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Old 05-20-2017, 05:57 PM   #81
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Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
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Year: 1997
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We did a bunch of sanding and prep, then it rained so we cleaned off the areas that were sanded and I just put there coats of paint on it. Basically we did most of the sides. It might stay like this for a little while depending on what our next few days end up looking like.

Chris, it sounds like your transmission is don't the same thing mine does. Back and forth if you give it more than a small amount of throttle. For practical purposes I can do more than about 1/4 throttle below 45mph or it shifts back and forth forever ))<>((

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Old 05-20-2017, 06:46 PM   #82
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Yours is doing what it should according to navistar , mine the modulator was bad and I never knew it , I didn't have kick down. No matter what my gas pedal was it shifted the same time .. I finally decided to troubleshoot it and found the modulator was bad and got a new one but never got around to putting it on.. I noticed in Florida a couple times it would take like 5?seconds after being stopped to shift to first... and once it bucked a bit going 2-3, so when I got back to Ohio I figured it was time to put the modulator on as I figured the other one was completely stuck or maybe it was chattering and causing grief .. so now I have full lockdown but the damage was done.. talking to an Allison guy I burnt the transmission up running it like that (and however long the schools ran it without knowing.. the school driver likely never complained).. I drove the bus 6500 miles or so that way..

Excessive hunting was a fault reported by drivers and navistar fix was to put a reed switch on the foot pedal so always at 65% gas it modulates .. my bus has that mod.. the at545 was designed with a progressive cable pull to handle shifts.. when electronic engines camecput there was no cable on the pedal anymore so they half witted it and made a electric solenoid , which is either on or off so it's either kick down or lick up no in between, the result when using the factory ECM method is the engine load goes up and down at up and downshift and no buffering so you get hunting..

My trans is worse it wil go 2-3-2-3 all in the span of like 2 seconds.. so a bucking motion.. my solution is im putting a real transmission in it .. today driving in town it hinted and bucked enough that the trans temp. Got up to 195...
if I always go above 75% gas and activate the little reed switch she shifts perfectly.. The modulator ups line pressure so with low pressure in normal mode the writing is on the wall the trans is not long for this world ..
christopher
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Old 05-20-2017, 07:59 PM   #83
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Condolences on the 545, not to mention the expense of the replacement. I'm really interested in how much improvement there is with the new transmission behind the exact same engine and the same driver and basically the same conditions. I know you're going to tweek the hell out of it anyway, but it's a good across the board comparison between the two transmissions. I'm guessing you'll definitely get better mileage, and those long downhill grades at speed will no longer cause pucker marks in the seat.
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Old 05-20-2017, 08:18 PM   #84
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Condolences on the 545, not to mention the expense of the replacement. I'm really interested in how much improvement there is with the new transmission behind the exact same engine and the same driver and basically the same conditions. I know you're going to tweek the hell out of it anyway, but it's a good across the board comparison between the two transmissions. I'm guessing you'll definitely get better mileage, and those long downhill grades at speed will no longer cause pucker marks in the seat.
luckily i never did anymore than the eastern mountain ranges with either of my 545s.. I was always afraid to traverse the rockies.. of course now Ill have a mountain capable bus.. but yes im interested to play the differences too.. iver got enough time in the saddle of this bus with the 545 to tell differences.. and computer data as well..

im learning a lot on this journey.. and being a a hot-rodder this is like "kid n a candy store" Territory.. as i had sworn off hotrod and car builds.. even lost interest in my first bus (I posted here way back in 09 about it).. but the last year its been completely intruiging and invigorating once again to build something... even though my "builds" are 180 degrees different from the average here..
-Christopher
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Old 05-20-2017, 09:07 PM   #85
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It's very interesting to have your hot rodding experience and electrical know how here. You're obviously doing some pretty serious research on all these subjects too. I'm thinking you don't sleep much.

I'm one of those people that electronics just don't work right for, so knowing that I just don't tempt fate.
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Old 05-20-2017, 09:18 PM   #86
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I don't think he sleeps.

Also, I have never seen him and batman in the same room.

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Old 05-21-2017, 08:43 PM   #87
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Hot rodding buses, raspberry pi and batman. Interesting.
The Vista is unusual, its like an old LCF truck, still get the access issues of an FE and the extra length of a conventional.
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Old 05-21-2017, 10:22 PM   #88
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And Batman's sidekick.
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Old 06-10-2017, 05:36 PM   #89
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Finally did my first oil change on the bus. Took about 18 quarts... And unlike a car where the dipstick hash area goes between low and full in about a quart, I think it's more like a gallon.

Nice fresh Rotella and a shiny new filter and we are ready to go!

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Old 06-10-2017, 05:40 PM   #90
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these 444E's Like fresh oil...it will run like a champ now!
id keep it changed often... you'll find it will run better on clean oil..
-Christopher
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Old 06-10-2017, 05:44 PM   #91
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Next I need an air filter and more paint!

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Old 06-10-2017, 09:52 PM   #92
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Finally did my first oil change on the bus. Took about 18 quarts... And unlike a car where the dipstick hash area goes between low and full in about a quart, I think it's more like a gallon.

Nice fresh Rotella and a shiny new filter and we are ready to go!

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NICE. The 444's really DO like fresh oil. They run smoother and quieter after a change.
Next time you pass a Rural King in your travels try to stop in and grab yourself some fluids. They're CHEAP there. A 5 gallon bucket of perfectly good 15w40 is only $29.99.
I'm gonna change the gear oil in my rear end after the paint job. Will definitely be using RK gear lube.

I love the paint! Don't think we're copying you if ours ends up looking similar. We've been planning a similar color for quite some time, only I think ours will be a bit more on the green side.


How the bus doing? Any cool stuff happen out on the road recently?
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Old 06-10-2017, 10:51 PM   #93
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Never met a woman who did not LOVE that shade of blue.
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Old 06-11-2017, 09:00 AM   #94
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NICE. The 444's really DO like fresh oil. They run smoother and quieter after a change.
Next time you pass a Rural King in your travels try to stop in and grab yourself some fluids. They're CHEAP there. A 5 gallon bucket of perfectly good 15w40 is only $29.99.[emoji3]
I'm gonna change the gear oil in my rear end after the paint job. Will definitely be using RK gear lube.

I love the paint! Don't think we're copying you if ours ends up looking similar. We've been planning a similar color for quite some time, only I think ours will be a bit more on the green side.


How the bus doing? Any cool stuff happen out on the road recently?[emoji2]
Yeah brokedown. Where you at?

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Old 06-11-2017, 03:35 PM   #95
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Gone fishing! Back on the road in a week or so.

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Old 06-17-2017, 05:32 PM   #96
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Just did my ac compressor. Harder job than I expected. Also the vacuum pump I rented at Auto zone didn't come with hoses so I didn't use it. For now I have both units working, but I also have a new squeak.

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Old 06-17-2017, 07:10 PM   #97
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A/C can be hard.. running a unit without evacuating the moisture out is hard on it... non-condensables (air).. and liquid water (humidity moisture) are often the causes of compressor failure prematurely (charging an emoty system wuthout vacuuming over the years will destroy the compressor).. does the squeak occur when the compressors are engaged or disengaged or both?

if you have the idler pulleys on those compressors that are used for tightening the belt, its really easy to over-tighten or under-tighten the belt.. if over-tighten it will cause the bearings to scream in that idler.. if under tighten or there is too much freon or too many non-condensables it will slug the compressor and make the belt squeal...

-Christopher
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Old 06-17-2017, 08:14 PM   #98
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The squeak is surely from an idler pulley. I am putting an AC service on my short list when I find a town with a reasonable mechanic. The guy in Tampa wanted 1500 to replace the compressor, I can do this job 4 more times before that was the better plan.

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Old 06-18-2017, 04:50 AM   #99
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If you're still looking for a dual sport Shaun is selling his KLR250 for $1100 at the end of summer. Just thought I'd let you know.
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Old 06-18-2017, 07:28 AM   #100
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The squeak is surely from an idler pulley. I am putting an AC service on my short list when I find a town with a reasonable mechanic. The guy in Tampa wanted 1500 to replace the compressor, I can do this job 4 more times before that was the better plan.

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yeah A/C shops see a commercial vehicle and they double the price.. reason being that Legally they have th Leak check the entire system and repair the leaks as part of any system service.. a compressor failure can also leave a lot of muck in the system.. a flush on a bus unit is a real PITA.. if you get lucky, the bearings on a compressor go out and seize before the graphite parts turn into a gray mess.. when you took it apart if the oil that came out of the compressor was decently clear then you avoided "black death". if it was black and yucky then your system will run stressed.

im assuming you put some oil back into the system when you put on the new compressor.

a set of harbor freight A/C gauges sounds like a good investment. they come in a nice plastic case and have 3 hoses. I have a set, they work just as well as the super expensive yellow Jacket gauges I also have.. and no one will steal the harbor freight set as all the A/C pros think they suck.. the ones I got are made for automotive..

https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-r13...set-60806.html

-Christopher
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