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Old 10-21-2014, 10:03 AM   #21
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by Booyah45828
Seeing how it is an 89, it would be mechanical injection.
I would check that the shutoff lever operates and releases correctly
Seeing you've had trouble with that, that would be my first step.

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Old 10-22-2014, 12:13 PM   #22
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

8.3 FE?

WOW I bet you can roast the rear tires
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Old 10-22-2014, 12:59 PM   #23
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
8.3 FE?

WOW I bet you can roast the rear tires
or at least you could...

Sorry, bad joke.

I do hope it is something simple (and cheap).
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Old 10-22-2014, 08:06 PM   #24
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Fuel filter.
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:14 PM   #25
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by Booyah45828
I would check and make sure the brakes aren't dragging first, because it is extremely simple to do so. Then I would check for any fuel issues.

I wouldn't completely rule out the transmission, but if you dropped it in manual 1st and it still wouldn't accelerate, I doubt the transmission is at fault.

Start with the filters, check the fuel to make sure it hasn't turned bad. Then you start troubleshooting.

Seeing how it is an 89, it would be mechanical injection.
I would check that the shutoff lever operates and releases correctly, then I would check to see lift pump pressure is adaquate.

After that I would check if it has a smoke limiter on the injection pump. What they do is limit rack travel in the pump with a diaphragm until it receives boost pressure from the manifold. If that checks ok then I would check the turbo wastegate that it isn't frozen and works correctly.
Turbo wastegate??? I'll have to Google that one….LOL! Fuel, airflow, and turbo are my three best searches at this time. Thank you so much for the suggestions. It is Great to have future references.
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:18 PM   #26
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by opus
Quote:
Originally Posted by Booyah45828
Seeing how it is an 89, it would be mechanical injection.
I would check that the shutoff lever operates and releases correctly
Seeing you've had trouble with that, that would be my first step.
Unfortunately I do not have a fuel pressure gauge on my instrument panel. A friend in Canada encourages me to install one. I appreciate, very much, your continued suggestions. It is all so very helpful as I get to know what I've got on my hands. I am blessed to have such a wonderfully huge and dynamic machine!
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:23 PM   #27
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
8.3 FE?

WOW I bet you can roast the rear tires
What, are you kidding me!?? I can pop a block long wheelie in this beast! Seriously, This monster is a Kunta Kinte…"it want to run!!!!"
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:26 PM   #28
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by sdwarf36
Fuel filter.
I checked out your build…GREAT job dude!! I hope it brings you many happy pain free years!
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:40 PM   #29
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

OK kids…Here's the rub. Are you ready for this????….My problem is….Squirrel's - Yes, that's right F#@king Squirrel's!!!!!

I noticed some of the pipe insulation had been chewed upon, and thought "who the hell eats that for lunch!???" Then it dawned on me - smart tiny critters who like petroleum covered products to drive away mites and fleas in their nests….Squirrel's. The air intake tube had been chewed open from underneath, and the little bugger had made a nest complete with an Acorn storage bin inside of a good length of the tube.

I had airflow through the small access tunnel until the nest mass shifted, and lodged in the last 90 degree turn to the filter chamber! That is what made the bus just shut down power-wise.

VERY important lesson here…wildlife management in relation to bus ownership must be considered as part of a regular maintenance schedule!!!

Mystery School is back to popping block long wheelies, and at no cost - other than to the Squirrel who lost a winter home !!

Thank to everyone who had suggestions to fix my power loss problem. I appreciate your time and expertise very much!!

All the best…Mark
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:47 PM   #30
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by opus
I'd go with a filter for now. Get some Power Service and prime the filter with it then put the as much a bunch in the tank. If you are really thinking algae, you can get Bio-Kleen from Power Service, as well.
Wow!!….The Bio-Kleen really gave the fuel a boost. Thanks for that suggestion. Got my beast a running', now it's time for some cheap sunglasses!!
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Old 10-26-2014, 08:49 PM   #31
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Well that was no fun. ;)
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Old 10-26-2014, 09:27 PM   #32
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

Quote:
Originally Posted by opus
Well that was no fun. ;)
…..not for the Squirrel! I, on the other hand, was delighted to have evicted the power sucking vagabond.
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Old 11-03-2014, 08:07 AM   #33
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Re: Extreme drop in horsepower

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Old 03-10-2015, 10:45 PM   #34
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FINALLY!!!...Found the problem with the power drop. It was simply a Turbo coupler that had cracks in the back side, and when the bus warmed up the silicon rubber got soft enough for the cracks to vent. My son discovered it with a spray bottle with dish soap and water...damned thing was foaming at the mouth like a mad dog! Now it's back to running like a bat out of hell!!...LOL! Man, this bus is like Kunta Kinte - It wants to RUN!! It's hard to keep it under 70mph....and smoooooth...emm, em, em!
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Old 03-11-2015, 02:01 AM   #35
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Same thing happened to me. Although my rubber coupler was cracked. When I picked up mine I had not driven one of these before. When I mashed on the accelerator I hear a big "whoosh" sound coming from the engine compartment (a FE). I though this was cooling fan noise and just thought the low horsepower was due to it being a DT408 and not the 466. Well, when checking fluids almost 3/4 of the trip home (total 1800 miles) I noticed some oil spray over the valve cover. Upon further inspection I found the turbo boot into the manifold was cracked. Popped into the next McDonalds for some coffee and free wifi and found an international dealer in Atlanta. Called them and they had the boot. $80.00 later and 15 minutes to change and OH MY!! What a change !!! Before I couldn't pull hills worth beans and loaded school buses were passing me like it was nothing for them. Now, I could accelerate up hills and this thing was actually "peppy". Strange thing is, even with the boos bleeding off I was still able to get 11.5/mpg. Probably because I listen to my turbo to tell where to run her. If the turbo is screaming or whistling where you ca n hear it, you're pushing it hard enough to adversely affect your mileage. Keep the exhaust clean (no black smoke) and the turbo quiet and they just sip fuel instead of gulping it.
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Old 03-11-2015, 11:34 AM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sojourner View Post
Same thing happened to me. Although my rubber coupler was cracked. When I picked up mine I had not driven one of these before. When I mashed on the accelerator I hear a big "whoosh" sound coming from the engine compartment (a FE). I though this was cooling fan noise and just thought the low horsepower was due to it being a DT408 and not the 466. Well, when checking fluids almost 3/4 of the trip home (total 1800 miles) I noticed some oil spray over the valve cover. Upon further inspection I found the turbo boot into the manifold was cracked. Popped into the next McDonalds for some coffee and free wifi and found an international dealer in Atlanta. Called them and they had the boot. $80.00 later and 15 minutes to change and OH MY!! What a change !!! Before I couldn't pull hills worth beans and loaded school buses were passing me like it was nothing for them. Now, I could accelerate up hills and this thing was actually "peppy". Strange thing is, even with the boos bleeding off I was still able to get 11.5/mpg. Probably because I listen to my turbo to tell where to run her. If the turbo is screaming or whistling where you ca n hear it, you're pushing it hard enough to adversely affect your mileage. Keep the exhaust clean (no black smoke) and the turbo quiet and they just sip fuel instead of gulping it.

I found a place on Ebay to buy Turbo Couplers. It's called DNA Motoring, and they only charged me $6.41 each and that INCLUDED freight and two lock bolt type straps that don't cut into the rubber!

Thank you for the tips....I appreciate you!!
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Old 03-11-2015, 02:10 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Antony Wray View Post
I found a place on Ebay to buy Turbo Couplers. It's called DNA Motoring, and they only charged me $6.41 each and that INCLUDED freight and two lock bolt type straps that don't cut into the rubber!

Thank you for the tips....I appreciate you!!
Very good to know, I'm going to replace mine soon, too.
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Old 03-11-2015, 02:43 PM   #38
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Very good to know, I'm going to replace mine soon, too.
We're all in this together aren't we!? Everything we can share with one another makes our community stronger!
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Old 03-13-2015, 03:28 AM   #39
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The one I was talking about that was cracked on mine is a factory formed rubber thing that connects the aftercooler tube to the intake manifold, not the silicone rubber tube that makes the torbo connections. One thing I think I will be doing in the future is build and aluminum replacement for the manifold junction and using the cheaper silicone rubber hoses to make the connections. Will be much cheaper to deal with in the future. If this happened once, while probably a long time away, it can happen again.
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Old 03-13-2015, 11:06 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sojourner View Post
The one I was talking about that was cracked on mine is a factory formed rubber thing that connects the aftercooler tube to the intake manifold, not the silicone rubber tube that makes the torbo connections. One thing I think I will be doing in the future is build and aluminum replacement for the manifold junction and using the cheaper silicone rubber hoses to make the connections. Will be much cheaper to deal with in the future. If this happened once, while probably a long time away, it can happen again.
Ooooh, I see. My Son, who works at the Nissan Plant, told me some of the best things to carry in my emergency repair supply box is metal HVAC tape, metalized epoxy putty, 5 minute cure epoxy resin, 3 sizes of vise clamp pliers, and a small spool of 18 gauge unshielded solid wire. He said in many cases this stuff will help with smaller issues to allow you to limp home without super expensive road repairs. Makes sense to me.
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