Any help? Ran out of fuel, at the same time parking brake will not release

Spinksmatt · 11-05-2016, 04:54 PM

I have a 2000 Thomas with a 5.9 cummins. I stupidly ran out of diesel fuel, trying to restart it, but also the parking brake is stuck so we can't tow it.

turf · 11-05-2016, 05:25 PM

you'll need to re prime the fuel pump on the cummins. goggle it and you'll find a youtube on it.

for the brakes... crawl under the drivers area and look for air tank with a schrader valve on it. put some air in it and you'll release the spring brake.

better chock your tires first

the brakes only release when they have air. without the engine running you wont have air for the breaks to work.

good luck

Spinksmatt · 11-05-2016, 05:54 PM

Thanks, gonna look into it in the morning. It doesn't appear to have a primer...should I disconnect the fuel lines to get the air out?

turf · 11-05-2016, 06:19 PM

i have an old mechanical 5.9. i only know enough to know that yours has a different method of priming.

good luck

Kubla · 11-05-2016, 08:40 PM

you can also look up "caging the spring brakes" which is manually releasing them with the supplied screw device that should be on the side of the rear brake chamber

2kool4skool · 11-05-2016, 09:24 PM

Turn the key to run, then bump the starter leaving the key in the run position until the lift pump stops..About 20 sec. Repeat SEVERAL times. This will prime the system, if you have added fuel

bluebird90 · 11-05-2016, 11:37 PM

This is the general procedure for priming your type of fuel system...
bump starter to run fuel pump,
crack the fuel feed line at the injection pump till steady fuel comes out,
close line, crack a few lines at the head where the injection lines go into it,
crank engine till you see fuel,
If at any time the engine tries to start, shut off and tighten all lines,
start engine, it may run crappy for a few seconds but will clear.

cowlitzcoach · 11-06-2016, 01:45 AM

I would also pull the filters and replace them. If you have sucked to the bottom of the tank I can't imagine what sort of crud and corruption you may have sucked up.

When you go to put the new filters on, fill them up with fuel first.

Do NOT use starting fluid to try to hurry things up. That is an easy way in which to break a ring or piston.

The menagerie · 11-06-2016, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubla

you can also look up "caging the spring brakes" which is manually releasing them with the supplied screw device that should be on the side of the rear brake chamber

You will have to cage the brakes to tow it. Very easy to do. All you need is a box wrench. This should be able go without saying but Make sure you have the towing vehicle hooked up before you cage them. And you have wheel chalks down while caging. It can roll once all 4 are caged. Good luck.

Tango · 11-06-2016, 10:25 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSqQTKs6v2A

Brad_SwiftFur · 11-06-2016, 11:36 AM

Be fair warned - caging the rear brakes is enough for the bus to roll. The front doesn't have parking brakes and will not need to be caged. If you are having a professional wrecker tow the bus, the driver should know how to do this, have the necessary equipment, and should do it as part of the tow.

To be honest, I never realized the pockets on brake chambers were for storing the cage bolts (I'd never seen them stored there on any of the trucks I'd driven). I'd seen them, and occasionally wondered what they were for.

cadillackid · 11-06-2016, 11:53 AM

i suppose its a good check I need to do and make sure the cage bolts are in fact where they belong and they arent rusted or frozen in place!.

-Christopher

bluebird90 · 11-06-2016, 12:52 PM

Just a note... NEVER tow a vehicle that size unless you know what you are doing. This could get disastrous real fast. And if the towing company you use does not now about caging the cans do not use them.
BTW if you are towing more than 10 miles or so you need to disconnect the drive shaft at the axle or you can wreck the trans. Check your trans manual first.

bluebird90 · 11-06-2016, 12:55 PM

Forgot to mention. I keep my caging bolts in the bus so they don.t rust

Jolly Roger · 11-06-2016, 01:33 PM

Mine doesn't have the caging bolts nor looks like they ever had holsters for them? So what type/pitch of threads should I be looking for to buy my own?
3/4 head usually means a 5/8 bolt-16 thread in my world.
Should I just go to the bus barn and ask them to give me one for comparison or they standard across the board?

AlleyCat67 · 11-06-2016, 01:47 PM

It stands to reason they should be a standard size, though one never knows.

Jolly Roger · 11-06-2016, 02:01 PM

Yeah my old 86 should be in the standardized world and that's why I got that era instead of the computer age stuff. But it is getting harder and harder to find parts and mechanics for it?
Don't want to but guess I need to take a diesel mechanics course and use my bus as an example for the course so I learn what I need and teach the younger ones that what I have is still out there and they might be asked to work on them? Will help me and maybe help them?

bluebird90 · 11-06-2016, 07:59 PM

If you can't find the caging bolt , most heavy truck shops can get them, they are somewhat special

family wagon · 11-06-2016, 09:42 PM

It isn't all that hard to use a portable generator and air compressor to charge the bus air system via the shop air connection. With that done, the parking brake releases normally and the service brakes work normally, so it's as easy to stop as on any normal trip with the engine operating. About 3 years ago I flat towed my bus 80 miles with regular stops to refill the air system (didn't want to let the air pressure drop to where the springs apply the parking brake!).

Can you tell us whether your engine is the electronic-controlled version (likely says "24 VALVE" on the engine valve cover) or a mechanical version? Fuel system priming is a little different between the two, though basic instructions for both have been offered and it does sound like you may be fighting a fuel problem. Work on that a little longer and you may be able to avoid the trouble of a tow.

Rameses · 11-06-2016, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Mine doesn't have the caging bolts nor looks like they ever had holsters for them? So what type/pitch of threads should I be looking for to buy my own?
3/4 head usually means a 5/8 bolt-16 thread in my world.
Should I just go to the bus barn and ask them to give me one for comparison or they standard across the board?

I would just go buy a couple of them. Not the easiest thing to make. Those two little nubs sticking off the bolt have to be able to hold the entire weight of the maxi-can spring, which is about 900 lbs.

If you try to weld a little bar across the end of a bolt with the head cut off, you'll most likely end up with either a weld that isn't hot enough to penetrate the bolt properly and won't be strong enough, or is hot enough to penetrate the bolt and consequently burns through the small rod.

If you try to grind the head of a bolt down to form the two nubs, it won't be easy getting them exactly right.

Either way you went about trying to make the nubs, there's no way to visually confirm that they're fitting properly, unless you have the innards of a disassembled brake can to check them against. And those aren't too common, since it's been some time now since they were made to be taken apart and fixed. Too many people were getting killed by the springs when they took them apart incorrectly.

You should be able to getting caging bolts at a decent truck stop, the parts counter of any truck dealer, or any truck parts place like Fleet Pride. And I think they only cost about 5 bucks apiece.

You may also like: