| Author |
Message |
Mci 9 Tah Rei
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 4:20 pm: | |
Hey there Bus Nuts. I just bought a beautiful Mci 9 half converted Bus. Unfortunately, the engine blew 3 hours into driving it. Not sure exactly what happen. Have a couple of cracked liners. Just happened to breakdown a mile from the Detroit Diesel spot in Richfield, WA.
They quoted me 15,000+ to rebuild the engine. That is quite a bit of money.
Does anyone know if that is a reasonable ballpark for a rebuild. Is it best to get a rebuild from a corporate Detroit Diesel dealer? Guarantees on the engine and such. Thought about Southern Oregon Diesel but it will cost close to a $1000 to tow it down there. I know the investment is worth I just want to take it to the right place.
Thanks
Tah Rei |
Sammy (Sammy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 4:27 pm: | |
Is that with the labor included??? |
mci 9 Tah Rei
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 4:33 pm: | |
Yes that is with labor included. Does not cover any other problems it might have like the radiator and such. |
Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 5:17 pm: | |
Total bummer, Tah Rei.
Ugh, for that dough you could buy a second bus to use as a donor and have several $k left over. The extra parts, tires, etc. would save you LOT$ down the road, too.
There certainly won't be a new rebuild in a donor bus, but most of us won't drive enough miles (250k or so) to merit a newly-built mill, IMHO.
REAL curious what killed it...
Good luck,
bb |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 7:15 pm: | |
Yikes!
"They quoted me 15,000+"
Cracked sleeves, antifreeze into the oil and upper valve train, etc,
equates to major corrosion. But 15k into a 20+ year old bus
that can be bought for under 5k?
Before you do anything, you should have the entire bus looked
over by a qualified bus mechanic. You may have a ton more
problems to deal with, than just the engine. If so, you'd be
better off getting out before it sucks the last buck from your
account. If everything else is near perfect, I would look
around for a used, good engine. You didn't tell us what
engine is in yours? |
Robert Wood (Bobwoodsocal)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 7:51 pm: | |
Geez, that is a bummer, Tah Rei. I can tell you one thing, if you decide to keep the bus, So Oregon Diesel is a top notch place to take it. I recommend them highly. Nice folks, honest and fair. Bob Wood |
Christopher Goodwin (Cgoodwin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 8:11 pm: | |
Look around and see if you can find a good used motor, when i thought i had engine issues I located one for $2500, it had been rebuilt and never installed. I should have bought it and put it in the garage just in case. Google "used diesel engines" and see what you find, if yours is in fact toast why not move up to an 8v?
Chris |
Dale L. Waller (Happycampersrus)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 8:19 pm: | |
You should be able to pick up a good used engine from a truck salvage for a good price (around here 2k to 3k). Your 6v92ta is a RH there are alot of them out there. 15k for a rebuild is alot to invest unless you drive your bus alot of miles.
Dale |
Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 8:37 pm: | |
Tah Rei, if you want to go the donor route, there's a wrecked MC9 currently on eBay. Per forum rules, I'll post the item # on the eBay part of the board.
bb |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 9:02 pm: | |
Be wary of leaving the coach with a "genuine" DD dealer. They will quote you on a rebuild (they already have) and then find a raft of other things that will be added to the repair bill...or leave you in a lurch if you refuse. Some things they'll want to add may be blower, turbo, air compressor etc. Some of these items may already be included. They may also gig you on a core if your block, heads, or crank are unuseable. If you read the DD rebuild list you will find it very specific as to what is included. As everyone has indicated, find a good used takeout. Probably find a good engine and transmission still in a coach that you can drive home...take a mechanic with you when buying the next engine. Swapping out a cradle is fairly simple $1K to $1.5K if you have to pay someone to do the swap. Someone may do it for the "leftovers." Luke at US Coach had a good 6V92T recently...may still have it. Be sure to get an appropriate engine...DDEC or MUI. No way I'd pay a DD dealer $15K to rebuild an engine in a $10K coach. Typically, a 6V92 that is totally worn out will run for a long time if you keep water and oil in it. My guess is that if the engine failed within three hours of driving you bought a known problem from someone. Maybe not...but? Was all the fluids checked prior to driving? Were any leaks apparent? What did the oil look like when you checked it prior to leaving on your voyage?
Check with Luke, Sam Caylor, Nimco, Pedco and any converter local to you. These engines are really common.
JR |
WA David (Wacoastmci)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 9:50 pm: | |
Pacific Detroit Diesel is a big organization that has repair facilities in multiple locations in the Pacific Northwest. I have had work done at PDD in Spokane and in Kent, WA with good results. They are not the cheapest place around but they do good work and stand behind their work if something isn't right. Southern Oregon Diesel is also a well respected repair facility in the NW which provides quality results.
If I was in southern Oregon, I'd go to SOD. If I was in Ridgefield, I'd go to PDD there. I don't think I would tow from one location to the other, however, since both will do a good job. Like always, make sure you understand what you can expect to receive for what you will pay from the repair facility. Both places are quality, ethical repair facilities.
Too bad the seller of your coach, it would appear, was not so ethical. Sorry you had the "new bus buyer's nightmare" happen to you. Keep smiling, keep an upbeat attitude, learn all you can about buses, and look forward to the time you will not have to be spending so much money on your hobby. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 8:24 am: | |
Probably the best investment you will ever make is paying the $1000 to have it towed to Southern Oregon Diesel.
Richard |
Jojo Colina (Du1jec)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 3:12 pm: | |
I would agree with Richard. Spend the $1000 to get it to South Oregon Diesel. I have spent my share of nightmares and $$$ with a "genuine" DD dealer.
Read all about it in my blog.
http://vici.nextfone.net/blogs/blog=2&page=1&disp=posts&paged=2 |
Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 4:45 pm: | |
Tah Rei,
I will recomend Hillsboro Diesel in Hillsboro Oregon, they are only about 1/2 way to Southern Oregon Diesel. They did a rebuild on my 8V71 last year and I believe did it very well, they have over 30 years of experience on two stroke Detroits. They will use a mixture of genuine Detroit parts and aftermarket to hold the cost down without compromising the reliability of the result. My rebuild included new camshafts, all bearings, cylinders, pistons etc. injectors and blower, new heads & cost $11,000 & took a week.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120 |