| Author |
Message |
captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 12:11 pm: | |
My last post was short due to the fact I had been working from 5am wed till 8:30 pm thursday.
I have a few things I had to jerry rig for a few days but will fix right next week (fiber glass patch). Wow this bus is a pleasure to drive. The power is amazing. I also was told yesterday by a mechanic that it does have the larger radiaters and blowers but I will get a second opinion on that. The bus heat works great but I'm only getting cold air out of the defrosters (any sugestions?).
My tranny on the first shake down run wouldn't shift into high gear and a light was on that said don't shift. I shut it off and it reset itself and has been ok since. I was told it is an adec I believe.
The cruise control works but does not shut off
with the brake pedal. is there a way to tie this in?
any of you mci owners can tell me what any operational switches are for. there is a little button push style beside the ilumination and dash light knobs that I don't know what it is for.
I thought I had jake brakes but actualy I have a retarder any advise, pros or cons? ther is a cover on the switch like the emergency shut off so it stays on when cover is closed.
I gotta hit the road now but will be back in Wisconsin on sunday to gather up every thing and leave again tuesday night for Tenn. |
Ed (Ednj)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 1:00 pm: | |
That switch drops the air on the tags.
under that switch panel theres a handle to turn off the coolant to the dash try opening that for the defrosters.
hope that helps. |
Pete/RTS Daytona (Pete_rtsdaytona)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 2:21 pm: | |
Ron
Is The cruise control an after market Rostra Cruise control - If so I can help - I have the wiring diagrams and installation instruction
Pete RTS/Daytona |
Jon W.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 2:46 pm: | |
I am not an MCI person but when you said you get a "do not shift" warning it brought back some unpleasant memories.
When I got that message it turned out ATEC was reading a low temperature situation. The transmissions are set up so they have to be at a certain minimum temperature (I think 20 degrees F) before they can be shifted.
There may be other reasons.
In my case it was not a sensor issue, but in the 28 pin connector going into the transmission. It had corroded and frozen together. The fix required it to be chiseled out and a pair of all new connectors was required.
From that point on I loosened and took apart the plug every time I serviced the coach. It never acted up again. That "do not shift" warning preceded the failure and when it finally failed completely the transmission would not sift up, down, go into gear or come out of gear and to stop the engine had to stall.
A transmission retarder works well, but you have to carefully watch your transmission temperatures. They will climb rapidly. |
gabby
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 6:04 pm: | |
There are 2 valves somewhere near the engine one is the foward water line the other is the line back. Open both of them. |
Jon W.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 8:41 pm: | |
I forgot to add one comment. Try to get an Allison guy (or you can) read the transmission codes. It may save you from being stuck on the side of the road due to something as simple as a faulty sensor. |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 9:01 pm: | |
Check the fuse cases in the battery compartment. They may be corroded or loose and that will set "do not shift" ATEC CELs. So will the DDEC fuses if any of the fuses fail to work. Engine may run still, but poorly. Engine fuses may set "Check Engine" CEL. Unfortunately, other failures will also set CELS...but most major failures won't reset...
The "bomber" door over the retarder switch is designed to keep the retarder on. Door must be up (open) when retarder is off. Sounds like you have an ex-NJT...didn't you mention "bifold" doors earlier? There may be a small jeweled light on the RH front panel above the RH turn signal. The light will come on whent the 'tarder is off. Boss didn't want retarders off.
A retarder works similarly to a Jake, comes on when the brake is depressed in other than converter lock-up. Leave it on...I've heard that the retarder will heat up the transmission under rare circumstances, but...don't know for sure. If the trans overheats, the ATEC will downshift and go into "limp" mode, it'll cool down.
Re: your drivers heater, gate valves in the engine compartment are open..or you wouldn't have heat in the main heater...check the valve just beneath the switch panel next to your left foot. That's likely turned off. The lever rotates 1/4 turn for on or off. Turn it to the the other direction and see what happens.
The cruise is not completely installed. The brake switch is located beneath the drivers seat in the spare tire compartment, find the signal wire and match it to the as-yet not hooked up brake signal lead on the cruise. That will be an easy fix.
If you have an ex-NJT, you cannot dump the tags from the drivers seat, however, you can dump the tag bags via two valves located in the upper RH corner of the rear engine service door. The valves levers may not be correctly oriented to the diagram on the door, so check the bags (reach in between the wheels and feel them) for correct inflation or deflation. You can easily feel the difference in a deflated or inflated tag axle bag.
Hope your trip goes well! JR |
Doug Wotring
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 12:08 am: | |
The Bus Ron has is an MC-8, Pre ATEC unless retrofitted.
Retarder should be operated by a switch on the floor next to the high beam and fog light switches.
Dump for the Tag should be at the rear of the side panel, |
marcschlabach
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 8:08 am: | |
Ron , My mc9 has a big turn handle to the left of the drivers seat with an arrow on it. point the arrow forward to send hot water to the defroster. It only turns a quarter turn. Hope this helps. Marc |
captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 12:24 pm: | |
got the defroster working, the brakes do disengage the cruise I just didn't hit it hard enough. running out of battery so I'll finish this post tommorow. having a bad day |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 6:18 pm: | |
MC8...How 'bout that...wonder where the ATEC thing came from? May be retrofitted?? No good reason (that I'm aware of) to do that.
Captain Ron...you got a shift "lever" or shift push buttons? Shift lever is likely an HT740. Push button shifter (with a "do not shift light") is an HT748R ATEC.
I wondered how an ex-NJT had "performance"...
Hope the coach isn't causing your bad day! JR |
captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 2:43 am: | |
Well the bad day started fri. when traffic in chicago made me late for my gig. a lot of people were walking out as I pulled in. 1/2 hour late. put my phone on charge and phone didn't charge. some of my gig equiptment screwed up. Then I left the bar at 3am headed toward elkhart. drove as far as I could then had to stop and seep. slept in bus on a jacket on the floor with a barrel bag off my bike for a pillow. woke up and drove the rest of the way to Elkhart, mde a wrong turn ended up in goshen. looked at my phone for the time and it had switched to 1 hour ahead so instead of it being 10:30 it was 11:30 and trina wouldn't stay open and let me find my windows so I got pissed off and left wthout buying anything I had came for. Then I had to be in Rockford Il. before 4pm. I've been working 20 hours a day for past 2 weeks and I'm tired, don't need to drive all that distance for nothing. plus the tolls were just raised plus I just gained another axle. very costly.
the bus ran fine and gave me no trouble. but it is very thirsty. I will fill it up tomorrow to check fuel mileage on way back to Wi. and down to Tennessee. this bus has amazing power. my winsheild leaks at the top pretty bad.
My dad wants me to stop in Sylva NC. so he can help work on interior.Im fallig asleep so gotta gor |