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Old 11-30-2014, 09:10 AM   #1
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3800 T444e starting issue, and others.

puchesed 97' bus a month ago. Bus started and drove fine from location-A to location-B. Moved it around on the farm a few times before it starting to have issues starting. now not starting at all.
Got new batteries(slightly less cranking amps) after multiple charging attempts on the old ones.Tried to hook the new batteries up same as before but may not of remembered 100%. I did;
large Positive from solenoid to positive on battery 1.
Positive on battery 1 to positive on battery 2.
Neg. from Battery 1 to Negative on batter 2.
Neg on battery 2 to ground and starter.


none of the blinkers work and i hear a sound when i try to turn on the blinkers on from the flasher box.

the fuse b/U is blown and when I try to put a new fuse back in the fuse box and turn on the bus a beeper sounds and there is a noise from the breaks.

The meter on the dash reads the volts below 12 except, when we hooked up our truck to the solenoid and started with cables.

When I turn the key I hear a click to the right of me near the on-board control panel from "something". I also hear a pooped out sound from maybe the starter, maybe like its stuck. but the bus does not turn over at all.
I know nothing about diesel and feel I could be overlooking another issue with the bus not starting, such as glow plugs or a pressure issue, ect.

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Old 11-30-2014, 06:26 PM   #2
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Re: 3800 DT??? starting issue, no turnlight, no rear dome li

dude, sounds like you reversed polarity on your cables.
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Old 12-01-2014, 09:02 PM   #3
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Re: 3800 DT??? starting issue, no turnlight, no rear dome li

fixed dome light, needed a New bulb. Heater fan also running again. All in-cab controls function again.

so my major problem is that the bus still does not crank, turn over, or show signs of engine life. And when the B/U fuse is in, the breaks make noise and and the buzzer under the dash sounds. Issues with the flasher for the turn signals buzzing out, and I have no turn signals.

I just ordered the scangauge d. Hope this give me a clue.
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Old 12-02-2014, 08:05 AM   #4
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Re: 3800 DT??? starting issue, no turnlight, no rear dome li

There should be two fuses just forward of the lead that connects directly to the batteries. They will be in little black protective cases. Those ones are especially important for the ECM. Might want check those ones out..
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Old 12-02-2014, 05:35 PM   #5
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Re: 3800 T444e starting issue

Today I started checking and cleaning electrical connections i could find. Also cleaned glow plug relay solenoid. When I Got to the starter one of the bolts broke on the starter solenoid's positive connection(only one positive wire, and small). So I took the whole thing out, 3 bolts. Now I have to get it tested and see if it was this little guy causing me no start problems. Still waiting on the scanguage d I got from advanced auto parts' cyber monday sale.

There is a fluid on the door side near the front of the nose that is under pressure? what is it? mine is low.
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Old 12-03-2014, 05:18 PM   #6
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Re: 3800 T444e starting issue, and others.

The starter works. The screw I broke on the starter solenoid was replaced. Put the whole thing back in and turn the key... nothing. So i went under the bus and took a small wire and jumped the two positive bolts and the bus turned over and started fine.

Now onto the blinkers and this lack of working. The elecro magnetic flasher fuzzes out ever time I try the blinker. Not sure if those burn out of if there is a short somewhere.
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Old 12-07-2014, 08:55 AM   #7
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Re: 3800 T444e starting issue, and others.

So the blinkes were fixed with a new electro mechanical flasher.

I am able to still start the bus but I have to cross the positives on the starter relay. Any ideas where im shorting or having an issue. When I get a chance I am going to try and trace the key wires and see if a fuse is out or a wire is shot. but any ideas or good knowledge will help. I still have no schematics for this bus, although my scangauge d comes tomorrow night.
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Old 12-08-2014, 08:36 AM   #8
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Re: 3800 T444e starting issue, and others.

Are you saying that you jump from large terminal to large terminal? (not using the solenoid) or large terminal to small terminal on the solenoid? (making the connection through the solenoid)
When you apply power to the small terminal of the solenoid does it click or do nothing?
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Old 12-09-2014, 10:51 PM   #9
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Re: 3800 T444e starting issue, and others.

large terminal to small on starter solenoid. i know it must have something to do with the switch or wires associated with the key to starter.
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Old 12-10-2014, 06:09 AM   #10
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Re: 3800 T444e starting issue, and others.

School buses have all kinds of interlocks so that they won't start when various doors and escape hatches are open, including roof hatches. Probably first place to start looking. There have been lots of posts about this kind of thing from people who have unhooked some switch or other and bus won't start.
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Old 02-04-2016, 11:07 AM   #11
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Starting issue

Did you fix the starting issue? If so, what was the solution?
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Old 08-15-2016, 11:51 AM   #12
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Was this issue fixed. Having the same exact problem with my 97 bluebird all American. Description fits exactly. Please let us know what the solution was.

Thanks
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Old 08-15-2016, 11:55 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by somewhereinusa View Post
School buses have all kinds of interlocks so that they won't start when various doors and escape hatches are open, including roof hatches. Probably first place to start looking. There have been lots of posts about this kind of thing from people who have unhooked some switch or other and bus won't start.
I'm wondering if this is the problem I'm having but when I turn the key it attempts to turn over and just won't do it. I tried to start my first bus with an emergency door open and the key did nothing at all. This is what's making me think this is a mechanical issue. Working on bypassing the relay for the emergency door now either way. Any advice would be deeply appreciated!
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Old 08-15-2016, 02:36 PM   #14
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Beth - If you turn the key and the starter attempts to spin the engine then I'd say check your battery/s. If you turn the key and nothing happens then you may have an interlock issue.
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Old 08-17-2016, 07:07 AM   #15
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Yes, got the bus back in operation. My issue was with the two cables that joins the two positive and negative cables together. They were compromised and no longer worked correctly. Replaced the two short cables and the bus fired right up.
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Old 08-17-2016, 07:10 AM   #16
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Old 10-15-2016, 10:41 AM   #17
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control panel

Hey skoolies I'm back. I have another issue that I just started looking at. Nothing from my control panel works. No fans, No dome lights, No strobe light, no wipers. The blinkers and front lights work. I'm going to start to dive into these wires and find where the main power comes into the control panel or if there is a fuse that is out. Any help with photos or videos out there? manuals that are easy to follow the electrical schematics.
Second. When I turn the key I there still is no turn over on the starter, but when I cross the solenoid I can get the bus to turn over.
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Old 10-15-2016, 10:46 AM   #18
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My bus batteries needed replacement. Once replaced, bus works great. Had the new batteries connected now for a month and bus fires up great everytime
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Old 10-15-2016, 02:04 PM   #19
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My Thomas has two solenoids in the control panel. One for starting and one for everything else. I hear a distinctive thunk sound when I turn my key. I would look at those first if you have them.
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Old 10-15-2016, 07:32 PM   #20
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Well when i turn the key i hear a click in the control panel. When i try and turn over the bus i get nothing. But i can start it from crossing the two solinoids. The dome lights hardly work. When i pull the middle switch a few turn on very dim.and if i follow that with another switch they all turn off. And i just put new batteries in an hour ago. The head lights work, blinker. Just nothing works assoicated to the panel.
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