1990 school bus

[kaptn]

My friend has a Bluebird bus converted to a camper in excelent condition. It has a 5. 9 in it and he can only get 65 mph with the plate moved. He asked me to help him get more power. It cost him $600. 00 for a guy to adjust the plate for him. What do you guys reccommend. I will definately reccommend gauges. Is the sky the limit with this beast?

 

[DBF]

Hi, Kaptn



"Adjust the plate" makes it sound as though the bus has a newer 5. 9 with the P7100 injection pump. The first-gen 5. 9's that we have don't have that pump. But we'll figure it out.



In any case, better recommendations can be made if we know the beast we're playing with.



Can you give us the Cummins CPL number (it's on a plate on the timing gear case that has the big "C" Cummins uses as a logo)? By that, we can find the real characteristics of the engine.



Also, can you identify the transmission or at least tell us if it's a 3-speed auto with overdrive or 5-speed manual?



It would also be good to know the rear-end gear ratio. If it's unknown, we could compute it knowing how many RPM the engine is turning in direct gear at some speed and by knowing the tire size.



Regards, DBF

 

[Wayno]

Did yall know that a early 91 (non inter-cool)Dodge has a plate in the pump ????? My parents sold their overhead camper Friday and when I got to their house after work Friday there was a 91 Dodge in their front yard . Well I figured that who ever it was was there to look at the camper . So being a big Dodge and TDR man that I am I started talking trucks . He started tell me about this guy in town(that we live in) that drives a Ford and works for a place in Houston TX. that sell high performance(bombing) stuff for Fords . I know where this guy lives cause he has a big sign in his front yard with a web site for the company he works for on it and his truck(Ford)looks like a rolling billboard . Well we started talking bombing and he tells me that he spoke with the guy with the rolling billboard Ford and the guy told him " I can hop your 91 up , I can put a different- plate- in your pump and some bigger injectors in it and really make you 91 run " . Well needless to say I set him straight and told him about the TDR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kaptn]

I will get back with you all. I got to check some numbers for you guys.

 

[Barry]

I have had a Blue Bird Bus just like you are discussing. If memory serves me, the Allison in that unit is a 4 speed with no lock-up. You can turn power to it until you are blue-in-the-face... . it will only go so fast. And, the faster you go, the more wind you are pushing with that flat face. Without lock-up, all it does is just spin faster and faster. But, you are not getting the power to the ground.