looking for a NEW(er) bus... input appreciated :)

[chev49]

if it is a airport bus it may be geared to only go 55 or so mph. I have seen busses at the auction like that.. you can change out the rear axle or just the pot for a highway gear set. I have bought truck ring gear and pinion sets and changed them out myself, but they have to be done right.
4200 hrs is nothing for the 8.3. I haven't looked it up, but i imagine that they will go 20k hrs before ya should check the bearings. It is obvious this bus has ran just the same way a school bus does. which means that the transmission and the u joints, etc are the things that will have the most wear. I would check those before i bought it. My guess is that if you have the slow bus, that you would get 2-3 mpg less on the road... prob like 8-9. just my 2 cents...
i like that engine better than the 5.9.

[bansil]

I could picture myself at a campground...you pull up;park...walk down the hall to the doors...push a button and greet the folks stareing with open arms ....yelling "Greetings all"

[opus]

FYI: I have 198k miles and 6900 hrs, still not a lot for either. You will probably get 8-9mpg.

[opus]

Originally Posted by dfb052686

do you have a 24 valve? electronic engine management?

12v, mechanical. I have fought and fought to keep from any electronic management in my vehicles. The newest thing I have is a '93 Suburban and that is new enough!

[chev49]

Originally Posted by dfb052686

I have a 96 suburban thats a 6.5 diesel, you would very much hate it, electronic everything, its a dog, has a very fault prone fuel system...

btw, I looked into the 8.3 24v some more, apparently they are just as good as the 5.9 24v was bad.

bosch used the p7100 mechanical injection pump on all the 12 valve designs... and when time came to switch(damn emissions regs), bosch went with the (ahem) "less than stellar" vp44 electronically controlled injection pump in the 24v 5.9. these units were prone to major failure if the fuel supply pressure wavered even very briefly, I guess someone decided it was a good idea at bosch to make that pump FUEL cooled/lubed, not oil cooled/lubed like the legendary p7100, and then dodge packaged it together with a very underrated lift pump and the two together created the perfect storm of $3500 repair bills at mechanics all over the usa....

long story short: they didn't use this(vp44)pump, but used a much better design for commercial applications.. w00t.

the Cummins Accumulator Pump System (CAPS) pump was in use from 1998 until 2003, a computerized injection pump...

In 2003, Cummins released the updated ISC engine. Among other differences, the most significant was the change to the High Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel system. The new fuel system eliminated the CAPS injection pump, relying on electronic controlled injectors to actuate fuel..

Nothing wrong with the general motors 6.5 turbo diesel fuel system if you don't mind working on it every week..... i like my 1 ton dualie 4x4 so much i carry a complete took kit under the back seat.... -actually it is very good for getting around on the farm and pulling stuff in the mud... the newer cummings diesel dualie 4x4 is what i really want.. my neighbor has a 2001 5.9 one, and except for the cheap tranny has had great luck with it.