Some thoughts: We brought our baby home yesterday!!!!!!

[Mex-Busnut]

 

Dear Busnut Friends:

Yesterday I took the commercial bus into the Mexico City International Airport, where I met up with my bride and our son. (My wife had been teaching at our son's church for the weekend.) Then my wife and I took a taxi to Tlahuac, where we picked up our new bus to bring it home. Benny, the previous owner did us the huge favor of accompanying us. I certainly did NOT want to drive through Mexico City traffic as a first trip in the bus. (The Mexico City metro area has over 30 million people, more than all of Canada.) After over two hours of fighting traffic, we finally made it to the toll road. Then it was my turn to drive. FUN!!!

I want to share some of the info that Benny gave me, and get your input to see if I have good info.

1. It is a 6V92TA, and has a 10-speed manual transmission (Spicer SST-10). Benny always keeps the RPM's at near 1,700 on the highway. When climbing long hills, Benny down shifts to keep the revs at 1,800 RPM. When going down hill, 1,500-1800 RPM. He says he prefers to take 15 minutes longer to get some place and have the engine last years longer.

2. Benny prefers to only use the Jake brakes with the engine between 1,500-1,800 RPM.

3. The engine temp is watched carefully. I never saw it go above 195 degrees. Mexico City is 7,300 feet high. Our highest altitude on the trip was over 9,300 feet. Our home town, San Juan del Río, Querétaro, is 6,800 feet ASL.

4. Benny says the radiator has not been serviced in at least five years, so maybe I will have it rodded out.

5. He is using Mobile oil, straight 50-weight. It uses less than half a quart between oil changes.

6. Benny is in the habit of opening the purge valves on the two main air tanks at the end of each trip. (The emergency air tank has no purge valve.)

7. The last part of our journey is a dirt road that takes us to my friend's property where I parked the bus. Benny says he never goes above 600 RPM on dirt roads, because the fan will suck too much dirt into the engine compartment.  

8. Benny says top speed for this bus is 130 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour). However, all buses in Mexico are limited by federal law to 95 kms. per hour (58 mph).
   
Anyway, these are some of the things I remember from the trip home. I appreciate you experienced nuts giving me your input.

Hopefully, next week will have our new license plates and registration, and we can start our awesome conversion.

Thanks in advance!

[bevans6]

I think his advice is spot on in all regards.  Nothing I would change.

Brian

[Mex-Busnut]

Thanks, Brian!

[buddydawg]

Good Luck! I like the style of the bus from the photo you posted earlier.  It looks to be well maintained.  Can't wait to see the progress.

[John316]

Benny says good stuff .

Benny says follow those instructions.

Benny says get out and use it.

Benny says enjoy it.

Benny says good advice.

[lostagain]

The Jakes work best at the higher RPMs, near the governed engine speed: 2100 to 2200 RPM. Going down a hill, traffic permitting, etc, I'll be at 2000 to 2200 RPM with Jakes on.

I also have them on nearly all the time. It is a nice anchor to have when you take your foot off the gas pedal. Slows you down nicely. Really helps to slow you down in a panic stop. I usually turn them off at the lower gears because they're too powerfull.  Not because of the noise, which isn't exessive if you have a good muffler.

You'll get your own feel for them and everything else.

Enjoy,

JC

[TedsBUSted]

Congrats Mex-Busnut
We're waiting for bus details.

Benny sounds like a smooth operator.

The Spicer box is an interesting design, about as close as they could get to a Fuller RT without answering a lot of nosey questions in patent court. 


Good Luck