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Old 09-10-2021, 11:04 AM   #1
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Bus broke down... AGAIN!

I was driving down the highway and I pumped the brakes for a bit and when I tried to accelerate I didn't feel like it should. Then the bus started coming to a stop so I pulled to the right and the steering started to tighten up. I'm guessing it's either fuel, the battery, or something else that's major.

The battery is showing close to 10 with the ignition on but goes up barely when off so I'm not sure if its that or not. Battery's were in good shape. Purchased them a few years ago but they are pretty much new. I don't know why it shows so low after I was just driving.

The diesel is low but not all the way to E, close to it. It's kinda in between the first and second bar, closer to the first bar. Maybe it's lower than it looks?

One thing that's weird is when I turned the ignition off after I first parked and I tried to turn the ignition to get ready to start the usual "warming engine" light didn't come on. What could be the reason for that? The guage needles still go all the way up and back down, just don't get the "engine warming" light like ice supposed to.

Hope it's nothing major as I've been down that road before. Hopefully someone can help me out. Just finally got it inspected and was on my way to the weigh and now this. After the weigh station I was going to the tax office for registration and plates

It's a 98 International 3800 dt466e

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: The windshield wipers seem to be working as should, if that's relevant

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Old 09-10-2021, 11:20 AM   #2
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Will it crank over at all?

What's the actual battery volts measured with a voltmeter?

No engine warning light shows possible computer issue, or too low of battery voltage. The latter typically that won't occur unless it's below 10 volts or so.

I also don't like going below 1/4 tank of fuel on old vehicles. After 20+ years the gauge and sender might not be the most accurate, making them unreliable near the bottom.
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Old 09-10-2021, 01:10 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Booyah45828 View Post
Will it crank over at all?

What's the actual battery volts measured with a voltmeter?

No engine warning light shows possible computer issue, or too low of battery voltage. The latter typically that won't occur unless it's below 10 volts or so.

I also don't like going below 1/4 tank of fuel on old vehicles. After 20+ years the gauge and sender might not be the most accurate, making them unreliable near the bottom.
I was just told that about the 1/4 tank of fuel. Will definitely keep that in mind

Yea it won't crank at all. Nothing since I first pulled over. The battery shows all the way down to 10 now after turning the ignition making the guages go up and then back down. Hea, might have been driving on the batteries. Maybe it's the alternator.
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Old 09-10-2021, 01:41 PM   #4
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I was just told that about the 1/4 tank of fuel. Will definitely keep that in mind

Yea it won't crank at all. Nothing since I first pulled over. The battery shows all the way down to 10 now after turning the ignition making the guages go up and then back down. Hea, might have been driving on the batteries. Maybe it's the alternator.
That's the direction I'm leaning towards.
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Old 09-10-2021, 02:00 PM   #5
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Sucks that there's issues with running the tank dry. I always do this when I buy a new vehicle just so I know how accurate the gauge is and how far I can go after it hits "E". Priming a DT466E is a biatch, plus you pick up all the crap thats resting in the bottom of the tank.
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Old 09-10-2021, 02:11 PM   #6
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Sucks that there's issues with running the tank dry. I always do this when I buy a new vehicle just so I know how accurate the gauge is and how far I can go after it hits "E". Priming a DT466E is a biatch, plus you pick up all the crap thats resting in the bottom of the tank.
That's what I was kinda doing. It's a good thing to know how far you can push it. Might not do again tho lol. At least not wit this bus. I'm gonna commit to the 1/4 rule

I remember pushing a button I think was the priming button next to the fuel pump when I replaced it. Is that the same thing? Hope so
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Old 09-10-2021, 03:08 PM   #7
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That's what I was kinda doing. It's a good thing to know how far you can push it. Might not do again tho lol. At least not wit this bus. I'm gonna commit to the 1/4 rule

I remember pushing a button I think was the priming button next to the fuel pump when I replaced it. Is that the same thing? Hope so
The priming pump is not really a button, more like a cylinder cap about 3/4" in diameter and 1.5" high.
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Old 09-10-2021, 03:15 PM   #8
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That's what I was kinda doing. It's a good thing to know how far you can push it. Might not do again tho lol. At least not wit this bus. I'm gonna commit to the 1/4 rule

I remember pushing a button I think was the priming button next to the fuel pump when I replaced it. Is that the same thing? Hope so
Yes, that is the primer. I pumped mine about 1000 times and had nothing , hired a $90/hr mechanic to come. Said the issue was it needed 1200 pumps, I just quit too soon.


Big Black button is the primer pump.

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Old 09-10-2021, 03:43 PM   #9
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That's the direction I'm leaning towards.
That alternator-I'd charge up the batteries, see if it cranks and starts; then check alternator function. Sounds very much like you're running on batteries only.
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Old 09-10-2021, 03:51 PM   #10
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If the volt gauge is accurate.

And If it's reading 10.

That's most certainly an issue that needs addressed.

Remove and charge the batteries, but if you're on the side of the road, it might be quicker/cheaper to install new, or pay for the tow, it's you're call.
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Old 09-10-2021, 10:01 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Booyah45828 View Post
If the volt gauge is accurate.

And If it's reading 10.

That's most certainly an issue that needs addressed.

Remove and charge the batteries, but if you're on the side of the road, it might be quicker/cheaper to install new, or pay for the tow, it's you're call.
The battery read 12.3 on multimeter. I'm just trying to figure out why the engine warming light and beep went out. I bypassed the starter relay with a jumper cable and it turns but won't turn over. It's consistent as it spins so seems the battery was doing its thing.

Previously when I couldn't get it turned over I sprayed ether where the air filter is and that started it. But at the time the warm engine light was workin like it should
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Old 09-10-2021, 10:48 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Booyah45828 View Post
If the volt gauge is accurate.

And If it's reading 10.

That's most certainly an issue that needs addressed.

Remove and charge the batteries, but if you're on the side of the road, it might be quicker/cheaper to install new, or pay for the tow, it's you're call.
I checked the batteries wit a multimeter and they read 12.3. Also bypassed the starter relay and it spins constantly but won't turn over. Seems the batteries are doing what they're supposed to. Wish someone could tell me wh my the engine warming light and beep stopped working all of a sudden. Could this really be because of the fuel got too low. Seems odd. Man this sucks!
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Old 09-11-2021, 07:19 AM   #13
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no warning light means you either likely lost a fise or fusibkle link to the computer.. check your battery cables.. the computer gets BAT power on mine from separate wires going to the Batteries (smaller ones).. and there are 2 ECM fuses in the chassis panel.. DIAG and ECM BAT must be good or the engine wont turn over or start.. remember turning-over is NOT starting.. turning over is the engine spinning with the starter,, Starting up or firing is when it starts..



so I dont know what you have when you jump the starter.. it should turn over but not start if you jump the starter and the computer is dead..
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Old 09-11-2021, 08:58 AM   #14
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no warning light means you either likely lost a fise or fusibkle link to the computer.. check your battery cables.. the computer gets BAT power on mine from separate wires going to the Batteries (smaller ones).. and there are 2 ECM fuses in the chassis panel.. DIAG and ECM BAT must be good or the engine wont turn over or start.. remember turning-over is NOT starting.. turning over is the engine spinning with the starter,, Starting up or firing is when it starts..



so I dont know what you have when you jump the starter.. it should turn over but not start if you jump the starter and the computer is dead..
Yea it turns over but won't fire, just spins. As far as the starter, here is a vid of what I'm doing to..

https://streamable.com/e43jk6

Also, do you know where I can get a diagram of the wiring for this buse and engine. We've been looking for something called a glow plug. This is what's supposed to turn the warm engine light on I guess. Can't figure out what killed the beep and warm engine light. Seems it won't start without that. Maybe something in the ignition?

Held the relays while turning the ignition to see if they're making a click sound and slight vibration. Can't remember if the guy helping me said they were good or 2 of the 3 were clicking.

But I kinda ruled out the battery since I unhooked them and tested them separately with a multimeter. Also the starter seems good. Assuming since the batteries are good the alternator is fine? Turning the ignition does absolutely nothing accept make the guages go up then back down. Feel lost but at least I figured a few things out

Thanks
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:22 AM   #15
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ether and glow plugs??????? a dangerous combination. should never be in the same engine unless you can disable the glow plugs
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:25 AM   #16
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battery voltage test without a load applied is a waste of time. can not tell you if the battery is good. a good battery test is to have someone crank it over and read your voltage then while you have a heavy load applied to the battery
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:27 AM   #17
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:28 AM   #18
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and yes that volt gauge on your dash is a joke
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:37 AM   #19
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and yes that volt gauge on your dash is a joke
Yea at idle it's always well below 12 and only goes up to what it should be when I start revving the engine up or am driving it. Someone said they can adjust it for me
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Old 09-11-2021, 04:25 PM   #20
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battery voltage test without a load applied is a waste of time. can not tell you if the battery is good. a good battery test is to have someone crank it over and read your voltage then while you have a heavy load applied to the battery
Quote:
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Yea at idle it's always well below 12 and only goes up to what it should be when I start revving the engine up or am driving it. Someone said they can adjust it for me
mmoore is correct. 12.3V is low for a battery in the forst place. That could mean it is dropping below 10V when cranking. Do you have daytime running lights? If you turn the key to "on" and the lights come on, that could drop the voltage down to 10V also, less when cranking.


If the voltage goes up when when revving, and is always low, that looks more and more like the battery. But it could very well be a bad alternator also, that is not charging said battery fully.



However, catallackid is also on the right path. Gotta find your ECM fuses and check them. Also find the battery-to-ECM cable at the battery and clean its connector. Several buses I have read about on this forum, and mine included, have a "main" ECM fuse box that is mounted on the outer-side of the frame rail behind the front driver's side tire. These are supposed to be water-tight, but they commonly leak at the seals and due to corrosion. Mine was solid, but had 1/4" of water in the bottom, and all the fuses and wire-ends were completely green with corrosive muck.


I would take that battery and put it on a reliable charger (plug into the wall at home kinda charger) and then see what you get. Any better? Maybe a little, but still not there....check the fuses and corrosion
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