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Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:36 pm

Got an AIRS call today from Marilyn. She just bought a '62 panel that was converted to a camper, 1200cc motor. Her hubby flew down to Altanta to pick the bus up. I'll let her words tell what happened:

Quote:
He was driving it home from Atlanta Saturday nite. Stopped at a hotdog joint, when he went to get back in the bus, noticed oil leak under gear box. Checked it, and determined that since this was its maiden voyage, it had probably been over filled.

Drove on to Chattanooga. Spent the nite. Got up and drove to KY. Stopped to get gas, bus died. He had noticed he had been losing power driving up and down the mountains. He waited a few hours and after it cooled off, it started up again, but only from a push start, not the key. The cigarette lighter cell phone charger shorted out, so he had no way to charge his cell phone.

Drove to Indiana today. Let the bus idle while he put in gas, checked the oil, all looked well. Kept driving, pulled off in Demotte, IN to get gas for last time, as he was going up exit ramp, bus died. He pushed it into the gas station, filled up, then pushed it down the hill to try to get it started, it just jerked its way down. Had someone try to give his battery a jump at the camp ground, nothing.

Now, when you put the key in, the lights come on, but the key just makes a click sound once, then nothing. So, he had to call a tow truck in Demotte, IN to come pick him up.

Any thoughts on what's wrong with this bus?

Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:47 pm

maybe a bad battery or starter connection? while in neutral with the key on have them short out the starter with a screwdriver to see if it will start that way :? for the lighter to recharge the cell phone just run a wire from a always hot fuse to the lighter

Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:58 pm

doesn't sound good.... Need to check valves and timing. Valves are so tight now from getting too hot and now bus doesnt want to go. When the bus overheats, the starter gets too hot and the soleniod wont engage.

Hopefully damage isnt too bad and the heads make it until they get home. Best of luck!

Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:03 pm

check the wire connections AT the battery and at the main terminal on the starter. A loose terminal will show those symptoms.

Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:10 pm

Mowser wrote: check the wire connections AT the battery and at the main terminal on the starter. A loose terminal will show those symptoms.

That was my first thought as well. Been there...

Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:51 pm

Get it (the battery) to an Advanced Auto or Autozone, useless for everything except to check your battery, could be a bad cell in your battery, would allow for lights and such but the starter is too much of a draw on it. You can not check a battery with a voltmeter, a dead 12 volt battery will show 12 volts. They have a test stand that will put a load on the battery and tell you how many amps the battery can put out.

Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:00 pm

Can check amp draw with the meter. And a dead battery will show about 12 volts, a good one should show around 13.

Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:36 pm

I would guess that the engine was seizing.

Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:35 pm

She sent me this email this afternoon:

Quote:
Okay, here's the update:
1. Having the bus towed back to my house today
2. Woody is shipping me a new engine, s/b here tomorrow
3. Will you have any time this week to help put it in?

Does anyone know who this Woody in Atlanta is who sold her the bus? Who has spare 1200cc motors lying around to overnight to people???

A mechanic was supposed to take a look today, I'm trying to get out of her if he did look at it and if so what the prognosis was.