Hey y'all,
It's getting close to checking out my bus for the first time which is parked in outside storage 1000 miles south of me. The previous owner said the oil was changed 2500 miles ago but the bus has been sitting for 3 years. He said that wouldn't matter and an oil change is not yet needed. Is that correct? I sure wouldn't do that for a car. The Allison transmission fluid was not changed in the 7 years he owned it so I'm planning on having that done.
Another question is the 'marvel mystery oil added to the injectors' subject. Seems I read a few posts on that. I watched a father / son team work on a 8V71 on you-tube (good video) and it appeared that the valve covers would have to come off to add oil directly to the cylinders. Any advice on this or if I should attempt to do anything other than take a lot of photos to go over the more complex systems with my friend, the bus seller, when I return from my trip.
September will be the 'start and drive bus' trip.
RL
Call your local Detroit, Cummins or Cat dealer and see if they do fluid analysis. I'd get samples from the oil pan, tranny and radiator and have 'em analyzed.
RL, We're gonna need some more info. Yes, I would absolutely change the engine oil and filter. Fuel filters too! The trans will need a service, New filter(s) and fluid. When was the engine last run? I would be very cautious about a stuck injector or rack. The coolant should make it home if the level is OK. I wouldn't be too concerned about adding oil to the cylinders, You might bar the engine over by hand a few times to free up any stuck rings. Don't turn it too quickly or it may start! Where is the coach located?
Last ran 3 years ago and ran smoothly from what he said. It's located in Anza, CA, uphill to the west from Palm Desert. Good idea about sample analysis, TBD.
To take a sample from the oil pan would I have to pull the plug for a quick second or is there an easier and less messy way?
I would not worry about the Marvel Mystery Oil stuck injectors are going to be your biggest problem
You can take a sample with a 29 dollar mighty vac or buy the kit from Cat with the dip stick tube hose and pump a little oil won't hurt you but I always drop the plug and it is tough to find with one finger in the drain hole ;D
Just a guess here but are you trying to keep the brand and model a secret or what is the deal ?
What's your plan? Are you going to be servicing this yourself? If the oil is full, I would think it's ok to drive it to a nearby service facility. They could take the fluid samples there. It may start and be fine, But I would take precautions for an uncontrolled run.
Is the 4106 in your profile the bus or did you upgrade
I'm with the check the rack for stuck injectors, if ok, and oil level is up, radiator has antifreeze, enough battery, start it up, warm it up, then you have a better idea and if your wanting a oil sample, it will be more reliable mix of what ever it is.
I would rather cut the oil filter open, open it out, look for any metal, if ok, put new filter on, change oil and drive, Change fuel filters for sure, maybe the air filter, depending on if it is paper or oil bath, make sure tranny is full and hit the road. Changing the tranny oil & filters would be fine, but lower on my list as long as it looked and smelled ok.
Dave M
For me the big issue with old oil is condensation putting water in the oil. Water is heavier than oil so if you take that sample from the drain plug you should be able to see if there is water in there. If there is I would drop the pan to look for corrosion - I had one engine that had been stored inside for 15 years before I bought it, the pan was paper thin in a big area, I could put my finger through it but the outside looked perfect.
I don't know what the MMO trick is, but checking for stuck injector racks is a good idea. I had several stuck injectors and re-jigged the fuel hose plumbing so I could pump solvent through the heads for an hour or two, freed them right up, Don Fairchild suggested that to me.
Brian
The 4106 in my profile is the bus I'm referring to. I bought it sight unseen. I'm flying into Palm Springs in about a week, renting a car, and driving up to Anza for the night and next morning. Have to be back at Palm Springs airport by 4 pm. I like the idea of cranking it over "slowly" by hand. What wrench would work well for this purpose? I could buy one as I head up. Would I need a cheater pipe? I remember reading about disconnecting the starter solenoid leads first.
Could someone explain in more detail what is involved in "checking the rack for stuck injectors" ?
Thanks and I really appreciate the advice; this is a cool site.
You will have a tough time turning a 8v71 in a 4106 with a 1-1/2 socket the fan is on the end of the crank the the muffler is in the way for the nut on cam and that muffler is a pita to remove.
Pull the valve covers and check the fuel rods for easy movement if you can not move the fuel rod that controls the rack in the injectors then 1 or more are stuck
good luck
Oh boy, My Detroit started after 10 yrs with same oil. Just change oil after 10 mi. Its ok.