| Author |
Message |
Glenn Williams (Glenn)
Registered Member
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 48
Registered: 6-2006
Posted From: 216.163.57.85
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 11:43 pm: | |
Well, on my way home between camping trips my 4905 suffered some sort of short in the original electrical between the engine bulkhead and the next one foreward. I thought I had driven past a bon-fire since I could slightly smell wood burning. Well, the short seems to have caught the insulation on the old AC lines and the insulation on the heating lines and eventually burned through the floor!
Here's the fun part of the story. The bus was still operational with the exception of a melted throttle cable. So my buddy came up with the idea to tie clothes line to the throttle arm on the engine and tie it to a small jack handle. He ran the fuel, I handled everything else.
Here's what needs repair. The throttle cable is toast, and the wiring harness is crispy. It only went bare in a few places, but it's not safe for use. The floor is toast (the extra crispy kind) under the bed and of course, things stink.
Here's where I need advice. The tunnel is blocked from acess in the 3rd bay due to frame construction for the old tag axle and is also blocked by water tanks installed perpindicular to the tunnel in the second bay. Could I remove the frame sections in bay 3 to gain acess? (they are bolted in) Can the new throttle cable be installed at the front or rear of the bus and be pulled through the tunnel by the old cable?
OR -
Gut the whole thing and start over. I have all of the wiring diagrams and have the skills to build a new harness. This would allow me to delete all of the unecessary wiring left over from it's bus days.
I just hate to lose the rest of this summer's trips. |
Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member
Username: Barn_owl
Post Number: 65
Registered: 10-2006
Posted From: 72.66.160.187
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 12:30 am: | |
An air throttle might also be a possibility. Weigh your options. |
Larry D Baker (Lbaker4106)
Registered Member
Username: Lbaker4106
Post Number: 62
Registered: 5-2005
Posted From: 209.153.159.188
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 1:21 pm: | |
Glad to see you must have gotten the bus home as I don't see it at cochran rd.(I stopped to check on you) Air throttle might be good but don't know about the wiring harness. Larry 4106 |
Jeffrey Smith (Greenhornet)
Registered Member
Username: Greenhornet
Post Number: 50
Registered: 12-2006
Posted From: 198.136.32.74
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 4:42 pm: | |
Glad to hear everyone is safe. Sounds like that could have been a real disaster. I like the ingenious idea to get you haome, with cloths line! Gotta remember that one. Hope it is an easy fix for you. |
Florida Cliff (Floridacracker)
Registered Member
Username: Floridacracker
Post Number: 328
Registered: 7-2004
Posted From: 67.8.199.203
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 8:00 pm: | |
Glen,
Are you sure you don't have a hole in your muffler.
It sits right up under the bed between those bulkheads.
Cliff
(Message edited by floridacracker on July 30, 2007) |
Ed Roelle (Ed_roelle)
Registered Member
Username: Ed_roelle
Post Number: 27
Registered: 3-2005
Posted From: 68.85.142.109
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 10:46 am: | |
Relative to your throttle. If you damaged the outer shield/guide, you may have difficulty replacing the whole assembly. An air throttle may be the easy answer.
You might be able to buy a used air throttle from the bus junk yard on 26 Mile, near Gratiot in New Baltimore, MI.
I say "might", because apparently, the operator does not own all the buses. Also, the situation and his desire to sell parts is very confusing.
Ed Roelle
Flint, MI |
Glenn Williams (Glenn)
Registered Member
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 49
Registered: 6-2006
Posted From: 216.163.57.51
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 11:46 pm: | |
Thanks for all of the reply's! I just completed my vacation and now can catch up.
Larry - thanks for stopping by! I was so distracted that I forgot to get your name and info. It's great to have fellow busnuts in the neighborhood!
Jeffery - funny thing, the bus had better throttle response with a second driver. I found that the throttle cable had been sleeved and routed over the wiring harness to repair a previous kink and so I think that cable travel was limited keeping me out of the full rpm range.
Florida Cliff - Will check that out. I had to make a patch lower on the muffler after it cooked an air bag. I haven't seen one yet directly on top but I wasn't looking for one either.
Ed - Can you get me a phone number and name to this guy? It's not that far of a drive, but a phone call first always helps!
I borrowed some old Bus Conversion Mags from a buddy and came up with some idea's I'd love feedback on.
Remove the old harness completely. Move the voltage regulator panel, battery junctions, driver's panel, and batteries to the former location of the AC pump and the 3rd bay passenger side if extra room is needed. Make a new short harness and send the proper wires up to the front. This would allow me to remove the unused electrical systems and update the wiring for my 12 volt systems including proper wire size for the headlights, taillights, etc. If in good condition, I could recycle the old wiring harness to keep continuity between the wiring diagram manuals and the new wiring system.
Any thoughts?
I am willing to consider an air throttle, just a little afraid to know how much it might cost. |