Let's go get a bus!

[jjhwick119]

Nice! Yea the long drives don't always strict to strict time frame. Glad you made it ok, now go get that bus!

 

[Twigg-SKO]

On the drive home, stop at any truck-stop and get it weighed.

You'll thank me later for knowing what weight you are actually starting with.

Should only cost $11 at a CAT Scale.

 

[JamieJackson]

This is surreal.

I picked it up at 10am this morning and we've been on the road for about three hours.

The seller has paperwork from where he had a mechanic go through it. That guy replaced a hydraulic line to the fan. When we started the trip i noticed its lightly spraying oil from a tube hanging down close to the fan. I'm guessing it's an over flow line. Anyone have a better theory?

It seems to almost be stopped after some driving. The seller said when he drove it bsck from Washington State he had to keep topping off the hydraulic line because of that leak that's been fixed.

Other than that the bus drives and starts and runs great.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Keep an eye on the fluid loss and do try and find the source. If it is the hydraulic fan line it can shut down the fan and cause overheating so keep an eye on your temps mas well.

Have a safe (and hopefully uneventful) trip!

 

[JamieJackson]

Back on the road at Russellville AK.

The oil leak/drip has all but stopped. Only two drops out of that hose while refueling. I don't have my Cummins manual with me but I'd bet that the previous owner over filled the reservoir. At least its stopped. Oh fwiw, Pepsi cola will get oil off your car's windshield when it gets plastered with over flow oil from following the bus. Haha

Back on the road to Jackson, TN.

 

[cadillackid]

dont get your 8.3 HOT!!! been more than one forum member thayt did damge to a coveted awesome engine because the hydraulic fan wasnt running like it should.... keep an eye on that fluid!!!

 

[JamieJackson]

We've been monitoring the temperatures and the follow car has been driving up to check the roar of the fan while running. Its running, and the temps have remained stable

We've made it over half way of the 18.5 hour drive and will finish the trip tomorrow.

The oil drip coming out of tube hanging down has stopped. Each stop, I've checked it. I'm hoping it was just overfilled but will have it checked out as soon as I'm home.

Tomorrow we'll finish the trip.

 

[JamieJackson]

We made it home late late last night. The bus was running near to perfect the whole trip with only two minor issues. Since the bus was running so nicely we decided to stop along the way to places we had never been.. nothing like going to pick up a bus and making a mini vacation out of it!

You certainly learn where and where not to park (get in and out of) really quick when you're using it in real life.. lol One place I wanted to park had great parking, but they had an awning that was hanging over the back dock area that I couldn't clear (couldn't make it around the entire building) so the forward/back/forward/back option was put into place to get that big rig out!

The temperature gauge never went pass 175-190 The 6th gear and Mode on worked in helping with fuel. When I was driving it (with caution) because I didn't know how to drive a bus, it got 9.5 to 10mpg When my friend drove it he got roughly 7.5 - 8mpg (He had drove trucks before for a living and drove like a bat out of hell) It took until the first stop for fuel for me to bring him into line noting that diesel was 2.79 a gallon and we needed every mpg we could get lol

The oil leak at the beginning of the trip totally stopped after about 1 hour of driving.. The hose hanging down (pics later today) completely stopped dripping I think it's an over flow and they filled it too much, but I am not certain of that yet, I need to look up on the manual and find out what that hose is.

The only other issue I had was the air powered doors wouldn't close manually when the value was turned into the off position. The doors work perfectly, but I was told turning the value by the top left door from On to Off it would allow the doors to be closed by hand. Not the case with these.. At nights I just closed the doors and then exited out of the escape door on the side. I need to research this and get this working until I get to the point of replacing this door with something better for a skoolie.

All and all I couldn't have asked for a better drive/ride.

I did find out from the seller that the rear end had just been replaced before the school sold it. They were taking a field trip and there was a noise coming from the rear end and one of the fathers ($$) was on the trip and he told them to get it replaced as soon as they got back and he would write them a check. I will crawl underneath it today and take a look, get the details and tag information and know more about that later. Steve, I haven't forgotten about that information for you.

Now the easy part is done, I look forward to the next phase... deconstruction.

Thanks guys and gals for this forum and wealth of knowledge, it certainly made this buy, trip and project for enjoyable being able to read, study and know of some things to expect.

James

 

[jjhwick119]

Woohoo! Congrats on the safe first trip! Now the fun begins

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Sounds like a great trip.

Thanks for remembering about the rear axle.

 

[cowlitzcoach]

If the air powered door won't close with the door release in the released position it might be because the door control is in the open position.

With the door closed, using the manual door release will allow you to open and close the door manually. If the door control is in the open position it will not allow you to close the door manually regardless of the position of the manual door release valve.

 

[JamieJackson]

If the air powered door won't close with the door release in the released position it might be because the door control is in the open position.

With the door closed, using the manual door release will allow you to open and close the door manually. If the door control is in the open position it will not allow you to close the door manually regardless of the position of the manual door release valve.

That was it! I kept opening the door and then releasing the value to no avail.. Followed what you just told me and it worked like a champ!

Thanks!

James

 

[2martins]

If the air powered door won't close with the door release in the released position it might be because the door control is in the open position.

With the door closed, using the manual door release will allow you to open and close the door manually. If the door control is in the open position it will not allow you to close the door manually regardless of the position of the manual door release valve.

So far we have only found one switch for the door- a toggle between automatic and manual. . sometimes when you switch it to automatic it either closes or opens, and sometimes not. I haven't figured out what all makes it work yet. Seems like it has to be on and enough air pressure, but even with those two things it doesn't seem to always work. Where is the door release?

Made it over 3 passes this afternoon with no problems but slowly.

Not having heat is not fabulous. I had to stop and put on layers at the top of Siskayou pass at the brake check because I was freezing. It's basically the same temperature inside as out. We were planning to sleep in the bus instead of the car, but nope! It's a little too "well ventilated."

Thankfully we realized before driving it (can't believe I didn't notice this when I went to look at it) that all the screws that hold the windows in had been removed. So we had to screw as many of them back in as possible so the windows didn't FALL OUT while we were driving. One fell *open* a little but it has stayed up since I put it back.

I need to get more sleep tonight.






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[cowlitzcoach]

So far we have only found one switch for the door- a toggle between automatic and manual. . sometimes when you switch it to automatic it either closes or opens, and sometimes not. I haven't figured out what all makes it work yet. Seems like it has to be on and enough air pressure, but even with those two things it doesn't seem to always work. Where is the door release?






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The first thing to know is if it is an air operated service door or an electric operated service door. Both will operate similarly but different.

When you go to open the door manually you need to make sure the door control switch is in the closed position. There should be a switch or lever that is labeled emergency door release or something like that. In the released position regardless of how the door operates the door should then open and close manually. On many IC buses it is on the right side of the right wing of the instrument panel. On the buses that don't have a switch there should be a lever above the door that when released disconnects the door control from the door allowing for manual operation.

If the bus has vandal locks and there is a key lock on the outside to open and close the service door you need to open the door on the inside with the door control switch. Once you exit the bus use the key to cycle the door closed. It won't work correctly if the door control has the emergency release activated.

 

[JamieJackson]

Not having heat is not fabulous.

We didnt have heat to start with either, but I had been told and read it in the manual so I knew the problem.

On our bus, there's a switch for the pump to circulate the fluid, but there is also a value in the engine compartment that allows you to turn that flow to the front of the bus off completely, in the summer

It looks like a water value outside. We turned that on and had great heat. Maybe you issue is similar?

 

[cadillackid]

ive also found where that heater pump or the hoses underhood were replaced and connected backwards.. so turning on that heater pump makes it pump against the engine water pump causing a deadlock..

my red bus was that way.. when I re-did my cooling system I hooked it up right and I get HOT HEAT even when it was 10 below outside..
-Christopher

 

[JamieJackson]

Sounds like a great trip.

Thanks for remembering about the rear axle.

Hey Steve,

I haven't gotten under my bus yet, but did get the build sheet from Thomas today. My RE Ratio is 6.2 it looks like.

James

 

[jonb8]

Sounds like a fun trip, it isn't an adventure till something goes wrong....Glad you got a bus.

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Hey Steve,

I haven't gotten under my bus yet, but did get the build sheet from Thomas today. My RE Ratio is 6.2 it looks like.

James

Thanks James.

I still haven't heard of one with an FD ratio under 6.14 being approved.

 

[2martins]

Sounds like a fun trip, it isn't an adventure till something goes wrong....Glad you got a bus.

Well, then ours is definitely an adventure already. Wouldnt start yesterday morning. We got a new battery and eventually got it started. Wouldn't start again today. We want to try changing the fuel filter and adding de-gel additive to the fuel and a little in the bowl when we change the filter but no one has an 8 sided Torx wrench around here that I can find. We've been here 5 hours with side trips to the international dealer among other places.

Are we having fun yet?

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