Thomas Bus Automatic Light Check

The factory programmed Thomas Bus light check is a handy system but it just tells you the lights are working. It does not tell you if the circuits from the switches are all working properly. For instance when the driver applies the brake pedal a signal is sent to relay power to the rear brake… Continue reading Thomas Bus Automatic Light Check

Mercedes MBE 900 Diesel Engine Codes

Mercedes engine codes…..which ones have been the most common and how did we go about fixing them. I will talk about 3 of the most common engines codes to date. The one code I have seen the most over the years has been the ‘2631 Turbo Boost Performance’ the most common code with these MBE… Continue reading Mercedes MBE 900 Diesel Engine Codes

Thomas C2 School Bus Multiplexing

This simple way of relocating dash switches is possible from multiplexing that sends inputs and outputs to modules controlling the components in the bus. Each dash switch has it’s own resistance that the module reads to send a command. In the video the horn and roof hatch motor switches were relocated. Once the ignition key… Continue reading Thomas C2 School Bus Multiplexing

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

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

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

Radiator Replacement IC School Bus

A blog post about a radiator seems over kill but there is a story here that needs telling. When I get in to work the first report I usually get is there’s a bus with a problem. This particular bus was an out of town unit that lost a large amount of coolant. The run… Continue reading Radiator Replacement IC School Bus

Diesel Engine Service Call Fuel Tank Issue

At first you might think a video about a diesel engine fuel tank cut in half sounds pretty boring but sometimes the simple stuff can become complicated. I would like to share one of the strangest problems I have ever experienced. A 2005 Freightliner school bus with a Mercedes diesel engine quit on the road… Continue reading Diesel Engine Service Call Fuel Tank Issue

School Bus Vandalock System No Crank Troubleshooting

I had to post this and share the flaws in the Vandalock systems on both Thomas and international school buses that we have experienced in our fleet. First of all what is the Vandalock all about? The main purpose is to stop bus theft if someone happened to get hold of the ignition key and… Continue reading School Bus Vandalock System No Crank Troubleshooting

Replacing Fuel Gauge Sender Thomas School Bus

A faulty or inaccurate fuel gauge is classified as a minor problem but running out of fuel on a diesel engine in a school bus on a regular run is a problem for us. The rule of thumb in our operation is to keep the top half of the fuel tank full. However if the… Continue reading Replacing Fuel Gauge Sender Thomas School Bus