School Bus Mechanic Archives

A Peculiar School Bus Service Call

Since this first occurrence there has been two more instances with the same bus model same year. The dealer will be replacing the radiator under warranty and the OEM representative has been notified. Out of three buses 2 of the radiators have been damaged requiring replacement. Spring Load And Fatigue The 2 bars that intersect… Continue reading A Peculiar School Bus Service Call

School Bus Vehicle Inspections and Repairs

Motor Vehicle Inspections A Very Necessary Routine Every month there are a certain amount of motor vehicle inspections. The average number of inspections runs around 6 -8 per month. There are 66 buses in our fleet so the inspections are spread out over the year. This week being the last one of the month… Continue reading School Bus Vehicle Inspections and Repairs

Mercedes MBE 900 Engine Brake Repair

Mercedes Engine Brake Repair One of our sports run buses has an engine hold back problem when coasting down hill. The Mercedes MBE 900 has an exhaust brake and an engine brake. Used together they really work well and you can feel it while driving. The engine brake is called a “Constant Throttle Valve” or… Continue reading Mercedes MBE 900 Engine Brake Repair

Mercedes MBE 900 Electrostatic Oil Separator

Replacing the Electrostatic Oil Separator When you get an EOS (electrostatic oil separator) code on an MBE 900 Mercedes diesel engine the only remedy is to replace it. Since it is integral with the engine valve cover the complete valve cover assembly is replaced. This is costly but this is only the second one we’ve… Continue reading Mercedes MBE 900 Electrostatic Oil Separator

The Thomas ER Saf-T-Liner School Bus

Thomas Bus Pusher ER Saf-T-Liner Memories Of all the Thomas buses my favourite model is the saf-t-liner pusher. It was mainly hard wired and much easier to work on using raw troubleshooting especially when dealing with electrical problems. Over eighteen years ago when I started with the shop they were running 3208 Cat diesel… Continue reading The Thomas ER Saf-T-Liner School Bus

The 2 Most Important Jobs In a Fleet – Troubleshooting and Roadtesting

The Importance of Troubleshooting and Road Testing As a fleet operation that transports students it’s our responsibility to make sure all work is done properly and the vehicle is safe to go back out on the road. Also important is to road test buses before and after the repair to take care of driver concerns… Continue reading The 2 Most Important Jobs In a Fleet – Troubleshooting and Roadtesting

Mercedes MBE 900 Diesel Engine Emission Codes

Exhaust Temperature “Too High” Engine Code With emission systems their main purpose is to remove soot and NOx (nitrogen oxide) from the engine exhaust system. In the process of doing this the DPF (diesel particulate filter) gets the worst of the tar and gum like substance that accumulates on the filter.

Basic Air Brake Theory On A School Bus

Understanding The Basics Behind Air Brakes The video below does an excellent job describing how air brakes work. If you are not familiar with the theory behind air brake systems the video will definitely help you understand the basics. Air brakes have come a long way and now they are engineered using ABS technology. With… Continue reading Basic Air Brake Theory On A School Bus

Cummins ISC Diesel Engine Repair

After the Cummins C series (Bosch fuel injection) diesel engines did their time in our fleet we were introduced to the ISC electronic model. A high pressure fuel accumulator supplied the injectors using a distributor pump. There were a few of these CAPS pumps that failed but that was over a long period of time.… Continue reading Cummins ISC Diesel Engine Repair

Today at the Bus Garage

Take The Video Tour Of Our Garage Below I’ve added a video of a quick tour of the garage. The wash bay is the new home to our bulk oil tanks. They are replacing the originals due to age and size of them taking up room in the adjacent service bay. Watch the video for… Continue reading Today at the Bus Garage