Getting started with 1/2 way finished bus...

wal1809 · May 05, 2011, 05:23:09 AM

Your only an hour from me. I live do north on HWY 60 just north of East Bernard. I hunt and fish a WHOLE LOT down there. East Matti when the birds are working and WEst Matti when it gets too hot for the shallows. I hunt geese with Larry Robinson who owns Coastal Wings Outfitters. His lodge is at the dead end of Adam road. I have another busnut buddy just north of you in Wharton. We need to get together and have a convoy to somewhere, anywhere I don't care where. He is just about done with his conversion but got called to Alabama for the insurance claims. He did his from scratch as well. He also has it running on waste vegetable oil already. Just give me a bump if you run into any snags and I will do what I can to help.

Oonrahnjay · May 05, 2011, 05:51:38 AM

Quote from: artvonne on May 04, 2011, 06:34:02 PMNot only look for some help, but before you continue with the conversion, take care of all the mechanical stuff, etc., and get it out and drive it. Nothing will get you as excited about getting the project going again, than driving it. And then keep driving it as you work on it, so the juices keep flowing.

Agreed. I drove mine for a few months sitting on a desk chair just to keep the "road time" going. You are *so* much further ahead than most of us so this is a really good way for you to convert a bus. And it will revitalize your Dad, too, no matter how limited he is in helping out.

Busted Knuckle · May 05, 2011, 06:13:30 AM

Quote from: Oonrahnjay
Agreed. I drove mine for a few months sitting on a desk chair just to keep the "road time" going. You are *so* much further ahead than most of us so this is a really good way for you to convert a bus. And it will revitalize your Dad, too, no matter how limited he is in helping out.

That wouldn't work for me because my desk chair has wheels too! I can see taking off at a light or a hard corner and me & the desk chair go one way while the bus goes the other!

BK

trucktramp · May 05, 2011, 07:45:51 AM

I have this picture of BK laying in the stair well of a bus with a tipped over office chair and a "what happened" look on his face.

Busted Knuckle · May 05, 2011, 07:49:14 AM

Quote from: trucktramp on May 05, 2011, 07:45:51 AM
I have this picture of BK laying in the stair well of a bus with a tipped over office chair and a "what happened" look on his face.

jemamus · May 05, 2011, 01:15:11 PM

Quote from: wal1809 on May 05, 2011, 05:23:09 AM
Your only an hour from me. I live do north on HWY 60 just north of East Bernard. I hunt and fish a WHOLE LOT down there. East Matti when the birds are working and WEst Matti when it gets too hot for the shallows. I hunt geese with Larry Robinson who owns Coastal Wings Outfitters. His lodge is at the dead end of Adam road. I have another busnut buddy just north of you in Wharton. We need to get together and have a convoy to somewhere, anywhere I don't care where. He is just about done with his conversion but got called to Alabama for the insurance claims. He did his from scratch as well. He also has it running on waste vegetable oil already. Just give me a bump if you run into any snags and I will do what I can to help.

Do you know anything about diesels?? I may need a day or so with someone who knows something about them. I'm new to hunting though, I just went on my first dove hunt last year and fell in love with it. Never hunted geese though

wal1809 · May 05, 2011, 02:42:20 PM

I know enough about diesels to get us both in trouble

. I don't think we are headed anywhere this weekend. Are you going to be around? Does your bus run and is it legal to operate it at he moment? By legal I mean up to date registration, lights working ect. Let me know what your working with.

jemamus · May 05, 2011, 04:27:03 PM

Quote from: wal1809 on May 05, 2011, 02:42:20 PM
I know enough about diesels to get us both in trouble . I don't think we are headed anywhere this weekend. Are you going to be around? Does your bus run and is it legal to operate it at he moment? By legal I mean up to date registration, lights working ect. Let me know what your working with.

Oh no I have a few months worth of work to do before it's road worthy. Sections of it still have no skin on it. I'm going to have to charge/buy new batteries just to get her to start and rewire the control panel. So I have a ton of things to do. I'm stuck doing family stuff this weekend 8(

rcbeam · May 05, 2011, 04:36:44 PM

I don't know much but I can add this. I think it might be important to be sure the fuel rack is moving freely before you crank it to start. I had an 80 GMC 4905 that has sat too long, and one of the injectors was stuck... I didn't know it. Started it up from the front and the rack was hung in full throttle position... scared the crap out of me. Besides being really hard on any engine to go from sitting for over a year to full throttle in a couple of seconds. I liked to have never got it to settle down enough to get the rack shut off. I never did that again. Even on my MCI that I have now, if it's been sitting for longer than a few weeks before being run, I start from the rear and move the fuel lever first to be sure all is freely moving.

Just my one cent worth.

Russell

robertglines1 · May 05, 2011, 04:40:22 PM

how about some pictures......

luvrbus · May 05, 2011, 04:55:38 PM

You need not worry about the rack stuck on a 6V92 they are spring loaded to prevent what Russell is saying,but I would change the oil the mighty Delo 100 oil (if that is what it has ) will separate when sitting for a very long periods
Chevron puts a use by date on the drums or mix it again just thought I would throw the info out for you guys bet you you didn't know that lol

good luck

Seayfam · May 05, 2011, 05:14:39 PM

I did, not only that, I have drained oil in a big engine that sat for many years like his that had a bunch of water in it when the plug first came out. But that was in Alaska where we go from freeze to thaw many times a year. Could you imagine 8 years?

Gary

luvrbus · May 05, 2011, 05:32:14 PM

Hang tight Gary we will both get flamed for this one lol he is in a very high humidity area like 100% in the summer 50% is low for that area

good luck

jemamus · May 05, 2011, 05:54:37 PM

Quote from: robertglines1 on May 05, 2011, 04:40:22 PM
how about some pictures......

I'm going there this weekend to do some cleanup on the site and I'll get a bunch of them and share the progress so far. After discussing at length the engine with my dad the route we're taking first will be to modify the frame a bit to hold the side mounted radiator he purchased so he could make the back bedroom a little bigger. Yes apparently in the midst of him telling me to weld this and cut that 8 years ago, we extended the bedroom in the back as well. Not to mention the old radiator was crap. Along with the old batteries that came with it. After we get the radiator put on we are going to drop the oil pan and clean the sludge out, change the fuel filter, change the fluids and oil filter and air filter, then go out and get a new set of batteries, crank her up and see what happens. Minimal expense to see if she's still running. Wheres the go to place online you guys purchase oil and filters and all the maintainance items for these things? I'm assuming you can't run down to autozone and pick these up??

jemamus · May 05, 2011, 05:56:02 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on May 05, 2011, 04:55:38 PM
You need not worry about the rack stuck on a 6V92 they are spring loaded to prevent what Russell is saying,but I would change the oil the mighty Delo 100 oil (if that is what it has ) will separate when sitting for a very long periods
Chevron puts a use by date on the drums or mix it again just thought I would throw the info out for you guys bet you you didn't know that lol

good luck

You are correct that's something I didn't know lol. Then again about 95% of this is all news to me, really digging all the helpful tips I'm getting on here guys.