Articles Archives

Low Power No Codes Maxxforce DT Diesel Engine

Low Power with No engine codes is a tough problem to have because of the lack of information which generally comes from reading an engine code. A lot of times a code will point you in the right direction and give you a general idea what area of the engine to look at. In this… Continue reading Low Power No Codes Maxxforce DT Diesel Engine

Maxxforce 7 Turbo Waste Gate Repair

“No Power” 2008 International MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine – No Turbo Boost This is what we discovered on our one and only International hybrid school bus equipped with a MaxxForce 7 diesel engine. The complaint was the ever so common “no power” problem so we hooked up the laptop and the diagnostic software and went… Continue reading Maxxforce 7 Turbo Waste Gate Repair

Working as an Apprentice – the Trials and Tribulations

The end of April, 2011. I was fresh out of my entry level trades training in Vancouver. I had taken a year of diesel engine technology, at the British Columbia Institute of technology. I was very confident, and eager to get the ball rolling on this exciting new career. I had studied hard and gotten… Continue reading Working as an Apprentice – the Trials and Tribulations

Checking Out School Buses For Sale

Allison Automatic Transmission Wiring

An Over View on Allison Automatic Transmission Wiring We didn’t experience the New World Transmissions from Allison until 1995. The ER Saf -T- liner Pusher buses all came equipped with 3000 series transmissions and for the most part they were very reliable. At least until the wiring problems began a year or two later. Owning… Continue reading Allison Automatic Transmission Wiring

Cat 3116 Diesel Engine Memories

Remembering The Cat 3116 Diesel Engine It’s been a few months since we sold our last bus with a Cat 3116 diesel engine. They were a well built engine but their top end was weak. It was #5 exhaust valve that would blow up in the cylinder and make a big mess. Actually the valve… Continue reading Cat 3116 Diesel Engine Memories

School Bus Pusher Front Brakes

Brake Jobs are a common repair in our fleet and the video shows a steering axle brake job being done on an HDX Thomas pusher bus. They usually last several years since there is a lighter load on the front axle compared to the drive axle which supports the engine and transmission. These shoes are… Continue reading School Bus Pusher Front Brakes

Thomas HDX Rear Emergency Window Tips

HDX School Bus Rear Emergency Window You might be thinking what is there to talk about with the rear emergency window on a Thomas HDX pusher school bus? There’s a lot of information I’m going to share with you concerning the window alarm and the vandalock and some tips on keeping the window from seizing… Continue reading Thomas HDX Rear Emergency Window Tips

School Bus Body Wiring Modules

The video shows you where to find the wiring control modules for this bus model. The modules are a printed circuit and can’t be accessed but through the years we have replaced very few of them. The location of the fuses and relays for all the body components is located on the the inside of… Continue reading School Bus Body Wiring Modules

The Cummins ISB 6.7 Diesel

I have to admit that the Cummins ISB 6.7 Liter diesel engine is the superior model for medium duty power in our school buses. The fit and finish we found with the new international buses we received this year is second to none. The IC people are listening to their customers with new changes made… Continue reading The Cummins ISB 6.7 Diesel