Checking Out A DL3 MCI

[luvrbus]

Next week end I will be checking out a bus for a friend I am asking what are the weak points to look for on a east coast DL3 I know a couple of trouble areas and the rust thanks to John 316

Thanks for any info you can for provide me on a 2000 year model I know it sounds good but the bus is still 14 years old  according to the VIN


It has a fresh series 60 and B500 @ 621,700 miles so we are told If done by a DD dealer I can check that out fairly easy   

Not that I do not want to take the dealer word but the guy is a little slippery and you need a set of ice thongs to hold on to him sometimes 

thanks 

[John316]

Clifford,

Call me if you want to chat more about it, but here are a few things.

Like we talked about before, you won't be able to see the rusted areas above the airbags. They are plated with aluminum (or steel, but I think it is aluminum). Basically, water gets between that aluminum pan and the floor, and you get rust up there. If those are rusting, then your main beams that run front to back probably are too. We cut a hole in the floor to see down there. Easiest for us, since it is covered with bunks.

You can also get a little idea if the main beams are shot by looking at the side bill board, just in front of the drive axle wheel well. If there is a slight bubble at all, then that means the main beam is shot. No go.

Right under the front driver seat, there is a compartment. Ours was rusted out pretty good in there, which can give you a clue as to how much it was run in salt.

The tag axle support is another common problem. It is the X support brace that goes from the axle to the airbags. It has a tendency to get holes in it. That happens because the inner dual is sand blasting that spot for hundreds of thousands of miles. Take a hammer to it, and see if it is brittle.

If it hasn't happened already, he will probably want to do the E front upgrade. It not only makes the bus look better, but I could not stand those headlights (even with brand new lights in them). They were terrible to drive with.

Another issue, that we fixed early on, is the tag axle control valves tend to leak. They are located in the rear driver side compartment, under the junction box (front wall of that compartment). There is a service bulletin to replace those.

You can also look at the muffler straps to see if those are rusted. I don't know if that was a sign ours had been in a lot of rust, or if they tend to rust anyways. However, our straps rusted through and off.

A few things that can be irritating, but not terrible. The tag steering is often disabled or broken. I worked through ours and got it working. It was a job, but very doable. Also the rear high rise feature, to give extra clearance, is also essential to have working, IMHO. That switch is on the driver left side panel, lower side.

Do you know where on the East coast it was run?

I will let you know if I think of anything else.

Cheers,

John

[John316]

Oh yes, and the other standard stuff. Brake diaphragms leak, air dryer not serviced and water in the system (you are in summer, so not a problem driving it). Parking brake valve leaking, etc.

Also, check the rear charge air cooler and coolant fans. If those fans are on, after it is aired up, that means something is wrong with that setup. Troubleshooting that can be a real joy. Of course, if the fans clutches sound like they have any issues, they are 500 each. Ours also has a pump to fill up the coolant from the spare tank. That pump is really nice if it works (the switch is on the rear yellow box, in the engine compartment).

You probably know most of that stuff, but figured I would type it up anyways.

John

[luvrbus]

John, the bus belonged to Coachways from New York we were told it was a west coast bus but found out it only had AZ plates for the last 2 years

The guy from Coachways told me they have a office in Phoenix but most of their buses are from the east coast they license  part of their fleet in AZ  because the the price is about 25% of what New York charges it's probably a rust bucket the price is to good to be a sound bus dealers one has to love their bs  

I checked with Sam and told him the dealers and the company name and Sam being Sam said he probably scraps out better buses lol 

I knew MCI could rust but we looked at C3 a few months back with a series 50 engine I don't know how the engine was still able to keep from falling out the frame was completely ate up with rust another east coast bus

[John316]

If it was run by a company in New York, I would totally pass. The only way I would consider it is if I pulled all the panning down from above the axle wheel wells to expose all of the supports in there. My guess is that there is no way that your dealer would let you do that.

Add that to the fact Sam was skeptical.... . He is the sharpest guy I know on DL3's.

If you look at it, let me know how it goes. Curious to find out....

[RJ]

Clifford -

Based on the info thus far, sounds like $2500 - $3500 would be a "reasonable" offer for a rust bucket of that size!

[luvrbus]

You are only 1 zero off RJ lol he will take $35,000 for a fast cash deal the price is the scary part it's to low for a good 2000 DL3 it should be in 60's wholesale