Luke and the boys at US Coach

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Had the pleasure of meeting Luke and Bill and Bill this week when we went to US Coach to have some work done. Spent about 3 and 1/2 days there so got a chance to get to know them.....great bunch of guys, nice to put faces to names, happy with the work that they did for me. 

[Eagle Andy]

Well Ed are your going to keep us in suspence, or you going to tell us what you had done to your Bus

[Lin]

This is sort of funny.  I called Luke this week to see if he had the fuel sender for a 5a.  He said he had one for a 9 and would compare it to the one in the 5a from Arizona that he had in the shop.  I missed his call Friday with the information, so I will speak to him Monday.  I was wondering later if the 5a he had was yours since you have been traveling quite a bit.

[luvrbus]

Luke working on Friday what is the world coming too 

[Lin]

Nope, it was Thursday that I missed his call so he won't be back till Monday.  He calls it semi-retirement!

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Yup that was us Lin.  He said that he had a call about a 5A needing a fuel sender and Bill was asking if i had ever taken the panel covering the tank off and where the sender was located. Told i did about 8 years ago but don't remember where it was located on the tank. Told him he could pull the panel and take a look if he wanted but they were busy trying to get us out of there so they could get another bus in.   Andy, gave it a tune up, changed tranny fluid, changed over from oil hubs to grease hubs as i have had one that had been giving me problems. The rest of it was just a few little things that needed attention....a switch here, a wire there,  etc.

[Tikvah]

Hey Ed, isn't Luke clear up in NJ?  didn't know you were up that far north.

Did they put trans fluid in your transmission or engine oil?  I let Chattanooga garage put engine oil (I think it was 10-30) in mine and so far I'm very happy.

Dave

[Emcemv]

Ed

You were pretty close to us at Luke's.....if you are still in the NE and need a place to stay a few days, I've got room for another MCI and could plug you in!

Would love to see you again, it's been a year since Blytheville...

Bruce

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Dave, i had transynd put in the tranny a few years back, replaced it with the same.  Bruce, we are just a little west of Luke's right now. Stopped in an rv park for the nite and the next day the bus wouldn't fire up. Changed a couple of battery cables that looked a little iffy, didn't make any difference. Batteries were almost 9 years old and had never given me any problems but figured they were about due to be replaced anyway so i did, didn't make any difference. Pulled the starter and took it to a shop and had it rebuilt and just got that sucker back in an hour or so ago, still not firing. Got cleaned up and went for a walk and to think about it and then got on here and saw the post about taking the end cap off and using a stick or screw driver to engage the starter. Might try that later today or tomorrow morning, just don't feel like doing any more today after wrasseling with that thing for a couple of hours.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Oh yah, Bruce, if it hadn't acted up we would probably be in Indiana right now.

[luvrbus]

Forget about the broom handle more than likely  you cannot remove the plug or the bell housing is in the way,buy your self a remote starter switch from Autozone or others for 15 ucks. Then you don't need to be under the bus, hook it to main cable and the start terminal on the solenoid then you can stand out side the compartment push the botton and start it you probably have a bad starter relay or a low voltage relay bad  

good luck

[wildbob24]

Clifford's right.

That remove the end cap trick only works on those weird GM buses.

Bob

[Lin]

Ed- I assume you took care of all the regular mistakes. Transmission in neutral, battery disconnect, rear switch, made sure the solenoid is getting current from the switch, no broken wires around the starter like the ones to the neutral safety switch, or even that the neutral safety switch is working.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

 Tranny is in neutral, battery disconnect is on, rear switch was just replaced at Luke's, lots of juice at the solenoid which is brand new, no broken wires around the starter, I know the neutral safety switch is working, if i put it in gear and hit the starter nothing at all happens. Put it back in neutral and hit the switch and it clunks.  Does look like i have room to get the cap off of the solenoid.  Are remote starter switches voltage sensitive? My starter is 24 volts. Clifford where are those relays located at?

[Dave5Cs]

Ed they should be in the rear Junction Box. Should be the starter interlock Relay and the starter Solenoid Relay there. HTH

Dave5Cs