Dt408

[Klink63]

I've come across a killer deal on a bus that is powered by a DT408, I understand they were a short lived model between the 360 and 466. Anyone have any experience with this? Durability, power potential, problems and coresponding costs.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

DT408 is a brother to the DT466, it's pretty much the same engine but slightly smaller cylinders. IIRC rebuild kits for it are no longer available - because what they offer is basically the DT466 "Conversion" rebuild kit. I drove one in a truck - very little difference between it and a DT466 power-wise and virtually everything else is shared with its DT466 brother.

[cadillackid]

what brad said... its pretty much a short stroke 466...

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what brad said... its pretty much a short stroke 466...

Which is it, shorter stroke or smaller cylinders, or both.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

A DT408 powered bus, I would consider just as much as a DT466 equipped one.

[brokedown]

My understanding is that the bore was very close, but not identical, to the dt466, and the stroke was shorter. Seemis like a missed opportunity for Navistar to use a bunch of parts they were already making anyway instead of making new ones for this specific engine. More or less replaced by lower tuned dt466 which would have saved them a bundle if they had started with that.

Not that the dt408 was a bad engine in its own right, just seems unnecessary.

[cadillackid]

wierd for some reason my post didnt take.. my spec book shows the bores 5 thousandths smaller around and the stroke is shorter on the 408

[Klink63]

Thanks Guys, good info and really fast, this place is great. If it works out Im hoping to get into this bus for well below a grand. I am a buyer beware person so im not expecting perfection, just hope there is some good bones to build on.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Klink63

I've come across a killer deal on a bus that is powered by a DT408, I understand they were a short lived model between the 360 and 466. Anyone have any experience with this? Durability, power potential, problems and coresponding costs.

408 is great unless its attached to a Vista.

[Klink63]

It's in a 10 window Amtran conventional mid 90's

[Rod75]

Why? I'm actually looking at 408 on a vista!!!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Rod75

Why? I'm actually looking at 408 on a vista!!!

Just my 2 cents- the vista is sorta the crappiest bus to buy.

[Rod75]

Cam you tell me why. Enlighten me before I buy it., please!

[EastCoastCB]

They're the bottom of the barrel. Many were very shoddily constructed. They ride like absolute shite. Worst ride in the business by a country mile. ROUGH over bumps. The bodies are shite. Most are low headroom. Many have a pronounced list to one side. Engine heat is the WORST of any bus design. Engine is louder than a standard bus. Engine access reduced by being half buried. Pretty much all came with detuned engines and the weakest transmissions. It was Thomas' absolute budget model and was a failure.You only find them in crappy poor schools, like here in FL or SC.

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Just my 2 cents- the vista is sorta the crappiest bus to buy.

you said that to me years ago



weird how wrong you were

Still have and love our 7 window and never had one issue still

[RolesvilleMarina]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

They're the bottom of the barrel. Many were very shoddily constructed. They ride like absolute shite. Worst ride in the business by a country mile. ROUGH over bumps. The bodies are shite. Most are low headroom. Many have a pronounced list to one side. Engine heat is the WORST of any bus design. Engine is louder than a standard bus. Engine access reduced by being half buried. Pretty much all came with detuned engines and the weakest transmissions. It was Thomas' absolute budget model and was a failure.You only find them in crappy poor schools, like here in FL or SC.

Wrong wrong and wrong again

maybe some

but not all

we have air ride, cruise control.. NC summer and the engine heat was no issue after insulating doghouse

5 years now..

Still love it

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

Wrong wrong and wrong again

maybe some

but not all

we have air ride, cruise control.. NC summer and the engine heat was no issue after insulating doghouse

5 years now..

Still love it

Glad you're enjoying it. I've driven two of them and lot of other models/styles of bus. For me its still the lowest on the totem pole of buses.
Also- didn't you do a trans swap and some mods?
Pretty much every bus I've driven had some sort of cruise control or it was at least easy to enable.
Air ride's nice. Probably keeps the ass end of the bus from breaking things. Without it those things ride like a total brick. The front suspension is absolutely harsh compared to any other bus I've driven.
Again- glad you're enjoying it 5 years later.
If all I could get was a vista I'd probably go for it. My friend Josh used to have a really nice vista shorty. He loved it.

Keep on bussin!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by RolesvilleMarina

you said that to me years ago



weird how wrong you were

Still have and love our 7 window and never had one issue still

Have you owned any other buses to compare it to or is it "the best" simply because its what you have???

[Malevolence4845]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Have you owned any other buses to compare it to or is it "the best" simply because its what you have???

I have a 92' Vista, Air ride suspension as well. Drove 3 hours home with it, other than the seat being bolted on a pole and no lumbar adjustment, was a pleasant ride. Mine from the factory has 80" of headroom, Compared pretty well with the other one's I drove, defining feature that made me go with the vista is the mechanical engine, no computers. I don't doubt there are some not so stellar Vista's out there at all, what quality control issues are you referring to? The county that had my bus was refurbishing it but received funding for a new one so sent it off to the county depot, so I don't think mine suffers the same issue but would like to look over area's you may know about.

[EastCoastCB]

Had a long reply typed out and it all disappeared.

https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum...TOPIC_ID=17840

https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum...TOPIC_ID=13844

https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum...TOPIC_ID=16132

https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/Forum...TOPIC_ID=15497

https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/forum...TOPIC_ID=11733