Finally feel like real Skoolie members:D

[cadillackid]

you didnt crawl under the bus or notice the shifter said D-3-2-1 when you brought it home before listing it for sale??

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

you didnt crawl under the bus or notice the shifter said D-3-2-1 when you brought it home before listing it for sale??

It was pouring rain when I picked it up, so no I didn't crawl underneath, I took the garage managers word that the listing was correct.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by o1marc

It was pouring rain when I picked it up, so no I didn't crawl underneath, I took the garage managers word that the listing was correct.

I guess you might not notice it only shifted 3 times instead of 4 and never locked up..



but mainly I meant when you got it home and listed it for sale... at a PREMIUM Price for a rather basic unit..

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Any idea what the rear gear ratio is? Probably in the 5.38 range (that's what I have). At this point you have a few options:


1. Live with the current setup and be limited to 55-60 MPH cruising.
2. Change the rear axle gear ratio (my planned course of action).
3. A bit late in the game now, but sell & find a different bus.


Personally if all else was to my liking, I'd just swap the gears and get the speedometer recalibrated/reprogrammed. In my case, partly because I want some more top speed and partly for lower RPM at a modest cruising speed.

[Kaleth2]

We’re worried about this combination of the 3126B with this Allison 545. Been looking at compatibility and notIng 3126B. 175-330 hp. 420-860 lb-ft and the Allison 545 max input torque is 445ft-lbs. On our VIN report, this is listed as a 2003.

[Kaleth2]

Is it possible to swap out 545 with 2000 and how much would that cost...we’d have to have someone else do the work not being mechanics ourselves.

[cadillackid]

does the VIN on the bus match the VIN on title? make sure the busses werent mixed up at the auction house where it was bought from

[Kaleth2]

Okay, so this mechanic said he wasn’t Much of an Allison mechanic...REAL small town...He said this is a 545. I said, I thought it was a 2000. He said AT545 comes in a series, 1000, 2000, 3000. It’s listed on VIN as 545. So confusing.

[cadillackid]

what is your shifter on the dash?


R-N-D-4-2-1, or R-N-D-3-2-1, or R-N-(D)-D-2-1 ?

[Kaleth2]

We’ll check the VIN when we get back to the bus in am. Parts don’t come in until am. We’ll get ride back to shop from Hotel in am.

[Kaleth2]

R,n,d,,3,2,1

[cadillackid]

thats a 545 type Shifter and not an allison 2000

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Kaleth2

We’re worried about this combination of the 3126B with this Allison 545. Been looking at compatibility and notIng 3126B. 175-330 hp. 420-860 lb-ft and the Allison 545 max input torque is 445ft-lbs. On our VIN report, this is listed as a 2003.

I can guarantee you the engine computer was programmed not to exceed the transmission ratings, otherwise it would have voided the Allison warranty when it rolled off the assembly line. You probably have the 175 hp setup. There should be a sticker on the engine noting which it is.

Originally Posted by Kaleth2

Okay, so this mechanic said he wasn’t Much of an Allison mechanic...REAL small town...He said this is a 545. I said, I thought it was a 2000. He said AT545 comes in a series, 1000, 2000, 3000. It’s listed on VIN as 545. So confusing.

The Allison 545 and 1000, 2000, and 3000 series are nowhere near the same. The 545 is a 4-speed, non-lockup-converter with a 1:1 top gear. The Allison 1000/2000 series are 5/6 speed overdrive/double overdrive, lockup-converter transmissions, some of which are electronically controlled. Many school buses that have the "6-speed" will actually be 5-speeds with the 6th gear electronically disabled (and in some cases, some hardware not factory installed). A quick Google/Wiki search indicates the 2000 transmission differed by having lower 1-2-3 gears and a higher OD gear (4th remains 1:1).



This guy might be fine replacing a leaking rear seal but I'd trust an actual transmission expert for major work.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Kaleth2

We’re worried about this combination of the 3126B with this Allison 545. Been looking at compatibility and notIng 3126B. 175-330 hp. 420-860 lb-ft and the Allison 545 max input torque is 445ft-lbs. On our VIN report, this is listed as a 2003.

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

I can guarantee you the engine computer was programmed not to exceed the transmission ratings, otherwise it would have voided the Allison warranty when it rolled off the assembly line. You probably have the 175 hp setup. There should be a sticker on the engine noting which it is.

I'll follow up with adding the 175 hp rating in a short bus will be fine for many folks, unless you plan on running through mountains loaded close to the GVWR (unlikely). Mine's probably 11K pounds empty (I haven't weighed it) and I don't think 14 passengers, 2 wheelchairs and/or luggage for the group would add anywhere near enough to approach the 25,500 GVWR on mine.

[Kaleth2]

Thanks Brad, he had me confused at the time...my understanding had been tha they were diff transmission and not just different levels of 545s, so glad my homework and understanding were correct. Saw some other folks talking about installing transmission coolers on theirs. Have you heard of that and how that might work?

[cadillackid]

Trans coolers are a big help but ultimately the 545 is not a mountain unit .. they are great for driving in town and some flat land highway travel, but if traversing the mountain west is the norm for this bus esp if your conversion is heavy or you tow then it’s def not a very good fit.

The big issue now is why is it getting hot on flatlands In mildly warm weather.. going for the 280 Mark is really high for the travel you are currently doing.

The 545 in my red bus didn’t get near that hot in the eastern mountains in summer heat. That trans started dying after 6 or 7 trips over the eastern mountains. Plus however many years it spent in the Houston heat as a route bus.

I swapped it to a custom built 1000, yes it’s a lot of work as the 545 is mechanical and the 1000/2000 are electronic. To have shop do it would be cost prohibitive..

If the current 545 isn’t damaged then adding a big cooler would help it.. a lot depends on your travel plans. Terrain and weather you plan to be in.
Christopher

[Kaleth2]

Man... We thought it was a 2000... Extraordinarily disappointed. We live in the WIllamette valley with mountains on either side of us and have family on the other side of the Rockies. We definitely wanted to do some traveling. Now we have a lightweight transmission with something wrong with it. Guess we’re going to be eating it on this one. Don’t really know what to do...maybe fix it and resell it to someone who isn’t going to be mountain driving.

[cadillackid]

im sorry but if the seller misrepresented the bus in ther advertisements for sale.. id go right back to them keys and title in hand.. I really dont dig someone selling something that its not..

[Kaleth2]

We’re in a bind. We’ve driven 3 days from Georgia to here. We would then need to drive it back to him in Georgia, then catch a plane back to Portland. Anyway we turn right now we are out a couple thousand.

[o1marc]

Okay, so here's the deal. The bus was misrepresented to me and I think the seller is liable for that. Since these deals are as is, I doubt we could recoup any travel expenses for getting it. My best hope would be to refund the selling price. But then that means Todd needs to come back to Ga. and incur an airfare and fuel. I would need to incur fuel and airfare to return the bus. Another option is to have Todd carry on and decide to keep it, or sell it for what they have in it.
If they decide to return it, I can accurately relist it here and resell it. I will speak with the seller in the AM and see what they are willing to do. Best case scenario would be they refund partial purchase price and I forward that to Todd and Karen.
I know I'll never make this tranny mistake again, not being familiar with the 545.
It's entirely up to Todd what out he chooses.