I am looking to buy a MC8 or MC9 for a conversion project.
I am currently looking at an MC8 for $10K with a Detroit Diesel series 50 engine (inline 4 cylinder 4 stroke)and Alison 740 transmission.
The owner of the bus lot says that the engine is not the original and because it is not matched up to the transmission you have to go through the gears manually. When he drove it in auto the transmission shifts before it should and bogs down the engine very bad.
Is this OK to buy? He says its about $2000 to get the transmission and engine to work right together.
Can anyone help me? Should I buy?
I would be very hesitant to purchase a unit that needs these kinds of repairs. Are you sure that another $2,000 will fix the problem? What happens if it doesn't?
I would think that right now you have a buyers market and you can shop with cash and get some really good deals.
Think long and hard!
And the answer is NO
I wouldn't touch it.
Good luck with your search.
Quote from: Oregonconversion on November 03, 2008, 10:00:58 AM
I am looking to buy a MC8 or MC9 for a conversion project.
I am currently looking at an MC8 for $10K with a Detroit Diesel series 50 engine (inline 4 cylinder 4 stroke)and Alison 740 transmission.
The owner of the bus lot says that the engine is not the original and because it is not matched up to the transmission you have to go through the gears manually. When he drove it in auto the transmission shifts before it should and bogs down the engine very bad.
Is this OK to buy? He says its about $2000 to get the transmission and engine to work right together.
Can anyone help me? Should I buy?
Someone more mechanically inclined that I, correct me where it's needed....but The engine is just the prime mover for the tansmission, as far as what gears are required that's the tranny's job. To me, a tranny that don't match the engine would look disconnected first off, and sounds, smells fishy second. I'm a newb to busing though, but I work on DD engines.
Good luck,
Ben
ps...here's a few links to help.
www.busconversions101.com
http://www.lewisbus.com/buses.html
www.thebusman.com
dont walk, run fast!!!!!!!!!!
Call David Gregory at Southern Oregon Diesel (541-672-7400) and he will tell you about what it will cost to change the shift points to make the 740 work with a electronic engine he and Dennis have done it for years with Cat, Cummins and Detroit engines good luck
Welcome to the board!
About MCI-8 with engine swap for a series 50 DD/740 trans...you need to look for what the engine swap mechanic will say. As usual many responders want to help but with no experiences in this field. I suggest doing what "luvrbus" posted, calling Southern Oregon Diesel. They have done many diesel work and knowledgeable in this field of power tuning with engine swap.
Don't by all mean pass it up until you have someone local who is knowledgeable of the MCI-8 and respond from S.O.D. (Southern Oregon Diesel). You may have to pay for walk around inspection. S.O.D. may help you to find a nearby mechanic's phone number for bus inpection
FWIW
Sojourn for Christ, Gerald
Gerald, as usual, good advice. A good mechanic will help greatly. When we purchased ours, we would have done things differently if we would have know more about buses and mechanics.
Oregonconversion, the best thing that I have found is to go slow. Hasty descisions will get one into trouble. Follow Gerald and luvrvus's advice, they are some of the pros here, and get a mechanic to look at it. We know some bus companies that spend a full day or two going over a bus before buying, of course they are usually spending a little more $$$ than we usually spend. LOL ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: John316We know some bus companies that spend a full day or two going over a bus before buying, of course they are usually spending a little more $$$ than we usually spend. LOL ;D ;D ;D
Yes but then we turn around and sell them too cheap less than 3 months later with trips on the books, and no back up plan! LOL ;D BK ;D
Oregon,
When you get Dave on the phone at SOD, find out what he currently has available too. I passed up a real sweet deal there on an MC9 because I was too new to these behemoths. Good luck, Will
BK, since when...LOL ;) ;D ;D ;D.
God bless,
John
Where in Oregon are You?
You might have a local Bus Nut there to lend a hand and don't even know it.
Paul
If you are going to run, make sure that you run to pay for the bus. I have put in two series 50 this year with the 740 transmission. My Eagle has that, so I know how to make the transmission work with very little expense.
You only need to put in a air throttle and a air modulator for the trans. The throttle control goes in the back controlled by the air throttle and it makes the air modulator lock up and change the gears like it should.
If you do buy the bus get in touch with me and I may have some parts that would help. There were lots of MCI that were changed to the series 50 for about $30.000 each. One or my friends has one that now has a B400 trans. that will talk to the engine and that would cost about $5,000 to make the change.