What engine should I look for?

[Dave5Cs]

Mine is original also. MCI 5Cs Saudi.

[Detroitenginespecialist]

LOL,Brian you guys weren't exactly SnowWhite in the deal either,it seem like what could go wrong did on that one

luvrbus - interesting comment from someone looking from the WAY outside in.  I spoke to George the other day to schedule his visit to our facility to fix some issues on his engine the authorized Detroit shop had no idea how to address.  Overall, I believe George is a satisfied customer, because if he wasn't in the slightest, I'm sure he would have posted his concerns for everyone to see and he would not have called us to schedule a visit.

Yes, he had a turbo issue when he left, that was quickly resolved, at the end of the day American Fleet came away with a customer for life and the dealer George was at lost one.  I think the "Snow White" comment should be directed at the Dealer. LOL.

[Lin]

Quote from Zephod:

"No AC. Just don't see the point to be honest.
No house battery. Just don't see the point.
Cooking is done on a portable camp stove
Refrigeration - a large cooler powered by ice
Lighting - D cell powered led lanterns
Shower - pump powered by d cells
Water heating - on the camp stove
Waste water disposal - gravity fed into waste barrels underneath the bus
Turd disposal - a composting toilet unit I built.
Urine disposal - wide mouthed orange juice jar from Walmart.
Fresh water carried onboard in 5 gallon jerry cans.
Ventilation - solar powered.
Phone charging - power takeoff from ventilation unit.
120v AC plugin available - powers 3 sockets in the kitchen are allowing a mini fridge and two other appliances. 3 spare breakers available."

Wow!  Did you remove the seats?

[Geoff]

Quote from Zephod:

"No AC. Just don't see the point to be honest.
No house battery. Just don't see the point.
Cooking is done on a portable camp stove
Refrigeration - a large cooler powered by ice
Lighting - D cell powered led lanterns
Shower - pump powered by d cells
Water heating - on the camp stove
Waste water disposal - gravity fed into waste barrels underneath the bus
Turd disposal - a composting toilet unit I built.
Urine disposal - wide mouthed orange juice jar from Walmart.
Fresh water carried onboard in 5 gallon jerry cans.
Ventilation - solar powered.
Phone charging - power takeoff from ventilation unit.
120v AC plugin available - powers 3 sockets in the kitchen are allowing a mini fridge and two other appliances. 3 spare breakers available."

Wow!  Did you remove the seats?

It reminds me of us starting out with a metal tent on wheels.  Warning-- if you move up to a potta-potty don't open the lid after climbing a mountain or you will have a very unpleasant experience.

--Geoff

[Zephod]

Quote from Zephod:

"No AC. Just don't see the point to be honest.
No house battery. Just don't see the point.
Cooking is done on a portable camp stove
Refrigeration - a large cooler powered by ice
Lighting - D cell powered led lanterns
Shower - pump powered by d cells
Water heating - on the camp stove
Waste water disposal - gravity fed into waste barrels underneath the bus
Turd disposal - a composting toilet unit I built.
Urine disposal - wide mouthed orange juice jar from Walmart.
Fresh water carried onboard in 5 gallon jerry cans.
Ventilation - solar powered.
Phone charging - power takeoff from ventilation unit.
120v AC plugin available - powers 3 sockets in the kitchen are allowing a mini fridge and two other appliances. 3 spare breakers available."

Wow!  Did you remove the seats?

No seats in there aside from the driver's seat and the toilet.


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[PP]

Ya gotta love that 'Wide Mouthed Orange Juice Jar' from Walmart. I knew they were better than just an overnighting parking lot LOL 

[Zephod]

Ya gotta love that 'Wide Mouthed Orange Juice Jar' from Walmart. I knew they were better than just an overnighting parking lot LOL 

Just don't try to overnight at the Walmart on Augusta Rd in west Columbia, sc. That Walmart closes at 10pm until 6am because they keep getting robbed. They're pretty close to the infamous Rolling Meadows mobile home park.


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[plyonsMC9]

Chris & Beverly, welcome to the forum!

You can be a bus enthusiast and not be a diesel mechanic.  Of course, it helps! We've had almost 15 good years of busing, though during the early years we had to get the bus cleaned up mechanically and on a maintenance plan.  Not saying the early years weren't expensive - BUT I'm certainly NOT a diesel mechanic.  I've bought the manuals (huge stack) & studied them to at least be somewhat conversant with the mechanics.  Besides, maybe your specialty is converting the interior, or furniture work, or?

I've found that in our case what's been important is preventative maintenance.  I'm almost obsessed with it.  When we move to a different city I immediately start searching for a good mechanic.  (We have an '83 MC9).  Then I get on a maintenance plan with them.  Well, I setup a plan that we follow.  I put the bus in the shop each year for for regular maintenance.  I budget an amount I plan to spend each year, and try to make the bus a little better each year.   I have them do an oil change & lube even though it may not need it each year because I want the mechanic to look over the bus.  Also they do brake checks, air bags and whatever else is on my list.  This does not include the tires, but I have them on a schedule.  Steer tires I keep relatively new, then rotate them to the tags when it's time to purchase new steer tires.  Next I'll purchase the 4 drive tires.  Never let the tires get "old" age-wise even if they still look new.  It's not worth it.  Batteries 2 x p/year check 'em out., drive the bus once p/month, check fluids, tighten fittings, and so forth.

By following this obsession with preventive maintenance, we've been blessed with many good miles on the road.  Heh, and we have ourselves setup with roadside service that can handle a bus - we use good sam.  Keep the bus forum contact info with you also.   About 10 years ago we were really glad we did when we had an issue which sidelined us on the highway.  This is a great group of bus folk who will help you should you have an issue.  You know the saying; plan for the worst, expect the best.  

If you don't like the idea of hassling with the maintenance, then I would say a bus (or actually even an RV) isn't a great idea.  These are just my ideas on how to handle the bus if you aren't a diesel mechanic, they've served us well and I believe they work well, or at least increase your chances of enjoying this crazy hobby.  

Finally, enjoy the ride!  We certainly have and wouldn't trade it - an amazing number of family memories.      In fact, when I mentioned we may be thinking of doing another conversion, our now-adult kids were saddened because they had so many happy memories of the bus.  Didn't really expect that.

Kind Regards, Phil

PS - agree with other posts; get a later model engine if possible.  It may make it easier to get it worked on if you're across the country and your local mechanic isn't available.  Plan for the worst!

[Scott & Heather]

I've had some odd technical advice so don't trust intimate technical advice too much. General conversions yes - most people here that claim to have converted a bus have at least had a friend that converted one.

I don't quite agree with this. Good group of guys here. I know a good handful of them personally. Some of them are simply walking bus encyclopedias. Also, I don't understand the helpfulness of a post that spends 90% of its content explaining what the owner has done on his conversion when the original poster asked about engines. This poster also converted a school bus. Nothing against skoolies, but they are completely different beasts than a hwy over the road private coach. So, in terms of engines and mechanics there isn't much similarity so take that with a grain of salt.

If you guys aren't mechanically inclined and don't want to mess around doing your own engine troubleshooting, seriously consider a newer engined coach with a 4 stroke. We have personally owned and converted two coaches one with a 6v92 turbo two stroke and our current coach an 8v92 turbo two stroke. As great as they are, they are a pain in the hiney to mess with....I won't sugar coat it. I drove 12,000 miles in 4 months last year and I only wish I could tell you that they were 12,000 trouble free miles lol.


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[Geoff]

I've been reading all the posts downgrading the old two strokes and opting for a computer controlled four stroke and do not agree at all.  What isn't mentioned is the enormous prices parts cost to repair a four stroke, while the two strokes will be around for forever on a worldwide basis.  I have had great success with aftermarket parts for the 2 stroke Detroits and they are an excellent engine.  I just made a 1600 mile trip to California and got 10 mpg.  This is with a 350 HP 6V92TA. 

--Geoff

[Scott & Heather]

^ i agree with this, I sincerely enjoy my two stroke. My 6v92 seemed underpowered but it never gave me a single problem in 6 years of nationwide travel and full timing. I am definitely not anti two stroke. My 8v92 turbo is quick stuff set at 500 hp and I can beat most any truck up the mountains, my only concern and qualifier was the fact that the original poster said they have no mechanical ability. If that's the case and they don't have much of a desire to wrench, they might be better off with a newer motor. As we've traveled Fulltime for seven years I have honestly and truly had a difficult time finding peeps to work on our engine. I have been all over the country and I cross my fingers I don't have an engine issue (that I can't fix myself) far from a known two stroke mechanic. The guys at truck repair facilities just honestly have no clue. Again, I love my 8v92. It works. And it works well. I'll probably always have it, but if I were you, I would seriously consider a newer 4 stroke that at least most truck repair places could wrench on.


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[Geoff]

^ i agree with this, I sincerely enjoy my two stroke. My 6v92 seemed underpowered but it never gave me a single problem in 6 years of nationwide travel and full timing. I am definitely not anti two stroke. My 8v92 turbo is quick stuff set at 500 hp and I can beat most any truck up the mountains, my only concern and qualifier was the fact that the original poster said they have no mechanical ability. If that's the case and they don't have much of a desire to wrench, they might be better off with a newer motor. As we've traveled Fulltime for seven years I have honestly and truly had a difficult time finding peeps to work on our engine. I have been all over the country and I cross my fingers I don't have an engine issue (that I can't fix myself) far from a known two stroke mechanic. The guys at truck repair facilities just honestly have no clue. Again, I love my 8v92. It works. And it works well. I'll probably always have it, but if I were you, I would seriously consider a newer 4 stroke that at least most truck repair places could wrench on.


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The new generation of "techs" are lost without a computer plug in.  I don't have to worry about working on 2-strokes, I am one of few mechanics left that know them inside out since I used to work for Detroit Diesel before the DDECs came out.  Don't ask me a DDEC problem, I don't even have a program for them.  However, I do have $5,000 wrapped up in a Nexis IQ reader for 2004 and newer trucks and buses.  I am mobile and can pull my work truck with my bus conversion, but it cuts my fuel mileage to 5-6 mpg.

--Geoff
General Diesel Service
Prescott, AZ

[windtrader]

As we've traveled Fulltime for seven years I have honestly and truly had a difficult time finding peeps to work on our engine. I have been all over the country and I cross my fingers I don't have an engine issue (that I can't fix myself) far from a known two stroke mechanic. The guys at truck repair facilities just honestly have no clue.

My gut instinct echos the same about the reality of obtaining qualified 2 stroke service near a place when needing unplanned service. And this is today.

The condition only degrades as time and bus roll forward. Committing to a bus conversion project necessitates a long term horizon, ten years hardly unrealistic. If you honestly ask the question, "How many of today's "old time" 2 stroke mechanics will still be working?". My understanding is 2 stroke engine repair is no longer taught in votech, so add a decade of trained truck motor mechanics not able to work on them.

[Iceni John]

Without getting into the pros and cons of all the different possible engines, one approach I first used with my 1970 Mercedes is to have the full set of factory service and repair manuals, plus whatever other information that could be useful to a technician, kept in the vehicle at all times.   This way, if Something Bad happened where there was a tech unfamiliar with my car, he would at least have access to information not available otherwise.   Similarly, with my bus I have a Pro-Link scanner for DDEC II and III, plus the 6V92 parts manuals and DDEC troubleshooting manual, and (when I can print them off the Wanderlodge website) the 6V92 service manual.   This may be the difference between a truck tech being able to get me on the road again, compared to being completely stuck somewhere because nobody knows what's needed.   Besides, it's fun to see exactly what the engine's up to when driving (yes, I know busnuts have strange ways to get their jollies).

As the scouts say, Be Prepared.

John 

[luvrbus]

Two strokes are good engines they are just not as efficient as the modern engines,the military branches are even replacing all the old Detroits,the 92 series Detroit have severed me well over the years I could always depend on it getting me home.They are not cheap nowadays to rebuild it cost about the same for a 6v92 as it does for a series 60