International MaxxForce DT Diesel Engine Worn Out Analysis

Did you watch this video? Look at all of that smoke coming out of the oil fill tube. That is severe blowby caused by compression escaping by the piston rings and getting into the crankcase creating pressure. This International MaxxForce DT is a 2011 diesel engine that needs some rebuilding to get it back to… Continue reading International MaxxForce DT Diesel Engine Worn Out Analysis

How to Decode Your Dashboard Indicator Lights

You’re on a long drive, rocking out to your favorite playlist, and it happens. A light flashes before your eyes. It’s a dashboard indicator light. But what does it mean? Dashboard indicator lights can look different in various models, and some are more time-sensitive than others. The following are a few common dashboard indicator lights… Continue reading How to Decode Your Dashboard Indicator Lights

2013 MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine Performance Update

The eight 2013 MaxxForce 7 diesel engines we purchased for our fleet have proven to be a royal pain in the …well you know how that phrase ends. After five years half of the diesel engines needed to be replaced due to being totally worn out. All of them were repaired / replaced under warranty… Continue reading 2013 MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine Performance Update

Scrapping 2008 Mercedes Diesel Engine Cracked Block

Once the engine block is cracked on any engine you’re out of luck. Can it be fixed? I wouldn’t want to take a chance because of the heat and pressures that goes on during normal operation. In our case the cost in U.S. dollars would have climbed close to $50,000 dollars Canadian. The shipping from… Continue reading Scrapping 2008 Mercedes Diesel Engine Cracked Block

Thomas School Bus Smart Switches and Multiplexing

In 2005 Thomas bus and Freightliner came up with a new model called the C2 which is a conventional school bus with new technology implementing smart switches and multiplexing to help components and modules communicate faster and more efficiently. The smart switch is a resistor that has it’s own separate resistance reading. When the smart… Continue reading Thomas School Bus Smart Switches and Multiplexing

MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine Compression In Coolant Repairs

In 2013 we purchased eight International school buses with the MaxxForce 7 V-8 diesel engine. Knowing now what we didn’t know then would have effected our decision to go with these models. Out of the 8 engines 4 of them had to be replaced due to excessive low compression. There is no way to rebuild… Continue reading MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine Compression In Coolant Repairs

Mercedes Diesel Engine Diagnostic Software

What would we do without diagnostic software? Absolutely nothing…well nothing productive anyways. It would be the blind leading the blind not knowing what to do or where to go next. Sure you could start guessing and changing parts …expensive parts in most cases but not knowing for sure if what you’re doing is going to… Continue reading Mercedes Diesel Engine Diagnostic Software

School Bus Garage Repair Updates and Why I Blog

I do a quick tour of our garage on occasion to show you some of the jobs we do on a day to day basis. The jobs are common with a brake job, coolant leak and a water pump leak etc. Actually the reason I started blogging back in in 2006 was to show the… Continue reading School Bus Garage Repair Updates and Why I Blog

International MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine Miss

I’ve heard of the rocker arm failing on the maxxforce 7 diesel engines and when I got a call from one of the drivers saying they were driving and suddenly had a power issue with a very rough running engine the rocker arm issue was on my mind. The bus limped back to the yard… Continue reading International MaxxForce 7 Diesel Engine Miss

School Bus Power Steering Oil Leak Needs Towing Company

That’s right a tow truck or in this case a trailer with a winch. The tow truck driver admitted he likes using the trailer because of the time it saves. Once hooked on to the axle a winch pulls the bus on to the trailer with very little else to do compared to the conventional… Continue reading School Bus Power Steering Oil Leak Needs Towing Company