The fun begins: My oil leak fix started

white-eagle · March 16, 2011, 03:26:53 AM

We started pulling the engine yesterday between raindrops. (N. Ga backwoods garage). Got the turbo intake and exhaust loose, bumper off, anti-freeze out, belts off. Oh, and we ran it a little to verify it is still leaking from the same place, as if the bumper, tow cable, and the toad hood wasn't enough.
We plan to replace the hose connections on the waterlines, check oil lines, replace buffers any worn spots or fix them so they don't rub, and maybe add a little paint. any other suggestions?

JackConrad · March 16, 2011, 04:39:33 AM

Tom,
Glad ya'll had a safe trip, tell Sis HI. When we replaced all the short sections of coolant hoses, we also replaced the hose clamps. After the engine is back in the coach, some of those clamps can be very difficult to access if they fail. Jack
PS: Wish we could have followed ya'll up to John & Lois'

eagle10 · March 16, 2011, 05:24:47 AM

Tom,
Good luck with the oil leak. We made it back to Maine with the Eagle and Prevost both with no problems except the price of fuel. Keep us posted on the engine work. Just put our Eagle out for sale.
Dennis and Karen

bevans6 · March 16, 2011, 05:40:27 AM

I identified a number of oil leaks on my old engine as I tore it down. It was leaking a ton, probably half or more of my 600 miles per gallon oil usage.

The compressor was loose on the unreachable lower bolts. The blower drive hose was loose, leaking a lot onto the top of the engine and it would run down all over. The alternator pulley drive seal was leaking. The alternator vent hose was loose. The alternator drain hose was kinked, probably pressurizing the alternator when it shouldn't. The main seal behind the flywheel was bad and putting out a lot of oil. At the front, the crank seal was OK but there was a major leak from the bottom of the front engine plate. There may have been more, but that's all I found for sure. Hard to tell, it was a major oily mess.

Brian

white-eagle · March 25, 2011, 07:54:23 PM

The engine is back in the bus! But we still have some lines to connect, put the governor back on, and add fluids of various flavors. Please cross your fingers that we didn't break something while fixing the oil leak.

John Vickrey is amazing. He showed me a lot, devoted a lot of his time to helping me to help him pull my engine, and managed to set the engine/tranny right down on the bolt holes so that all but one of the bolts just dropped in when we pulled the bus back onto the engine where it has been sitting for almost 10 days. For those deprived of having an eagle, our engines sit on 2 large crossmembers bolted to the bus frame with 8 bolts.

We (I) hope to have it running tomorrow. The good part of doing this at a backyard garage is that you crawl out from under the bus, wash up, and the wives have the BBQ ribs just waiting. Mmmm! The bad part is that i'm sore all over from being cramped up behind the transmission, reaching 2 inches beyond my arm length to try to get wires on the alternater, or flat on my back trying to hook up wires, cables and hoses. Did i mention gravel floor? Ouch!

My Daddy told me things like this build character. My wife says it worked because I am one. :-)

bobofthenorth · March 25, 2011, 07:57:42 PM

It feels good when a plan comes together and there's a satisfaction in having done it yourself, despite the arthritis that may have been aggravated. I hope you bled on it a lot. I regard blood as either a penetrant or a thread locker - depends which direction I am going.

JackConrad · March 26, 2011, 04:25:38 AM

Tom,
We will keep our fingers crosssed for ya'll (since it would be hard for you to do anything there if you are standing around keeping your fingers crossed). Sure would have been nice to have had some of Fran's ribs for supper last night. But, we did finish off the angel food cake and strawberries. Jack

Oonrahnjay · March 26, 2011, 05:45:04 AM

Quote from: white-eagle on March 25, 2011, 07:54:23 PM(snip) The bad part is that i'm sore all over from being cramped up behind the transmission, reaching 2 inches beyond my arm length to try to get wires on the alternater, or flat on my back trying to hook up wires, cables and hoses. Did i mention gravel floor? Ouch!

My Daddy told me things like this build character. My wife says it worked because I am one. :-)

Sounds like you need a "Georgia creeper" (the box a refrigerator came in, flattened). Congrats on the progress, hope that the remaining work goes well and quickly and all proves successful.

luvrbus · March 26, 2011, 06:43:31 AM

Tom, you should have check the backlash and the meshing of the gears on your alternator with gear marking compound while the engine was out there is a adjustment inside the spacer if you didn't remove or turn the 2 set screws you should be alright but I know you had to remove the spacer to repair the oil leak one of those things you don't find in the DD bible it is a supplemental book

good luck

rgrauto · March 26, 2011, 06:47:29 AM

You will need to double that (cardboard creeper) if you are on gravel, as they will ooze on through. Oh,and good luck on the oil leak repair. Glen Rice, a little further in the Ga. mtns.

Van · March 26, 2011, 07:04:27 AM

ATTA Boy Tom!

Hope all turns out well! It's was the last CM bolt that got me.

Van

Melbo · March 26, 2011, 08:24:29 AM

Keep us posted on the results and maybe some pictures (gotta get your bus porn)

thanks

Melbo

JohnVickrey · March 27, 2011, 04:50:05 AM

Rain, Rain go away!!

redbus · March 27, 2011, 05:34:36 AM

Tom I wish I could be there to sit with a cold beverage and watch you work and help eat the ribs.
Good luck on the repair.

white-eagle · March 28, 2011, 06:42:21 PM

Bus porn for those that like pics, melbo.

On Eagles, we hide the tow bar behind a logo since it's not needed often: