how do you "start" a bus ??
the last bus i looked at the guy ask me if i knew how to shut it off. (it was allready running ) ..i figured if he ask me ,then there must be more to it than just turning a key ( i know theres no keys)
im going to go look at another bus and would like to know how to start it ??
i know it sounds silly but ,i havent started one yet and this one is at a auction comeing up so i want to "check it out"....oh yah so is it the same in reverse to shut it off??
thanks guys
scottie
No magic, like starting and stopping a car-has to be simple enough for the most mechanically challenged bus driver to get. Good Luck, TomC
Can you tell us what make and model bus you are going to look at?
well i know when the last bus i looked at ,the owner did a "few" things to turn it off,i think one of the things he did was push on the "e" brake and then hit the brake pedal,then i think he ???pushed a button and the bus shut off?? ??? ??? ???
ops sorry allways forget that....
M.C.I. 9 1987 5 speed standard ::)
Depending on what has been done to the bus and what model of the bus it can be different.
On my MCI 8 starting procedure.
1. Check engine and auto tranny fluid levels. (better safe than sorry)
2. Turn master battery switch on (in with the batteries)
3. Enter bus and check that e-brake is pulled up (safety first)
4. Check that tranny is in neutral
5. turn master switch on front dash is on
6. turn chime switch on (the row of switches on left consol)
7 Press starter button.........for no longer than 30 sec per try
Piece of cake right?
Skip
One note on starting and stopping Thomas, no throttle response until air is built, and the engine will not shut off with the key without air.
Doug Engel, Gunnison, CO
never heard the chime method.
hounds need the step light on to Ingnite.
Not all bus use the chime/steplight switch.... That was a Greyhound thing to keep wannabes from running off with the bus.
Quote from: skipn on January 30, 2008, 10:24:25 AM
Depending on what has been done to the bus and what model of the bus it can be different.
On my MCI 8 starting procedure.
1. Check engine and auto tranny fluid levels. (better safe than sorry)
2. Turn master battery switch on (in with the batteries)
3. Enter bus and check that e-brake is pulled up (safety first)
4. Check that tranny is in neutral
5. turn master switch on front dash is on
6. turn chime switch on (the row of switches on left consol)
7 Press starter button.........for no longer than 30 sec per try
Piece of cake right?
Skip
Dallas
And I wannabe (just not sure what yet) ;D
Tekebird sorry
I shortened it the manual says it like what Dallas said chime/steplight that
being said I have just referred it to chime for being breaf. If I were to walk up to a bus
I wouldn't know what to look for to see if it was a hound or not (except if it still had the inservice colors)
The chime/steplight thing seems like that would be the easiest tell tale hound or not......
Skip
Not to hijack or anything but what is the starting procedure for a 1987 102A3, stick? Where are the most common places for battery shut offs or other shut offs? Thanks!
Quote from: TrevorH on January 30, 2008, 11:27:48 AM
Not to hijack or anything but what is the starting procedure for a 1987 102A3, stick? Where are the most common places for battery shut offs or other shut offs? Thanks!
Trevor,
Same starting procedure as the Automatic, except you want to have the clutch pedal depressed.
The master battery switch should be in the battery bay above the batteries. Most of the time there is a small door you can reach through to get to it, but I have seen some buses that don't have the little door in the battery bay door.
IHTH,
Dallas
Quote from: skipn on January 30, 2008, 10:24:25 AM
Depending on what has been done to the bus and what model of the bus it can be different.
On my MCI 8 starting procedure.
1. Check engine and auto tranny fluid levels. (better safe than sorry)
2. Turn master battery switch on (in with the batteries)
3. Enter bus and check that e-brake is pulled up (safety first)
4. Check that tranny is in neutral
5. turn master switch on front dash is on
6. turn chime switch on (the row of switches on left consol)
7 Press starter button.........for no longer than 30 sec per try
Piece of cake right?
Skip
I always do a walk around to make sure there is nobody including my dog sitting or standing too close to the bus, nowhere near the tires, back of the bus or front etc.... Check the radiator vents and engine for nests, cats and other furry critters... ( throwback from flying days).
Also look to make sure none of neighbors around that hate the smell of diesel smoke for a minute or two. (https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geocities.com%2Fdax2274%2FIcons%2F2thumbs.gif&hash=3a69ed3b2ca22845de90bb3b1e8f92ed41ee4094)
Quote from: skipn on January 30, 2008, 10:40:34 AM
Dallas
And I wannabe (just not sure what yet) ;D
Tekebird sorry
I shortened it the manual says it like what Dallas said chime/steplight that
being said I have just referred it to chime for being breaf. If I were to walk up to a bus
I wouldn't know what to look for to see if it was a hound or not (except if it still had the inservice colors)
The chime/steplight thing seems like that would be the easiest tell tale hound or not......
Skip
"I wouldn't know what to look for to see if it was a hound or not (except if it still had the inservice colors)"
another trick that sometimes works
the hound used to rebuild It's own motors .On my old bus there was a greyhound tag on the motor (a 671) that I could see from the back of the bus The Acc. panel had all the labels warned off So the first time I started the bus I just turned all of the switches on
mike
thanks skip
i figured there was some sore of list to starting a bus...not just pushing a button or turning a key...
okay ,so when i want to turn off the bus i ....
turn off chime switch
turn off master switch
push e brake DOWN
turn master switch off
?? put bus in gear if standard ....
thanks
scottie.. ;D
Almost.....
The chime/steplight can be turned off anytime after starting.
The e-brake is air and up is "e-brake on" and when you park something
of this weight MAKE SURE it is on. You DO NOT want to rely on engine back pressure
to hold you! It won't.
there should be a redcover toggle switch that is for EMergancy shutdown only!
That is just the start and shutdown........moving the bus has a few more things!
pretrip inspections are very important yadda yadda
Some on this board have suggested taking driving
classes for these beasts and it would certainly seem to make sense to me.
Just think before you act and be safe please. (off my soapbox)
Skip
Skip,
You were never on a soap box.
Thanks for all the data,
John
thanks again everone
when i go look at this bus at the auction,im sure there will be no one around (tons of cars and trucks) the bus so i though it would be a good idea to start it up and at least see what works and what doesnt.
:D
scottie
Our 102D3 is manual trans. and does not need to have the clutch depressed to start.
For the first start of the day, I like to turn the master switch on then start it from the back. That way, I can see that everything is allright in the engine compartment: belts, no leaks, oil press., etc. The rest of the day, I start from the front.
I've gotten a lot of strange looks for doing exactly that-first start of the day happens in the rear engine compartment, and that's only after checking everything inside and out. I went to look at an Eagle up in Portland a couple years back and the owner (after bragging about all of his experience with buses) couldn't wait to impress upon me what great condition the engine was in. We met at the bus and I asked him to let me check things over before he started it, I like a cold engine to get that touchy-feely thing going. :-*Guess where my body was when the engine fired up? Nuff said. Unless you're the only one at the auction checking things out, be careful.
All,
On my mc7 - (which was a hound) in the owners/maint/service manual (can not remember which one) it specifically makes the point that you should NOT press the clutch while starting the engine -- (of course it suggest placing the transmission in neutral) ... i briefly attempted to understand the why -- never could find the answer. Perhaps one of these guys can shed a little light on this issue. It kind of goes against what is intuitive to me ... fwiw
David
clutches are used to shift not to start a vehicle.......Litigation is the only reason that current and late model Std tranny vehicles have a neutral safety switch. My last Stick I disabled it.
you should always park your bus in neutral.....save you from an accidental compression start if your bus should roll 1 or two inches