It Moves

[Les Marston]

I finally got around to installing the new/rebuilt shift pad for our coach and by golly; It moves!
I was a little concerned about starting the coach when the temperature is as cold as it is right now -11 with -20 wind chill.
The hydronic pre heat warmed the engine to where the temp gage was starting to register.
That thing puts out a lot of heat because it only took about 15 min from dead cold to start up.
 I is one happy bus nut
Les

[gomer]

I see ya did make it !! 

[Les Marston]

Something like the old song goes: "I get by with a LOT of help from my friends"

[Bill Gerrie]

Les
I bet you are the happiest bus nut on here now. The old pad must have been acting up last year then cleared up as I remember BW mentioning you had a problem last year.
Bill

[joemc7ab]

Wish I could say that for mine, like I mentioned last week progress is dependent on no interruptions.

       Guess what, lots of interruptions this week but I can't complain. Tomorrow is bus schedule all day untill my backsays enough.

                  Joe.

[buswarrior]

I'll bet that the cold was contracting something just enough to cause malfunction.

Warm it up, and it'll work until it doesn't.

Glad it worked out, and a great price!

Ok, now what about those other problems you were having?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[luvrbus]

Heat and cold destroy the gell in the touch pads fwiw

[Bill Gerrie]

The push button type of selector pad has a hot/cold range of the following:
Operational                 Non Operational
130*F                         185*F
Max Start up               
160*F                         -------
-------                         Up to 1 Hour
-------                         220*F
Min Temp                    Min Temp
-40*F                          -65*F
Should also be mounted at a min 20.5 degree angle. This is to stop any accumulation of liquid or dirt. These are right from DA book. I wish somebody could find how to test them also.
Bill

[Les Marston]

I think the rest of my issues are going to wait for warmer temps. I still have some sort of air issue. a leak somewhere on the accessories side plus an air feed back through the foot peddle when the park brake is on.
I also know that my air dryer needs attention. I would guess that it has never been serviced due to the bus spending almost its whole life in the desert.
 Interesting to see the temp range that the shift pad can handle. I think I am going to try to get into the habit of covering it when we are in hot places. At least that should help keep the sun off of it.

[luvrbus]

Yep that is the way the DA books reads but put one in the freezer overnight then touch it it will break and you can see gell oozing at 120+ degrees has been my experience with the pads and at the Allison class they told me never mount one flat use a 45 angle to protect from the AZ sun

good luck

[JackConrad]

. I still have some sort of air issue. a leak somewhere on the accessories side plus an air feed back through the foot peddle when the park brake is on.

Feed back through foot peddle is probably a leaking parking diaphragm. With system aired up and parking brakes applies, clamp right parking brake airline at DD3 canister. This will be the line nearest the rear of the canister (front of bus). If you still hear air leaking, unclamp and apply clamp to left canister. If you still hear air leaking, you have ruled out the parking diaphragms as the source.  Jack

[Les Marston]

Thanks Jack
I might run it up onto some rail road ties that I have and do that process. Don't worry I know to block it up and never trust airbags to hold it up with me under it.
 The weather is suppose to be warmer tomorrow and if time allows.
I don't imagine that the pots are repairable and if I find the one with the bad diaphragm that I will have to just replace it

[JackConrad]

I don't imagine that the pots are repairable and if I find the one with the bad diaphragm that I will have to just replace it

Actually, they are rebuildable.  Best price I found for replacement diaphragms was Mohawk Mfg.   Jack

[Mark Morgan (Stormcloud)]

Great news! That always brings a smile.

As for the hydronic heat, we use our Webasto 2020 for cold-weather boonbocking ( as in -30F) as the heated coolant radiates through 4 heaters upstairs. Residual heat from the Webasto also keeps the freshwater tank from becoming a giant block of ice.  Keeps us as warm as needed, plus in the morning, when I make the Mrs bacon and eggs    I send some heated antifreeze through the engine block for about 20 or 30 minutes. The old DD starts like a summer day then.

[DaveD]

Spent a few days camping in Brandon in the late 1950s, while my Dad had a connecting rod bearing changed in his Studebaker during a family vacation trip.  I think it was the local Volkswagen dealer that did it.  We hadn't seen to many of them - were told that the engine in one could be removed in less than one hour.