Help me make a decision here

[Len Silva]

OK guys, here's the deal.

I have a 4104 that I've owned for about twenty years. We used it a lot in the first five years but now it has sat unused for the best part of the last fifteen.  It is under cover and has been started a few times, though not in about five years. It has been a question of time, money and energy not coming into alignment.

Now I have the time and we definitely want to get out on the road again (though I'm not all that sure about the money or energy)

So here I am with a fifty year old bus which probably needs the best part of twenty grand to be dependable.
Obviously, it needs tires - they are at least 25 years old, and wheels - they are old splits.
How about the air bags? Do they age like tires?
Wheel bearings from sitting so long - do they just need to be repacked or could the bearings have flat spots and need replacing?
It has the old ram steering and was a bear too drive.  Is Shepard steering still available and worth the expense?

How about the engine? What problems can I expect from non-use and what's the best way to head them off?

I believe the engine only has about 60k SMO but it was a long time ago.
It has the old DC generator which never has worked very well.
It kept my tow car well oiled.

It has a new basement A/C that I bought about ten years ago but never finished installing.

It needs paint, a generator, spring brakes etc.

The interior is not bad, a little upholstery and clean up, maybe new carpet.

So, what do you think? Fix it up or dump it and buy somebody else's conversion ($35-50K)

I'd rather walk than have a sticks and staples overloaded motorhome.

Thanks,

Len Silva

[Busted Knuckle]

OK guys, here's the deal.

I have a 4104 that I've owned for about twenty years. We used it a lot in the first five years but now it has sat unused for the best part of the last fifteen.  It is under cover and has been started a few times, though not in about five years. It has been a question of time, money and energy not coming into alignment.

Now I have the time and we definitely want to get out on the road again (though I'm not all that sure about the money or energy)

So here I am with a fifty year old bus which probably needs the best part of twenty grand to be dependable.
Obviously, it needs tires - they are at least 25 years old, and wheels - they are old splits.
How about the air bags? Do they age like tires?
Wheel bearings from sitting so long - do they just need to be repacked or could the bearings have flat spots and need replacing?
It has the old ram steering and was a bear too drive.  Is Shepard steering still available and worth the expense?

How about the engine? What problems can I expect from non-use and what's the best way to head them off?

I believe the engine only has about 60k SMO but it was a long time ago.
It has the old DC generator which never has worked very well.
It kept my tow car well oiled.

It has a new basement A/C that I bought about ten years ago but never finished installing.

It needs paint, a generator, spring brakes etc.

The interior is not bad, a little upholstery and clean up, maybe new carpet.

So, what do you think? Fix it up or dump it and buy somebody else's conversion ($35-50K)

I'd rather walk than have a sticks and staples overloaded motorhome.

Thanks,

Len Silva

Boy o boy have you got a big decision ahead of you! Well first off, ya got a start as ya already own it! An ya know sometihngs about it! Yes definetly need tires as for the air bags probably need to be replaced but I'd get'm aired up and get the bus over a pit or up on ramps and blocked up for safety and just do a real close inspection of everything! The engine whew! First off I'd get to the intake and use at least 1 can of WD40 Fogger to saturate things good leave it sit overnight then the next day use the fogger again and spray as you crank it! The WD40 will lubricate thinkgs where starting fluid doesn't! The Fogger style lets to get a large dose of it in there heavily (I use the fogging style for just about everything, unless it's something small in an area I don't wannna have to clean up! Because it does FOG and coats what ever you spray it at good!) Now after starting the engine you'll probably notice the oil leaks are worse than ever! That's because the seals, & gaskets dry up from sitting for long periods of time with no lubrication! As for the wheel bearings, if yer planning on repackin 'm I'd just inspect 'm real close and if no problems found, repack and re-install! Any blemishes or rust, hard to turn, or any abnormalty's replace 'm! I'm sure I've missed somethin here, but I've covered enough to get ya started even if it is just in think'n that's more than ya wanted to do! "Knuckle"  

[Dallas]

To add to what Busted Knuckle said,
I think I'd drain the Fuel tank, take it off and have it cleaned, along with the fuel lines. That'll get rid of the slimy bacteria that has probably grown in the tank.
If it still has the old style strainer type primary filter and the sock style secondary filter, I'd probably swap them out with the newer style spin ons.
Blow out the fuel rail with compressed air.
Check and see if the rack moves freely or if an injector is stuck. After sitting that long, there's a good chance something is stuck in there.
If you start the engine and the rail starts at full fuel position, you can have a run away and destroy the engine.
As Busted Knuckle said, Someone will come up with more, but these things should get you started.
Oh, and by the way, my bus is 54 years old this year.
Dallas
PD4103-1085
http://www.busconversionstuff.com/eventpage.htm

[kyle4501]

If you were to buy someone elses conversion, how would you KNOW what you're getting?

You already know the history of your own.

The evil you know is better than the evil you don't.

You will probably be $$$ ahead if you stick with the one you have & fix it up like you mentioned.

Good luck
kyle4501

[Busted Knuckle]

All right I'm gonna try it again I responded once but the server was too busy and lost it!
Fisrt Thanks Dallas I shoulda mentioned all that but I figured I was sorta getin long winded! Also Kyle yes you have a valid point! But ya never know he could have his eye on the perfect unit and just need a little push to check it out an if Dallas an I didn't give enough incenitive to look around I'm sure we can go on an on about this and that that needs checked but in reallity whether it be on his current coach or a new one it should all be checked out! So again it's decisiion time! Knuckle! 

[Clarke Echols]

OK guys, here's the deal.

(snip stuff)

Wheel bearings from sitting so long - do they just need to be repacked or could the bearings have flat spots and need replacing?
It has the old ram steering and was a bear too drive.  Is Shepard steering still available and worth the expense?

Wheel bearings are steel on steel and cannot get flat spots from just sitting.  They do get them from sitting on a rail car as with piggyback trailers.  The pounding of the rails makes the bad spots on the bearings, but it won't happen just sitting in a barn/garage/shop.  Seals are another matter.  They dry out and will probably leak, but you could start by putting a seal-restorer additive to the motor oil, transmission oil, differential, etc. to soften 'em up a bit...

Dang this grinds on me -- been on the old board for years, and here I'm a "newbie" ?!!!  :-)

[DrivingMissLazy]

Keep at it Clarke. I was a newbee last week. Its your turn this week. LOL

Do neoprene seals actually dry up or is that only the old cork or paper seals?
Richard

[Busted Knuckle]

Keep at it Clarke. I was a newbee last week. Its your turn this week. LOL

Do neoprene seals actually dry up or is that only the old cork or paper seals?
Richard

Richard I think they all dry out to some degree the cork or papaer worse, but the neoprene still get hard and brittle at least this has been my experinence!

Clarke I can't help ya on the "Newbie thingy as I are one too! And will stillbe for quite sometime compared to some of ya'll!  Knuckle! I think it's all just a label anyway! Call me what ya want just don't call me late for supper!
Darn I could've seperated that into 2 post and been 1 step closer to a "JR" which I all ready am have been all my life and always will proudly be 1 !  Knuckle