| Author | Message | ||
| Tony Rian (Rianrts)
Registered Member Username: Rianrts Post Number: 48 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 76.115.134.90 Rating: N/A |
I own a 1989 Eagle. After it had been sitting on my property for 4 years with no maintenance, I attempted to start and move the bus north. We spent 2 hours trying to start the bus. I would start without problem, the check engine light would stay on and almost to the tee, it would die after 30 seconds exactly. We checked every fluid and connection. Finally, we triumphed and were success in the bus starting and staying started. Upon our drive north, the check engine light would come on and I would have to turn the master switch off and on several times in order to keep the bus going. It died on me once, but we were able to restart and get going again. After about 60 minutes on the road, no more lights or warnings came on and I had no further problems. I attempted to start the bus again the other day, and I had the same issues of starting and running for only 30 seconds before shut down. Some changes that I have done are 1) took air starter out and put a 12 volt normal starter to the 6v92 turbo. Have I left a loose connection? 2) Is there corrosion that I am overseeing? Is there something else I am possibly overlooking? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tony | ||
| Patrick levenson (Zubzub)
Registered Member Username: Zubzub Post Number: 111 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 70.52.28.153  Rating: N/A |
Don't know eagles but I do know dem new fangled compuders dat r running de world. Seems to me there should be a series of fault codes in the ecm (presuming an '89 eagle has an ecm) start there or start by tightening every single connection you can find. | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 479 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 74.193.175.110  Rating: N/A |
I had similar problems on my 60 footer... It had a 6v92 in it... The water level sensor and the oil pressure sender were corroded. I had to simply bypass the water level sensor (it was dead) and I cleaned the connections on the oil pressure sender... Probably something similar. -Mac | ||
| Nellie Wilson (Vivianellie)
Registered Member Username: Vivianellie Post Number: 349 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 75.178.92.43  Rating: |
Tony - Okay, this is just me... your (completely ignorant) buddy Nellie. I don't know one-tenth of what every single one of these other guys know, so take it FWIW. But from the symptoms you describe, changing the starter won't make a whit of difference (it always started, right?) And a diesel doesn't give a crap about electricity (once it's started... which yours always does). So your problem is either: 1) disrupted fuel flow or 2)lack of air. I'm betting on fuel... if it were lack of air it wouldn't start at all. And the smoke - OMIGOD! i suspect you have a teeny leak (doesn't have to be much) in your fuel line... just enough to suck air. Basically, just an old fashioned vapor-lock (except not caused by heat or high altitude). When your fuel pump pushes past that shut-down point, the bus runs fine again. Why? Because the fuel return line (back into the tank) provides enough 'hot' fuel to pressurize the line. Expansion = Volume = Pressure, right? (Boyle's Law as applied to Bus Nut wackos...) Because your baby sat for four years, I'm even more convinced. A combiination of dry rot and stale fuel can do wonderous things to fuel lines (and filters). Whereas stale air doesn't seem to have much effect. Please, please, don't ask me how I know  Best of Luck, Nellie Wilson | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 614 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.53.155.14  Rating: N/A |
Ok ; I believe that the shut down solonoid is the culprit. I had the problem with the shutting down like that and found the unit was losing power at the solonoid and would shut it down until the air started building and keep the pressure up enough to let it sense it had air. Gomer | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 586 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.215.155  Rating: N/A |
It's shutting down because it senses an issue, coolant level/temp., oil temp/pressure. If you have a schematic look at the shut down circuit. Could be a bad ground somewhere in that circuit also, my guess is a faulty sensor or alarmostat. They don't like to sit, they need exercise to keep everything working, kinda like us. :=) What engine 6v92T maybe? Give me the VIN # and I'll look it up and see what she has. Sounds like a Model 15 DART bus from Dallas TX. (Message edited by dreamscape on October 10, 2009) (Message edited by dreamscape on October 10, 2009) | ||
| Greg Roberts (Eagle 20) (Gregeagle20)
Registered Member Username: Gregeagle20 Post Number: 272 Registered: 4-2002 Posted From: 66.18.167.76 Rating: N/A |
Does the bus have on board diagnostic switch and light? My 1989 Eagle 20 (NJ Transit) has this and when you flash and count the codes it will tell you the issue. I had this issue one time and the computer flashed the code for coolant level. I simply bypassed until I was able to install the replacement. Another question is, does your eagle have an engine override switch. Mine does and I believe you can flip this switch to allow the computer to not shut the bus off while you are transporting it to a safe location (as an example). This allows the driver to determine if the operating conditions are actually within specifications and then flip the switch and move on off the roadway or to the maintenance stop. Good luck! | ||
| Tony Rian (Rianrts)
Registered Member Username: Rianrts Post Number: 49 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 76.115.134.90 Rating: N/A |
First of all, my bus is also a NJ Transit. I did try the override switch with no luck. Greg, can you tell me where the flash is and how to do it? If I override the bad sensor, how to do that? On Gomers response, even when the air builds up it was still shutting down. I appreciate your response and your time that you offered me for this difficult situation. Thank you. Tony | ||
| Bob MacIsaac (Wildbob24)
Registered Member Username: Wildbob24 Post Number: 44 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 67.34.62.194  Rating: N/A |
Tony, If you have a check engine light, then you have an electronically controlled engine(DDEC). They are very sensitive to low voltage so make sure your batteries are fully charged. The shutdown is not air operated and your engine does require electricity to run(sorry Nellie). Usually there are 2 lights on the dash: a yellow check engine and a red stop engine. Generally the check engine light being on will not result in an automatic shutdown, but the stop engine indicates a more serious problem and the ECM will initiate a shutdown. There should be a switch on the dash marked diagnostic that will enable any stored codes to flash. You will need to refer to your manual to interpret the codes. Maybe some of the other DDEC experts will chime in, but I would start with your batteries(you did not say if you replaced them or are working with the ones that were in the bus 4 years ago) and check all the connections (battery and sensors) for any corrosion. | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 462 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 69.143.57.28  Rating: N/A |
Bob MacIsaac wrote "check all the connections (battery and sensors) for any corrosion." That's good advice but I'd add check all battery, engine, and DDEC-system grounds. | ||
| Greg Roberts (Eagle 20) (Gregeagle20)
Registered Member Username: Gregeagle20 Post Number: 273 Registered: 4-2002 Posted From: 66.18.167.76 Rating: N/A |
Tony, The diagnostic switch is to the left of the steering wheel and near the start button and master switch. What you do is turn on the bus power at the disconnect and then turn on the master switch. Let the DDEC go through it's beginning sequence and then you will be ready to check for codes. The diagnostic switch is a momentary switch that can be pressed upwards and downwards. You will want to press and hold upwards while watching and counting the red light flashes that you should see. I suggest that you have someone else there with you to right down the numbers you call out so that you do not miss any codes. The wau it works is that it will flash for instance two times then pause and then flash for instance 5 times and then pause before it goes to the next potential code. This, for example would be the code of 25. You can have multiple codes and likely will since the engine is not running. Write all the codes down as they flash off and eventually you will be back around to the first code and the system will simply go through them again until you let off of the switch. If you happen to let off the switch anytime during the process the codes will start from the beginning again. So have a helper and don't look away and miss a code. Might let the sequence run through all of the codes twice just to make sure you have the write codes. After you get the codes then look at the DDEC II code sheet that I sent to your email. You may want to reply with codes and we can discuss further if you need some assistance determining the potential of each code that is set. One more note, I believe the automatic shutdown function can actually be turned off with either a prolink or it could be that you need the laptop program to do it but I just can't remember if the prolink can actually do it too. In that case the bus would run to destruction if there were actually a bad issue in the making. Good luck! | ||
| Len Silva (Lsilva)
Registered Member Username: Lsilva Post Number: 296 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 72.187.35.208  Rating: N/A |
One quick point, if you don't have a (reliable) helper just use a voice recorder, perhaps your cell phone. | ||
| Greg Roberts (Eagle 20) (Gregeagle20)
Registered Member Username: Gregeagle20 Post Number: 274 Registered: 4-2002 Posted From: 66.18.167.76 Rating: N/A |
Good idea! | ||
| thomas flocks (Taflocks)
Registered Member Username: Taflocks Post Number: 8 Registered: 9-2009 Posted From: 69.205.11.117 Rating: N/A |
my guess and it's only a guess is bad fuel.... |
