Bus going in for tune up, other things to check???

[Rick59-4104]

 My 4104 671 seems right to me, a little more smoke on start up than I would like, and I do have to add a quart or 2 of oil from time to time but not what I think is excessive.(it is a 671). It seems to do better on oil consumption if I keep it a couple of quarts below the full mark on the stick. Good oil pressure, nothing I know of that would indicate to me it is about to lay down on me.

I am thinking preventative here and  have an appointment with American Fleet Services in Springfield Mo. in a week to have them run the rack and do a tune up. I also plan to have them drop the pan and look at the bearings. I have no idea how many miles are on the engine, In the past 4 years it has made a couple of 3 to 4 thousand mile trips with no trouble.

Any thing else I should have them look at while it is in the shop?  Advise from anyone who has been there done that appreciated.

I have heard good things about American Fleet.......... I think they are pretty much a Detroit shop.

Thanks in advance

Rick

[gus]

Check all the bolts and nuts holding the radius rods and brackets. I've been there. They will seem OK until the third and last bolt falls out but actually move around fore and aft an inch or so. My tire guy caught my rear axle moving.

They were originally safety wired but most of those nuts seem to have disappeared.

Also take a close look for air bag cracks.

Great buses.

[HB of CJ]

Perhaps consider a good engine/tranny oil analysis rather than pulling the pan and $checking$ the bottom end bearings?  Also maybe running and warming up the coach real well before the oil change? (if scheduled)

How many zillion grease zerts does your Bus Conversion have?  Reason I ask is that my old ex Crown had well over 50.  Also had seven (7) different filtures.  Needed to use the factory manual to find everything.  Some were near secret.

Some look and sees are very cheap and easy, like using many types of test tapes to check pH levels and stuff.  Some inspections come back expensive...the power steering hoses on my Crown cost over $350 bucks years ago.

Tires and brakes, suspension and chassis, engine and accessories.  Just retorquing all the important bolts and nuts and oiling stuff could keep somebody busy for hours.  Can you just oil all the rubber?  How $much$ do you have to spend?  HB of CJ (old coot)

[Rick59-4104]

  My thinking on dropping the pan and having experienced eyes check things is: the bus is due for an oil change, a pan gasket is pretty cheap and I have no idea when the last inframe or overhaul was done. I think this shop has some pretty good 2 stroke Detroit guys from what I have heard.
But if an oil analysis would tell me the same thing I am not ruling that out. Just looking for a little piece of mind and trying to avoid that Good Sam call
As for the greasing, checking fluid levels, changing zerks and tweaking and tightening I have access to a pit and can pretty much do most of that myself, but thinking it might be good money spent to have a second more experienced set of eyes give it a going over.
So is dropping the pan on a 671 with unknown miles and checking the bottom end overkill or would an oil analysis be something to have done?   Both??

Thanks HB and Gus....

Rick

[lostagain]

If it runs well, not too much smoke, has good oil pressure, an oil analysis is good enough. I wouldn't pay $100, 125 an hour to have the pan removed and bearings checked. Why are you having the rack run? Is it running rough? Not the power it should have? A tune up will take all day: $1000.

JC

[luvrbus]

I am with JC sometimes the old 6-71's do not like any changes in their life they are happy where they are at

[Len Silva]

I agree with the others here.  The bottom of the engine will let you know long, long before it will strand you.  A very good indicator of the condition of a 6-71 is how easy (or hard) it starts, especially when it's a bit chilly.

It's your money, do what makes you comfortable, but if it were mine, I would not spend the money.  If they have a good Detroit guy, he can probably just start it up and listen for a few minutes and give you a pretty good idea of the condition.

Your oil consumption sounds normal, we usually think in gallons, not quarts.  A gallon in a thousand miles is where most folks get a little concerned, anything less than that is normal.

[gus]

Most oil pans don't like to be up to the full mark, especially 671s. I never fill mine, usually run about a gallon to 1/2 below full with no problem.

If full it throws out the first couple of quarts right away. Same with my 8V71 and just about every other vehicle I own.