Throttle cable for GMC 5305

[Sipapu]

I'm trying to get my bus from Portland to home and have had a variety of troubles.  I am in Tooele, Utah with a frozen throttle cable.  It is the type that has a plastic type sleeve that maybe has cracked and a piece lodged somewhere binding the cable itself - best guess I have anyway.  Anyone know where I might find this?  I've gotten advice to remove the cable and lubricate and replace, but the 'old style' sleeve has been replace at some point with a plastic sleeve with wiring support.  I can't get the cable completely out to examine.  I'm almost ready to run a clothesline down the side of the bus

[Boomer]

Time to put an air throttle on it.  Total parts would probably be in the 150.00 range.

[Sipapu]

Yes, I think you are right. Luke could not find a cable. He quoted a little more than $500 for air throttle tho   

[luvrbus]

You can buy pedal from Ron the Bus Nut for 112.00 (299.00 on Ebay) the controller for the engine are 25 bucks at  used marine and equipment dealers 150 bucks should get you there 

[TomC]

Highly recommend you change to an air throttle. If you don't have air, it don't work-but then you don't move the bus without air either. Air throttle has a very light pedal that if you don't have cruise control, your foot won't fall asleep. Then hooking up a King Cruise to the foot pedal is very easy-keeps the cruise control unit out of the engine compartment. Good Luck, TomC

[Sipapu]

Thanks Tom - good advice.  I am gonna do it!

[Dreamscape]

I replaced mine with an air throttle and really like it.

You can get a brand new cable from http://www.speedometerserviceportland.com/ I got one for my Allison shift tower, 41' for about $180.

[luvrbus]

You have to feel for this guy his 1st bus he looses a engine first now stuck in Utah he has covered about 500+ miles in 3+ weeks 

[Sipapu]

 ;DThanks Luvrbus!  With the help of you guys, I am actually making out ok.  Bill Gerrie in Canada and Luke have also both been very helpful.  Starting Thursday, I am beginning to enjoy my trip.  I flew to Portland March 1 to pick up this 5305 that was 'ready to go anywhere'.  I gave myself a month to get home to Destin, Florida. It did immediately eat a piston but a fellow named Wade in Bend did some major repairs (head, cylinder sleeve, piston, manin bearings and rod, conrod, injectors).  It took a week and about $3k.  Then the neutral safety switch was bad - I repaired.  TThe tires had sat for 3 years so I replaced all 6 - $3.5k. Then 300 miles into Utah, my throttle gets stuck at 65-70 wide open.  I limped back to a truckstop in Tooele (TA) and after working 4 hours and destroying my throttle cable - the manager came out and said "We don't work on buses".  Pieces all over the ground.

I set the motor on high idle and drove to Smith Power Products in Salt Lake City.  These guys were incredible!  They never said no.  The shop could  (and did) hold 30-40 buses, tractors, etc.  I almost installed an air throttle, but they suggested manufacturing a throttle cable - and did.  Repaired an airbag problem, speedo, tach, lube and misc items - gave everything a check over - and had me out the door 3 days later for $1k.  (I slept in the bus and got a free hat).

I am now in Green River, Utah after a long run through some pretty good grades - and she is purring like she should.  Very smooth, very strong, good temperatures making those hills.  Not knowing any better, and knocking on wood, I'm hoping its time to clean up a bit - check everything again - and enjoy the ride.  Durango tomorrow (I went to college there).

Thanks for the help and kind thoughts

Rick

[John316]

Oh yeah. That is what I am talking about Rick! Good for you!

I am glad you finally got things figured out and running decent. Thanks for the update.

John

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Nah, you got free repairs and a thousand dollar hat!

[wg4t50]

I feel you are a happier camper  with the cable throttle, while I do love the air throttle, with a manual gear box, I find the air throttle not to my liking as the delay was always hard for me, where the mechanical throttle, you have feel, gear changes are nicer.  With the auto trans, yes air throttle indeed.
Just my opinion/sperience
Dave M

[Sipapu]

The saga continues...  I made it to a nice park in Mancos, Co about 30 miles from Durango, and next to Mesa Verde Park.  I spent several hours at 6000-7000 feet today and lost a good amount of power.  I am trying to chalk it up to lack of air, but I am getting an awful lot of exhaust smoke – both black and white!  The white seems to go away as the operating temp gets up to 180 – mostly.  The black smoke is terrible when starting from a stop and mostly goes away when at cruising speed without much of a load.  Until today, I had hardly any smoke – non at start up (even cold) or at high idle.  This morning I could have choked half the camp.  I don't seem to be using any oil – throwing it out some. And the tranny and coolant are at good levels – is this normal for altitude driving?

Sorry to be such a pest, but I am trying my damnedest not to blow this thing up before I get it home.  It is DD8v71 with VS-2 Tranny.  Running strong all day yesterday 

Thanks,

Rick

[luvrbus]

Chalk it up to altitude those old N/A engines don't like the high country only way to solve it is a turbo or it could be a bad injector 

[Sipapu]

Luvrbus - remember, this is the one that ate a piston (and the mechanic says it was a stuck injector from sitting 3 years) - is there a way to check for a bad injector - and am I  risking another major piston problem by running it?  I'd rather chalk it up to altitude - if I have the choice.