BCM Community
Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Dreadnought on September 26, 2016, 08:41:58 PM
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I'm a proud owner of a 1964 MCi MC5. Have owned it since 2012
I've had it with the stress of work and all the micromanaging of an inept controlling boss.
Me and my employer came to the 'mutual decision' for us to go our separate ways. They made it worth my while...
The hypertension amongst other things led me to have a heart attack too. This has made me more determined not to settle and go back in some non challenging job/rat race.
The jobs at the level and experience I'm looking for are hard to come by so I've made the decision to sell my property on 9 acres and go Full timing in HMS Dreadnought for a while until the right opportunity avails itself. I interviewed in Detroit last week and in California just before that, but these opportunities take a while. I WILL NOT settle.
I've started clearing out my stuff and selling off many of my fleet. First to go was the old Benz, now I'm thinking of getting rid of the Caddy. If I can fix her up- I will sell my 71 Jaguar XJ6 (with only 16,000 miles)- but likely to get more money in Europe for that. All the extra earnings will help me!
Most importantly- need to get the MCI- ship shape.
I've ordered new Steer tyres for the fronts- went with Hankook AH12 11Rx22.5.
I'll then take a look at the rears.
I was going to change the water pump and fuel pump- but my mechanic calmed me down. Said not to bother with the fuel pump- that on the 8v71 they are pretty robust and just look to see if the water pump is leaking through the weep holes.
I will check all the fuel lines and change all the coolant hoses.
The bus runs very well, airbags pump up quickly and hold air for several hours. No smoke even on start up.
The clutch is out of adjustment so I think I will get a new clutch fitted- this is an engine out job.
I will craw under the bus and grease as many grease fitting as I can.
The fan belt is flapping about- I was trying to retension it- but the bolts and springs are rusty. When the engine is out, Ill look at it then.
In addition I will
•Check for weather cracks in all the air bags. Is there a benefit 'upgrading' to the later rolling lobe' style arrangement?
•Check my power steering hoses for flexibility. If they are hard and seem to crack when I move them, I will replace.
•I need to get the mechanic to go over all the brakes and brake chambers. He did this about two years ago and the rigs been in storage since.
I'm open to other things to check.
Thanks
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I need to get the mechanic to go over all the brakes and brake chambers. He did this about two years ago and the rigs been in storage since.
then they should be fine :)
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Welcome! Gates green stripe hose is a quality hose to use. Goodyear makes an equiv. Always carry spare fuel filters.
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Welcome to the bus nut world.
What kind of bus is Dreadnought? I seem to vaguely remember you mentioned an MC5 in another thread...
If the clutch is out of adjustment, you can adjust it. You don't have to replace it.
You should do a little signature like most of us with a description of your bus and your location. That would be helpful in helping you.
JC
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Welcome to the bus nut world.
What kind of bus is Dreadnought? I seem to vaguely remember you mentioned an MC5 in another thread...
If the clutch is out of adjustment, you can adjust it. You don't have to replace it.
You should do a little signature like most of us with a description of your bus and your location. That would be helpful in helping you.
JC
HMS Dreadnought is a 1964 MCI MC5. in 2013- I drove the bus from Chicago to MN, and the clutch slip got worse and worse until the bus didn't move and just slipped. I had it towed to my current mechanic. He taught me about adjusting it (and had I known this - it would have saved me a hefty tow bill at the time). Unfortunately - when I check the adjuster knob NOW its reached the end of adjustment. Hence I know it needs a new clutch now. It doesn't have a tag axle and utilises a drop box so unfortunately is an engine out job. I may get more powerful 7e65 injectors while I'm at it
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Those injectors are not "more powerfull" but they WILL drink more fuel.>>>Dan
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Those injectors are not "more powerfull" but they WILL drink more fuel.>>>Dan
So are you saying that when you fit those injectors the engine will produce no more power?
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Pulling the engine is not that big a job once you get into it. It can be done in a day. Once it is out, you will have the opportunity to fix a lot of little things like oil leaks, etc. And clean up the engine bay. And paint the engine with your choice of color. Half the fun of owning a bus is fixing/maintaining it. It makes travelling more reliable and enjoyable.
JC
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Pulling the engine is not that big a job once you get into it. It can be done in a day. Once it is out, you will have the opportunity to fix a lot of little things like oil leaks, etc. And clean up the engine bay. And paint the engine with your choice of color. Half the fun of owning a bus is fixing/maintaining it. It makes travelling more reliable and enjoyable.
JC
I agree and it was on my list of things to do for a while. Two flies in the ointment:
I had a heart attack last week and am taking it easy, and I need to get the rear end of my Jag XJR (my toad) ready, need to get the coolant leak on my 71 XJ6 sorted and the engine on my 70 challenger partially assembled and also sell this house!
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Dreadnot ;), make sure your mechanic knows that, along with changing injector sizes, the turbo has to match, the inj. timing has to be right, and watch heat rejection. The stock cooling system can only handle so much. If you don't already have the Detroit Diesel V71 service manual, get one.
Also, what differential ratio do you have? It is 4.11, 3.73 or 3.36 to 1.
JC
You need some rest after a heart attack... The bus can wait. Just do research about it for a while...
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Dreadnot ;), make sure your mechanic knows that, along with changing injector sizes, the turbo has to match, the inj. timing has to be right, and watch heat rejection. The stock cooling system can only handle so much. If you don't already have the Detroit Diesel V71 service manual, get one.
Also, what differential ratio do you have? It is 4.11, 3.73 or 3.36 to 1.
JC
You need some rest after a heart attack... The bus can wait. Just do research about it for a while...
I have the service manual.
My mechanic knows the Detroit diesels very well. He's taught me a lot.
I believe I have the 3.36:1. I am trying to rest, but I want to leave this frozen state. There's absolutely NOTHING for me here now and I want to sell up and pocket the cash. I was head hunted and moved here for my job. This house is an albatross around my neck that's draining my funds!
Currently the engine isn't a Turbo, just an 8v71. I know about the requirement to shift the valvetiming (1.460 clearance is it?).
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Too many changes in a short period of time lead to stress, which lead to where you are at. Slow it down a notch, focus on one project at a time, and shorten your project list. Live long, then prosper.
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... I had a heart attack last week and am taking it easy, and I need to get the rear end of my Jag XJR (my toad) ready, need to get the coolant leak on my 71 XJ6 sorted and the engine on my 70 challenger partially assembled and also sell this house!
Gee, dude!! That's terrible - what a rough life you have! You own two Jaguars -- talk about it not raining but pouring is somebody's life. Wow, what a bad thing to happen, hope you can get over that soon. Oh, yeah, hope you're fully recovered from the heart attack, too. (British vehicle owner and dabbler for over 50 years ... what did I do wrong?)
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Gee, dude!! That's terrible - what a rough life you have! You own two Jaguars -- talk about it not raining but pouring is somebody's life. Wow, what a bad thing to happen, hope you can get over that soon. Oh, yeah, hope you're fully recovered from the heart attack, too. (British vehicle owner and dabbler for over 50 years ... what did I do wrong?)
Thanks.
yea-its been pretty bad, but I'm trying to stay positive. Divorce, job change, heart attack- like a bad Brit comedy! :D
May be I'll do a video blog about my life/travels and people can laugh at me for entertainment ;D
But seriously, whenever I find myself at a cross roads in life, I find/seek refuge in the road. Nothing is more peaceful and without the worry of paying a mortgage- and the pressure of settling for some crap job to live in an 'arctic paradise'.
Looking after the old British cars would be a full time blog!
I never used to be into Brit cars when I grew up in the UK but since moving over here I kind of softened to them!
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I won't tell you about my three Series Land Rovers since you have enough stress, but I dragged one of them all over the East and West with my Eagle. Most people did not know what it was.
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I won't tell you about my three Series Land Rovers since you have enough stress, but I dragged one of them all over the East and West with my Eagle. Most people did not know what it was.
Very cool! One day when I retire full time properly, I hope to have a more suitable toad than a Jaguar XJR. Smaller and capable of going off road but a diesel and easy to work on. My current Dodge Ram is just WAY too big! By all means tell me about them- would probably cheer me up. I DID think about a Land Rover Defender. May be one day, when I sell more of my vehicles, and I'm closer to full time retirement I'll get an old Mercedes G wagon with pre chamber diesel as a Toad.
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Briefly, I have two Series III's, and one IIA (precursors to the Defender). The big advantage they have for towing behind the bus is that both axles have the same hub, and therefore take the same models of lock-out's like Warn and others. That way you can hook up, unlock the axles, and tow away with no taking off driveshafts or worrying about transmission oiling, etc. Plus, in a pinch, the Land Rover is fully capable of pushing or pulling the bus. On my most restored Series III, I have the Fairy Overdrive, which, with the two ranges, gives me four speeds in reverse, and sixteen forward. I have pictures of it in action, but they are not digitized. I will have to dig them out and get them scanned. It also has the "African Roof" with the double layer.
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Double Eagle that sounds very cool. I didn't know you could unlock the axles like that on a Land Rover. Question: is it required or needed to unlock axles like this to avoid damage to the main transmission on a manual box vehicle?
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Double Eagle that sounds very cool. I didn't know you could unlock the axles like that on a Land Rover. Question: is it required or needed to unlock axles like this to avoid damage to the main transmission on a manual box vehicle?
Basically, yes, one way or the other. Some vehicles are very sensitive to being towed because of lack of lubrication for the transmission, and other problems. Just putting the trans in neutral does not always work well, and the axle gears and driveshaft are turning while being towed. On some vehicles the driveshaft needs to be taken off. With the Warn hubs, the wheel spins freely while not turning the axle shafts and therefore, not the differential gears or the driveshaft. It is common to have Warn hubs on the front axle, but very few vehicles can have the same Warn hub on the rear as well. I'm not sure, but this might apply to the Defender as well since it has many similar parts. There are only less than two thousand Series Land Rovers on the road in the US. The Saturn models used to be a towed vehicle of choice for RV's, but they are no longer made. Many makes do not recommend towing, or set distance and speed limitations. You have to make a careful choice if you want to tow with four wheels down.
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Bus is being refurbed.
Rebuilt water pump, two new thermostats, new hoses, tuning/running the injector rack.
With all the crap going on in my life at the moment, I need something I can totally rely on! ;D
Found out I had the C60 injectors, I would have liked to have the RE65s installed, but I think I'll wait on that and narrow my maintainence down to the essentials... :D
(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/MarquisRex/14724465_10154892837207448_7328561498953048537_n_zpsrdpcu7im.jpg) (http://s273.photobucket.com/user/MarquisRex/media/14724465_10154892837207448_7328561498953048537_n_zpsrdpcu7im.jpg.html)
(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/MarquisRex/IMG_1286_zpsggzi7xjn.jpg) (http://s273.photobucket.com/user/MarquisRex/media/IMG_1286_zpsggzi7xjn.jpg.html)
(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/MarquisRex/IMG_1285_zpsnlevuw7b.jpg) (http://s273.photobucket.com/user/MarquisRex/media/IMG_1285_zpsnlevuw7b.jpg.html)
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Your mechanic seems to be on the know,the 7E65 is a injector you can use for more power without removing the engine and going through all the "A" timing bs for the N65 or N70 injectors, the advanced timing is built into the injector good choice IMO.the C60 injector was Greyhounds choice of injectors for 8v71 fwiw just a crown injector instead of the needle N60
safe travels
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Your mechanic seems to be on the know,the 7E65 is a injector you can use for more power without removing the engine and going through all the "A" timing bs for the N65 or N70 injectors, the advanced timing is built into the injector good choice IMO.the C60 injector was Greyhounds choice of injectors for 8v71 fwiw just a crown injector instead of the needle N60
safe travels
Yes, he's very good.
I definitely recommend him. Central Bus and Truck in East Bethel Minnesota. Curt.
My research indicates that the C injectors are California and/or Coach injectors- especially targeting low Nox (nox emissions are the big no-no, in the USA) but the 7e65s are lower on soot/ HCs and better efficiency. Higher Nox often go hand in hand with higher efficiency.
7Es are around $150 each and I cant afford them right now. Me and a potential future employer couldn't come up to an agreement, regarding a project, in California but that's another story. They are on my 'to buy' list- may be if I sell my Escalade.
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When you get ready I know a place where you can buy the 7E65 for $55.00 ea exchange and he takes any injector as a core
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The rating on your 8V-71 with C60's will be 280hp @ 2100rpm and 740lb/ft torque at 1200rpm. The main advantage is having the torque rated down at 1200rpm. This eliminates the problems of lugging the engine and having good power for shifting just a 4spd transmission. If you go to N65's you'll increase your power to 304hp and 800lb/ft torque at 1600rpm. Below 1600, the engine will smoke.
I turbocharged and air to air intercooled my 8V-71 with 7G75 injectors and it puts out (dyno'd) 375hp and 1125lb/ft torque. Now that made a tremendous difference in performance! Good Luck, TomC
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Thank you luvrbus!
TomC- very interesting- how much did you modify the cooling of your bus to accommodate the turbo charging?
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Thank you luvrbus!
TomC- very interesting- how much did you modify the cooling of your bus to accommodate the turbo charging?
:o A LOT! ::) :D
;D BK ;D
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I'm pretty excited. The mechanical work on the bus is finished.
I went for a long drive yesterday and it drives well.
This is a list of all he's done
• Brake Drum/shoes “Brake Block” changed on rear right hand side. Other side checked fine.
• DOT inspection
• Hub seal on left rear changed- was seeping when warm
• Clutch Mechanism freed up- so adjustment can continue. Original plan was to change the whole clutch- which is an engine out job!
• Water pump and seals rebuilt
• Two new Thermostats
• Fuel Filter changed
• Valve cover gaskets
• New air compressor system line
• Rack run and adjusted- was already very close
• ATF was used to fill up Power steering system- leaks of system tracked and fixed
• New coolant/radiator cap
• Thermostat housing bolts seized- needed extracting and re- threading
• Coolant hoses and hose clamps changed as necessary (2”,3/4”,2 ¼”, 2 ½”)
• Oil and filter changed-
• Cooling fan drive gearbox oil inlet cap freed up for access (had seized by previous owner) and filled to the correct level
• Lube leak from gearbox bellhousing fixed
Its amazing what leaving in storage- and not using- what is generally a good condition coach will do- in terms of deterioration.
The guy has lots of Detroit engines laying around and a few transit busses. He had an 8v92 Turbo engine sitting around for a customer project who'd since retired.
Now all I have left to do is change the twin fuel pumps of my Jaguar (I need to drop the tank) and sell my house!
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"I definitely recommend him. Central Bus and Truck in East Bethel Minnesota. Curt."
Do you have contact info for him.Website, email or phone#
Thanks
Fred
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"I definitely recommend him. Central Bus and Truck in East Bethel Minnesota. Curt."
Do you have contact info for him.Website, email or phone#
Thanks
Fred
These are the chaps.
Central Truck Services
23142 MN-65, Bethel, MN 55005
Phone: (763) 434-4260
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8MW-xPqVUY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8MW-xPqVUY)
My temp gauge during normal operation stays at around 175-190 deg F BTW (see my other overheating thread)
Curt said the old Detroits are very tough and can take a lot of abuse (not high temps though).
He prefered them to the period Cummins 855s etc and didn't like the latest Cummins ISX at all. The Cummins ISX from an engineering point of view (I've helped design truck engines ) was always an engine I respected when I saw one stripped and saw the dyno and lab data- so the mechanics view was very interesting to me.
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WOW! That was 8 years ago when I had my first heart attack when I still lived up in Minnesota.
I had my second one in September/October of this year.
Now I have a total of 5 stents!
I eat carefully and work out. Makes me realise how much is to do with genetics. Makes you see the world differently too. Tommorow may never come. I'm only 52.
I started looking at an old XL40 Prevost to buy (but still keeping my MC5) but now I've calmed down a bit again. I love my MC5 too much and it's been super dependable. If I get some land, I may still get it and alternate usage, and use them when stationary as living quarters!
Take care of yourselves!
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I started reading the entire thread from the beginning. I didn't realize that it was from 2016 until I read your last post. Fantastic story and I'm glad to see you are doing well, except for the heart attacks of course!
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Thanks! Glennman.
I've learnt alot more about buses since then (thanks in no small part to this forum).
I've even met Cliff and some others from here.
I've had my MC5 resprayed and refurbished inside since then and despite my worrying, it's still on the same clutch!