another newbie question

[scottie]

how do you "start" a bus ??

the last  bus i looked at the guy ask me if i knew how  to shut it off. (it was allready running ) ..i figured if he ask me ,then there must be more to it than  just turning a key ( i know theres no keys)
im going to go look at another bus and  would like to know how to start it ??
i know it sounds silly but ,i havent started one yet and this one is at a auction comeing up so i want to "check it out"....oh yah so  is it the same in reverse to shut it off??
thanks guys
scottie

[TomC]

No magic, like starting and stopping a car-has to be simple enough for the most mechanically challenged bus driver to get. Good Luck, TomC

[Tenor]

Can you tell us what make and model bus you are going to look at?

[scottie]

well i know when the last bus i looked at ,the owner did a "few" things  to turn it off,i think one of the things he did was push on the "e" brake and then hit the brake pedal,then i think he ???pushed a button and the bus shut off??      

[scottie]

ops sorry allways forget that....
M.C.I. 9 1987 5 speed standard 

[skipn]

Depending on what has been done to the bus and what model of the bus it can be different.

On my MCI 8 starting procedure.
1. Check engine and auto tranny fluid levels. (better safe than sorry)
2. Turn master battery switch on (in with the batteries)
3. Enter bus and check that e-brake is pulled up (safety first)
4. Check that tranny is in neutral
5. turn master switch on front dash is on
6. turn chime switch on (the row of switches on left consol)
7 Press starter button.........for no longer than 30 sec per try

Piece of cake right?

Skip

[Reddog]

One note on starting and stopping Thomas, no throttle response until air is built, and the engine will not shut off with the key without air.
Doug Engel, Gunnison, CO

[tekebird]

never heard the chime method.

hounds need the step light on to Ingnite.

[Dallas]

Not all bus use the chime/steplight switch.... That was a Greyhound thing to keep wannabes from running off with the bus.

Depending on what has been done to the bus and what model of the bus it can be different.

On my MCI 8 starting procedure.
1. Check engine and auto tranny fluid levels. (better safe than sorry)
2. Turn master battery switch on (in with the batteries)
3. Enter bus and check that e-brake is pulled up (safety first)
4. Check that tranny is in neutral
5. turn master switch on front dash is on
6. turn chime switch on (the row of switches on left consol)
7 Press starter button.........for no longer than 30 sec per try

Piece of cake right?

Skip

[skipn]

Dallas
And I wannabe   (just not sure what yet) 

Tekebird sorry
I shortened it the manual says it like what Dallas said chime/steplight that
being said I have just referred it to chime for being breaf. If I were to walk up to a bus
I wouldn't know what to look for to see if it was a hound or not (except if it still had the inservice colors)
The chime/steplight thing seems like that would be the easiest tell tale  hound or not......

Skip

[TrevorH]

Not to hijack or anything but what is the starting procedure for a 1987 102A3, stick?  Where are the most common places for battery shut offs or other shut offs?  Thanks!

[Dallas]

Not to hijack or anything but what is the starting procedure for a 1987 102A3, stick?  Where are the most common places for battery shut offs or other shut offs?  Thanks!

Trevor,

Same starting procedure as the Automatic, except you want to have the clutch pedal depressed.

The master battery switch should be in the battery bay above the batteries. Most of the time there is a small door you can reach through to get to it, but I have seen some buses that don't have the little door in the battery bay door.

IHTH,

Dallas

[Paladin]

Depending on what has been done to the bus and what model of the bus it can be different.

On my MCI 8 starting procedure.
1. Check engine and auto tranny fluid levels. (better safe than sorry)
2. Turn master battery switch on (in with the batteries)
3. Enter bus and check that e-brake is pulled up (safety first)
4. Check that tranny is in neutral
5. turn master switch on front dash is on
6. turn chime switch on (the row of switches on left consol)
7 Press starter button.........for no longer than 30 sec per try

Piece of cake right?

Skip

I always do a walk around to make sure there is nobody including my dog sitting or standing too close to the bus, nowhere near the tires, back of the bus or front etc.... Check the radiator vents and engine for nests, cats and other furry critters... ( throwback from flying days).
Also look to make sure none of neighbors around that hate the smell of diesel smoke for a minute or two.

[mike davis]

Dallas
And I wannabe   (just not sure what yet) 

Tekebird sorry
I shortened it the manual says it like what Dallas said chime/steplight that
being said I have just referred it to chime for being breaf. If I were to walk up to a bus
I wouldn't know what to look for to see if it was a hound or not (except if it still had the inservice colors)
The chime/steplight thing seems like that would be the easiest tell tale  hound or not......

Skip

"I wouldn't know what to look for to see if it was a hound or not (except if it still had the inservice colors)"



another trick that sometimes works
                                                the hound used to rebuild It's own motors .On my old bus there was a greyhound tag on the motor (a 671) that I could see from the back of the bus  The Acc. panel had all the labels warned off So the first time I started the bus I just turned all of the switches on


  mike 

[scottie]

thanks skip
i figured there was some sore of list to starting a bus...not just pushing a button or turning a key...

okay ,so when i want to turn off the bus i ....

turn off chime switch
turn off master switch
push e brake DOWN
turn master switch off
?? put bus in gear if standard ....

thanks
scottie..