In Atlanteans, its easier to change the angle drive gears to give you 100kph. Keep in mind though this will also affect first gear take off as it effectively makes first gear taller.rustbucket wrote:
3. As I did an early AEC and did a diff swap, this is the way I would go. It was an 80 kph Sydney gov bus, found a diff and it became a 100 kph highway bus. Don't try to squeeze the extra from a tired engine, asking for problems. Especially crankshafts that have done millions of rotations.
Double decker conversion in Brisbane
Re: Double decker conversion in Brisbane
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Brisbane Atlantean
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:42 pm
Re: Double decker conversion in Brisbane
Thanks for the tip. It gives me something to think about.
Cheers
Cheers
Cheers
Brisbane Atlantean
Brisbane Atlantean
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Brisbane Atlantean
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:42 pm
Re: Double decker conversion in Brisbane
Hello everyone,
Hoping someone can help.
I took the bus up from Brisbane to Warwick recently. Climbing the range was interesting. As I approached the range, everything was fine. The temp was at its usual 75 to 80 degrees. As we started to climb I quickly ended up in first gear for the 7km ride up the range. I was down to walking speed with the engine just turning over without any strain and was surprised to see the engine temperature reduce to 70.
Once I came over the top and down a bit coasting in 4th I noticed that when I started up the small gentle rise up to Warwick itself, while still in 4th, the temperature started to rise. I ended up pulling over in the centre of Warwick to discover that the fan drive shaft that runs behind the motor and drives the pulleys that are connected to the radiator fan would rotate freely by hand but did not spin when the engine was working.
It turns out that the casing connecting the fan drive shaft to the rear of the engine timing casing had disintegrated as had the head of the shaft itself.
Does anyone have any idea of where I could even start to look for replacement parts. I don't even know what the correct terminology is for the broken parts. It is the passenger side end of the fan drive that enters into a teacup size and shape casing through which the toothed end of the drive shaft connects with cogs within the timing cover that extends forward of the engine.
Is there anyone out there that is parting out an old Atlantean?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Gerard
Hoping someone can help.
I took the bus up from Brisbane to Warwick recently. Climbing the range was interesting. As I approached the range, everything was fine. The temp was at its usual 75 to 80 degrees. As we started to climb I quickly ended up in first gear for the 7km ride up the range. I was down to walking speed with the engine just turning over without any strain and was surprised to see the engine temperature reduce to 70.
Once I came over the top and down a bit coasting in 4th I noticed that when I started up the small gentle rise up to Warwick itself, while still in 4th, the temperature started to rise. I ended up pulling over in the centre of Warwick to discover that the fan drive shaft that runs behind the motor and drives the pulleys that are connected to the radiator fan would rotate freely by hand but did not spin when the engine was working.
It turns out that the casing connecting the fan drive shaft to the rear of the engine timing casing had disintegrated as had the head of the shaft itself.
Does anyone have any idea of where I could even start to look for replacement parts. I don't even know what the correct terminology is for the broken parts. It is the passenger side end of the fan drive that enters into a teacup size and shape casing through which the toothed end of the drive shaft connects with cogs within the timing cover that extends forward of the engine.
Is there anyone out there that is parting out an old Atlantean?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Gerard
Cheers
Brisbane Atlantean
Brisbane Atlantean
-
Brisbane Atlantean
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:42 pm
Re: Double decker conversion in Brisbane
Hello everyone,
Just another update for those that might be interested.
As luck would have it I found a guy who was parting out a 680 and after a few calls we did a deal for the whole engine and he pulled the necessary parts off his engine and I picked them up and dropped them off to my mechanic in Warwick who put it all back together and all was well. Many thanks to you Mark.
I will have to head back to the seller to pick up the rest of the engine as I thought it would be best to buy the whole thing as no doubt I will need parts in the future.
Anyway, after the bus sitting in Warwick for 4 months, I collected the bus and started to drive back to Brisbane and found that I could not engage 4th gear. I was dreading a long slow drive back to Brisbane in 3rd when I noticed that when stationary, if I put it into 4th it would creep along ever so slightly. I did that for about 20 seconds and then I heard something clunk and 4th engaged in full and off we went. From then on, whenever I went to put her into 4th, she engaged in the usual manner so all was good.
Driving down the range from Warwick was interesting. If I left it in second, the engine would over rev. If I put it in third, we went too fast so fearing what damage I might do with overrevving I ended up leaving it in third and occasionally touching the brakes to slow her down. It was only 7 k down the range so I am not sure that I chose the right method. If it was a longer decent I think I would have stopped half way down to let the brakes cool down.
Anyway, got to the bottom of the range and drove it all the way home. When I got to the city traffic, I went to put her in second to climb a hill and found that she would not engage . I was able to limp home using 1st and 3rd but now an in fear that if 1st goes, I will get stuck.
The bus had got very dusty in Warwick and I was thinking that maybe the selector system got stuck while she sat there for 4 months and that might explain why4th took some time to engage. That however does not explain why I lost second after 3 hours of driving. If anyone has any suggestions as to what might be the problem and a possible solution, that would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Gerard
Just another update for those that might be interested.
As luck would have it I found a guy who was parting out a 680 and after a few calls we did a deal for the whole engine and he pulled the necessary parts off his engine and I picked them up and dropped them off to my mechanic in Warwick who put it all back together and all was well. Many thanks to you Mark.
I will have to head back to the seller to pick up the rest of the engine as I thought it would be best to buy the whole thing as no doubt I will need parts in the future.
Anyway, after the bus sitting in Warwick for 4 months, I collected the bus and started to drive back to Brisbane and found that I could not engage 4th gear. I was dreading a long slow drive back to Brisbane in 3rd when I noticed that when stationary, if I put it into 4th it would creep along ever so slightly. I did that for about 20 seconds and then I heard something clunk and 4th engaged in full and off we went. From then on, whenever I went to put her into 4th, she engaged in the usual manner so all was good.
Driving down the range from Warwick was interesting. If I left it in second, the engine would over rev. If I put it in third, we went too fast so fearing what damage I might do with overrevving I ended up leaving it in third and occasionally touching the brakes to slow her down. It was only 7 k down the range so I am not sure that I chose the right method. If it was a longer decent I think I would have stopped half way down to let the brakes cool down.
Anyway, got to the bottom of the range and drove it all the way home. When I got to the city traffic, I went to put her in second to climb a hill and found that she would not engage . I was able to limp home using 1st and 3rd but now an in fear that if 1st goes, I will get stuck.
The bus had got very dusty in Warwick and I was thinking that maybe the selector system got stuck while she sat there for 4 months and that might explain why4th took some time to engage. That however does not explain why I lost second after 3 hours of driving. If anyone has any suggestions as to what might be the problem and a possible solution, that would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Gerard
Cheers
Brisbane Atlantean
Brisbane Atlantean
-
Brisbane Atlantean
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 1:42 pm
Re: Double decker conversion in Brisbane
Hi Dan,
I did not get your message until just now.
I did not replace the fan unit with an electric fan as it never occurred to me. Not sure if it was a possibility.
The engine rebuild cost me $27,500.00. had I known that before I started I would not have gone ahead with it but rather just bought a working 680 or cut my losses. Funnily enough the guy I bought the bus off had another for sale at $15,000 that I should have bought and used for parts when required.
Anyway, after 5 years and a lot of fun and a bit of heartache, I am selling my bus on gumtree for $12,000. https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-view-detai ... 1239888003
It suffered some window damage after I hit a low branch and I still have the problem with second gear. When the bus is cold, second gear works but after the bus warms up after about 5 - 10 min second does not engage. I figure at $12,000 the buyer will have a few dollars left over to sort these problems out.
Cheers
Gerard
Best of luck.
Cheers
Gerard
I did not get your message until just now.
I did not replace the fan unit with an electric fan as it never occurred to me. Not sure if it was a possibility.
The engine rebuild cost me $27,500.00. had I known that before I started I would not have gone ahead with it but rather just bought a working 680 or cut my losses. Funnily enough the guy I bought the bus off had another for sale at $15,000 that I should have bought and used for parts when required.
Anyway, after 5 years and a lot of fun and a bit of heartache, I am selling my bus on gumtree for $12,000. https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-view-detai ... 1239888003
It suffered some window damage after I hit a low branch and I still have the problem with second gear. When the bus is cold, second gear works but after the bus warms up after about 5 - 10 min second does not engage. I figure at $12,000 the buyer will have a few dollars left over to sort these problems out.
Cheers
Gerard
Best of luck.
Cheers
Gerard
Cheers
Brisbane Atlantean
Brisbane Atlantean