Need repairs in Indianapolis

[Gordie Allen]

Hey All,
We are headed to CA.  Made it as far as Indianapolis.  Pulled off for the night and I'm hearing what sounds to be like a bad throw out bearing.  The sound changes when I push in on the clutch, even just sitting in neutral.  Real high pitched squeaky sound.  Anyone know of a place that can take a look in Indianapolis?  DD 671 / Spicer 4 speed
Thanks,
Gordie

[dickegler]

Hi Gordie,

Here are some possibilities:

East Side Welding   (317) 823-4065    10148 Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis, IN 46236

Indy Go   34 N Delaware St, Indianapolis, IN 46204   Phone:(317) 635-3344

Free Enterprise bus line  Indianapolis, IN   (317) 634-7433 | TollFree: (800) 255-1337

Clark Diesel  240 West Thompson Road Indianapolis, IN 46217 317-783-6651 800-513-9594.

Capital City Transit  8537 Bash St # 2Indianapolis, IN 46250(317) 813-5800

I don't know if any of these can do the repair, but might lead you to a shop that can do the work.

Good Luck

Dick Egler

[robertglines1]

I think he got needed help after I posted my reply ---- if it did not work let us know... Bob   PS  good to have the busnut support system!!!!

[Gordie Allen]

Thanks to Dick, Tim, and Scott.  The bus community support is amazing!

[Boomer]

Gordie it's probably your pilot bearing spinning.  Not major but of course you need to pull trans and fix. It will growl and squal upon clutch engagement.  I enjoy your blog on your progress.  Great job.

[Scott Crosby]

I sent him some videos from my archive last night of a similar problem and quick cheap fix.  I went and meet him this morning and tried the "Hail Mary" of just greasing all the bearings and fittings on the trans.  Especially the one hidden down on the inside that's really easy to miss.   The sounds disappeared within seconds after lubing it up.  Lets keep our fingers crossed that this "free" on the road repair will get him to and back from his destination.   It was 25 deg and I froze my fingers off...good thing it only took ten min. 

Here is a video of the noise disappearing just after starting, and no noise with clutch movement engaged and disengaged several times. The video also shows that easy to miss fitting location for anyone else with the Spicer.  Sometimes it's got a remote fitting and hose run to it, so it may be on the side of some transmissions.  His did not have the remote fitting, had to remove the guard and go in through the hole.  Special repair tip... If you have an 8 year old or so child or grandchild this is a great time to put them to work, because their size hands are much more suited to getting down in there to grease the fitting. 

http://youtu.be/PL9VbpB226Y

[5B Steve]

  Did he get it fixed, I saw what looked like a white 4104 west of the Plainfield exit this afternoon around 3 pm.?
 
  That one westbound didn't have any roof AC's.

  Steve 5B.......

[Scott Crosby]

Yes that would have been him at that time.


He made it to St. Louis bus just sent me a text that he was having some chatter when releasing the clutch.  No squeaking when in neutral and clutch is out.  Noise when clutch is in.

[Gordie Allen]

We,re at Okaw Valley Kamground in Vandalia, IL  Great owners here.  We're not pulling a toad, so they took us into town to get propane refills and supplies at Walmart.  We also found a shop that will work on the bus on Thursday.  Anybody know how difficult it is to find a throw out bearing?  I called Luke, but they are closed today.  Hoping that's the limit of the problem, but if clutch is in need of rebuild, I guess now's the time to do it.

[Don Fairchild]

Hey Scott, not to hijack this thread or open a can of worms but how is your engine trouble shooting / overhauling going.

Don

[luvrbus]

Doesn't the 4104 have a single plate clutch those chatter after the fingers wear and get a little heat warp, If you have no excess vibration I would keep going on my way you can open your self a can of worms with the old beast on the road with shops I heard of people paying 5 grand for a clutch before travailing and at the mercy of a shop

I would think long and hard before I opened it up a little advice is not all bad though JMO     

[Gary LaBombard]

I just paid $650, cost price for a new clutch plate and clutch only.  Not installed, man consider what cliff said, it is a bear to get in there and change out on the road if not really needed, can't get any worse can it cliff?  Hate hearing this stuff, holiday week and all, I am so glad to be doing what I am, expensive but hope it gives me many miles of worry free travel.  Good luck Gordie, sure hope things work out for you to your destination.
Gary

[Gordie Allen]

OK, so what's the worst that can happen if I let it go?  Can I make it another 4000 miles to CA and back to MI?  Will it reach a point where I can't get it in gear?  If that happens in the middle of nowhere, I've got worse choices than here.  There are enough experts on this board; what is a reasonable ball park estimate for just the bearing.  If they get in there and the clutch is bad, what should a new plate and disc cost.  I see $650 plus the bearing and labor.  I don't think she'll go another 4000 miles without leaving me stranded.  This "can of worms" has to be opened sooner or later.  There must be someone on this forum that can give me a reasonable estimate for this job, so I know ball park what to expect.       

[luvrbus]

I can give you estimate from the book  I was just trying to tell you it is going to be around 3 grand or better they are going to pull the transmission, the fly will need machining, then the rear seal will need to be replace then the input shaft on the transmission will have slack the bearing will need to be replaced they never stop

I was going to suggest you limp it to Needles Ca on your trip then I could help you replace it for free since I have the shop and all the tools and probably had a throw out bearing and clutch some GM person left here but do it your way expect $2500 to $3000 +

good luck

[lostagain]

You can probably drive it quite a few miles yet. You should take Clifford's offer and go to his place. Anyway, sooner or later, the engine and transmission have to come off. Then everything necessary can be done at once: release  bearing, clutch, pilot bearing, resurface flywheel, seals, whatever needs doing. Not really hard to do in a well equipped shop. It is the labor that is going to be the most expensive. I would count on 1 day to remove the engine, 1/2 a day to do the clutch, bearings, seals, etc. You might want to take the flywheel to a specialty shop for resurfacing. There is another day or two. Plus another day to put the engine back in. So all told, count on about a week. That's what I would estimate if you came to my place, but I am slow. Clifford's offer is great. Maybe he is super fast and efficient, and you'll be out of there in 3 days. Merry Christmas.

JC