Ouest is on some sort of Easter kick. I honestly don’t know how she figures these things out. We made bunny ears, we cut green construction paper “grass” for her basket, and she spent the entire day asking Ali to make eggs. I had to ask Ali, “When is Easter anyway?”
Two more months?
The bus is back. Thank goodness, I’ve missed it. We had hoped to get a few things off the list, but in the end we just got the new tires on, the back window in, and the roof all sealed up. They also told me what the problems are with the stove and the heater, but it’s going to be up to me to get those sorted. The list of things to do still seems impossibly long, but we’ve gone ahead and set a timeline to get moving anyway.
The drive home was a little weird. I fired up the bus and pulled out just fine. Then as I tried to pull out into the road the bus killed. I’ve mentioned before that the gas pedal takes a little finessing (yes, the engine needs a tune-up), but this time I just couldn’t get moving. I’d fire up the engine, put it in gear, gently press the gas, and it would kill. Over and over again I fired her up, until finally I could hear the battery weakening.
Eventually I got rolling, and a few miles down the road I pulled into a gas station to clean the windows and grab a drink. As I rolled around the corner and tried to accelerate it killed again. This time it wouldn’t click over.
So here is where I admit that I knew that something I did last week was going to be a small issue. I had disconnected the alternator while running a bunch of new wiring. I hadn’t gotten back around to running a new wire, so as long as I wasn’t plugged in to shore power there was nothing charging the batteries. Anyway, I had figured I could make it there and back without draining the battery—I hadn’t figured on having to restart the bus twenty times.
So while I sat there with the dead battery I ran a jerry rigged wire to the alternator so that once I got a jump I’d actually start charging the batteries again. Well by the time I finished that the battery had apparently reserved just enough juice for the bus to crank up one more time. So back on the road I went.
I drove an hour and was just turning onto my friend’s road when I stomped on the gas and killed the engine again. I was moving pretty good still so I shifted into neutral and tried to restart but got nothing but clicking in return. I rolled to a stop, waited a few minutes, still got clicking, locked the door, and hoofed it a mile down the road to my friend’s house.
He wasn’t home of course, so I opened up the garage and started rooting around for jumper cables or better yet, a jumper box. I found neither, but then he rolled in and saved the hour—hour, because really that’s about how much time I wasted on this. A jump, a quick drive, and the day’s trip was complete.
All in all just kind of a funny trip home. Nothing to get worked up over. A new battery and a direct properly sized wire from the alternator and the problem will be solved. Well, the battery issue anyway. The engine stalling is another issue, but I’ve got a few things on tomorrow’s to-do list that might take care of that as well. My piecemeal tune-up shall begin.
Oh, I forgot to mention that we got our completed window coverings the other day as well. Ali is quite pleased with the finished product.
25 Comments on “Bus is Back”
The bus looks kind of sad in that pic…it’s needs something..flames that’s it big flames down the side like the hot rods of the fifties…:)!
Na… She just looks miserably cold and in need of some warm weather. She’ll (are vehicles the same gender as boats?) be looking happy and carefree when she gets to a warmer climate.
Agreed. Sad thing is I haven’t even been able to wash the bus yet, much less wax it. Things are ridiculous around here.
I know you love people sorting out your issues over the inter-web. So here you go, Sounds like a bad fuel filter to me.
Great bus.
Or, more likely, a good filter simply overwhelmed by much debris accumulated in a decades old gas tank that has been sitting around.
Well I won’t begin to suggest electronic ignition and fuel injection modifications. And why would I mention an A B battery switch similar to whats in a boat? As far as some paint needed on the side….what about an island scene of palm trees and waves lapping on white sandy beach?
I don’t know why anyone would mention an AB battery switch honestly. I’ve never had one on my boats. I use an ACR.
What’s an ACR?
Nothing better than free advice on the internets, so here is mine: It sounds like distributor/points to me. Reminds me of all the cars I had in the early seventies,which were all built in the 40’s 50’s and 60’s. Good luck
Hi there! I was wondering how the “re entry” has gone for both you guys and the kiddos. You mentioned Easter already-that’s probably because the kids never really had been exposed to all this mass marketing like we have here in the good ol USA-right? They start talking Easter in January 🙂 Also, you never had cell phones before right-have you jumped on board the iPhone wagon? When my parents used to stay aboard all winter they were so funny when they would come back home. Comments about “going so fast” in the car were fun for a while, and “so much space” in the house…just wondering 🙂 I am looking forward to your next adventure.
Have a great day, Steph
I don’t know, our kids really don’t get inundated with marketing because they don’t watch tv. Not to say that they don’t “watch tv,” but they don’t watch commercial television. They get shows we buy or rent from the library and they get to watch it on a 7″ screen. Still no cell phones. I really can’t foresee a day that we would buy a phone. I’ve been bringing my father-in-laws flip-phone (pre-paid because they don’t use the thing either) with me to the bus and Ali and I usually talk on it for about two minutes twice a week. Two people have never disliked talking on the phone more than us.
Anyway, we’re looking forward to the next adventure too. As are the kids.
Very possible there is a lot of debris in the carb float bowl after sitting unused for so long. Pop off the carb, dis-assemble, blow out with compressed air & carb cleaner. Or, better yet, a brand new, right out of the box, carb with new filters ahead if is and lots of spare filters for when all the crud in the tank breaks loose.
Paul T
I read on another website that Pat has hired a questionably talented old carny to airbrush an over-sized portrait of the entire family, including the new dog, on both sides of the bus and on the back a bikini clad Ali waving adiós.
Nothing can remain a secret these days, can it?
Pat. A shade tree mechanics mantra that goes well for a tuneup or bad running … plugs, points, filter, filter! I would start with the filters, and especially the fuel ones seeing as it hasnt had much use over the past few years. Now, do I qualify to put the title “Armchair Admiral” or “Innernet Expert” after my name seeing as I’m telling you how to suck eggs.
The real problem is actually all that cold white stuff, nothing will work well in it! Heck it looks like Moscow or St Petersburg in some of those photos …. take it to some place warmer please… even my computer is feeling the effects of the cold!
Git R Dun!
Muzza
Forgot this, NEW plugs, wires, dist cap & rotor, points & condenser in addition to carb work/replacement mentioned earlier.
Paul T
After posts like this I always wonder if people really think I am just an utter and complete fool, or if they just can’t resist the temptation to comment. I mean, new plugs? Really guys? Like I might have never thought of that without being told? Fuel filters? You mean to tell me fuel can get dirty on a fifty year old vehicle that’s sat for a few years? The thought would have never ever crossed my feeble mind.
I love you all, but sometimes, sometimes…
Pretty soon Kelvin will put in his 2cents worth!
I think the only solution for the bus issue would be to replace the entire engine!
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In case it wasn’t clear, this is complete tongue in cheek and a reference to the good old days of the “expert” boat advice.
Sometimes fuel filters are very hard to find on old rigs. Occasionally far back on the frame, but that’s my best guess since it sounds like a fuel starvation issue.
It’s going to be a real classic eye catcher rumbling down the road.
Yep, basic seventies tune up, as several have said. Spare battery, is there a second tray? Winter in Minnesota…WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!
Pat, have you ever wondered where the electricity for a spark plug comes from? Hint: You disconnected it.
Having “been there & done that”, just trying to be helpful after reading your comments about the engine stalling. Best of luck on your upcoming voyage.
Paul T
Hey Pat , glad you got the bus home. I know you will check out all the fuel stuff and tune up, checking the rubber fuel lines for softness too as the ethanol that may have been used could have compromised the integrity. A product we use when we get a motorcycle from the North, we are in OK, is Startron, gas enzyme treatment. We can buy 100% gas here, no ethanol, but when we first get a bike we run this stuff through it and the fuel problems, much like you may have, virtually disappear. Farm stores carry it here. http://mystarbrite.com/startron/
I’ve been follwing you since the purchase of the original Bum (the cat) and have never weighed in here until now.
I don’t doubt that the engine could stand a tune up. But I think your engine dying problem was all battery based. When the alternator was disconnected, the engine was running off the battery. As the battery runs down, the energy to the coil/spark plugs gets weaker and weaker. Stomping the accelerator only makes this problem worse as a big load of fuel is introduced into the cylinder and a very weak spark just simply can’t detonate it. Hence, the engine dies.