based off stock bus motor at this point . What do you think if I was to build the cummins to a mild 450/550 with the right turbo set up and the mt-643 tranny and play with my rear gear and pinnion , what do you think the weak point of the system is going to be ? Motor , tranny or chassis
We haven't even talked about spraying propane yet 👀👀
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:37 PM   #8
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450/550 isn't exactly mild. The 643 is rated to what, 250?
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:30 PM   #9
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The AT540 has a top HP rating of about 235 HP/445 torque and 30,000 lbs.

The MT6XX has a top HP rating of about 270 HP/700 torque and up to 73,000 lbs.

The HT7XX has a top HP rating of about 445 HP/1435 torque and 130,000 GVCR.

If you go outside of those parameters you are going to toast the transmission.

Yes you can pump up the 5.9L to ridiculous HP ratings. If you do you will always be overheating. And you will toast the transmission.

One other problem of pumping up the 5.9L HP up is you don't gain that much in torque no matter how much HP you end up with. The 8.3L 250 HP has more torque than a 5.9L 300 HP engine.

Remember, torque is what gets you going and HP keeps you going. If you don't have the torque to get going you will never be going very fast.
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:42 PM   #10
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I agree with everything that's been said so far. I'll reiterate that 500 hp out of a 5.9 cummins isn't exactly mild. If your plan is to rebuild anyways, I'd go with the 8.3.

I'm more interested in how you plan to chop the back. What length bus do you have? And how do you plan on doing it? If I was to do it, I'd cut the frame all the way to just behind the rear axle so as to mount the fifth wheel over it. I don't think I'd want a fifth wheel plate hanging off the back of an already long bus with a short wheel base. Something like that just seems like a recipe for something bad to happen.
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Old 01-28-2016, 05:44 PM   #11
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it would be cheaper to buy the 8.3 cummins/tranny combo listed above than to build up the 5.9, yes it can make that HP, but it will never live long as it does not have the cooling capacity in the block to constantly make that kind of power, you can see that by the peak EGT you got climbing the hills
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