Is anyone in Columbus Ohio? Break down!

[firebuild]

My 7.3 IDI short bus is about to be towed to a Ford Dealer. Could use some advice from a local. Please PM and I will send my number

[Ronnie]

Hi Mary,

Cadillackid ( Christopher) is in Columbus, maybe try pm'ing him?

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

Hi Mary,

Cadillackid ( Christopher) is in Columbus, maybe try pm'ing him?

Ok will do thanks

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by firebuild

My 7.3 IDI short bus is about to be towed to a Ford Dealer. Could use some advice from a local. Please PM and I will send my number

Whats up with the bus?

[firebuild]

Before I left MA it stalled a few times and surged at idle a few times. I thought I might have a bad injector. I took it to the shop and they couldn’t find that problem but fixed a few random other things. I made it to Ohio without problems, then as I was getting off the freeway to get fuel it stalled at the light. Honestly, it was acting like it was out of fuel, but it really shouldn’t be. My gauges doesn’t work but I’ve been monitoring it closely. Still, I switched tanks just to be sure. Anyway the roadside assistance company sent the wrong tow truck as is typical and it couldn’t handle the bus. He called for another truck but while i was waiting I decided to try jumping it, since I’d cranked it a bunch, and that worked! I was able to get it started. Drove it to the gas station, and then it stalled again on the way in. Tow truck was cancelled by then but I figured I would try putting fuel in and see what happened except... the tow truck driver shut my hood after I jumped it, and he put the support pole in the wrong direction. When that happens it can only be opened with a crowbar or something. So... I could try putting fuel in, but this truck always needs to be primed after it runs low, which of course I can’t do if I can’t open the hood. Phew. If I can get the hood open I can probably get it started and may be able to get a little further down the road, but the underlying problem will still be there, I think.

[firebuild]

Oh, and this might be the dumbest question in the world, but is it possible that I have an 18 gallon tank and a 13 gallon tank? According to my mechanic they are both 18 gallons but I just don’t really believe it. When I am in Massachusetts and just tooling around I only use one tank. It’s only on longer trips that I used the second tank. I have suspected that my rear tank is smaller than my front tank for a while but the mechanic said that’s not true. However, it would make total sense that I could legit be out of fuel if the second tank is smaller. Or, alternatively the thingy that sits inside the tank on the rear tank has been rebuilt multiple times with spit and duct tape. So maybe fuel below 13 gallons is just unusable in that tank? I am kind of grabbing at straws. It’s possible I have two unrelated problems that I’ve somehow turned into one problem in my head and my little stalling issue back in MA may have been a cold-weather thing, unrelated to what’s going on right now. But of course I can’t figure any of that out because I can’t get the hood open. No one in this town seems to carry any tools or else they just think I’m a psycho when I approach them and ask if they have a crowbar.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

It's entirely possible the two tanks are different capacities (I worked for a farmer with a dual tank F350 and they were definitely different capacities). It's also possible one doesn't draw all the possible fuel.

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

It's entirely possible the two tanks are different capacities (I worked for a farmer with a dual tank F350 and they were definitely different capacities). It's also possible one doesn't draw all the possible fuel.

I've been doing OK so far on this trip just watching the mileage but I think it's been luck. My old mechanic put labels on the switch that says "18 gallons" on each one. I asked him if he was sure because it seemed to me from experience the one was smaller and he insisted they're the same.

Then again he's the guy who stuck on a 200 watt magnetic oil pan heater when I asked him for a block heater. Which is why I say my OLD mechanic.

[firebuild]

So I have a mobile mechanic coming tomorrow - if one can be located to come on Sunday. Meanwhile, I'm parked at this Shell station. if I had a crowbar I could probably figure this out myself. Just about the only tool I don't have in the bus.

[cadillackid]

fire: we shot you a message.. im in the columbus and have tools.. i was long asleep when this thread transpired and i dont have notifications set up for the forum..



-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by firebuild

So I have a mobile mechanic coming tomorrow - if one can be located to come on Sunday. Meanwhile, I'm parked at this Shell station. if I had a crowbar I could probably figure this out myself. Just about the only tool I don't have in the bus.

What about a tire iron?

[firebuild]

I got the hood open. Jump didn't work. But I think my jump pack was too low. Just woke up - charged it up overnight, will try it shortly.

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

fire: we shot you a message.. im in the columbus and have tools.. i was long asleep when this thread transpired and i dont have notifications set up for the forum..



-Christopher

Hey, just woke up, I don't have a message. MY phone is 323-327-7347

[firebuild]

I’m back in business with a new fuel filter. Yippee!

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by firebuild

I’m back in business with a new fuel filter. Yippee!

Glad you're back up and running. Keep a couple spare filters on hand. I personally run every vehicle I buy out of fuel, keeping a 2 gallon jug in the back. This way I know when it hits "E" I know how far I can go before I'm dry. I also know by filling them back up exactly how big the tanks are. Not a great option on diesels.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by firebuild

I’m back in business with a new fuel filter. Yippee!

Yay!!!

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Glad you're back up and running. Keep a couple spare filters on hand. I personally run every vehicle I buy out of fuel, keeping a 2 gallon jug in the back. This way I know when it hits "E" I know how far I can go before I'm dry. I also know by filling them back up exactly how big the tanks are. Not a great option on diesels.

I don't personally recommend this on diesel vehicles, but I can see Marc's logic here. My bus has a ~30 gallon tank (probably closer to 40 actual, but 30 usable), I intend to switch it out for a much larger tank. When I do, the replacement tank will go in "dry" and I'll get a fuel gauge reading. I'll drop in ~10 gallons and get another reading (this will be my intended minimum mark) and I'll fill it up right afterward (getting my usable/maximum capacity).


I would *Like* dual tanks but I have air brakes and I'd have to relocate the air tanks - and to put them inboard of the frame rails, I'd have to relocate the muffler and exhaust ... I can't side mount one behind the axle due to storage box on driver's side and wheelchair lift on the right side. I could use a between-the-rails fuel tank behind the drive axle if I found one. Then again, a 100+ gallon tank would give me plenty of cruising range and I'll probably want to stop more than once every 900 miles.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

I don't personally recommend this on diesel vehicles, but I can see Marc's logic here. My bus has a ~30 gallon tank (probably closer to 40 actual, but 30 usable), I intend to switch it out for a much larger tank. When I do, the replacement tank will go in "dry" and I'll get a fuel gauge reading. I'll drop in ~10 gallons and get another reading (this will be my intended minimum mark) and I'll fill it up right afterward (getting my usable/maximum capacity).


I would *Like* dual tanks but I have air brakes and I'd have to relocate the air tanks - and to put them inboard of the frame rails, I'd have to relocate the muffler and exhaust ... I can't side mount one behind the axle due to storage box on driver's side and wheelchair lift on the right side. I could use a between-the-rails fuel tank behind the drive axle if I found one. Then again, a 100+ gallon tank would give me plenty of cruising range and I'll probably want to stop more than once every 900 miles.

I have large dual fuel tanks on my Dodge truck, 1000 mile range. That is so nice fill up once a day and be done with it. Of course other stops needed, but at least no messing with fuel. Our bus.... well we pass everything but the gas stations....

Airplanes do in flight refueling how about buses? that would be nice.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Ronnie

Airplanes do in flight refueling how about buses? that would be nice.

Commercial flights don't, this is only for certain military craft and even so, it's dangerous and requires specialized training and skill.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

Commercial flights don't, this is only for certain military craft and even so, it's dangerous and requires specialized training and skill.

I realize that but one can dream a bit?