Broken down, toasted engine??

[luvrbus]

Just hang in their George not much else you can do,I cannot believe a outfit that large did not have a 6v92 built ready to ship o well maybe they will give you a big cut rebuilding yours LOL I can start you GOFUNDME account buddy no not really but I hate it when it takes so long as I know the meter is running 

[Geom]

Well it's been a while and I thought I'd provide a (not so) quick update (since some have asked )

We're still here in NM. Our engine was delayed because while dynoing it, something was off about the turbo. So they had to order a new one, which took an additional day, plus some more dyno/testing time. But our engine eventually got here yesterday.
It looks nice and shiny, and I can't wait to actually see it installed and more importantly running!

American Fleet has been good to work with, in keeping me informed of the status of the engine and of the progress so far. And they've been easily accessible by phone with questions. In addition to catching what might've been a potential future turbo failure, I think they also caught what could have been a giant CF with making sure the generator gear-set is actually dialed in correctly and adjusted for our specific generator. Something that seemed to befuddle the mechanics here when asked to provide the info AF needed to do so. But everyone eventually ended up on the same page.

After spending 6 weeks scratching our... let's call it heads, we finally decided to disassemble the fan and lo and behold there are part numbers on the fan and on the clutch.
So we've started the process anew of trying to find the right fan.
We believe we have finally found the right parts, but it's going to take an additional 1-3 days to make/ship the parts.
In addition, after talking with the folks at kit masters, it appears that the clutch is a clockwise clutch, on a counterclockwise fan. While likely not a huge issue (I hope), as the original clutch come pre-assembled as one piece; some of the replacement clutches now come as "assemble on the fly" type clutches with a threaded connector for the pilot. If that's what the shop actually ordered, then obviously that will not work as the reversed rotation will eventually counter the thread back-out and fail spectacularly. So I need to double check that.
In a million years, I never would've figured the hardest thing to replace on a 50 year old bus would be the stinkin' radiator fan. But here we are.  

So we're stuck here yet another week.
The hope was they'd probably start assembling the engine today.
I do think the shop here is trying hard to do right by us, and do sense a genuine empathy for our predicament. I also think a vehicle like this is pushing their comfort level beyond what they're used to working on.
But we continue to drudge through this process. While it has been a good learning experience, it has also been extremely taxing both financially and mentally. But I'm hoping we're nearing an end; and the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train.

I don't mean to sound morose, and I know that this is a process that has to be worked through step-by-step; but I am sick of staying in hotels, miss my home, and just want my bus back.

Hopefully we'll get past this and look back on it as yet another story to tell.
And hopefully soon, an upcoming post will be one of joy about my shiny new engine, roaring to life with that lovely throaty rumble of a two stroke.    :

[luvrbus]

Thanks for the update George glad it is finally coming to gather 2 months is a long time.I am going to give you some advice and that being while you are waiting on the fan parts with not knowing how many mile are on the alternator I would replace the bearing.
The manual calls for the alternator bearing to be replaced @100,000 miles.I know you want it done right and bearings are cheap insurance the gear driven alternator is a time bomb just waiting to go off.
When the guys install the alternator make them coat the gears with a marking compound like Ratech or Prussian Blue install the alternator with 2 bolts, bar the engine over a couple of rotations remove it and check the gear mesh to be on the safe side.If the wear is excessive you will need to replace the drive and the small alternator gear 
It is lot better to be safe than sorry Stewart and Stevenson or American is not going to be responsible for the alternator and the damage it can cause and believe me it can destroy a engine when it goes.I hate those things hanging on the back of a engine  

good luck        

[lostagain]

Sounds like your shop, and American Fleet, are looking after you well. Like putting an engine on a dyno before it goes out the door revealed a bad turbo. A lesser shop would have sent it out without knowing of a problem. Hang in there, you can look forward to a good bus when you drive out of there.

JC

[luvrbus]

Wonder were they got the turbo from I watched the Cat dealer testing rebuilt turbos they run a test with mock up ETG and oil supply let the turbo cool down and run the test 3 or 4 times then run it for 2 hrs they call it cooking eliminates the break it and will find any problems.I think all good turbo shops do that maybe they did his in house.

I would really love to see his build sheet and the dyno sheet on that engine to see if they used a water brake dyno or a Eddy current dyno.I have a place close that lets me use their chassis dyno lol I crossed my fingers when I had my DL3 on it a few weeks back all was good with the 60 series but it had enough the fan was humming and the poor thing was gasping for air    

[luvrbus]

George, are you on the road yet ? give us a update lol I understand if you are trying to deal with sticker shock and don't want to update us but we worry about you and the wife

[John316]

I would really love to see his build sheet and the dyno sheet on that engine to see if they used a water brake dyno or a Eddy current dyno.I have a place close that lets me use their chassis dyno lol I crossed my fingers when I had my DL3 on it a few weeks back all was good with the 60 series but it had enough the fan was humming and the poor thing was gasping for air    

What did you get on the dyno? We dyno'ed it once using a chassis dyno. Exciting.

[luvrbus]

John, I am @ 467 hp at the rear wheels now

[Geom]

George, are you on the road yet ? give us a update lol I understand if you are trying to deal with sticker shock and don't want to update us but we worry about you and the wife

Thanks for checking in Clifford.
We're still stuck here in good ole Farmington.
The shop here is.... well, they're the shop here. And they're working on it, day by day.
Most of the stuff is back on the engine and they "hope" to be able to put it in today or tomorrow. This is obviously a far cry from"we can take it out in a day and put it back-in in 2-3 days" but when you're a captive audience you take what you get.
I'm trying (dear gwad am I trying) to be patient, polite, calm, understanding, etc etc etc, but I did make it clear that I'm not spending another bleeping weekend in Farming-bleeping-ton, lol. So I think/hope some forward progress will be made toward that end.

At this point I should've just thrown this thing on a flatbed and hauled it to your shop. 
But hindsight being the 20/20 beast that it is, always has a way of biting you in the... 
Anyway, hopefully this week will find me closer to done, because I know I'm done 

[bevans6]

It takes a lot longer than most think to dress an engine, install the transmission, hook all the stuff back up.  It's the real time-waster in the process, it's easy to think it just takes a few hours.  I hope you'll be rolling real soon.

Brian

[luvrbus]

Hours don't work for me either you work at to be done in 2-10hr days,but 2 months is a very long time to be stuck in Farmington NM.I spent a year in Farmington and Hobbs NM if you were going to the world a enema that would be a good place to start   

[luvrbus]

George, are we still in Farmington NM for another week end 

[Geom]

<sigh>, yes we are still here in Farmington and still trying to bring this to an end. 

[Cary and Don]

We sure hope you aren't paying for all this time. Geeze

Don and Cary

[Geom]

Still here and the meter is, of course, still running.