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03-18-2016, 07:08 AM
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#1
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
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road trip
well i took my first road trip, bus ran great. from va to il. i averaged 6.5 mpg. yikes. dont know if my gauges are right but it was running 2300 rpm at 62 mph. in the mountains i never dropped below 50 mph. i have an oil leak it looks like its coming from the timing chain cover behind the water pump pully. i looked at the gasket kit and there is a round gasket im thinking is the problem, any thoughts? anyone change these out? thanks.
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03-18-2016, 07:24 AM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Nice to hear about you taking it out on the road, Dave.
Someone who knows about Cummins will be along soon, I'm sure.
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03-18-2016, 09:23 AM
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#3
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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If it is a Cummins...they are happiest at about 17-1800 RPM's. Sounds like you have gearing made for lower top speeds if you need to turn 2300 at 62. But then, most skoolies are not geared for the highway.
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03-18-2016, 10:08 AM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Im at about 2300 rpm at 62 with my 466.
4.44 rear.
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03-18-2016, 10:24 AM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Montana/Texas
Posts: 682
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Crown by Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: 230 HP DT 466e/MT 643!
Rated Cap: 16
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CB - Which tranny do you have? I'm looking into swapping rear ends on mine....I have a 5.38(I think) with the good 'ol AT545. right now I'm screaming at 57 MPH at a governed 2600rpm. Even if I could hit 60-65 at 2300-2400 I would be so much happier (as well as my engine!). I was looking into the 4.11-4.4 range. Do you still have plenty of power at slower speeds?
Thankx!
John
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03-18-2016, 11:54 AM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Yeah for only having a 190hp DT, it pulls NICELY. It has a 643 tranny. Feels so good going into every gear. SO right....
My bus is 40' fwiw
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03-18-2016, 12:05 PM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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I've got a 3.54 axle and I have to pull 2200 revs to do 60.
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03-18-2016, 06:09 PM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
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my bus was used to transport sports teams, i was hoping for a better gear ratio. but i plan on towing a vehicle so i guess it will work out ok.i like keeping the peddle floored so i think ill adjust it down to 55 mph .
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03-18-2016, 09:37 PM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
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The Cummins ISB/ISC/ISL family of engines, the IHC T444/VT365/MaxxForce7/DT360/DT466, and the Cat 3208/3116/3126/C7 all have redlines at 2600 RPM's.
The heavy duty diesels like the Detroit -71, -92, Series 60, Series 50, and the Cummins 743/855/Big Cam engines all have redlines at 2100 RPM's.
Running any of them at the redline won't hurt them. In fact, running a 2-cycle DD at redline is actually the preferred place to run them.
Running a small Cummins at 2300 RPM's is going to be right about in the sweet spot for it.
Figuring out what rear gear with your size tires to get the speed you want is a straight forward math problem. There are several places online that have the formula set up that all you have to do is input the correct numbers and it will spit our your gear ratio.
For those that do not have OD transmissions 4.10 gears usually mean an easy cruising speed of 70 MPH with engines that turn 2600 RPM's. You will need 3.56 gears if you have an engine that turns 2100 RPM's if you want to go 70 MPH.
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03-18-2016, 10:43 PM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Thanks Cowlitz. That's reassuring. I just need to learn to drive this bus like it still belongs to someone else. The engine sounds healthy and it doesn't overheat at all. I was uncomfortable about keeping my foot on the firewall while on the highway but apparently it's a fairly common thing.
I don't think I'm going to need more than 60 mph, so I'll definitely be in the slow lane in WA. This medium bus just doesn't feel all that stable on county roads. The wheel base is only about 18" longer than my K-5 Blazer. A few consecutive bumps and this bus can start bucking. Maybe that's shocks? I'm surprised it doesn't go a little faster, but then it is basically a pickup engine and this bus weighs a number of times more than a pickup.
From your description I think I've got a fairly healthy beast here. There is a little deferred maintenance to catch up on and this bus obviously sat for a while before being sold. I'm still not used to driving my house to go shopping but I'm learning to like it.
Going to see America. Worked overseas most of my life. Weird how life goes.
Thanks.
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03-19-2016, 09:37 AM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Spring Valley AZ
Posts: 1,343
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 2 elderly children, 1 cat
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Robin...
Gabriel 89432 will fit for front shocks. I set mine to max and it's nice.
__________________
Don, Mary and Spooky the cat.
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03-19-2016, 11:38 AM
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#12
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Thanks Don. I'm going to have to do that soon.
Have you ever taken the shocks off a car and then driven it? It's funny in a big parking lot but kind of dangerous in town.
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03-19-2016, 06:27 PM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vacaville, Ca
Posts: 1,634
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Crown / Pusher
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
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Best shocks I ever bought were Bilstiens, put them on my Class C & they were fantastic
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03-19-2016, 07:32 PM
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#14
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
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should you go with a lighter duty shock on the front of an re to make up for the lack of weight on the front axle, this thing beats you to death
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03-19-2016, 10:13 PM
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#15
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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superdave; Are you getting that bucking action when driving on older roads? I have to let the air seat all the way down or it bounces me clear out of my seat. Ok, maybe that's a little dramatic.
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03-20-2016, 08:44 AM
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#16
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Winlcok, WA
Posts: 2,233
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396
superdave; Are you getting that bucking action when driving on older roads? I have to let the air seat all the way down or it bounces me clear out of my seat. Ok, maybe that's a little dramatic.
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You need to keep enough air in the seat to keep it suspended. If you don't, when you hit a bump it will go all the way down and hit the bottom with a jarring thud. It will also bounce back up and hit the limit with another jarring thud. It doesn't take very many of those kind of hits before your back is protesting.
You also do not want to put so much air in the seat there isn't any bounce.
You also want to check the shock absorber on the seat. Just like the ones on the bus they need replacing occasionally.
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03-20-2016, 12:44 PM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Thanks Cowlitz, I never thought to look for a shock on the seat. I'd say that sounds exactly like the problem that's been bouncing me out of my seat occasionally. On county roads I've been lowering it all the way down while driving to avoid that back breaking slam as it bottoms out, then springs back so hard that my arse catches a little air. Honestly I was thinking about installing one of my older non-air seats until hearing this from you.
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03-25-2016, 09:32 PM
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#18
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
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i have no air seat just a couple pillows. did find this on the oil leak.
Viewing a thread - Oil leak on 8.3 Cummins
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03-25-2016, 10:19 PM
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#19
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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So do you know where the leak is coming from now?
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