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R TERRY (152.163.252.163)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 6:09 pm: | |
The following day -- the lasagna, ridiculously cheap salad, free music and deja vu having worn off --, we went back to Arizona. Well, that was the last thing we did.
The transmission in the bus did not work correctly, or at least something back there was haywire. But, as I mentioned, it was a relief knowing that our mission in Tennessee was about over and we'd be zooming back home in the truck. We were out of time and what was going to happen next was now a matter of fact. No more worrying, wondering, fretting, deciding, or trying to figure anything out. Thinking was now an option to be used only in emergencies. Have as much fun as possible trying to get home as fast as possible on as little sleep as possible; that's all there was to it. A no-brainer.
But for me, the real fun happened during the last hour before we hit the road.
The bus indicated to us (we had to talk to it like the big white elephant it was) that if it went into Reverse first, it would consider going forward, albeit irrespective of engine speed. It worked once, having left the spot behind the Laundromat, climbing the alley crest, and continuing to the street a short distance ahead. Although it sat there screaming its head off and not moving an inch, it changed its mind when put into Reverse.
I traded seats with Ryan who had been manning the helm while I tinkered with my toy. Let me rephrase that. ("Yes, why don't you?" says a voice in my head. Elvis, is that you?) No third wish was granted as no mechanic showed up, just me. Alas, I accomplished absolutely nothing. (Oh, the tranny reservoir was nearly full, but it didn't take a genie to figure that one out.) Yet, I believed the bus was going to run, one way or the other. You see, the bus had its secret: Reverse first. But I had mine: gravity!
I put the white elephant into Reverse and backed up the alley to the top of the crest. (Did I hear an... ovation? Children clapping, maybe?) Quickly, I threw it into Forward and mashed down on the throttle. (The twin turbofans spooled up and we sped down two five right. As Vr approached, I eased back on the stick...)
The bus began to roll forward, my secret weapon doing half the work. When we got to the entrance to the alley again, I quickly scanned for traffic and let her reenter the civilized world of city streets, roads, highways and byways. Our first real test of steering came here; make the left turn or wipe out all those cars. Hey, so far, so good.
I didn't see any point in wasting all that hard-earned momentum by stopping at the next intersection, the one sporting a big red stop sign. I slowed down enough to make a right turn without flipping the bus over, figuring that, if it came down to it, I'd explain to the police officer that we were driving a very old antique vehicle that was made before the invention of brakes.
The bus kept going. This dreadful beast that I had come to love like a son (Sorry, Ryan, I mean like an elephant), was motoring along under its own steam, driving away from its old digs in a style reminicent of a circus leaving town: people watching and waving, bewildered and amazed.
I was amazed, anyway. Up ahead several blocks was another intersection, this time with a red light. (I am NOT running a red light!) We were still going downhill somewhat, so if I timed it just right... yes! It turned green just in time; no stopping. We executed a perfect drunkin' elephant left turn, drove another couple of blocks to an intersection at a street called "State of Franklin".
We weren't so lucky here. In the few short blocks since our last close call with a red light, I had reconsidered my position on running a red light, understanding full well that keeping the bus in forward motion was far more important than, say, obeying the law. After all, it was downhill only part of the way and I needed all the help I could get -- as in GET outta my way!
I didn't care if the light was red, green, yellow, or purple -- I was not going to stop that bus. Across the intersection, sitting in the left turn lane, was a lady in a blue Camaro. (Nah, just kidding; it was a white Toyota.) She was about to turn into the lane I needed for the bus, and my red light said it was her lane. Ah-hah, a SHOWDOWN! What would you do if you saw an ungodly apparition barrelling towards you? Pull out in front of it? I don't think so...
But I chickened out.
Waiting for the light to change, we stared across the street at each other. She had a good reason to stare; I didn't. But I wondered how she would have reacted had she known what she did to me. Looming big was the distinct possibility that we would be stuck at that intersection until Doomsday. She could drive off laughing like a lunatic while we waited an eternity for a wrecker. If she could only see the tears streaming down my face...
She got the green arrow, made the left turn and drove away without ever knowing that somewhere in deep cyberspace, on the Internet, on a bulletin board for Extremely Enlightened People, there is an account of that very moment that will live on forever.
I was having a lot of fun, I can tell you! We didn't exactly drive the bus to Arizona, but we did get it to State of Franklin Street, some blocks away. We needed to celebrate our thus far achievment. No, we couldn't do that because we were out of sandwiches. Anyway, we still weren't there yet. We weren't anywhere yet. So?
The final moment of truth. There were no cars coming from any direction. Coast was clear. Let up on the brake, ease down the throttle. We're waiting.... possible movement... waiting... wheels are turning a little... more throttle.... lots of throttle... trains don't go this slow... still nobody coming... Thank you, Elvis... turn the wheel now... moving faster... everything is becoming a blur... lady in white Toyota is now home cooking dinner... almost in the lane... picking up speed... what year is this?... there we go... faster... faster...
Then the most amazing thing happened. About two blocks down the road, it shifted into second gear! Suddenly the rear wheels were hooked up to the engine and the whole package became totally engaged.
As if it had been asleep all this time, the white elephant woke up and took off!
R TERRY |
Yahoo (12.82.65.187)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 10:33 pm: | |
Don't stop now! Freakin head for Arizona!! Go Dog Go!! |
Phil Dumpster (12.230.214.167)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 4:29 am: | |
If this coach predates the torque converter, it probably still has its original hydraulic coupling, in which case that behavior is normal. It's been a long time since these busses were in service, and now you probably understand why trolleybusses were all the fashion in the decade after the second world war, so most folks don't remember how these things were.
You can take solace in knowing that the warmer the fluid gets, the better the transmission will function. When cold, you have to stand on the throttle, the engine races, and the coach moves very slowly. When warm, it's a little better. Not much, but a little. To shift, take your foot completely off of the throttle, wait for the shift, and then put your foot back into it. Doing it this way is much easier on the transmission.
The stator in a torque converter makes all the difference in the world. In fact, if the sprag clutch on a stator fails, it behaves exactly like a hydraulic coupling which behaves much like you have described.
If you do elect to make another attempt to drive this bus to Arizona, bear in mind this combination of engine and transmission was never designed for sustained speeds above 40 miles per hour. It will make it as long as it isn't losing fluid, but it will do it on its own schedule, which is written on a calendar.
How are the brakes on this thing? |
Smoky (12.222.48.5)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 10:12 pm: | |
theres a 1950 GMC transit for sell in the under 35k section 4cyl/two speed spicer the seller claims a speed of 70mph? what up with this is this insane or what? I driven many fish bowls with 6v71's that would only go 50-55.
Smoky, |
Johnny (67.241.166.49)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 5:24 pm: | |
I'm with Smoky: at work, with a 6V71 & a (V730) 3-speed Allison, top end is only a shade over 55.
I shudder to think about a 2-speed. |
Don KS/TX (66.82.9.30)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 9:15 am: | |
Hey, don't be TOO quick to judge two speeds. I had an Allison VS2 and it would outrun anything around in top gear if you had a tail wind and a long enough hill. The V730 is geared low to start with, and with a slow axle, 55 is all you are supposed to get.
We never did get to know what bus or tranny he had I don't think. All the time I was sure he was describing the actions of an early Allison VH or VS or some such thing, and still do. Could well have been a small electrical problem, and it could well run home at legal speeds with no real trouble. Them old trannies were bulletproof, I know of a 1950 model still in service, and it will run 80 plus with the old straight 6-71!
Best test is just go SEE if it does 70, and if the tach says 3200 rpm you may not really want it after all. |
Johnny (67.241.224.107)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:00 pm: | |
If the tach says 3200...uhh...I think you have a gauge accuracy problem.
That, or you're about to have some serious engine trouble. |
Don KS/TX (66.82.9.32)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:08 pm: | |
My point precisely!!! |
Don KS/TX (66.82.9.43)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 19, 2003 - 4:54 pm: | |
I just used the links and realized that was an old 48 model GMC 3610. I used have one of those, the VERY first V Drive Allison made, shifted to direct with an air cylinder arrangement.
I got mine cheap cause it done the exact same thing, til one day I was in back while someone else was trying to make it creep forward in "first" or hydraulic with their foot to the floor on the throttle. As a wild idea, I grabbed the throttle on the engine to make sure it was wide open - and the bus darted off from me!
That is actually a ONE speed transmission, and when one is all you have you need every bit of rpm called for to make it move in first(or "hydraulic" to be absolutely correct).
A couple turns on the throttle linkage and away we went to the surprise of the previous owner, who had gotten frightening quotes for "fixing" it.
What he referred to as "shifting to second" was actually the torque converter being cut out of the system and putting it into direct.
Surely there are some other old salts that recall this setup. |
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