My 1990 Ford E-350 Goshen Bus - Page 5

Stuff · 07-06-2011, 05:38 PM

i think im gonna ask them to put in a new starter cable to if it shows any signs of wear or crappyness lol

they might get it in on Thursday they say.

the tow truck left the lights on to when i went to check on it after work..

Stuff · 07-09-2011, 05:45 PM

picked it up last night. WOW what a difference!! cranks over like nothing and VROOOMM!!

Stuff · 07-10-2011, 07:31 PM

the world is conspiring against me...

go to start the bus today... nothing.. i hear the relay above my head click though.. so still some power.. finally get booster cables and get the truck up next to it to boost. Vroom! it starts no problem...

go to the landfill, empty out the smelly propane soaked skirting from trailer that was stuffed in it. hit the dash fan for some cooling down.. nothing! back up and i still hear the beep beep beep from the back up alarm.. hit the horn and a faint hmmmm from under the hood... wth.. weigh out and go to turn right, signal lights dont work... okay... go back to canadian tire where i got the starter put on, shut the bus off, hit key, not a thing. not even a click...

so i figure they wired up the starter wrong or something.. i guess the only reason the bus was still running is because its old enough to have mechanical fuel injection im assuming... kinda scary...

Stuff · 07-12-2011, 10:21 AM

and so its not the starter... the alt has gone apparently... sigh... atleast it was on sale i guess.

bus is starting to eat my pockets...

roach711 · 07-12-2011, 12:58 PM

Man, that sucks, but at least you have two less things to worry about.

Better they fail around town than out in the boonies. I call that "left-handed luck."

Stuff · 07-12-2011, 04:08 PM

lol ya the parts are new. should be good now!

only thing i wanna do next is remove the 12v key actuated disconnect it the box above me and put a manual in there. that controls the rear lights, ac, etc etc. then i know i have no drain possible!

and yes they will like cruseing in the bus once i get it organized, bed framed, seats re-installed and it cleaned!

GreyEagle · 07-12-2011, 06:23 PM

Yup for sure......... but where are they when you need them.....

Stuff · 07-13-2011, 02:24 PM

so far busy with their own lives. cant even get help to build my garden shed! lol

Stuff · 07-15-2011, 04:34 PM

well got it home finally...

yesterday the bus was "done" got the call to go get it. didn't make it there till shop was closed, go to start, NOTHING no power, no nothing! pop hood, batteries are unhooked.. pull bus away from the shop doors to boost it.. half hour later it starts and VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!! pedal is stuck to the floor.... not impressed.. said some choice words.. left it in the middle of the parking lot in front of the bay doors and went home.. let them move it and deal with it in the morning...

morning rolls around, give them a call at 8AM, talk to the dept manager. tell him what happened the night before. he says he wondered why it was left in the parking lot. figured i had troubles so he had the guys look it over. will give me a call when its done.

well got it home finally... WHAT A GONG SHOW!! first its dead again, pop hood, the wires across the top of the hood are drooping down, rubbing on the belts and pulley system... GRRRRR!!! I go back in store and complain and the mechanic comes out with zip ties and ties them up, asked him if he had it running and did he not notice it. he says he did and he never saw the lines drooping.. also said the reason the pedal stuck to the floor was the air filter was turned to the wrong position and held the linkages from going back...

SO I take the old batteries out, take them back, exchange them, get brand new batteries, take them back, put DISCONNECTS IN!!! thought might as well! I disabled the bus chassis' 12+ lead from taking power (in case the solenoid isn't shutting off correctly and draining) and STILL WONT START!!! well just happens my bus has command start in it! so i try that.. well system comes on, waits for plugs, Grr click. pathetic attempt for it to start the bus.. try again and its a bit better. try again and it starts!!! yay! we all happy! its running, SKRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!! it tries to start again while running!! #%@#)$@#$%%U& and every other name under the rainbow! father calls his buddy thats a mechanic. he looks it over, turns the key to on, goes under the hood, pulls a wire, takes a screwdriver and rRrRrRrRrRRRRRunnn!!! it starts no problem! wait for it, no trying to start again! lights, signals, fan works, yay!

drove it home, parked it BACKED in this time! and used the disconnects to disconnect the new batteries. Ill probably throw an intelligent charger on them next week to get them nice and topped up.

I hope this ends my problems with the bus. I know i need to change out the column or put a starter switch in now. there is just something not right with the key ignition...

TL;DR - everything went wrong and i rigged it enough to get home...

syke · 07-16-2011, 10:37 AM

Man what an adventure!
Sounds like you might have finally got it sorted out. Good luck.

Stuff · 07-17-2011, 08:56 PM

lol some humor

so far its home. time to clear it out and start working on it hopefully!

Stuff · 07-19-2011, 10:22 AM

so now im on the hunt for a couple LT215/85R16. seems to be hard to find and when i do they are almost $300 each...

Bullwhacker007 · 07-20-2011, 01:20 AM

WOW that is some horn. If me I'd pull up to that "garage" stick the bus nose into the bay and let her rip...

Stuff · 07-20-2011, 06:34 PM

i tried looking online. by the time it gets to me, shipping makes it the same as going to the dealership.

and yes i want to see if that horn works and if it does, its gonna blast something fierce!

Stuff · 07-21-2011, 11:22 AM

well i have a goal now. try to get it ready by the labour day weekend in sept to go CAMPING!! ^_^

Stuff · 08-17-2011, 11:10 AM

got new (to me) tires to replace the cracking sidewall front tires on the bus.

oh and i finally found some NEW SEATS!!! $60 for the pair but i got them when in Saskatoon. was the only listing on the internet in SK i could find and i just happened to be going there that weekend. guy has 2 more but they still in the conversion van out at his farm.. so dunno if he will ever get them out. got the bolts

Stuff · 08-17-2011, 01:54 PM

well i know i want to put one of those in the front to be the co-pilot seat. might put the other one in the back but probably not. plan to put 2 facing 2 w/ table in between bringing it to 6 passenger.

Stuff · 08-22-2011, 06:04 PM

Well I got them on today and while bus was on street I loaded chairs out of the truck. Woot!!!

at kal tire.

year of sitting = not shiny calipers

new tires

tires rub on bolts...

set seat up to see how it sits.

james843 · 08-22-2011, 08:52 PM

cool bus

Stuff · 08-27-2011, 11:42 PM

well today we stuck in 4 sets of seats and cleaned and vacuumed it out and took it to the good old US of A for supper! she did pretty good considering the road there and back was utter crap! sometimes having to drive into oncoming traffic to get around the literal sink holes in the road!

everything still shoved in there.. need to replace that one panel sitting on the right seats.. wood has crapped out...

the flourecent light in the front is nice and bright!

You may also like: