Hi all! New to skoolies, need some education! :)

[SurfingDog]

So I had an entire write-up typed out, hit submit and it said I wasn't logged in even though I was so I lost everything! Lol

Ok attempt #2 of writing this up. Hi all. New to diesels and buses but I am decently well versed in the mechanical world and have a willingness to learn. I am in the market searching for a bus to live in full time with myself and my two dogs. Plans are to travel and to tow a 96 mustang, so roughly 6000lbs / 3tons or less weight including trailer. (Car is 3300lbs)



What I am looking at in particular and am going to check out in about a week is a '00 International T444E 174k mile bus for $5,000 that has been semi converted. Flat nose, rear engine. By semi I mean floors, some cabinetry including sink and stove, framing for bed in the rear, etc. Roof and walls still need to be finished but the seller sent videos of it firing right up and traveling as of not too long ago. I don't think the current seller did the work and is just looking to offload it. Mileage too high? Engine desirable? Able to tow comfortably?



Tires from the photos look pretty relatively new and it needs a wash but I plan on inspecting under it for any rust. Any advice or help will be greatly appreciated!

[cadillackid]

be mindful of that rear mounted T444E... Amtran sold some busses with rear engine T444E that were low horsepower and had AT545 transmissions.. there were 100% DOGS on the highway... heck even driving in town they were slow boats... if its the higher horsepower T444E with the MD3060 or MT643 you stand a chance .. definitely look at the tags or look the VIN up on it..

[SurfingDog]

I'll have to look at it whenever I get there but I do have the VIN -- no luck in figuring out what trans it has though from the VIN unless I need to go physically look under it.


Edit: Do these buses have a very wide ranging set of specs regardless of the year/engine combo? Trying to gather info before I go see it and they are unsure of what trans it has but I do know they had a video of cruising on the highway at 55mph sitting at 2500rpm, so I don't know if the rear gears are wildly different or if that'll help narrow down what trans it could have.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by SurfingDog

I'll have to look at it whenever I get there but I do have the VIN -- no luck in figuring out what trans it has though from the VIN unless I need to go physically look under it.


Edit: Do these buses have a very wide ranging set of specs regardless of the year/engine combo? Trying to gather info before I go see it and they are unsure of what trans it has but I do know they had a video of cruising on the highway at 55mph sitting at 2500rpm, so I don't know if the rear gears are wildly different or if that'll help narrow down what trans it could have.

Call an International dealer parts dept, give them the vin number and ask for a build sheet.

That sheet will tell you what HP engine and what tranny correspond to that vin.

Originally Posted by surfingDog

they had a video of cruising on the highway at 55mph sitting at 2500rpm

at 65 MPH your RPM will be higher !!!

that "build" sheet will also tell you what the gear ratio is.

Don't allow yourself to compromise on a weaker "power plant" just because it is partially built..... verify your powerplant before you purchase!

Also take note that RE Amtrans are prone to hidden rust in the rear engine bay, especially if it is from a snow/salt area of the country like say, Kentucky.... mine had rust !!!

If you see ANY signs of rust coming thru the bus, you got a rust issue behind the panel!!!

If you want examples of where to look, take a look at MY BUILD THREAD, posts 79 shows water seepage issue at the rear air vent, posts 27,28 & 36 will show where I had hidden rust issues.

Not saying your gonna have the same issues but at least now you know where to take a look at...

[SurfingDog]

I came across an 09 Pilgrim International CE300 85k miles, 12 window, DT466e, already registered as an RV clean title, looks much better than the first I initially dialed in on. Dog nose front engine which is ok by me. From reading it seems like the DT466E is very desirable but I'll have to ring up International tomorrow with the VIN to see what trans it has. It's entirely stripped out, only light things done to it outside of seat removal.



Everything else I've come across is absolutely wore down beat up around here. lol

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by ewo1

Call an International dealer parts dept, give them the vin number and ask for a build sheet.

That sheet will tell you what HP engine and what tranny correspond to that vin.



at 65 MPH your RPM will be higher !!!

that "build" sheet will also tell you what the gear ratio is.

Don't allow yourself to compromise on a weaker "power plant" just because it is partially built..... verify your powerplant before you purchase!

Also take note that RE Amtrans are prone to hidden rust in the rear engine bay, especially if it is from a snow/salt area of the country like say, Kentucky.... mine had rust !!!

If you see ANY signs of rust coming thru the bus, you got a rust issue behind the panel!!!

If you want examples of where to look, take a look at MY BUILD THREAD, posts 79 shows water seepage issue at the rear air vent, posts 27,28 & 36 will show where I had hidden rust issues.

Not saying your gonna have the same issues but at least now you know where to take a look at...

he wont be going 65 if he is at 2500 RPM at 55.. thats about it ... likely computer limited to 55.. but the 444E is only good for 2600 anyway unless you start foling with the rev limiters.. whic will result in just making heat... 55@2500 doesnt tell us the transmission.. just that its geared low.. whcih was very typical of the low spec engne / trans combo ive seen in some of those.. they geared it low so it stood a chance of pulling into traffic within the city.. but it maxxed out early..


having driven a T444E at max RPM for long periods of time i can say it will just make heat, noise and burn a lot of fuel.. they will run all day long at 2500 and not hurt it but its not efficient there... that engine likes that 1900-2100 RPM cruise the best from my experience..



2009 - that will be a Maxxforce engine..not a DT466E .. (you can look for the maxxforce badge on the side).. if it doesnt have a maxxforce badge and the engine is in. fact DT466E then its likely not a 2009 unless some wierd anomoly where the chassis sat forever before being built into a bus..



you can do your own research on Maxxforce DT engines... if you are very mechanically savvy and have the means to buy custom aftermarket parts and install them, you can get good service out of a Maxxforce DT.. but otherwise i generally tell eople to stay away from those..

[SurfingDog]

He sent a video of the engine running, a/c and all intact (thankfully) and it's indeed a black painted engine so from my research it looks like a maxxforce dt. I'd like to say I'm quite mechanically inclined, went as far as engine swapping, head gasketing, and supercharging a ford 4.6 4v which had to be the worst engine for me to ever start out on, but I am not against sitting down and learning a whole new platform such as diesels because one of the many reasons I've thought of going the route of a bus is because I'm quite confident in repairing things myself along with packing a harbor freight toolbox on board. lol


I plan on taking a look at it here very soon in the next day or two so I'll update as I find out info on this particular one. The other flat nose I think I'm going to pass on.





Looks pretty clean, almost too good to be true but we'll see once I crawl under it. Came from Tennessee so I'm wondering if it's truly a "i started working on it then gave up my loss your gain" or if something is secretly wrong. I still have to look into whether I have to snag a class B or CDL in KY even with it titled as an RV to drive it home if I end up bringing her back with me.

[nikitis]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

be mindful of that rear mounted T444E... Amtran sold some busses with rear engine T444E that were low horsepower and had AT545 transmissions.. there were 100% DOGS on the highway... heck even driving in town they were slow boats... if its the higher horsepower T444E with the MD3060 or MT643 you stand a chance .. definitely look at the tags or look the VIN up on it..

The dog nose T444E's with AT545 are dogs too lol

Not all T444E's are Rev limited. Mine goes well beyond 2600 if I wanted it to. (I don't want it to). I did not unlock that in ServiceMaxx either, but someone may have prior to my owning it. I've gone up to 2900 RPM climbing a hill a couple of times heading to Flordia.