| Author | Message | ||
| Dilip & Zoe (Vintagehounds)
Registered Member Username: Vintagehounds Post Number: 82 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 67.166.131.55 Rating: N/A |
For those aware of my bus being in Lincoln Nebraska. Advice for me regarding fuel system. .. The mechanic looking at my bus says that he thinks it to be a fuel system problem. He cleaned filter . Primary and secondary noting lots of sludge build up. Bus runs much better and with a mechanic in back of coach hears no clutch slip. Should I have mechanic completely clean out fuel system from tank to injectors and replace some of the lines he sees that are seeping? My feeling is to have him completely clean out my fuel system and then take the bus up a long upgrade to see how it reacts. Also ill want him to check over the clutch system for proper adjustment etc. Am I thinking along the right lines here or do I need to consider other things? Im at the point where I dont have the confidence to have the mechanic do anything until im a little bit clearer on what may be going on here. Any and all advice would be much appreciated. THX,,, Dilip.. p.s. for all I know the fuel that I started off with and have continued to add to possibly has been in the tank for many years and who knows what else should be looked at? here is a copy of email I recieved from Joel at Stevenson today.. Happy New Year! Hi this is Joel @ Stephenson Truck Repair in Lincoln,we had your bus in yesterday (1-3-07),we test drove unit with two people,one in back of coach to listen for slippage of clutch,found no slippage at all,what we found was the engine not revving up @ all.We brought unit in to shop & pulled the fuel filters off & found primary filter was full of dirt,probably about a 1/2" of sludge on bottom of this housing,the filter is cleanable so we cleaned filter & replaced secondary filter,bus runs a lot better now,we needed a o-ring for filter housing so we called US Coach & have one coming,should be here next week.Looking @ fuel system we noticed fuel lift pump leaking fuel & several fuel lines seeping out of their fittings,if you want I can probably have all of these lines made locally & change them.Please let me know how much you want to do,I probably won't get bus back in until parts come,You can email me or call,THANKS. | ||
| Mike Eades (Mike4905)
Registered Member Username: Mike4905 Post Number: 136 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 68.207.200.143 Rating: N/A |
If you fuel lines are leaking, they may also be sucking air. Not good. Just a thought. Mike | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 526 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
get a price estimate & go for it,they will have to be replaced in the near future, might as well do it now | ||
| Pat (Proudeagle10)
Registered Member Username: Proudeagle10 Post Number: 31 Registered: 4-2005 Posted From: 205.188.116.13 Rating: N/A |
Had a bus do the same thing to me. After many hours looking at diffidence things, I finally stuck my hand in the intake breather tube, and found the emergence shut down flapper, half closed. I opened it all the way, and bus worked perfect. Don't know who closed it, but that was my problem. For all I know,it might have been me. | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 527 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
that happens kinda often,especialy if children (little boys) get in the drivers seat,they just HAVE to push EVERY switch.. | ||
| busbouy (Busbouy)
Registered Member Username: Busbouy Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 63.193.211.225 Rating: |
I missed the background, so maybe these already got answered... (a) PD-4104 not lots of power compared to a car, whatcha used to driving? (b) Fuel starvation may result in sluggish but not misses (still gets plenty of fuel at idle, just not enough for running full-out) (c) Some buses have a screen on the tank fuel pickup which can get clogged. (d) Dirt/sludge in fuel filter bad... tanks can grow algae (yes, in diesel!). Without knowing anything, just guessing: maybe drain the tank and look at the diesel coming out. If it has crud, filter well before reusing (at a minimum) and/or add some biocide and/or clean the tank (better). If you do get junk and don't clean the tank, carry spare filters and be prepared to re-prime when you change them. | ||
| sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Registered Member Username: Sylverstone_pd4501864 Post Number: 246 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 216.173.223.253 Rating: N/A |
on my cruiser i found that a previous owner had installed an electric fuel pump that had basically melted internally... bus would idle, but wouldn't do anything else until i removed the pump, then it would lose prime occasionally, so i put a new pump in. if it were my bus, i would pull the tank, flush it, flush / replace all the fuel lines. why? because my bus is 50 years old, and it's one less system to worry about... i think you can trust your mechanic though. after all, it's in his best interest financially to do a clutch job... takes longer and pays more. -dd | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 1796 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.79.170 Rating: N/A |
Be sure and have him blow back thru the pickup line into the tank. That solved my problem of no power on my 4104. Richard | ||
| Jim Wilke (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 105 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 69.77.151.82 Rating: N/A |
I like your mechanic. First: He actually got back to you before you had to go find him. Second: He did a very simple but effective test. He drove & had a guy in the back to see what was going on instead of guessing. Third: As mentioned above, he turned away from a big dollar clutch job instead suggesting simple, basic sensible repairs for way less money. (He's HONEST!!) One of the first thing I did on our 4104 was to replace all oil, fuel, air & water flex hoses because some were ratty & God only knows how old they were. (The only hose related failure I have had in the 9 years since was a short, 1/4" air hose I did not replace!) You will spend some $$ going in when buying a bus even if it's 10 years old. But when you get it right, you won't have to do much other than put fuel & oil in it for many miles. Remember that several owners have squeezed every dime of profit out of this bus in commercial use before it got to you. Jim-Bob | ||
| Jim Wilke (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 106 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 69.77.151.82 Rating: N/A |
Oh, by the way Dilip & Zoe, When you go to pick up the bus, have the mechanic get you AT LEAST one set of fuel filters. You may need to change the filters again on the road if the fuel tank is really gunky. If you have the filters & a 5 gal jug of diesel fuel it will be a 20 minute delay instead of an ordeal. Fill each new filter with fuel before you install it & the bus SHOULD start right up. I keep 2 sets of all filters on board. They are often "special order" and I usually find that if I am "loaded for bear", the bears stay away. Jim-Bob | ||
| Dilip & Zoe (Vintagehounds)
Registered Member Username: Vintagehounds Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 67.166.131.55 Rating: N/A |
hi all! Zoe here for a change, I agree the mechnic seems very honest and I like him and his response. Thanks to everyone for your advice. I think we will have him replace all the fuel lines and clean out the tank, who knows what kind of aliens are growing in there! Jim- good advice we will keep some filters on board! We are going to travel to the bus again at the end of this month, to facilitate work on it, looking foward to it. I have yet to see this beauty! Thanks so much! Zoe | ||
| busbouy (Busbouy)
Registered Member Username: Busbouy Post Number: 4 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 63.193.211.225 Rating: N/A |
[Previous owner put an electric pump in.] Presumably that's to avoid "lost prime" problems. Many DD2s are fed by only the pump on the motor, and if they don't have fuel all the way to the pump, they can't pull it. This leads to the problem: run out of fuel, fill tank, engine can't be restarted. At least three ways of dealing with it: (a) fill filters with fuel; often works, but may destroy a cartridge filter getting it off (b) use a priming tank which pumps fuel from the priming tank in to the system -- good for shop, but who wants to carry one? (c) electric pump. To avoid running the electric pump all the time you can plumb past it with either a very low drop check valve (standard DD2 part) or a T valve that you move, turn on priming pump, start engine, move valve back, turn off priming pump. | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 88 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 4.235.203.132 Rating: N/A |
The good folks that build Raycor filters now have a kit that inserts between the mount and bowl, adding 3 inches to the hight. The insert is a PRIMING PUMP! FF | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 377 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.126.56 Rating: N/A |
make sure the seals in the fuel pump at the engine aren't bad. If the one is bad, it will suck air past the shaft. same also for the suction line at the pump. If you are going to really go over the fuel system, at least remove and inspect gears and seals for wear and scoring. Might not be a bad idea to get a new pump if it is has been on there for years. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 279 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 63.97.117.24 Rating: N/A |
Good idea about the emergency shutoff valve. It is not too hard to trip accidentally. However, a lot of them won't work at all. All lines to the pump are suction so they must not leak or you will always be losing prime. You can't see these leaks because air is going in and usually not fuel out-but sometimes it does! Also make sure the check valve at the primary filter is working, it will let fuel drain back to the tank. I had a hard time getting this filter gasket to stop leaking so it was sucking air. Out of the pump is pressure so leaks there will be fuel, this includes the secondary filter. I wouldn't mess with the pump until all the leaks are stopped and the tank crud is out. These pumps last forever. The crud may work itself out eventually, mine did, but it took a few filters. Make sure they clean the primary correctly if it is the original stacked-disk type. The disks must be loosened and sprayed clean. Electric pumps are usually added on because the supply line leaks air and loses prime. It is a good idea to have one installed parallel to the supply line-I'm going to do that with mine. | ||
| doug yes (Dougg)
Registered Member Username: Dougg Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 4.235.254.54 Rating: N/A |
Has anyone installed a FASS fuel processor? It consists of a pump, filter, water and air seperator. They are available from Pittsburg Power. | ||
| James Stacy (Jimstacy)
Registered Member Username: Jimstacy Post Number: 23 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 70.244.20.215 Rating: N/A |
Fuel Pro filter from DD is a blessing. The initial cost is pricey but it's all down hill then. The top of the unit is a large clear bowl that gives you a clear view of the main filter that replaces the secondary OE filter. You can tell the filter life at a glance as the fuel level rises as the filter fills up. The bottom of the unit is a sediment bowl with drain that replaces the primary OE filter. This bowl can be fitted with both a engine coolant fuel heater and/or an electric fuel heater if you wish. A replacement filter with new O ring is about 6 bucks! No priming needed for filter change. When we had fuel problems, (very old fuel, tank full of crap that didn't come out with drain) we changed the filter in a rest area in less than 5 minutes. While I got out latex gloves, old one gallon jug and new filter, my better half found a large Ziplock bag. Wearing the gloves, I drained the fuel down to the level of the bottom of the upper filter. NO FURTHER. I changed the filter (usually did not require use of the filter wrench) and put the old filter and the latex gloves in the Ziplock bag. The bag went in the trash barrel, the jug back in the bay. Not a drop spilled, no priming required, not even dirty hands and total cost about $6! Now no question if your fuel filter is plugged. Just look at it to see how much filter capacity is left. I understand this filter was a joint design between DD and Davco. I am not involved with mfg or sale of this unit but I would buy another in a heartbeat. Jim Stacy |
