Smoking. Cracked ring...??? What to do

artvonne · March 30, 2011, 10:47:45 AM

Curious, why not have Williams look at it? They surely had to R&R it to pull the head(s). If it wasnt charging when it left they should have told you. Does it have a charging light, any charge indicator?

luvrbus · March 30, 2011, 10:57:42 AM

You don't remove the alternator on 05 Eagle to remove the head they set on drivers side behind the tail light door they stay there with even a engine removal and no wires to disconnect either

good luck

thejumpsuitman · March 30, 2011, 11:23:26 AM

Quote from: artvonne on March 30, 2011, 10:47:45 AM
Curious, why not have Williams look at it? They surely had to R&R it to pull the head(s). If it wasnt charging when it left they should have told you. Does it have a charging light, any charge indicator?

There is no alternator gage. I am installing one. I didn't know it wasn't charging myself for almost two hours. Clifford seems to think the isolator is the problem.

Van · March 31, 2011, 12:54:11 PM

Marc, Clifford is the real King!

Thank ya very much

thejumpsuitman · March 31, 2011, 01:58:32 PM

Yes, Clifford was right.... again

Kudos to Cory as well for recognizing the non-ignition wire alternator.

So here we are... 47 days after the purchase, (41 of which were in the shop), and $4,100 spent, we are home with the bus! All is well except for needing a new battery isolator, 20 lug nut covers that were never reinstalled after the tow, and a chrome tailpipe extension we lost on the way.... (By the way, the lug nut covers are the 1-1/2 inch type in case anybody needs to buy some).

luvrbus · March 31, 2011, 02:02:51 PM

Marc, don't buy a isolator just use solenoids a lot cheaper no way would I have a isolator in my charging system loop after the starting batteries maybe lol

good luck

Highway Yacht · March 31, 2011, 02:13:41 PM

Quote from: thejumpsuitman on March 31, 2011, 01:58:32 PM
Yes, Clifford was right.... again Kudos to Cory as well for recognizing the non-ignition wire alternator.

So here we are... 47 days after the purchase, (41 of which were in the shop), and $4,100 spent, we are home with the bus! All is well except for needing a new battery isolator and 20 lug nut covers that were never reinstalled after the tow.... (By the way, they are the 1-1/2 inch type in case anybody needs to buy some).

Marc.. Glad you finally got the Beauty home.. Once you get her all settled in, give me a call because I'd love for you to give me a tour of her.

Jimmy

Busted Knuckle · March 31, 2011, 02:20:30 PM

Hey not bad $4100 for 41 days in the shop! I wish I could get my buses in & out of a shop for just $100 a day! (jest kidding)

BK

thejumpsuitman · March 31, 2011, 02:28:46 PM

Quote from: Highway Yacht on March 31, 2011, 02:13:41 PM
Quote from: thejumpsuitman on March 31, 2011, 01:58:32 PM

Marc.. Glad you finally got the Beauty home.. Once you get her all settled in, give me a call because I'd love for you to give me a tour of her.

Jimmy

Will do Jimmy. Would love to finally meet you.

thejumpsuitman · March 31, 2011, 02:35:16 PM

Quote from: Busted Knuckle on March 31, 2011, 02:20:30 PM
Hey not bad $4100 for 41 days in the shop! I wish I could get my buses in & out of a shop for just $100 a day! (jest kidding)
BK

Yeah, I think I would take that deal... $100 for a day's work at a diesel shop... Kind of gets rough after 40 days though.

thejumpsuitman · March 31, 2011, 02:36:31 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on March 31, 2011, 02:02:51 PM
Marc, don't buy a isolator just use solenoids a lot cheaper no way would I have a isolator in my charging system loop after the starting batteries maybe lol

good luck

Cheaper is better, that's for sure... Why no isolator? Not needed?

uncle ned · March 31, 2011, 06:27:20 PM

Just found out why it takes so long to get from Texas to Charlotte NC. It was the passenger's fault.

uncle ned

thejumpsuitman · March 31, 2011, 08:04:21 PM

Uh oh.... Sounds like someone's telling tales.

JohnEd · March 31, 2011, 08:41:34 PM

Quote from: thejumpsuitman on March 31, 2011, 02:36:31 PM
Quote from: luvrbus on March 31, 2011, 02:02:51 PM
Marc, don't buy a isolator just use solenoids a lot cheaper no way would I have a isolator in my charging system loop after the starting batteries maybe lol

good luck

Cheaper is better, that's for sure... Why no isolator? Not needed?

Any "solid state" device has a voltage drop. If you install a isolator in a system to separate the bats you must, by doing so, put a silicon union in series with the bat. That means that while the alternator is putting out a full 13.5 volts to maintain your bats charge your bat is actually seeing only 13...... or 13.5 minus .5. The real numbers are a hundredth of a volt different but you get the idea.

To make this system work you need to relocate the "charge voltage sense line" from the alt + term way out to the "bat plus terminal". That way the alt will jack up its charge voltage till it sees the voltage at the bat rise to the level God intended.

NOW, having said all that there are still a couple flys in the ointment. !) The isolator is a electrical device and as we know they are not all the same. Basically, a isolator is just a couple big diodes hooked together. Diodes have a peculiar current rating and as that current rating goes up the cost of the isolator goes up much faster. Costs are always turbocharged like that. Lets see now, you have an alternator that cranks out 300 amps and it will put that current into the bat maybe never but a couple hundred is a for sure if you have a 50 and the bats are dead. Check the price on the isolator that you need....current wise. Those top-o-the-line solenoids rated for continuous duty are 15 or 20 bucks and that is your alternative. That system requires that a solenoid be placed across the +12 start bat bank to the +12 house bat bank. The second is .....? Need I say more?

Regardless of what you decide you should run that wire from the bat + to the regulator, internal t the alt or external, Measure with a voltmeter from the regulator to the 12+ and see the voltage that you are missing. Now try to do that test with the bat drawing 200 amps of charge. Get it? Run the wire.

OR.... Call Ace and see if all this can be done using pneumatic circuit for the air horn.

?? Couldn't resist, Ace

Still luv ya.

(WHOA Nellie! Easy girl.)

John

Oh by the way. I have a 75 amp Cole Hersy isolator for sale CHEAP. Give a holler.

John

thejumpsuitman · April 02, 2011, 07:29:50 AM

Well "Big Red" has finally settled into her assigned parking space. I had to take down a tree and trim several others to make way for her. I have two driveways, and the neighbors on the side where she was temporarily parked are rejoicing now that her profile no longer eclipses the sun from their property.

.

Boy, backing into the drive will take some practice! On the third try I finally got the correct angle to cut the turn. Black&White backup camera doesn't help much when all you see are trees and bushes. Glad nobody was watching while I worked it out. LOL... Well, my wife was watching, but we don't get embarrassed around each other. She sure didn't want to be the one backing her up!!!! Now we are on the road to pick up a new leather sleeper sofa to replace the house style day bed the PO had in there. The fun begins!