Hello All. I am a new bus owner. Just purchased a 1980 Silver Eagle Model 10 bus from a church in OK. I have searched and searched online as well as here as to what to look for when buying a bus to convert. I thought I did my homework. The bus looked and drove great! However I knew there were a few things I was looking at that needed to be fixed before actually getting the bus home which was a 7 hour trip to SW Arkansas. So I took it to a shop to have the obviously leaking wheel seal replaced. Had them change the brakes and a spring kit as well. I told the I would pick it back up the next day. Now, let me back up 2 hours. I drove this bus and was watching everything like a hawk! Oil pressure was GREAT! Air pressure up and down a little from 120PSI. Not bad. Long story short it made the 2 hour trip just fine. I go to pick it up the next day and now....
They told me that it wouldn't air up past 80psi after only changing the seal and brakes. So I got in it and bled the air off with the brake pedal. Watched it build back up to 75 to 80psi and stop. So we thought must be the govenor. Changed it and no change. We shut it down to listen for air leaks and there are not many at all. Now the funny part is this, The air dryer would pop off at 80psi before we changed the govenor and after I said well the gauge is wrong so changes that and it's the same thing. Sometimes the brakes will release but most of the time they wont because as soon as you release the brakes and push the pedal, the buzzer goes off indicating low air. I am lost! I thought the govenor is what "told" the dryer when to pop off? I have searched this forum over and found a few things that were a close relation but not identical. Anyway, I have a few questions please if you dont mind helping me out as the bus is stuck in Fort Smith Ar and I live 5hrs South.
1. What am I missing?
2. How many air tanks are on the bus as I have only found 3?
3. If the compressor is bad would it build up to 80psi?
4. Does anyone want to buy a bus? Just kidding. Please help!
Craig
seems lately most of these problems are air dryer related, do you have one, is it in the vicinity of the AC compressor bay on the curb side ?
There is one on the Curb side.
Nope! Sorry. It's on the drivers side.
Quote from: ttrstudios on October 16, 2014, 08:25:30 AM
Nope! Sorry. It's on the drivers side.
Service it or temporarily bypass it...in the quest for diagnostic expedience....
ps. when you manually drain the air tanks...what comes out...?
pss there are 5 tanks
Water was the only thing to come out of the tanks that I found.
We did bypass the dryer and ended with the same result.
As far as there being 5 air tanks, I know of 3. One above the steering axle, one under the driver seat (outside) and one above the rear drive axle. Where are the other two?
Have you verified the pressure using a separate gauge? Are you 100% sure they didn't mess with anything else? Seems very odd that you had good pressure until they changed parts out.
Sounds familiar. I speak from my experience with our MCI coach. The air gauge is read from the main brake application tank. However, the low air buzzer (on ours) is located on the accessory system tank.
When ours wouldn't air up, like you describe, it was a pressure protection valve. It would open at 80, and close below 80. Basically it made sure that if the pressure fell below 80, that the brakes would get all of the air. And when the pressure was working back up to 80, that the brake tanks would get air first.
So if it was me, I would start looking elsewhere. Eagle guys will help out, I am sure. However, I would look for a pressure protection valve somewhere.
Another thing. You are totally confident that the air compressor is working, correct? We had a situation that the unloaders were getting stuck. It would air up some, but not all the way, and sometimes the dryer would continually purge. Something else to poke at, but it doesn't sound like your problem.
Best of luck.
John
That is a dual air system 2 tanks at the rear and most have a wet tank mounted on the rear axle housing 1 up front for the front brakes and 1 auxiliary tank above the spare tire compartment for wipers and air horn.
You can see the pressure protection valve at the rear in the tank on the drivers side, sure sounds like the pressure protection valve is giving the problem there should be dual read gauge or 2 gauges so you can read both systems
Then again you are working on a Eagle no 2 alike especially on the 80 model 10 a lot of stuff was carried over from the 05
Quote from: luvrbus on October 16, 2014, 11:11:26 AM
That is a dual air system 2 tanks at the rear and most have a wet tank mounted on the rear axle housing 1 up front for the front brakes and 1 auxiliary tank above the spare tire compartment for wipers and air horn.
You can see the pressure protection valve at the rear in the tank on the drivers side, sure sounds like the pressure protection valve is giving the problem there should be dual read gauge or 2 gauges so you can read both systems
Then again you are working on a Eagle no 2 alike especially on the 80 model 10 a lot of stuff was carried over from the 05
Typically according to my "da book", there are between 4-5 check valves, it would appear, on the dual system dual air gauge, if both gauges are not passing 80 psi, well then it would seem that the main check valve is the culprit. It is located between the compressor and the wet tank a 3/4 inch pipe thread size.
additionally there are 1/2" ones located at the service reservoir, the park brake res. and one they call the outside service line, I assume the service brake line...?
and a 1/4 inch check valve at the park brake tank.
Things are not always as they appear... :-\
I would check the pressure relief valve. That bus might have one that is not part of the dryer. My 05 had that set up. A relief valve does not go bad that often but that is where I would start.
Wayne
Will it air with shop air?
Rick
Thank you so much for all of the input. I'm sorry that I am replying late. Been working on the bus.
Well... We have not fixed the problem. It's working now. All we did was air it up with shop air and it's been working like it should. We've bled it down about 10-15 times and it's aired up on its on ever since. My guess is there was a piece of trash somewhere. Problem is it's still in there somewhere. So I'm sure this will happen again at some point.
So... We are going to try and make the 6hr trip home. We will see what happens. More to come on this adventure. The conversion will start as soon as it's home. Thanks everyone for the input.
I'm always amazed how much stuff gets fixed with the "stare at it" method!
Hope you make it home OK.
Everyone I know advises steer away from church buses. The bus seems like a good idea but no one ever ensures the maintenance is performed.
When you get it home, service everything. There is help here and the Silver Eagle Owners facebook page.
I doubt there is anything some one has not seen.
What exactly do you mean by "service everything"? We did an oil change and filters, fuel filters, air filter looked ok, checked rear end and trany. Added hub oil where needed and adjusted all brakes. Is there something on a bus that needs attention more than lets say an 18 wheeler? I run an oil field trucking company so I've done my share of working on them but this bus is TOTALY different. So if I am missing something other than greasing it please let me know. Thanks
Craig.
Sounds like you are on the right track.
Don't forget to lube all the zerks. There's around 100 of them.
Here's a guide, I made it for my use, It is more stringent than Eagle recommends in some areas. Feel free to adapt it to your records if you want.
You might also get oil analysis for the engine. Trans also if it's automatic.
MILEAGE________________DATE__________________________
2000 Miles____________Slack adjusters (manual)
6,000 Miles___________Chassis lube
___________Fan drive bearings and idlers
___________Propshafts
___________Fan belts (check and adjust)
___________Batteries (clean and tighten)
___________Throttle controls lube
10,000 Miles___________Engine oil and filter (change) DD recommends 15,000 mi
____________<45PSI Fuel filters (replace)
____________Alternator belt tension (check)
15,000 Miles___________Air cleaner (clean element)
___________Coolant filter (change)
20,000 Miles___________Exhaust manifold bolts (check tightness)
___________Air compressor mounting bolts (check tightness)
___________Engine air emergency shutdown (check)
24,000 Miles___________Engine oil cooler (check)
___________Radiator hoses (check)
30,000 Miles___________Differential (change oil)
___________Wheel bearings (change oil)
___________Engine airbox drain (check)
36,000 Miles___________Transmission (change filter)
___________Miter box (change oil)
___________Steering column upper bearing (lube)
50,000 Miles___________Valve clearances and injector timing (set)
60,000 Miles___________Engine and transmission mounting bolts (check)
75,000 Miles___________Fan bearing hub (clean,inspect,repack)
100,000 Miles__________Replace belts
__________Blower bypass valve (clean)
__________Airbox check valves (clean)
__________Replace Power Steering Filter
240,000 Miles__________Replace thermostats
ANNUALLY__________Clean crankcase breather
GENERATOR
100HRS_____________Change Oil
200HRS_____________Change Oil Filter
400HRS_____________Change Fuel Filter
600HRS_____________Change Air Filter (Or Annually)
Akroyaleagle I appreciate that guide. I will surely use that.
I know it's a bit off topic but I have a speed question. The speedometer shows a "red line" of 55 mph. So what is an acceptable speed for this bus with a 5 speed manual transmission? There is no tach on this bus so I'm not sure what the rpm's are.
March 1974, all states adopted the 55 mph national maximum speed limit. Concerns about fuel availability and costs faded, however, and Congress in 1987 allowed states to increase speed limits on rural interstates to 65 mph.
The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 repealed the maximum speed limit, allowing states to set their own limits for the first time since 1974. Many states quickly moved to raise speed limits on both rural and urban interstates and limited access roads.
Quote from: ttrstudios on October 18, 2014, 05:50:41 PM
Akroyaleagle I appreciate that guide. I will surely use that.
I know it's a bit off topic but I have a speed question. The speedometer shows a "red line" of 55 mph. So what is an acceptable speed for this bus with a 5 speed manual transmission? There is no tach on this bus so I'm not sure what the rpm's are.
It will be a 3:36 or 3:73 rear gear and the 5 speed if original was a direct 1:1, 65 mph should be a good cruising speed
Virtually all the 3.73 rear ends will do 78mph top speed with auto and 24.5 tires.
I would counsel 1950-2000 rpm and take what that gives you, about what Clifford said.
Well the bus made it home just fine. No problems at all. I stopped for fuel and bled the brakes down just to see if it would air back up and it did like it should. I guess I'll fix it when it happens again. Anyway, the conversion starts!