| Author |
Message |
ktrout01 (12.243.136.90)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2002 - 4:53 pm: | |
I'm interested to know if anyone has ever converted an electric start to air start and if so, how hard it was to do.
Thanks
ktrout |
Jeffery L. Barbour (Jeff) (24.14.7.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2002 - 8:18 pm: | |
From all I read & heard from those in the business. Air starters are not for us bus conversion people. Air starters in the transportation industry saves money in replacement batteries.<-- Overland Transit, Richmond VA. No electric starter less need for batteries. He told me air starters are cheaper by not buying so many batteries over the life of the bus. Electrical starters may be more dependable but over time cost a bunch. Bad side of an air starter is, if you don't start on the 1st or 2nd try, you are screwed. Where you gonna get air when you have depleted the tanks? |
Jayjay (207.30.115.15)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2002 - 9:52 pm: | |
Screwed is right, and as noisy as they are, it'll get you SHOT. Find someone that has one and get a half mile away and listen to it, then think about setting off that ungodly racket in a quiet camp early on a sunday morning. Yuck! Cheers...JJ |
Derv (209.246.189.163)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 05, 2002 - 10:34 pm: | |
Another down side to these starters are the huge tank and hose they use. You can't just hook them up to your existing air tanks. They require a huge volume of air to work.
The transit systems can use them without too many problems becuase they usually only start the buses at the terminal where they have portable compressors mounted on trucks to re-air if there is a problem start. If this happens at a campground, you may need to call a tire company to come out with a truck. |
ktrout01 (12.243.136.90)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 1:38 pm: | |
Thanks for all the information. I didn't think about the noise issue but thinking back to my Navy days and my experience with air started large diesels, we did wear double hearing protection in the Aux Machinery Space !! My neighbors tolerate the bus parked in the yard but I don't think that they'd like the air start.
ktrout01 |
TampaRTS (63.23.184.98)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2002 - 4:13 pm: | |
I have an air starter on my RTS that I am converting. I was considering changing it back to electric (I was told the transit company retrofit them with air). I think I finally decided to keep it since it is working fine...Probably will replace with electric if I have problems.
WHAT NOISE? I'm no diesel mechanic, but I can stand at the back and start my bus and barely hear the starter spin. |
Doug (Toolman) (65.161.50.226)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2002 - 10:08 pm: | |
I also have an air starter on my RTS.. As far as noise?? I have heard electric starters that whine almost as loud.. I like the fact that the air starter will usually outlast the electric..
Just another nuts opinion...
Hey, I wonder what an old time steam whistle would sound like on the exhaust port of my starter .. WWHHHEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeee!!!!! YEA!!
Gotta love it,
Toolman |