Running the rack

[Lin]

How many hours labor is it to run the rack on an 8v71?  About what should the cost be?

[makemineatwostroke]

Lin; figure 3 to 5 hrs depending on what has to be removed to reach both sides the price will depend on the rate of the shop   

have a great day

[lostagain]

Make sure the hands-on mechanic actually knows what he is doing. 4 years ago when I first got my bus and didn't know much about Detroits, I took it to a DD dealer where they changed 2 injectors and ran the rack. A young tech. did it with an older guy coaching him from a distance. They still charged me the shop rate of over $100/hr. It ran good enough I thought, although I've had increasing trouble with it since. Lately it wasn't running good at all, so I got into it myself and found one injector that was only going to half fuel and another one where the control finger on the tube was loose and not moving the injector rack at all. So I "ran the rack" myself, following the instructions in the DD service manual and got an immense improvement. It runs better than ever, smooth, snappy with lots of power, (for a 4-71). Running the rack is actually not that hard. It takes some patience, a sensitive touch and a love of your bus! Study the book first so you understand what goes on in the governor, the fuel control tube and the injector racks. The object is to have the control tube moving all the racks to full fuel equally without binding. It is not as hard as it sounds, even for a half a mechanic like myself. Then there is the saticfaction of accomplishing this yourself, as opposed to giving a shop $500.

JC

[luvrbus]

Lin, if you have Jake's it would be best to let a DD guy run the rack it's not easy to do with Jake's in place.How far do you live from Needles CA one of the best 2 stroke wrench's around has a shop there has several sets of complete Jake's also if you need a set.   good luck

[lostagain]

My engine has jakes and I didn't find they were in the way. The only reason to remove them would be to replace an injector. And even that doesn't look too bad.

Lin, are you into doing it yourself, or having it done? Make sure you get a good, experienced mechanic that will care to do a good job if you are going to spend the money.

JC

[luvrbus]

Lostagain you doing a 4-71 and he has 8v71 stuffed in a MCI 5 a little different

[Dreamscape]

Clifford,

Where in Needles is this DD genie? I lived there for six months until I figured out how hot it can get!

Paul

[luvrbus]

Paul, he is on the AZ side of the river but his phone number is a Needles number only engine Andy will work on and he's sharp on the 2 strokes, there is another guy in Bullhead by the name of Marty retired from WW Williams that is also good he and comes helps me sometimes

[Lin]

I had a steering column installed by a local mechanic.  I'm pretty happy with the way that's come out, and he did a couple of other small stuff.  I asked him about running the rack.  He really didn't seem that he wanted to do it.  He is a big, wide guy, and I don't think he likes the idea of squeezing into the back, so he said it would take 10-12 hours.  It do not think that it is critical but believe I will get some improvement from things being set right.  I will look at the book and see if it is something I wish to try, but probably would like to know it is done right instead.

Needles is about 160 miles from me, so it is something worth considering.  Maybe, after it cools down a little, we could see about a trip that way.  Please give me the info on the mechanic there.  What are his rates like?  I do not have a Jake, but I am not sure I need one now since I have a Spicer and can just go down hills slowly. 

[luvrbus]

Lin, it is A&A Diesel Service  928-768-4311  (ANDY)I see he has a AZ number now.If you come this way I have 50amp service and you are welcome to spend the night and and I would even throw something on the BBQ or you could take in the casinos and food  forgot he was charging $65.00 per hr  good luck

[gus]

Lin,

Don Fairchild in Bakersfield is a DD whiz and he loves them. I know it may be farther than Needles but doesn't hurt to have more options.

[Lin]

Thanks,
     Either trip is worth considering when I decide to finally get it done.  I've got a collection of things I want to do with it at home first.  I guess it will be Oct/Nov when we get to it.  I've copied the info.

[HB of CJ]

I watched racks being set up on 353 and 453 Detroits, but that was long ago and I have totally forgotten how. 35 years past.

Could we learn such a fun, new skill today?  If I had a 2-stroke Detroit, (which I don't) would I learn how?  Dunno.

Us old coots used to set the valves on our 283's with solids.  Why not learn how to set Detroit racks, have fun and goof off? 

[Lin]

I agree that it would be fun to learn.  It's sort of like studying calculus.  Even if you don't use it and forget it pretty soon, you can add it to your list of life accomplishments.  You could even spice conversations with it like, "I remember the time I ran the rack on my 8v71."  However, by learning how to do it, I do not mean I want to start blindly pulling things apart in my driveway without a clue about where I'm going.  Ideally, I guess I would like to do it the first time as a helper.  If I am to experiment, it would probably be better on someone else bus.

[lostagain]

As I said above, it is not witchcraft. Anybody with a minimum of mechanical aptitude and the willingness to learn can do it. I like those old 2 stroke DDs, and as with everything I own, I have to become familiar with them, so I can keep them tuned up and running right anytime as needed.  You first read the manual, then you do it one first time, then the second time you do it that much better, by the third time, you're really good at it. As the old generation 2 stroke DD mechanics are getting rare, we have better learn to do it ourselves. And yes, there always will be nay sayers who say it can't be done by anybody but a seasoned old tech. with 40 years experience. As for myself, I can learn anything if I put my heart into it. We should get some of these old mechanics to give us a seminar on how to tune up a 2 stoke. Now there is an idea for a bus rally...

JC