More opinions needed! 2 steps forward...one step?

[luvrbus]

If it was converted from a manual transmission you may not find what you are looking for I have a 8 manual it shows 3 different schematics for the 740 and the 70 Allison you are on the neutral switch and not the reverse switch,Just asking because I have saw people trying to wire the reverse switch to the neutral start before     

[gumpy]

I can have a new 1/0 cable made, and I can re-route it. I'll need to remove the oil bath air cleaner to be able to reach the terminal stud on the rear box (that cable is connected to that stud, along with the alternator cable)
IF (BIG IF) I can get the starter off...I can take it apart and see how bad the disc is...I could even get the kit and rebuild it. I'm totally comfortable in my abilities at that point. Where I'm shaky is getting the darn thing off.

You can probably have a new end put on that cable, as long as there is sufficient length. Be careful getting it undone at the junction box. It's easy to break that insulated stud. I think that's a pass through stud, and the outer nut corrodes and cracks the plastic mount. BTDT.

That starter is somewhere between 80 and 100 lbs, I think. Use a floor jack as mentioned above.


Oil bath air cleaner? Was this added by somebody? I believe that bus came with a paper filter cartridge.

[Oonrahnjay]

The colors correspond to the colors of the cables in the battery compartment.  ...

     Thanks, I think I see the remnants of some color coding, now that I look for it. 

     Re:  the starter, yeah, all you need to do is find a dependable way to support it.  Somebody (Gumpy???) mentioned supporting it with a jack.   On the engine I recently took out of my bus, there was no way to get a jack in there, but I was able to lift it with one hand using a motorcycle tiedown strap, looped around the starter housing and tied in place.  Or maybe putting together a wood cradle or platform would work.   Yeah, these things are a bear but with the right "help", it'll work OK.

[luvrbus]

 Craig, it came with 1 single large oil bath air filter fwiw

[gumpy]

Craig, it came with 1 single large oil bath air filter fwiw

I was not aware of that. I wonder when they changed. The 78 MC8 I had was paper medium.  I didn't realize MCIs had the oil bath filters. Only ever heard of them on the older GMs.

[Rick 74 MC-8]

M 74 MC-8 also has paper

Rick

[luvrbus]

My 78 was a oil bath

[B_K]

I've seen both oil bath and paper in MC 8 & 9's my guess is they came w/oil bath and at sometime they get converted to paper for convenience!
  BK 

BTW Daddy's girl I would waste time rebuilding that heavy starter when the MT-39 is so much more convenient!

[Jim Eh.]

See if this works

Once a cable end starts corroding the same amount of current now has to pass through a smaller and smaller conductor. First result is heat, then comes sparks as it corrodes away to nothing and starts arc welding your connection.

[daddysgirl]

Minor update:
I spoke to Luke yesterday. He's sending me a new stud block, a new junction box stud block (just in case) and a few other odds and ends.
My new starter should be in Petersburg today, but I can't get the old one off. The top bolt should be the easiest, but the bottom is going to require going under the bus. I think I'm going to have one of my friends (Works for big equipment tow company) come over and raise the rear end for me.

Oh, BTW...I got a new 40MT. Even Luke told me that was indeed what I should have.

[buswarrior]

Air filter was a matter of original purchaser spec.

1975 MC8, one has paper, one has oil bath, within 100 serial numbers of each other.

Oil bath was a former GLC, paper was a former GCL.

GLC has stud pilot wheels, no stock air drier, GCL has hub pilot and an AD2.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[daddysgirl]

MINOR UPDATE #2:
And a question

I got the beautiful (heavy as heck) NEW starter, all the up-sized 2/0 cables, the new frame stud (thanks for the advise on that, btw...the old stud threads look terrible) and a new rear J box through stud (even though I managed to disconnect everything from it and did not break it).

I was looking at the routing and I realized something. Just south of the frame stud, on the right side, is a long tube that comes out by the starter with 3 wires that have been cut off forever. As I was looking at the routing, I realized why the NSS is being used as a starter wire. The wire that goes to the left stud on the starter relay (71S), and the small (29G) the ground for the relay...wire on the small front screw of the relay are the wires that have been cut off.

The starter has a large ground stud on the motor end, and the connector line from the solenoid. Although it's "internally grounded"...I'll reconnect it properly.

Question: Because I am replacing all of these harnesses, should I connect the system through the starter and neutral relay as shown in the schematic (my gut choice), or go back to using the NSS as the starter wire?

Thoughts? Please??

[daddysgirl]

Oh, and...
The power cables connected to the rear box were completely CORRODED. Inside the old fabric conduit, the 1/0 has more green gunk than wire...and has so many broken strands I can't believe it ever started...generated...and didn't catch fire.

[gumpy]

My thoughts are that you should get the starter installed and working with the current wiring configuration which has been working for the past 15 years. Then, at your convenience, replace and rewire according to the schematic.

While you are in there, double check the cables on the alternator. There's a big cable that goes from the alternator to the pass through stud on the rear junction box which can vibrate and break. If this should break and arc against the starter, it can actually burn a hole in the case, allowing oil to leak out and the arcing can ignite it and burn up your bus. This wire was the first on-road failure I had after buying my bus. Luckily it did not arc to the case.

[daddysgirl]

Hi Craig.
I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my description. ALL of the cables and wires for the starter AND alternator are off. I've remade ALL the harnesses (except the 4/0 cable to the battery. Because it's all out, I can put it back either way. Do you think I should reconnect it as it should be...like the schematic?

And the alternator cable was totally corroded and exposed at the rear stud about 12 inches down. Patina, bare, partially broken cable.