International Diesel Engine Forced Regen

If you own or work on a diesel engine these days you know about a forced regen that has to be done occassionally to improve the flow rate through the exhaust system. The contamination from emissions can happen quickly at the diesel particulate filter so constant monitoring is essential. The temperature and flow is monitored… Continue reading International Diesel Engine Forced Regen

School Bus Service Calls Mechanic Advice

Service calls are unpredictable most times. You can win or lose depending on how much you know about the problem. Someone calls it in and tells you all about it so you base your strategy on that information. With all due respect drivers are not mechanics so there are times when the story does not… Continue reading School Bus Service Calls Mechanic Advice

Thomas School Bus Electrical Problem Circuit Board

I’ve seen a lot of electrical problems over the years and this one is the first with ghost voltage connecting to a relay for the running lights. As described in the video the printed circuit board has all of the fuses and relays mounted on it and connects everything with internal wiring circuits. The LED… Continue reading Thomas School Bus Electrical Problem Circuit Board

Cummins ISB Diesel Engine In A School Bus The Perfect Marriage

I will not lie the Cummins ISB is the best diesel engine I’ve worked on that does not have nagging emission problems like their competitors. I should say what competitors? Not too many are left. International did not want to go with the SCR selective catalytic reduction in 2010 and decided to stick with Advanced… Continue reading Cummins ISB Diesel Engine In A School Bus The Perfect Marriage

School Bus Fleet Maintenance Software Daily Routine

The daily routine sounds boring but what job doesn’t have some routine mixed in? My compact little office is where it all happens with planning and interaction with drivers, mechanics, salesmen and bus dealers. Incoming calls and 2 way communication is normal when you have 40 or more buses running around town. The maintenance software… Continue reading School Bus Fleet Maintenance Software Daily Routine

School Bus Replacing Front Brakes

Front brakes on a school bus are significantly smaller than the rear drive axle mainly because there is much less weight to handle and you want a balanced stop while braking. Brakes are engineered to even out the stopping accuracy when the brake pedal is applied and give the operator the proper feel when driving… Continue reading School Bus Replacing Front Brakes

School Bus Electrical Troubleshooting

The First Step Troubleshooting Electrical Problems The last month has been unbelievable with waves of electrical problems. Several International and Thomas buses have been coding, not running and not starting on a steady basis. Corrosion is always the enemy and even though the bus manufacturers try their best to keep electrical harnesses and connections sealed… Continue reading School Bus Electrical Troubleshooting

International DT MaxxForce Diesel Engine Rebuild Overview

I know this post has a rather long title but I wanted to attract International DT MaxxForce diesel engine users. This rebuild took a few weeks to complete due to waiting for parts and sending out components for repair and testing. The bill came out big in the end over 10,000 dollars. This is not… Continue reading International DT MaxxForce Diesel Engine Rebuild Overview

International School Bus Diesel Engine Road Test

Here I am….sitting and idling one of our MaxxForce DT diesel engines after a road test on the highway. It can be frustrating when a driver complains about the engine missing and not accelerating. As usual when the mechanic goes on a road test (more often than not) there is absolutely nothing wrong. There are… Continue reading International School Bus Diesel Engine Road Test

Road Test Engine Code Repair DT MaxxForce Diesel Engine

The road test is the “last but not least” operation when making a repair on anything mechanical. Our mechanics are instructed to go on a road test after every job if the repair was a driveability issue. In this case I took this bus in the video for a good 1/2 hour run to reach… Continue reading Road Test Engine Code Repair DT MaxxForce Diesel Engine