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Bought a Diesel Pusher

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Questions for you "Full-time RVer's"

Shadrach,

OK plan is coming together, transplant is in sight. The only mechanical tidbit I'm contributing due to a donor engine is to make sure the dowel sleeves on the trans side of the engine to trans adapter are in place and pilot holes are gutensnug.

Keep the pic's coming.

I'd say it's time to make a reservation for a shakedown camping trip and no support vehicle, you've got this.

Gary
 
Shadrach,

OK plan is coming together, transplant is in sight. The only mechanical tidbit I'm contributing due to a donor engine is to make sure the dowel sleeves on the trans side of the engine to trans adapter are in place and pilot holes are gutensnug.
Yes, I’m sure that’ll all have to be changed. I’m sure the MH is all SAE pattern.
 
Interesting autopsy. Looks to be a nice camping rig when you get it running again.

Are you going to put some different alarms in say for alternator failure indicating the WP quit spinning? How did they do on the OEM gauge and alarm package anyway?

It would be interesting to check the condition of the piston cooling nozzles to see if any were clogged, damaged, etc. Does the engine have a OCOD oil filter...

When the turbo failed I bet the EGT's went nuclear if it was still running.
 
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So there are basically 2 ways to remove the engine. Either lift the coach up and let the engine stay down or take it out the back, which in this case would mean cutting the fiberglass bumper off. In the first picture you can see how the professionals do it With 4 ( or 6 when you have a tag axle ) jacks you simply lift the coach up . I don'y own any of these :) With transit buses you can remove the rear bumper and take the engine and trans out as a unit. The ceiling in my buddies shop is 16' not high enough to lift it up anyway. The pad outside the shop is 24' not long enough for a 35+ foot coach to park on. Putting the 2 front jack on gravel isn't a good idea. With it up on ramps and the head and oil pan off I could drop the engine down and "drag it out, but how do I put one back in , especially with a head and oil pan on? A reciprocating saw will work wonders as there is no real "bumper" anyway.
 
That motorhome has an ISX 650 HP 15 liter engine in it. The bus has an ISL9. I will be using a transmission jack and a home made engine crane.

So my list of new parts, so far, includes new thermostat, rad, belt, fan, water pump, belt tensioner, turbo, exhaust manifold, A/C belt & idler and injectors. The CAC ( charge air cooler ) has been repaired the fuel pump will be checked ( and tweaked ) all filters will be replaced as will hoses clamps etc. I will replace all gaskets and seal that I can access while the engine is out and will paint it Beige as that was the color they used back then.

Once the engine is all done I still have to check out all the coach stuff, fridge roof A/Cs etc. I have another friend who is an RV tech so I will be putting him to work there. No I haven't made any campground reservations yet as I know from experience that it ain't done til she runs.
David
 
I’m impressed by your fortitude in this project!
Those are the exact lifts that I use at my job.
So I’m understanding that you’ve decided to cut the rear bumper and out the back she comes. I guess with the head off, you just might be able to do a tight sling or lift plate and crane it out. How about fabbing a cradle that would mount tight to the engine, like the oil pan rails, and skate it out? Is renting a small forklift out of the question?
 
What does a shop ballpark charge to just haul the engine in/out plus towing vs. bumper repair on one of these? I ask as RV fiberglass repair got expensive quick for me.
 
I could easily drop the "short block" out the bottom. The problem is getting the full engine back in. If I had to haul the coach into the city and then pay the shop to remove it, then what? I would have to have the new engine ready to go so they could also put it in while it's there and then haul it back to the acreage. It's not like I can put it on a car trailer. Too expensive. Besides I want to do most of the work myself. :) When it's up and running then I will worry about the bumper repair.
 
I have my own "picker", an engine crane on wheels. It will lift the 5.9 and with the bumper cut out reach won't be a problem. All this is going to have to wait until warmer weather. I also have access to a skid steer loader with forks and a few tractors but the crane will work fine.
 
Shad HOPE you enjoy it half as much as we have ours. A Motorhome IMO adds driving time to the day not that it really matters but its nice not to get out at a stop and NOT be a cripple until the joints can be straightened out. We'er getting ready to head to FL after New Years for some time in a little warmer climate for R&R
 
One thing I will have to consider is a TOAD. Neither my wife's nor my own daily driver are tow-able. Ironically the only vehicle i own that could be towed is my Dodge 3500 and I'm not towing that. The PO didn't tow anything. He had a bicycle. he said if necessary he would rent a car if he was going to be somewhere for a while. We'll cross that bridge later. I have to see if I like driving this big bus compared to a truck and trailer. Each has it pros and cons. That's a subject for another thread.
David
 
David, my next door neighbor jumped in with both feet this fall into RV'ing. They have never RV before and still haven't, going out for the first time in late Jan. They bought a new 2020 Class C MB Tiffin motor home! After they made the purchase I asked what about a TOAD? Will they now own a brand new 2020 Honda Civic that is a manual transmission so, they could tow this behind the Motor Home!
At least you have RV before and know what to look for!
 
Your neighbors have a lot more money to spend than I do. If I was "new" to RVing I would at least rent to try before I buy. For now I don't plan on traveling across the country, just Western Canada. I still have a few more years to go before I can quit working, so this Coach is a "test" to see if I like the bus idea. Actually it is more of a test to see if my wife likes it. I'm OK with a truck and slider in camper on the back.
 
Shadrach,

I think your coach has a lot of potential just needs some wrenching and TLC. But you mentioned "the bus idea". One year at a rally we had a group that calls themselves The Bus Nuts at the park at the same time. Their thing was finding an old Greyhound bus, gut it and start over. These were not everyone's cup of T but what a monster blank slate to get creative with. Somewhere I might have a pic of a Greyhound and a Prevost side by side.

Plan your moves, you already started the how do I get this engine out question. Good start.

Gary
 
Ok so I am back at work on the Motorhome. It is stored at my friends acreage which is about a 35 minute drive from my house, outside the city. Late fall he put an addition on his shop and since the MH was parked in the snow all winter I ended up helping him with the renos all winter. I have finally started working on the replacement engine. Since it is easy to work on right now I will be replacing every gasket so I don't have any leaks. First I cleaned out the bolt holes where the bell housing mounts so I could attach the head from the engine stand. Then I removed the engine from the genuine Cummins engine skid that I borrowed and mounted the engine on the stand. Now I could get to work stripping it down to a short block. Originally I was going to change every gasket except the head gasket but I changed my mind. The engine is a 97 so I spent some more $ and bought a head gasket. After I got the head off the old gasket looked OK but I don't want to have to change it after the engine is installed so The pistons looked fine.

I still can't pull the old engine out yet as I have to move the coach to a cement pad to do that and the ground it still too soft. A month ago I still had a foot of snow on the ground. It's all gone now but it still is early for us. BTW Our first official camping time if the third weekend in May as that is a long weekend for Canadians. Due to all the stuff going on been that has been cancelled. Of course I won't be ready any way :)

Ill post some pictures soon.

David
 
David, you may have all summer the way things are going right now. IL may not open up till very late May or June 1 right now, MI is shut down also until late May. So, there is no Glamping for us until Aug or Sept. We have a trip planned for early July to MI, that maybe cancelled if MI does not open-up. Also, one for mid-Sept, but my DW is thinking of cancelling that trip because the news has said it will be round two for the Virus by then.

Oh well life goes on!
 
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