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12-28-2017, 12:05 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: ME
Posts: 13
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: 3800
Engine: 7.3l T444e (1999)
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Hello again! A reintroduction from sunny southern CA!
Hi again! As it’s been a while since I had the time or the desire to log in & post I wanted to reintroduce myself & our bus, the SuzieBee, now that we made it all the way to sunny southern CA from the frozen tundra of Maine. Our loose plan is to winter here, spending our time on farms, in state parks, with friends, & occasionally boondock.
As we hauled our Jeep Liberty out here behind us, I only have one serious question for you all; anyone know a good mechanic that could bump our measly 175HP 7.3 T444e up a few few notches in the Riverside, CA area? It was a LOOOOOONG drive!
Thanks!
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12-28-2017, 12:28 PM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,402
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Hey Megs,
I sure wish I was in SoCal for the winter
What transmission do you have in your bus? If it is an AT545, I would tread cautiously regarding power upgrades. Max spec on an AT545 is around 230hp. The MT643/647 and the MD3060's will both handle more power.
Good luck!!
S.
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12-28-2017, 12:35 PM
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#3
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 19,721
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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yes what transmission and what was the issue? losing speed on the hills? having your RPMs drop-off when you reached a certain speed like 50 or 55?
reason I ask is you may have an internal speed limit set on the computer that is easily removed..
if you are running at 2600 RPM or so then you are maxxed out on your gearing..
losing speed and RPM badly on hills? that tends to mean lack of Horsepower.. getting a Horsepower upgrade is something ive bene working on for awhile now and it seems darn near impossible .. Navistar doesnt like to do them!! ive even swapped to a heavier transmission and thats thropwn the navistar people for an even greater loop it seems.. mine is a 190 and i want it to be a 210.
first thing is to know what your bus is or isnt doing..
-Christopher
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12-28-2017, 02:48 PM
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#4
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: ME
Posts: 13
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: 3800
Engine: 7.3l T444e (1999)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid
yes what transmission and what was the issue? losing speed on the hills? having your RPMs drop-off when you reached a certain speed like 50 or 55?
reason I ask is you may have an internal speed limit set on the computer that is easily removed..
if you are running at 2600 RPM or so then you are maxxed out on your gearing..
losing speed and RPM badly on hills? that tends to mean lack of Horsepower.. getting a Horsepower upgrade is something ive bene working on for awhile now and it seems darn near impossible .. Navistar doesnt like to do them!! ive even swapped to a heavier transmission and thats thropwn the navistar people for an even greater loop it seems.. mine is a 190 and i want it to be a 210.
first thing is to know what your bus is or isnt doing..
-Christopher
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We do indeed have an AT545, and I’ve read that it’d be best to not get too ambitious with the engine upgrades elsewhere. With our Jeep behind anything greater than a 3-4% grade above 2000’ ASL is too much. It seems to me that a mild, 50-55HP upgrade should do the trick.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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12-28-2017, 02:51 PM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Megs_PB
We do indeed have an AT545, and I’ve read that it’d be best to not get too ambitious with the engine upgrades elsewhere. With our Jeep behind anything greater than a 3-4% grade above 2000’ ASL is too much. It seems to me that a mild, 50-55HP upgrade should do the trick.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That much extra power would require an upgraded transmission. Max input torque on the AT545 is only 445 lbs
Have you considered towing the bus with the Jeep?
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12-28-2017, 03:01 PM
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#6
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: ME
Posts: 13
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: 3800
Engine: 7.3l T444e (1999)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Megs_PB
We do indeed have an AT545, and I’ve read that it’d be best to not get too ambitious with the engine upgrades elsewhere. With our Jeep behind anything greater than a 3-4% grade above 2000’ ASL is too much. It seems to me that a mild, 50-55HP upgrade should do the trick.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Oh.. regarding our ECU limits, they were all set to the max by a fantastic dealer we stopped at on the way home to ME from GA when we bought the bus. Thanks for the tip just the same though!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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12-28-2017, 03:02 PM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,826
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Megs_PB
We do indeed have an AT545, and I’ve read that it’d be best to not get too ambitious with the engine upgrades elsewhere. With our Jeep behind anything greater than a 3-4% grade above 2000’ ASL is too much. It seems to me that a mild, 50-55HP upgrade should do the trick.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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50hp in a bus isn't "mild".
Transmission upgrades are way more useful than more HP in a bus.
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12-28-2017, 03:59 PM
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#8
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: pa
Posts: 2,527
Year: 98
Coachwork: 1. Corbeil & 2. Thomas
Chassis: 1 ford 1998 e350 4x4 7.3 2 mercedes 2004
Engine: 7.3 powerstroke & MBE906
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What is your max fuel pressure and turbo set for. Use a scan tool on the road to see if your fuel pressure actually gets up high enough when going up hill. May be filters are getting clogged.
With 50 Hp I would not get that worried as long as you keep track of your tranny oil temp and your EGT's
Later J
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12-28-2017, 04:10 PM
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#9
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: ME
Posts: 13
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: 3800
Engine: 7.3l T444e (1999)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
50hp in a bus isn't "mild".
Transmission upgrades are way more useful than more HP in a bus.
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That’s your opinion, mine differs. Thanks for your input just the same.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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12-28-2017, 05:25 PM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,826
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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You'd be amazed how much better it would pull with ANY transmission other than that 545. Uphill AND down.
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12-29-2017, 11:06 AM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,402
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Hmmmm....,
If I had to choose between 175hp with an Allison 2000/3000 transmission or 200+hp with an Allison AT545 I would pick the 175hp & 2000/3000 without a moment's hesitation.
Just my $0.02
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12-29-2017, 01:23 PM
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#12
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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I'll second the above. Gears and torque win out over HP in these rigs. Nice if you have both but...
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