| Author | Message | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 154 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.60  Rating: N/A |
Well since I don't seem to be getting any responses on the detroit board let me ask here. What service intervals do you guys use for your detroits particularly oil changes, primary and secondary fuel filters and the oil bath in the air filter? Thanks Tim (slowly learning) | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 351 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.33.36.66 Rating: N/A |
Tim, I change my engine oil every 12,000 miles a long with the fuel filters I don't have a oil bath air filter but I change my paper filter once a year. DD says you can go up to 20,000 miles on the engine but I go 12,000 miles | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 155 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.60 Rating: N/A |
many thanks Those are longer intervals than I was expecting | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 330 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 153.2.247.31  Rating: N/A |
Tim, With an oil change costing over a $100 for a DIY job I find it is money well spent to have an oil analyses done. I found that I was changing it way to often in my diesel truck and tractor and it showed my bus needing it after one year (but my bus sat dormant for 10yrs, then got new oil, and I believe that first oil change gave it a good cleaning). I do my analysis every spring so I will do one as soon as I get my steering back on. I hope it comes back ok because I didn’t travel as many miles last year. I don’t know the price because I was given prepaid analyses kits to use, but last year I believe it was around $12. I would still have it done even if I had to pay for it. The PO put a fuel pressure gauge on and said he only changed the filters if he saw a pressure drop. So far, it is working fine even after running 160 gallons of 12-year-old diesel through it. We have a large fleet of trucks where I work and I have found that fuel pressure at the fuel/gas pumps are a good indicator of filter condition. I don’t have enough vacation to be a high-miler like some on here so I have yet to reach a point to do an air filter change (PO converted to paper). I still do a visual inspection once a year for kicks-and-jiggles. Laryn | ||
| hiwaycallin (Hiwaycallin)
Registered Member Username: Hiwaycallin Post Number: 27 Registered: 10-2007 Posted From: 208.98.218.205  Rating: N/A |
"So far, it is working fine even after running 160 gallons of 12-year-old diesel through it." Actually, this answers a question I was thinking of posting re: diesel fuel shelf life (or tank life, as it were). I guess the answer is "a lot longer than gasoline". Correct? | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 156 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 74.244.14.221 Rating: N/A |
Hiwaycallin, Diesel can last quite a while but if it will not be used very quickly you should add a biocide because it cvan grow algae. When I lived onboard a boat we used to use a product called biobore | ||
| GlennVin (Glennvin)
Registered Member Username: Glennvin Post Number: 31 Registered: 10-2002 Posted From: 75.117.20.228 Rating: N/A |
Hi Tim, I am nowhere near an authority about a bus or anything else. But, I'll give you the schedule I used for the 4104 with a 6-71 DD our singing group had. 1. Changed the engine oil every 12,000 miles or every 12 months with Delo 100. 2. Changed the coolant every 24 months. 3. Changed the fuel filters every 4 months. This was due to the fact we were buying fuel at different places along the road. 4. Serviced the Spicer transmission every 12 months. 5. Cleaned the oil bath air filters every 4 months. This may need to be more frequent if you are driving on many dusty roads. 6. Serviced the Kholer 7.5 Kw gas generator every 6 months. As I stated earlier, I'm no authority, but that's the way I maintained ours. Glenn Tallulah Falls, GA www.tlmmusic.com | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 289 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 66.90.226.187 Rating: N/A |
Sitting is the killer of DD, so it is at least as important to RUN every month at least 100 miles, as have a realistic oil Sked. We use 6000 miles as usually 6-7000 is our current annual use . K&N air filters also get annual cleaning , but do get 6 month Re spray , due to lack of use. And we seal the exhaust between runs. Oil sample at every change , just to keep track. Some folks have suggested adding a gallon of outboard 2 stroke oil with each 100 of fuel. Claimed this will make up for the almost complete lack of lubricants in the latest mandated POOR fuel. FF | ||
| Jim & Linda Callaghan (Jimc)
Registered Member Username: Jimc Post Number: 50 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 66.175.206.159 Rating: N/A |
Fast Fred, Just curious, why seal the exhaust? I'm guessing to keep the critters out? Jim | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 291 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 66.90.226.60 Rating: N/A |
Just curious, why seal the exhaust? On the DD there will always be some exhaust valves open , so the breeze can easily blow nice new moist air to rust the cylinders even more. Nicest is when one can seal the intake AND exhaust , but that takes time to undo. Sealing just the exhaust blows off during a start. There are rust proofers that can be added to the oil that will help , too. On many dry stack boats the owners will have a woven bag that fits down the exhaust pipe , and is filled with charcoal , installed before capping the pipe , in the hope the charcoal will capture moisture. Most times the time/coolant temperature it takes to clear white exhaust smoke is an indication of how much compression is gone. Either from high miles or pitted by rust cylinder walls. | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 229 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
Sealing intake can be done quite easily by manually closing your emergency shutdown valve. Mine is was sticking and I had a good look at how well it closes the intake. Better yet perhaps closing the valve along with stuffing a rag in the right place. For Fuel lubricant GM automotive (not Detroit) recommended the use of ATF when they had massive failures of Roosamaster injection pumps when the first phase of removing sulpher from fuel took place. I think that was about fifteen years ago. I used to buy it by the five gallon pale and never had a pump failure. I just put an old diesel jetta on the road last week and dumping some atf along with some gasoline in the fuel tank smartened it right up. It now runs the way you expect it to run. Joe. | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1027 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.48.5  Rating: N/A |
I've run and repaired Olds diesels-v6 and v8's and GM 6.2's continously since 1984 and have never had to add anything to the fuel to prevent failures of the Roosamaster pumps. Other than installing rigid governor weight retaining rings to deal with elastic ring failures in the late 80's,( not from loss of sulphur) and occasionally advance pin seals, they are pretty reliable. | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1256 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.66.17.36  Rating: N/A |
Pay close attention, engine fans... FastFred said "the breeze can easily blow nice new moist air to rust the cylinders even more." Keep in mind that depending on where the crank stops, and the engine type involved, that there can be quite the open path right through the engine for a passing breeze to move air right through! This may come as a surprise to some folks. The sweat of humidity must be defended against for engines that sit for days/weeks on end. Daily fluctuating temperatures moves air in and out and even stationary air will wick humidity into the engine. Putting a plug in the exhaust and/or closing the emergency stop flap in the blower intake is a fine strategy to slow the process. As for the relevance, do you need to worry about this? Perhaps? Manufacturers are often of little help. They don't often envision their engines sitting doing nothing, even back-up engines on generators and pumps have recommended run intervals that are shorter than some busnut's stationary habits. Good engineering as to the effects is sparse. And good scientific methodology knows that personal experience is no indicator. In deciding if this is worth my attention, I might wonder where the engine is sitting. Damp river bottom, by the salty seashore, or the dry high plains? happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 230 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
John I read a service bullitin at a local dealership at that time. I cannot remember the ratio that was recommended, but if pump failures had not been an issue they would not have issued that bullitin. I have not come across any other individuals that have played with roosamaster pumps other than you. I remember the first time trying to take one apart. Looked at it for a couple of hours scratching my head,but once you got it figured out could do it blindfolded in three minutes. I still have a 98 with 5.2 sitting against the fence. BW High dry plaines might not need it everywhere else probably a good idea. | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member Username: Kyle4501 Post Number: 408 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.4.158.120 Rating: N/A |
OK, I may be showing my Ignorance here, but how does air blow thru the blower if it isn't turning? I thought it was a positive displacement pump & that was why the turbo engines had a by-pass. I can see how air gets sucked in / pushed out as the temp changes from cool of night to heat of the day, but I'm having trouble understanding the breeze straight thru from intake to exhaust . . . | ||
| George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member Username: George_mc6 Post Number: 414 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 76.91.197.153 Rating: N/A |
Kyle, You ARE within a few thousandths of being correct! Those few thousandths being the clearance of the blower lobes and the housing. I can definitely see a rag stuffed tightly in the exhaust, as it is always open to at least three or four cylinders, all the time. At least the intake has an air cleaner and the blower in the way... (I still know where two more Scenics are.) Regards, George | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member Username: Kyle4501 Post Number: 409 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.4.158.120 Rating: N/A |
George, That would allow some air to pass, but not a breeze . . . Most of the buses I've seen have exhaust leaks that pass more air than that. Best thing to do is to drive 'em! I'm at my critical limit of 6. I had 7, but the boss said one had to go  , so I made a local friend happy  We're planning on parking 8 in a row . . . If we can find enough room, his lot isn't quite level. . . . | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 43 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 74.79.238.13  Rating: N/A |
Kyle, Every time I get an itch to buy another old Harley, or a woodie Lightning sailboat, my wife cringes. All I have to do is show her that pic of yours, and tell her it could be worse. She knows how much I like old buses, but one's the limit...for wives and buses! | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member Username: Kyle4501 Post Number: 410 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.4.158.120 Rating: N/A |
I donno about that limit of yours. . While they do compete well in which costs more . . . The busses NEVER nag The buses also stay where you left them & don't bitch about how long you were gone. They also don't get jealous when you spend time with another one . . . |