Brand new to bus life

[micsaboyd]

Hello everyone,  we are converting a 45' mci 102-dl3, and have zero experience with buses! We know this is all going to an ongoing learning curve for us, but for starters, we have a few things we are struggling with:

the bus door seems to be giving us some issues, but maybe we just don't know how to use it yet. when we exit the bus, we can close the door, but then we can't get it to open from the outside. if we wait till the air pressure releases, then the door is no longer held shut with the air pressure, and we can pull it open. are these both a problem? we should be able to open it immediately from the outside, right? and, once the air pressure goes down, should the door unlatch and not be held shut anymore?

the next top issue is, we can't figure out how to get the windshield wipers to work. is there a trick? are they run off the air system as well?

thanks!

[buswarrior]

Hello and welcome!

Your description of door operation all sounds normal, up to the external switch not opening it for you.

The switch closes it... so, I'd start with the switch, it may be broken, then it is on to find a broken wire between there and where it connects. The air lock's job is to keep the door snug against the seal at highway speeds, as there is quite a bit of suction at the corner of the bus.

Wipers are air operated, rotating the wiper control knobs is supposed to put them into action. Some of them have an electrically commanded valving for an intermittant wipe... are there any words on the knobs indicating a delay feature? You could have both prneumatic or electrical issues here.

You MUST get all the books for your coach unit/serial number. There are different books for different buses. Operators, maintenance and parts books.

MCI or other resellers have them, paper or CD.

This is one of the right places for info. Stay away from social media, lots of trash and wrong answers for a newbie on there.

The blind leading the blind, boldly...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[mqbus767]

Hey there!

Going with the "zero experience" comment, just wanted to list a few things that you will want to make sure you do:

• As buswarior said, get the manuals; both the operators manual and the maintenance manual. You will need the year, model, and unit number of your bus to get the most accurate ones.
• Your bus has air brakes. These are quite a different beast from your standard automotive hydraulic brakes. There are steps that you can perform to make sure your brakes are functioning correctly. I would recommend researching the CDL air brake check procedure and trying it out on your bus.
• Develop a paper checklist for startup and shutdown sequences for the bus. Include everything from checking tires, oil, fluid levels, to removing chocks, engine start procedures, proper gauge vale ranges, etc. Think of it as a pre/post flight checklist.
• In most states you'll be required to upgrade your driver's license. Here in TX, for a vehicle the weight of ours, you'll need a class B, CDL exempt. The test is pretty straightforward and requires you be proficient in only two sections of the Texas Drivers Handbook. A fairly standard driving test will also be administered.
• Practice; For all drivers of your fancy new coach, you should provide ample time and space to practice, practice, practice. My church parking lot and a set of orange cones provided the perfect place to get a feel for turning radius, parking, backing up, etc. In all likelihood, the state will require only a minimal level of proficiency to pass the test, but don't stop their. Make yourself aware of stopping distances, clearances, mirror field of view, and handling. A parking lot where the worst casualty is a smashed cone is your best, first option.
• Before you put any significant miles on the bus, a full check-up/service of the bus is an important starting point. Knowing the condition/levels of the various systems and fluids can save many many dollars in unnecessary breaks early in the project.
• If you are working on the bus drive train and systems yourself, please do be careful. There are multiple threads on here about properly securing/lifting your bus to work under it. If you're not 100% sure, take a break, do some research, and come at it again another time. A few youtube videos of buses sliding off their cribbing is a good start to fortifying your self-preservation instincts.
• Your bus has at least two voltages on-board; 12V and 24V. Be sure (RE: You have the manuals now, right?) that you know which voltage you're working on for any given part of the bus.
• You are in good company with your 102DL3. There are quite a few of us on here with 102s and several, me included, with the DL3. If your plan is to convert the bus to an RV, I'd recommend starting a bus project thread in the bus project section so all your acquired experience can be organized in one location.
• When you get a chance, perhaps in your project thread, post as much information about the bus model and history as you are comfortable sharing with complete strangers on the Internet. This includes, year, model, unit number, bus service history, current and original configuration (seated, limo, custom, shell), any known non-functional systems, etc. You'll be amazed what the wizards on Gary's incredible site can troubleshoot from beyond the ether, but you'll need to be the eyes, ears, and nose for them for your bus.

Welcome to the adventure!

[micsaboyd]

You MUST get all the books for your coach unit/serial number. There are different books for different buses. Operators, maintenance and parts books.

MCI or other resellers have them, paper or CD.

I'm having trouble finding manuals for our bus. I found a parts catalogue, but thats all. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? Anyone have a link they can send me?

[ol713]

I'm having trouble finding manuals for our bus. I found a parts catalogue, but thats all. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? Anyone have a link they can send me?

      Welcome to the madness.
           First try MCI,  they probably have your manuals.
           Next try IPB - - - (International Bus Parts) You can do a google search
           for contact info.

                                               Merle.

[DoubleEagle]

Try https://www.coachinfo.com/Coach_Manuals/MCI/MCI-manuals.html