Marky's Conversion!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Tango

Don't forget the altimeter and turn and bank indicator!

How could I?

[MarkyDee]

Wow, turn & bank indicators? Don't forget the depth gauge as well....

[MarkyDee]

Now that "winter" is moving in I'm needing an enclosed area to remove the windows and skin of the bus, but before I do that, I think I need some advise.

Has anyone remediated their bus frame and windows out in the open during cold weather? How did you do it? All the UHaul / storage places are filled up (I didn't realize I needed such a place in time to get one...). Any other ideas for a place to do this at?

Thanks!

[cadillackid]

wow that all the Uhaul spaces are full... there must be a lot more RV's in the indy area. . the place where i have mine in columbus oh still has quite a few spaces open.

one of the Uhaul centers here in columbus has covered astorage space but doesnt have it listed on their website.. might want to do google streetview or earth on possible sites to see if they in fact have storage but not listed.
-Christopher

[MarkyDee]

There are a LOT of RVs around. I still see people moving about in them on my way to and from work.

I'm investigating storing / working on the bus a county fairgrounds, but the contact I have to find out if I can or can't isn't communicating with me right now. Thus I'm trying to work out other arrangements, but coming up empty. Guess work on the bus proper is going to have to stop until better weather arrives in the spring. I hate loosing 4-5 months....

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Wow, turn & bank indicators? Don't forget the depth gauge as well....

You also need a vertical speed indicator, at least on final approach.

[Tango]

Or...you could go the fancy electronic route that Cadillac might take.

Glide Slope Indicator!

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by Tango

Or...you could go the fancy electronic route that Cadillac might take.

Glide Slope Indicator!

Or just fake it, and feed the backup horn into your headphones.

[Lensman]

Or go old school, fit an ADF so you can tune in the game...

[dan-fox]

That would be a pip, to see a skoolie trundling down the road with a little basketball hoop mounted vertically on top, turning to tune in the ADF, ending up driving directly into the headwind......

[MarkyDee]

Ok, in an attempt to recapture the thread, I have a question for ya all - I have a big, empty area forward of the steer tires and under the driver. What can I put there? Tankage would slosh causing steering issues; batteries are heavy (generally speaking); steering linkages must be worked-around; etc.

Any ideas?

[cadillackid]

seems like a perfect place for storage.. and that frees up one of the opther storage areas.. might also be a great place to put a mini-split compressor unit if you are using mini;'s.

-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Ok, in an attempt to recapture the thread, I have a question for ya all - I have a big, empty area forward of the steer tires and under the driver. What can I put there? Tankage would slosh causing steering issues; batteries are heavy (generally speaking); steering linkages must be worked-around; etc.

Any ideas?

Mini grow closet?

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

seems like a perfect place for storage.. and that frees up one of the opther storage areas.. might also be a great place to put a mini-split compressor unit if you are using mini;'s.

-Christopher

Ooo, minisplit compressor area.... I like, I like....

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Mini grow closet?

Oh, you've outdone yourself on that one, ECCB.... I've been looking for a way to grow fresh veggies in the bus. I did a "bubbleponics" experiment about three years ago now, and the tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli, and garden beans were just splendid. I only had about $250-$300 in supplies, most of it reusable.

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

Ooo, minisplit compressor area.... I like, I like....




Oh, you've outdone yourself on that one, ECCB.... I've been looking for a way to grow fresh veggies in the bus. I did a "bubbleponics" experiment about three years ago now, and the tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli, and garden beans were just splendid. I only had about $250-$300 in supplies, most of it reusable.

MD,

Correct me IF I'm wrong..... However, I have a suspicion the "grow" closet was intended for other plant matter..........

M

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by M1031A1

MD,

Correct me IF I'm wrong..... However, I have a suspicion the "grow" closet was intended for other plant matter..........

M

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by M1031A1

MD,

Correct me IF I'm wrong..... However, I have a suspicion the "grow" closet was intended for other plant matter..........

M

Any kind of herbs or veggies...
What I'd use it for and what Marky would use it for may differ, but if you have dead space to fill it would be a unique feature!

[MarkyDee]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Any kind of herbs or veggies...
What I'd use it for and what Marky would use it for may differ, but if you have dead space to fill it would be a unique feature!

I'll have to contemplate that one....

[dan-fox]

At the risk of sounding serious here, I've seen a few coach buses store a spare tire in that area. Fold-down door in the front; slide out the spare. Maybe just a generic storage locker?

[MarkyDee]

Changing gears on you....

Originally Posted by MarkyDee

For your amusement I recount here my "learning moment" I had today:

I was about 25mi from home when the "hot engine" idiot light (and buzzer) came on (I have no engine temperature gauge on the dash). Since my experience with "hot engines" is to get them to the side of the road and shut them down pronto (or you have a damaged engine), that is just what I did. So here I am on the side of a 6-lane highway wondering "oh great, I just damaged my engine somehow."

Well, after talking to the guy who sold me the bus (man, I'd buy another from him), my bus has 3 "levels" of hot-engine'ness. The first really no more than a warning, i.e. "find some place safe to park and let 'er cool off" - which is where I was when I pulled to the shoulder. The second derates the power so that you can only go 25mph or so. The third is a complete shutdown.

So, I didn't have to pull off so quickly - I could have continued to the next exit and found a nice parking lot (which is where I found the problem). By the time I did all that the engine cooled to the point the idiot light went off.

As it turns out the one belt that the mechanic didn't replace earlier this year was the belt that turned the hydraulic pump that feeds the cooling fan.... Well, it needs to be replaced now....

So, I turned around and headed back to the mechanics. I took it easy and the "hot engine" light never came on again. Thank God that it was about 35F this morning....

I'm glad I'm learning these things while only tens-of-miles from home instead of hundreds or thousands....

More information about my "hot engine" episode:

My mechanic told me that the hydraulic pump belt had been replaced back in August. However, he can spin the pump by hand even now (not the best of tests, but detects easy stuff like a seized bearing). Therefore, something else happened that locked the hydraulic pump long enough to cook the belt.

I did have a hard-braking incident that morning - minivan in front of me stopped short at a light. I should have anticipated it, though, his driving didn't look "quite right". Anyway, right after the bus came to a stop, I looked in my mirror and saw a bunch of white smoke. At first I thought it was my brakes, so I turned off and stopped to check it out. There were no warning lights on the dash. Wheels felt solid and nothing seemed out of place in the engine compartment (it was only a cursory investigation, though). I really didn't smell anything amiss, just maybe some hot brakes. I climbed back aboard and gingerly checked my brakes for about 2-3 minutes and they seemed fine, too. So, I continued. About 20 miles later the "hot engine" light came on.

I'm guessing here, but any ideas why a hard-brake would potentially cause the hydraulic pump to seize, if even for a short time? I'd like to figure out the root cause and learn something from the experience. I hope I didn't break anything....