Air Compressor Failure

[lostagain]

I don't see a problem. Everyone post their opinion, and the world carries on. Why should it be different on line than in real life? I didn't see any rudeness or nastiness lately. Returning an item after using it is ok for some, not others. Getting a bus home with an auxiliary electric compressor, is something I probably would've done myself, after verifying that it keeps up to the air demand. What I would have not done, is mention it on this forum.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HighTechRedneck]

What I would have not done, is mention it on this forum.

And that right there is exactly the problem.  More and more people are holding back from posting their experiences and problems because they don't want to be ridiculed, insulted, or argued with.  Everyone, whether new or highly experienced should feel free to share their experiences and troubleshooting problems.  As far as being different than real life, even in the real world, when among friends someone shouldn't need to be on guard with what they ask/tell.  And that is what I am talking about - this forum used to be a large group of friends who cared about and supported each other.  We really need to get back to that.

[plyons]

Lots of good points here - the main take away ( besides taking the bus off the hiway   ) is that we want this to be a safe forum where any/all bus questions can get asked, folks can get help - by those new to buses, and those with decades of experience.  This is a FUN hobby.    

Kind Regards all & thanks for participating! Phil

[Dreamscape]

This forum has been a huge help to me. When I was a newbie I broke down in Palm Springs, failed key on the compressor.  I received help from guys I had never met. I hooked up my auxiliary compressor to get me off an exit ramp to a safe place. I had no idea on where to hook it up, got help and safely, slowly moved the bus out of the way. I was sweating bullets for sure.

My point is, help came in abundance because of this forum. We have lost several members due to feeling like what they say will only bring arguments. I know I have been guilty for not posting questions much anymore. I shouldn't have to feel this way, and no newbie should either. Remember, we all have been a newbie at one time or another. Asking a question that might seem ridiculous to some, may in fact provide the appropriate feedback one is looking for.

We should all want to help someone, pay it forward.   

[Van]

Cudos to those of you who hold this forum together!

[JackConrad]

This forum has been a huge help to me. When I was a newbie I broke down in Palm Springs, failed key on the compressor.   I received help from guys I had never met. I hooked up my auxiliary compressor to get me off an exit ramp to a safe place. I had no idea on where to hook it up, got help and safely, slowly moved the bus out of the way. I was sweating bullets for sure.

My point is, help came in abundance because of this forum. We have lost several members due to feeling like what they say will only bring arguments. I know I have been guilty for not posting questions much anymore. I shouldn't have to feel this way, and no newbie should either. Remember, we all have been a newbie at one time or another. Asking a question that might seem ridiculous to some, may in fact provide the appropriate feedback one is looking for.

We should all want to help someone, pay it forward.    

I agree with Paul.  I rarely post on here anymore for the same reason.  It seems like a few members are just looking for things to slam people about. The people getting slammed are frequently new members you will not return because of the reception they received. The result is that this forum lost a new member that could have became an asset to the forum.  I doubt if there are any of our members that have not done things that were illegal, immoral, or unethical, or maybe all of the above!  Please be considerate of others feelings. Don't type anything that you would not say to their face if you were standing near there bus visiting with them.
    I know I have done several roadside fixes that worked very well, but I did not post them on here, because to the negative feedback I knew I would get from some members. Because of this, someone who might be able to use that roadside fix may not be aware of it.

Jack

[luvrbus]

Bus owners come from all walks of life we have friends with 1mil + buses then we have friends with 10 grand buses to me they are all the same as they should be same and it should be applied here we all have a place in life. The people here have helped me a lot with AC electrical over the years now they are gone.

If one cannot help his fellow owners , laugh,smile and joke what is the point of life. I miss Don Smith he was always good for laugh a few here didn't care for his non related bus jokes so he left.Me at my age I don't take life that serious any more I am thankful to get out of bed each morning and enjoy my day.Treat each other with a little respect it will be fine heck I may even try it

[bevans6]

I guess I am over my snit.  For the OP, your compressor probably just had it's time.  You can take it apart and see but a new one will probably be OK.  If you are in Ontario, I got a Bendix remanufactured Tuflo 700 from Traction for around $500.  If you have the fiber drive ring you might see about upgrading to steel.  On my engine the oil feed is from the front of the block just near the fuel filters, just double check the hose is good, same with the coolant, it's just in and out.  MCI says to always replace the air output hose with a new compressor, it is a teflon lined steel braided hose on my engine that can be made up at a hydraulic hose place, but I reused mine since it looked to be about perfect.  MCI usually has the compressor laid over at around 70 degrees, but the part number on the Bendix plate specifies that so if you ask for your part number you should get the right replacement.

Brian

[Jim Eh.]

From what I remember ... the drive is splined and fairly deep so you start the drive gear over the shaft first, then rotate the compressor to line the mounting position on the engine and push the compressor on the rest of the way. Almost self aligning but not quite.

[luvrbus]

Yep install the drive on the cam gear first I use a white marker from a welding shop and mark the compressor drive and the splines makes it easy to line up standing on your head in the hole on the MCI hopefully he has a truck engine and the compressor is 0 tilt  ::)and not the offset spline drive that some MCI's had

[Lin]

Just a note on the above controversy. I personally consider it a good deed to return things to Walmart simply because of the way I feel about the general practices of that company.  I do not particularly feel that way about HD.  However, considering that I do spend a lot of money a HD, I might not feel bad about letting them help me out sometime.  This is still hypothetical, of course.  

I think that it is important to inform someone that they are doing something illegal and potentially dangerous, but that can be done in a merely informative way avoiding the sound of judgment. I would also note that, if you are knowingly doing something illegal, you might want to consider whether it is wise to post the details online.  It has happened that people have been held accountable for online admissions.

Regarding the compressor-- Parts do fail without anyway way of fixing blame.  When replacing it one should make sure that everything else around it is in good shape.  That is the easiest time to clean lines out and replace hoses.

[bevans6]

A few big power outages ago HD sold out of all of their generators, and brought in extra.  After the outage they got a lot of them back, and you could buy them on sale as returned items.  It's their policy, no one makes them take anything back.  I don't do it myself (buy something, use it and return it) but I don't have a thing about it.  I was talking to one HD employee about it one time, he said he's had people return the old thing they were replacing in the new box and ask for a refund.  I was buying a garbage disposal at the time, so I said can we open this and check it out?  He said sure, got a knife and we opened the box - it turned out to be missing all the hardware, and he said it had been a return...  I got it at a discount because I didn't need the hardware, I was making a black-water macerator pump out of it.  A cashier at a Walmart told me once they caught a guy who had bought a TV, paid for it, took it out of the store then returned it about 10 minutes later and got his money back but had the receipt so he went and got another TV and walked out with it.  They watched him do this, and caught him in the parking lot...

Brian

[luvrbus]

Compressors wear out it is nothing to see one running 250,000 + miles IF the maintenance if followed, in a bus most are installed and forgot about,seized pistons are rare in a compressor  ,idling will kill it on a 2 stroke with the low oil pressure at idle we were told at the Bendix school 15 psi oil pressure is the minimum and 2.5 GPM is the minimum water flow for Bendix compressors

[mikke60]

This sight has been a huge help to me also,and I appreciate all the feed back and help I have gotten. That being said, I guess everyone does whats best for themselves.

[eagle19952]

Here's a guy that needs to be picked on some........