| Author | Message | ||
| pat young
Rating: N/A |
My 76 Crown has no dash lights. My Gilligs have a rheostat on the dash, but the Crown just has a switch to the far right of the switch bank. No dash lights! any suggestions from Crown veterans? Also the (GREAT!) Jake Brake doesn't work all the time. I hit the switch, and nothing happens, although it perfromed great just two days ago. The engne is a 290 turbo Cummins midship, and is the Most Powerful thing I've ever driven in a schoolie. Thanks in advance Pat Young (559) 244-1042 WheelchairBusProject@yahoo.com | ||
| Ron Rutledge
Rating: N/A |
Pat Read your Book on Crown's...that you have...the One you posted For Sale!....A bus person like you clame to be....can do that?...I have learn alot by reading too!....and more...I too Have a PHD in Street Busing...Ron | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
Most Crowns have a rheostat up in the left side at the rear of the instrument housing, as well as the switch. It's also possible that all the lamps are simply burned out... The jakes probably just have a bad/intermittent wire or switch. The electrical system for jakes is absurdly simple... 12 volts goes from panel control switch to clutch switch, back to throttle switch mounted on fuel pump, to the jake connectors on the valve covers. If you have a 3 position selector the wires go from the valve covers directly to that switch and then into the wiring I just described. Basic voltmeter usage will track the problem. | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Pat...your Crown may be different than mine. My dash lights were mounted in line with the other switches below the driver's left arm. Main switch was there. But, there is a dimmer control on the left end of the dash cover. As I recall the main switch is connected to a circuit breaker....in the large panel cluster next to the driver. The dimmer has no fuse of any type....just further down stream from the main switch. IIRC....  RCB | ||
| R.J.(Bob) Evans (Bobofthenorth)
Rating: N/A |
If your Jake works intermittently try bumping the throttle gently the next time the Jake won't come on. If that helps then the throttle swich is likely flaky or out of adjustment. | ||
| pat young
Rating: N/A |
Howdy folks Thanks for all the helpful info. As always, the Bus Nuts on BNO are a wealth of knowledge; and for Mr. Ron Rutledge/ThunderCreekFarm above, I don't have a "Book on Crowns" for sale. Perhaps you misread my post. Over the years, I've collected factory manuals for Gilligs, along with manuals for the pancake Cummins, 180/190 series Cummins, in line and "V" series Detroits, and some CAT stuff, but a genuine Crown manual is almost impossible to find. For Crowns and Gilligs, I've got manuals for the engines, transmissions, braking and air systems, axles, differentials, wiring diagrams, etc. that I have gleaned from many sources, but the only Crown manual I ever had I gave away to a friend years ago. I wish now that I hadn't. As for me making a "clame" to being a bus person, I will just say that I have owned over 55 buses, Gilligs (my specialty), Crowns, Fords, IHC, Wayne, etc. and started driving a truck when I was 18 in the Army. I'm (ahem) a "bit" older now. I've worked on and driven CAT 3208s, CAT 1160s, DD6-71s, DD 6V71s, Cummins 180s and 190s, Cummins 220, 250 and 290, DT466, DT 360, etc. and have rebuilt (with the help of an expert mechanic more experienced than me) my own CAT 1160 and a Cummins 180, but still don't claim to be an expert in anything but Gilligs. My most valued resource is the network of friends I've made over the years who can answer questions I cannot. I know some very good veteran mechanics, nice fellows willing to share their time and expertise. I've also dismantled one Crown, about 9 Gilligs, two Fords, and am currently dismantling about 8 more buses before they go to the scrap yard. I drove my first Crown 4000 miles to Central America, same for my second and third Gilligs, and my current bus has been back and forth to Guatenala three times. I am the only driver and mechanic, and have had to fix everything myself. I've learned a lot, and am always willing to share what I know. You are free to judge my expertise according to your own criteria. Happy bussin' Patrick Young 1970 Gillig 1160 CAT Fresno, CA | ||
| pat young
Rating: N/A |
Howdy folks Thanks for all the helpful info. As always, the Bus Nuts on BNO are a wealth of knowledge; and for Mr. Ron Rutledge/ThunderCreekFarm above, I don't have a "Book on Crowns" for sale. Perhaps you misread my post. Over the years, I've collected factory manuals for Gilligs, along with manuals for the pancake Cummins, 180/190 series Cummins, in line and "V" series Detroits, and some CAT stuff, but a genuine Crown manual is almost impossible to find. For Crowns and Gilligs, I've got manuals for the engines, transmissions, braking and air systems, axles, differentials, wiring diagrams, etc. that I have gleaned from many sources, but the only Crown manual I ever had I gave away to a friend years ago. I wish now that I hadn't. As for me making a "clame" to being a bus person, I will just say that I have owned over 55 buses, Gilligs (my specialty), Crowns, Fords, IHC, Wayne, etc. and started driving a truck when I was 18 in the Army. I'm (ahem) a "bit" older now. I've worked on and driven CAT 3208s, CAT 1160s, DD6-71s, DD 6V71s, Cummins 180s and 190s, Cummins 220, 250 and 290, DT466, DT 360, etc. and have rebuilt (with the help of an expert mechanic more experienced than me) my own CAT 1160 and a Cummins 180, but still don't claim to be an expert in anything but Gilligs. My most valued resource is the network of friends I've made over the years who can answer questions I cannot. I know some very good veteran mechanics, nice fellows willing to share their time and expertise. I've also dismantled one Crown, about 9 Gilligs, two Fords, and am currently dismantling about 8 more buses before they go to the scrap yard. I drove my first Crown 4000 miles to Central America, same for my second and third Gilligs, and my current bus has been back and forth to Guatenala three times. I am the only driver and mechanic, and have had to fix everything myself. I've learned a lot, and am always willing to share what I know. You are free to judge my expertise according to your own criteria. Happy bussin' Patrick Young 1970 Gillig 1160 CAT Fresno, CA | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Thanx for the post Pat....you are a man of some experience, me thinks......VAST experience, it seems. Also appreciate your affable response to "the" aspersion. Lotsa flack for those who are in the skies ...but keep 'em flyin'.....they can't shoot you down when your flying high and they're using BBs. RCB | ||
| PatYoung
Rating: N/A |
Howdy RC Thanks for the kind words. I do have a lot of experience in certain areas, but it comes from only one source: hours and hours tearing things apart, making mistakes, ruining things and trying not to the next time, etc. I spent almost 50 days taking apart my 4th Gillig. the work was so filthy, but I pledged to take ever single item off the bus, down to nothing but the floor. I did it, I even got the doors and door mechanism off, (somebody welded the bottom pivots on) and when I did they fell backwards into the cab, and knocked the h... out of me. I spent a full day cutting out the big central storage box, (plywood and steel) out of the center of the bus, stripped out ALL wiring and plumbing, every window and door, I cannot begin to count how many things I have learned just by doing. Yesterday was my first time to get a turn signal/flasher/horn button out without destroying or damaging the delicate little nylon turn signal switch. I finally learned hpw to pull off the "tapered green sleeve thing" that sits directly under the steering wheel, and houses these switches. I am going to dismantle buses so throughly that I (someday) won't damage ANYTHING, but I still broke both rear teardrop windows in 5 minutes last week by simply getting in a hurry. My new wife is helping me now, and we're putting the parts in boxes, and one day when there are no Gilligs nor Crowns, we will rule the world!! (and/or have a steady supply of income for our project.) We are sending a Ford shortie (Fresh 3208 and good running gear) to Haiti in December, and will be sending enough spare bus stuff to keep the bus on the road forever. The local owner of the metal yard (Heppners) just got two buses in from school districts with 12 good tires that fit our shortie, and we are getting them for free! Lotsa nice people in the great SJ Valley! We're also sending two complete metal/woodshops, several thousand pounds of school supplies, some good "old" (actually less than two years)computers, and the missus and I will be teaching what we can (translated from English and my Spanish into Creole....?!>!?) to the nice people. Haitans are fun, friendly, and really excited when they have foreign guests. We go buy a bunch of potato chips, sodas, beer, street food, turn on the cassette player and dance, and for that moment at least, the sadness of their lives is forgotten. We will also be trying to set up a satellite telephone/Internet system, since Haiti usually has no electricity nor phone service. We are gonna learn a LOT! OK hang loose buddy, and keep the great attitude. Your posts always show thoughtfulness and kindness, two attributes in short supply today. Patrick And Gracie Under a bus somewhere |