Should I purchase this bus

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

4.78 and the smaller tires

With the A-2000 it seems to be doing well. I haven't driven it "far" yet but have been up on the motorway

but I will be towing a sailboat... and I will eventually hit some kind of hills too

With 4.78 and OD you've got good ratios.

[banman]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

SNIP...

as for the Allison 2000 having different 1-3rd gears I was not aware of this...
I wonder what mine are and what is "ideal" then

I pulled my trans from a long bus with a 6.10 rear end... and stuffed it in a short vista with the tiny 37 tires..

I do love the discussions... and agree best to wait for the bus you want if you can

https://www.rvtechlibrary.com/transm..._operators.pdf

And examples of two different gear sets in the 2x00 series
https://transdiesel.com/app_docs/All...0%20Series.pdf
https://transdiesel.com/app_docs/All...0%20Series.pdf

I'm not sure of the interchangeability of the 2000 series trans, one for another but I'm assuming they would all physically interchange -- getting the software compatible could/would be the challenge...

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

rolesville
i just bought a five window bus from not to far from you. half mile from the rolesville exit on 440
chevy 3500 van cut away with a mid bus all metal body.
it had no problems holding 80 on I40 heading south? but planning on putting a hitch and two wheel dolly on it to tow a little kia hamster car.
i think its a good platform for towing.
wish you luck.
once i get my sons car back together then to build mommas shorty i just got and after that its on to my dream of making my big NC specd bus run interstate speed and climb and come down grandfather mountain for the highland games once a year.
but right now the big bus still camps just fine but at 49mph.
have fun

[Julez]

Hello friends,

I am getting ready to buy my first bus and have done alot of research on engine types and transmissions. This forum is wonderful! I am looking at a well maintained '95 Bluebird with a 7.3 International engine with a allison 565 transmission. I havn't been able to find much info on that transmission. Is this a good combo? I want to drive it long distances and am hoping it is not in the family of the AT545. Or does this mean it's a 4500 series? I just cant find anything that says alison 565.

I'd appreciate any input.
Thanks!

[johnbloem1974]

There is no Allison 565 transmission, must be a typo...

John

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Julez

Hello friends,

I am getting ready to buy my first bus and have done alot of research on engine types and transmissions. This forum is wonderful! I am looking at a well maintained '95 Bluebird with a 7.3 International engine with a allison 565 transmission. I havn't been able to find much info on that transmission. Is this a good combo? I want to drive it long distances and am hoping it is not in the family of the AT545. Or does this mean it's a 4500 series? I just cant find anything that says alison 565.

I'd appreciate any input.
Thanks!

I'm willing to bet it is an AT545 and the info was simply mistyped. There is such a thing as an AT540 (which has a shallower pan and holds less fluid, as I recall). Another member just bought a 91 IH 7.3 IDI and AT545, he just drove it to Michigan. Reliable runner but woefully underpowered for long distance highway cruising. But mind you, his was a naturally aspirated engine where the 95 will likely be turbocharged (this makes a big difference).


Rear end gearing also plays a bit role and to this end, my own bus was geared way down. Great for running Southern WV mountain backroads, not so much for a highway cruiser. Mine's at a shop now getting regeared. For those interested, I'm going from 5.38 to 3.91, which by the math should give me a top end of around 78 MPH. For reference, I have a 5-speed manual.

[Julez]

So iv'e text the guy and asked again about the transmission model, and he insists its an alison 565. When I go look at the bus, is there a way for me to see somewhere what model it is?

Thank you.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Yes. Crawl under the bus. The AT545 ID plate will be on the "passenger" side, toward the rear. Take a rag with you in case it needs cleaned off. I found it far easier to snap a photo with my phone rather than contort my neck to angles for which it was never intended.


A '95 IH 7.3 (likely a T444E) bus is 90% likely to have the AT545, 5% manual transmission, and 5% something better.

[musigenesis]

Apparently Allison makes a TCDOA-565 torque converter: https://www.klclutch.com/brands/alli...ue-converters/. There's also a TCDOA-545 torque converter - I wonder if these numbers have any relationship to the transmission numbers.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by Julez

Hello friends,

I am getting ready to buy my first bus and have done alot of research on engine types and transmissions. This forum is wonderful! I am looking at a well maintained '95 Bluebird with a 7.3 International engine with a allison 565 transmission. I havn't been able to find much info on that transmission. Is this a good combo? I want to drive it long distances and am hoping it is not in the family of the AT545. Or does this mean it's a 4500 series? I just cant find anything that says alison 565.

I'd appreciate any input.
Thanks!

a 1995 you are pretty much going to find an AT545

you need to get up into a bit later (after 1998 ) from my understanding... and anything after 02 shouldn't have the AT545

I am going from memory so don't quote me

So if it has the AT545, likely, then as you have been reading here the next thing to determine would be the rear end ratio

but basically it comes down to either
1. deal with an AT545
2. Buy a different bus
3. or go mad and swap the transmission like some of us have.... but its not for the feint of heart I guess (what I keep hearing)

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

rolesville
i just bought a five window bus from not to far from you. half mile from the rolesville exit on 440
chevy 3500 van cut away with a mid bus all metal body.
it had no problems holding 80 on I40 heading south? but planning on putting a hitch and two wheel dolly on it to tow a little kia hamster car.
i think its a good platform for towing.
wish you luck.
once i get my sons car back together then to build mommas shorty i just got and after that its on to my dream of making my big NC specd bus run interstate speed and climb and come down grandfather mountain for the highland games once a year.
but right now the big bus still camps just fine but at 49mph.
have fun

Nice. If you ever want to visit, or a place to stay halfway through pm me. We have a spare flat that we were renting on air bnb, but currently this is on pause of course. And we have bus parking. I live in Wake forest, top of Raleigh.

I have a sailing friend from South Africa that attends these. We'd like to check it out one year. Being of a Scottish clan I should be a ashamed of not going




But I was born in UK and not Scotland so my accent is different. I was raised there until younger years and a divorce and it was Syracuse NY (ugh) for a bit, then some bouncing around until eventually landed in NC as an adult.

My accent is a mess now

[EastCoastCB]

my wife's a Scot and my family came from the Morrison Clan, but man we simply can't afford to go to the grandfather mountain festival. Even the local Mt Dora one is unusually expensive to attend.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

my wife's a Scot and my family came from the Morrison Clan, but man we simply can't afford to go to the grandfather mountain festival. Even the local Mt Dora one is unusually expensive to attend.

I am not aware how much it costs..

but we have buses so we save on lodging

[EastCoastCB]

125 per night for rv's/buses. tickets are $75 for adults.

[Julez]

Thank you.
And yes, it is an AT545 transmission. And your correct about the engine. My next question.. The guy said he couldnt stand going 55mph, so he put a 5th member in it so he could go 65mph. What does that mean? And does this bus have enough power to go on highway trips and through mountains?

I really appreciate you help.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by Julez

Thank you.
And yes, it is an AT545 transmission. And your correct about the engine. My next question.. The guy said he couldnt stand going 55mph, so he put a 5th member in it so he could go 65mph. What does that mean? And does this bus have enough power to go on highway trips and through mountains?

I really appreciate you help.

I have no idea? a 5th member? usually that would mean an extra rhythm guitarist I imagine?


seriously I don't know what to make of this part

[BeNimble]

Never heard of 5th member, but one would assume an overdrive unit on the back of the transmission.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Like a brownie?

**** a unicorn if so, and worth more than the bus

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

I'm willing to bet it is an AT545 and the info was simply mistyped. There is such a thing as an AT540 (which has a shallower pan and holds less fluid, as I recall). Another member just bought a 91 IH 7.3 IDI and AT545, he just drove it to Michigan. Reliable runner but woefully underpowered for long distance highway cruising. But mind you, his was a naturally aspirated engine where the 95 will likely be turbocharged (this makes a big difference).


Rear end gearing also plays a bit role and to this end, my own bus was geared way down. Great for running Southern WV mountain backroads, not so much for a highway cruiser. Mine's at a shop now getting regeared. For those interested, I'm going from 5.38 to 3.91, which by the math should give me a top end of around 78 MPH. For reference, I have a 5-speed manual.

AT540 came stock with shallow pan, dipstick in the top, straight cut gears. (this why thereally loud whine on theold 540s)..AT545s were rare with shallow pan but were offered.. most people upgraded to the deep pan because it does help with heat on short climbs having that extra fluid as a ballast.

[banman]

Originally Posted by BeNimble

Never heard of 5th member, but one would assume an overdrive unit on the back of the transmission.

Interesting -- I was just assuming another typo or lexdysia... as in; probably replaced the 3rd member with a (numerically) lower ratio.