| Author | Message | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 336 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226  Rating: N/A |
Well this weekend I managed to get the old exhaust off and the new exhaust on..... The photos are not the greatest (i-Phone) but you can get the idea.... http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/Zimtok/Buses%20Cars%20and%20Bikes/IMG_0027.jpg http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/Zimtok/Buses%20Cars%20and%20Bikes/IMG_0031.jpg http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/Zimtok/Buses%20Cars%20and%20Bikes/IMG_0036.jpg http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp194/Zimtok/Buses%20Cars%20and%20Bikes/IMG_0037.jpg | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 371 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.62  Rating: N/A |
Looks good Austin. | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1538 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.110.9  Rating: N/A |
Just remember that you'll have to remove those duals when you go to a turbo.  | ||
| Jim Gibson (River_rat)
Registered Member Username: River_rat Post Number: 124 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 75.95.96.192 Rating: N/A |
So how much time/work did it turn out to be? Did you need to remove access panels from inside the coach to get it out? Jim | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 539 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.53.155.14  Rating: N/A |
Ok I'll try it here! I have duals on an 04 along with the genset and they bring up a lot of questions. Looks good tho Gomer | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 937 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.78  Rating: N/A |
Austin, I can't tell for sure, but if the pipes stick out past the bumper angled sharp tips will get your shins eventually. Don't ask me how I know!! Mine are now straight!! | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 337 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: N/A |
I took my time doing this job because the daytime temps were in the 95 deg range with high humidity.... It took about 6-8 hours total but that was spread over the weekend. The inside rear access panel did need to be removed for access to the mufflers. The old mufflers did not fit through the opening very well so I had to bend the lip of the opening at the far right to get them out. I reformed the lip after I removed them. the new mufflers were not as round so they fit in with NO problems. I had the old system off and new mufflers on by mid afternoon Saturday. I had to weld the flanges to the mufflers to fit them to the manifolds. Sunday started with a trip to NAPA to get a 10ft piece of 3" pipe, three 90 deg elbows and clamps. The two passenger elbows fit great. The drivers elbow needed to be cut to fit between the muffler and a brace. One straight pipe needed to be cut and re welded at a slight angle. With extra pipe sticking out beyond the bumper I secured the pipes with clamps, welded up a couple joints where clamps would not fit and then cut off the extra pipe flush to the bumper with a potable band saw. I think that when I'm under the bus this weekend to inspect brakes and adjust them I'll look at securing the bottom of the mufflers with some kind of strap. There is a lot we have to do before we do an engine re-power so I know that this is only temporary until we get a turbo engine installed. . | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 373 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 69.77.157.8 Rating: N/A |
Dang Austin, That looks really great!! I was gonna ask who welded it, if you tacked it & took it to someone. So you're not just another "clean hands musician guy", huh? Bravo Dude. How does it sound now? Bet it doesn't wail like it did with that busted muffler. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 941 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.49 Rating: N/A |
Austin, I had to do the same thing with the flanges and different mufflers. I was able to get the originals out through the top panel but it wasn't easy. The new ones I fabricated myself and are quite a bit smaller. I won't ever try this with the stock mufflers!! I took the right one (Passenger side)out first, don't know if that was the reason it came out easier, but it came out ok. I installed the new right one before I discovered that the left one was also bad and had to replace it after all. I had a problem with the bottom bracket loosening when the pan bolts wouldn't stay tight. I finally installed lock washers and locktite. Be sure to grease the clutch and shift linkage bellcrank bushings while you have the top cover off and check it for wear. Some of my bushings were worn all the way through and into the Al bellcrank arms. It is also a good time to replace worn pins in the bellcrank yokes. | ||
| Jim Gibson (River_rat)
Registered Member Username: River_rat Post Number: 131 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 75.95.96.192 Rating: N/A |
Sounds like a pretty good project that I'm not lookinh forward to! I guess I should brush up on my welding skills - it's been a few years. Looks great, thanks for the input. Jim | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 338 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: N/A |
Jim, Your right that most musicians are afraid to get their hands dirty. The hands are what make the music in the brain come to life after all. I am not a musician... I am the sound technician for the band and being technically inclined I am also the bus mechanic. And being on a very tight band budget I do most of the work myself. (The exhaust sounds great now) Gus, It was you that gave me the information on the mufflers and flanges. (thanks) I had to remove the drives side muffler first and then slide the passenger side muffler over into the drivers side to remove it. I will check on the linkage and bushings like you said. the access panel is located in a closet so it is "easy access" for me to get to. The bottom bracket is a problem the pan bolts were loose. I didn't reuse the bracket (yet) I'm looking for an alternative. Jim (river rat), I HATE doing exhaust, it is the ONE thing I try to put off on someone else. But the budget didn't allow for it. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 945 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 206.40.238.134 Rating: N/A |
Austin, Sory about that, I had a senior momen! I have emailed that info to about half a dozen guys - figured since I had already done all the research there was no reason for anyone else to have to do it all over again. Those smaller mufflers were half the cost of the originals and were sure easier to install. I can tell no difference in the sound at all. Once I installed the lock washers on the pan bolts I've had no more loose brackets. Before that it came loose three times. I have a bunch of info on the bellcrank repair also if you need it. Mine was worn so much that the clutch linkage was just hangin on by a thin part of the Al casting. | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 339 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: N/A |
Gus, As you can probaly imagine by the old mufflers that I removed the sound was much better with the new exhaust. I'll try the lock washers on the pan bolts next time I'm under there. I am a little concerned about the heat off the pipes as they go right under the oil pan. Should I fabricate some sort of heat sheild? I'll get into the linkage in the near future. If I have any questions I'm sure I'll post them on the forum. Thanks again for the info on the exhaust, you made it a lot easier. . | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 946 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 206.40.238.206 Rating: N/A |
Austin, As I thought it over last night I remembered that I didn't use a lock washer on the pan bolt because I knew it would be take much torque on the pan gasket to lock the washer. What I did do is find a longer bolt so it ran through the block flange to the other side. There I either used a lock washer and a nut or two nuts, don't remember for sure. I really don't want to crawl under to find out which one I used because I'm away from home and not parked in a good spot. Either will work fine without crushing the pan gasket and/or pan. I didn't use a heat shield. I don't think the pipe gets that hot because it is exposed to so much cooling air down close to the ground. If it was too bad the engine temp would be high and I don't have that problem. I shut off the shutter air valve during the summer and it runs 175* - 185*F even in this really hot/humid weather we are having now. I'm in south LA and it doesn't get much hotter than here! One point on the linkage. If you have to replace the bellcrank bushings/levers be sure to lube them well before assembly. The long lube pipe going down underneath the bus does not carry the grease into all the bushings, this may be one reason it wore out. However, my guess is that they had never been replaced since the bus was new. I found that all the yokes and pins from the front all the way to the trans/clutch were worn, some much worse than others. The end result of just a little wear at each connection was a big slack by the time it got to the tran/clutch because there are so many of them. As i remember I replaced every yoke and pin. The yokes can be welded and rebored but I opted for new yokes even if they were a bit over priced. The pins you can find at your friendly farm or auto parts store. After I did all this there was a big improvement in the clutch operation but not as much in the shifting. However, the clutch was the worst worn at the bellcrank. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 947 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 206.40.238.206 Rating: N/A |
I forgot to mention, your job is a lot neater than mine at the end of the pipes. I made them too short and had to cob on some ends which are pretty messy! |