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Old 04-17-2017, 04:18 PM   #1
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Join Date: Aug 2016
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Year: 1998
Chassis: ford e350
Engine: 7.3 powerstroke
Elfie goes to Florida

Another work related trip. One I hope will work out with Florida's skoolie meetup.

We left last Thursday after school. Arrived next day late at the sand dunes in nags head outer banks. The nice kite shop over there gave us 3 missing carbon fiber sticks for our triplane kite.
In the evening we took the ferry to ocracoke and camped at the first parking. In the morning got breakfast at pony island restaurant and spent the rest on the beach.

At 4 we took the big ferry to cedar island and camped at a gas station.
Next day along I95 spending time at playgrounds. First in Ebenezer park in Florence. Second stop Harold Turpin park in Ridgeland. Both very nice but Harold wins hands down.
Today we are in st Augustine. Fl.
Tomorrow the rest of the family flies back to pa. From Daytona.
Later j

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Old 04-17-2017, 04:43 PM   #2
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And not one mention of mechanical issues. Cool trip.
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Old 04-17-2017, 05:00 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elfie View Post
Another work related trip. One I hope will work out with Florida's skoolie meetup.

We left last Thursday after school. Arrived next day late at the sand dunes in nags head outer banks. The nice kite shop over there gave us 3 missing carbon fiber sticks for our triplane kite.
In the evening we took the ferry to ocracoke and camped at the first parking. In the morning got breakfast at pony island restaurant and spent the rest on the beach.

At 4 we took the big ferry to cedar island and camped at a gas station.
Next day along I95 spending time at playgrounds. First in Ebenezer park in Florence. Second stop Harold Turpin park in Ridgeland. Both very nice but Harold wins hands down.
Today we are in st Augustine. Fl.
Tomorrow the rest of the family flies back to pa. From Daytona.
Later j
If yall want somewhere to park for a day or two, in town or out of town, hit me up!
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Old 04-18-2017, 09:39 PM   #4
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Thanks EastCoast. Have to keep on moving south. Spend the night in Flagler and did a local breakfast thing. Tried to fly a kite at the beach with kids. By noon we were at the airport in Daytona. Hung around for 2 hours to make sure that the plane would take of. Hit up 95 south and slept at the first rest area. .....vacations are exhausting. ....Rosie our dog and me are now at a rest area south of palm bay ready for another nap.
Planning on driving early in the morning to a dog park at st Lucie inlet and start work tomorrow afternoon in Miramar.

Hi Robin. No breakdowns yet...but it is still early in this trip...not even on the way back yet. Pretty happy that so many skoolies are in the area in case Elfie goes down.
Only thing that crapped out was the inverter. I think a mouse crapped on the main micro processor chip. This is old school stuff so it was still in a socket. Took it out and cleaned the 50 or 60 pins or so. Works again. Do not need it now. Wife is gone so no cooking.

Later j
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Old 04-18-2017, 10:07 PM   #5
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Glad it's going well so far. I've been following along and noticed there were absolutely no mechanical issues mentioned. That's pretty cool.

I'm itching to get some highway mileage.
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:58 AM   #6
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Hi Robin, here you, I love driving, not a speed demon though.

Sitting in a MacD in Fort St Lucie soaking up some webtime.
They have a pretty nice dog / beach park here. It is next to the Nuke plant, I guess not to many people want to swim in the water there. LOL

Here some pictures of our stops.

This is the third time in a couple of months we have been at Ocracoke, all great fun, not to busy over Easte, something to remember for next year.

Ocracoke harbor


School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

At the inland side of Ocracoke.


School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

We made out way in land back to I95 and had to stop at south of the border

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

No I did not get that hat there.
Stopped there in the past, somehow it looks somewhat sad.

Later J
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Old 04-19-2017, 11:28 AM   #7
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Cool trip, and the kids are obviously having fun.
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Old 04-19-2017, 11:38 AM   #8
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Yeah, they do not worry about flat tires or blown ac systems... until they get hot..
But ala . I can still do the worrying for them in the hope that they will pickup skills to do it themselves.

Later J
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Old 04-19-2017, 12:04 PM   #9
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Yeah, kids don't even worry about food until they're hungry. Child psychology is often humorous.
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Old 04-19-2017, 01:09 PM   #10
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you blew the Air-Con in florida? yuk..

looks like a cool trip!! i'll be on my way down to Ocala starting tomorrow afternoon / evening... then onto st pete and West palm beach after that...
-Christopher
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Old 04-19-2017, 03:57 PM   #11
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No sorry for the confusion. All is fine just referring to our last trip mishaps and that the fun of the kids are not related to any normal roadside problems.
Ac cools the bus down but seems a bit weak do not have a thermometer but no 40f temps at the vents.

Later j
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Old 04-19-2017, 04:29 PM   #12
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check out "the ride game" thread. May be fun, and a cool way of posting some pics on the road for yall!
I played the ride game on a scooter forum and had a lot of fun.
Just a thought. Always cool to see folks enjoying their buses.
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Old 04-19-2017, 09:28 PM   #13
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Will be great to meet you all,

Here some Flagler beach activity.



School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

Eat here or we both starve, liked the add on the window.

Tried to fly this kite but not enough wind

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

After this we drove to the airport in Daytona and dropped kids and Mom off. They needed to go back to school.

I continued to fort St Lucie walton dog park

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

Later J
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Old 04-19-2017, 09:36 PM   #14
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Sounds like a nice time. We could listen to this trip for a couple weeks more. I'm sure your kids would agree.
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:26 AM   #15
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I had heard a little whine when the drive line was under load , Around 50-60 mph. Could not hear when I let go of the throttle. While still at the dog park I decided to the the pumpkin oil. It had a square plug. I thought it was 10 MM but nie enough my 3/8 socket wrencch fitted right in. It even came out.

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

Can't say i was happy to see the crud on the magnet. The oil was completely black and kind of thin from i remember from gear oil.

leaned the number on the diff. carrier to see if it was limited slip in the hope that the black oil was a friction modifier.


School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

with the marvels of a mobile phone and the internet I found that it is a ordinary diff, no limited slip.
When i am at the Ocala meeting I can see what others think about the seriousness of this new surprise.

Drove at night into Miami , got lured onto a Toll road by my eager GPS. When I still read maps that would not have happened.
Will see what happens with fine or payment.

Just when I was pulling of the highway Elfie stuttered, almost like I hit a pothole, I figured that the CPS was giving out.
Have gotten stuck along 95 in Miami at night before so I was really hoping that Elfie could at least go on to the job site.
And she did.

Started work in the morning and finished today at 02AM . Took a nap and found an auto advance parts store. Got a spare CPS just in case.

Later J
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Old 04-21-2017, 11:44 AM   #16
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Just when I was pulling of the highway Elfie stuttered, almost like I hit a pothole, I figured that the CPS was giving out.
Have gotten stuck along 95 in Miami at night before so I was really hoping that Elfie could at least go on to the job site.
And she did.

Started work in the morning and finished today at 02AM . Took a nap and found an auto advance parts store. Got a spare CPS just in case.
Oh man, that sucks. It only gets harder when you're away from your house, your people, your tools, etc. Wishing you the best outcome.

What's a CPS? Crud Position Sensor?
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:13 AM   #17
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Thanks Dan,
I called it a CPS out of memory. May be it has a better name. It is the Crankshaft Position Sensor. These electronic controlled motors have it all. But this powerstroke has more power and better fuel eonomy then my old 7.3 non turbo IDI and is way stronger on Waste Veggie Oil. Not running that yet at this moment.

Any way , on the road to Ocala meet and so far no other hiccup. May be something else then the CPS . I got a spare Injection D Module, forgot what the D stands for, beyond that only bad wires that an cause a total split second stall like that.
Just hoping for the best

Later J
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:06 AM   #18
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So,... on my way to Ocala Florida to meet with the Florida skoolies.
Miscalculated my way thru Orlando. Wanted to stop at skycraft parts & surplus. Great place for geeks like me.
I had planned to be in Ocala around 5.30-6PM but it looked more to become 9-10.

Pulled of route 27 where it intersects with the turnpike and found a dirtroad to a Verizon radio tower. Being somewaht familiar with of roading I walked in on foot and thought not much of it. Drove in Ok and I like to turn around for a quick departure if the situation requires.....
Before I could say sh..t...

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

Some frantic help shouts to the florida crew yellowxj and eastcoast who were ready to come over and pull me out.. ( see ocala meet thread)

It was not dark yet and got the kids beach shuffle out, a good one, and collected some brush and planks. My front wheel was almost on a watering plastic line and I did not want to damage that. So a a 2x6 on top and plywood below as not sink in the sand with the heavy part.


School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

Some serious smoke and stink from my driver back tire before it grabbed the 2x4's and pulled me out.

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

Decided to open a second beer and leave it where it was. Bythat time it was dark and I started the fight against the mosquitos and cleaned up my blood after.

Later J
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Old 04-24-2017, 09:28 AM   #19
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Woke up the next morning and walked Rosie around and left for the Florida oscala meet.
Rosie telling me we are ready to leave and to get aboard.

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture


We had a great time at the meetup and mush-burgers were excellent. I sure hope that I will be in the area next year.

Here some pics , I will add them to the florida ocala thread also.

School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture


School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture


School Bus Conversion Resources - Elfie's Album: Elfie the Elf Bus adventures - Picture

later J
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Old 04-26-2017, 10:30 AM   #20
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On the way back from Atlanta to state college.

On i77 did some hand waving with a white full skoolie converted but still with all windows.
Any body on this forum?

Besides the fun stuff. This I 77 has some strange energy....last time our airco clutch and bearing failed in this area and now I had a nice second engine shutoff with check engine light soon coming on.
Elfie kept going. Assume this is more of the CP's starting to fail. At least I hope. See if I can make it home today.

Later j
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