And one from Justin. . . .
Justin Says . .. . . .
Where to start with the breakdowns? Should I start by bad to not so bad or ease of repair? I don’t know but here it goes. Get ready because this could get long. The other day on our way to MN just after I laid down, no kidding, Mike screams my name from the front and said the bus just lost power. As I am getting up he yells we’re okay. I lay back down and two minutes later I hear my name along with, the bus just died again. Finally I get up go to the front to see what the deal is. Mike is getting her pulled off to the side of the road just as she starts up again and we are rolling. I told him to pull her over and I’ll try to keep it from happening. Yesterday I saw a bit of corrosion on the main kill switch of the bus. I thought at least it would be a start. I couldn’t find the right stuff in my Mr. Fix It tool box, it’s a big box too, let me tell you. So I grab a diet coke from Mandy sprayed it on the switch, cleaned it with starter fluid, and banged it twice with a screwdriver and we were off. Sweet that was easy. I’ll leave the rest of the breakdowns that day for my reader’s sake. The next little thing occurred just as we were leaving for CO. Luke was driving I was setting up front, for once not taking a nap, and the transmission wouldn’t shift. This sometime happens when it’s super cold or if she (Louis) is cranky. We circled around town by the bus barn to check it out. Just then she shifts. No problem, then at the next light it does the same thing. We circle half of Des Moines again headed for the bus barn and noticed the tranny was leaking again. Damn, I just took a shower, I don’t have dirt under my nails and I have to mess with the bus before we leave. This old thing is greasy and it’s hard not to touch it without becoming filthy. I have Luke pull it off the road, I pull on my coveralls, grab an orange cone so I don’t get ran over and step off the bus. A few minutes later and a couple gallons of transmission fluid we are going again. Great another long drive wreaking of grease, diesel fuel, and having dirt under my nails. Even with the best cleaner it’s hard to get that old gunk off. The last is the grand daddy of them all. In fact, not to spoil what happened, I’m writing this in a suburban with nine people in it headed back to Des Moines. Yep, that’s right Louis broke down in the middle of nowhere and couldn’t be revived. It was bad. Jason was driving along and everything seemed fine. I went up and gave a quick check of the gauges and told Jason I’m going to sleep. Twenty minutes into my nap, or sleep, since the night before was New Years Eve. Mandy comes and gets me and says that the bus just died. No way, what the hell, every time I fall asleep or try too the bus dies. Jason told me I shouldn’t try sleeping any more so that we can make it home. I go out to see what the deal is only to find the engine compartment door hanging by a screw, anti freeze dumping out onto the ground and something burning. Wow, I had to step back like a field medic in WWII and prioritize. The burning smell was first. It ended up being a small electrical fire in the bay. Next, was finding out where all the antifreeze was coming from, and then it was the door. All in all I only stopped the electrical fire and removed the engine compartment door. I was out of parts out of tools and stuck in the middle of nowhere on New Years Eve. Hey, chips and canned chili isn’t that bad for supper is it?
Where to start with the breakdowns? Should I start by bad to not so bad or ease of repair? I don’t know but here it goes. Get ready because this could get long. The other day on our way to MN just after I laid down, no kidding, Mike screams my name from the front and said the bus just lost power. As I am getting up he yells we’re okay. I lay back down and two minutes later I hear my name along with, the bus just died again. Finally I get up go to the front to see what the deal is. Mike is getting her pulled off to the side of the road just as she starts up again and we are rolling. I told him to pull her over and I’ll try to keep it from happening. Yesterday I saw a bit of corrosion on the main kill switch of the bus. I thought at least it would be a start. I couldn’t find the right stuff in my Mr. Fix It tool box, it’s a big box too, let me tell you. So I grab a diet coke from Mandy sprayed it on the switch, cleaned it with starter fluid, and banged it twice with a screwdriver and we were off. Sweet that was easy. I’ll leave the rest of the breakdowns that day for my reader’s sake. The next little thing occurred just as we were leaving for CO. Luke was driving I was setting up front, for once not taking a nap, and the transmission wouldn’t shift. This sometime happens when it’s super cold or if she (Louis) is cranky. We circled around town by the bus barn to check it out. Just then she shifts. No problem, then at the next light it does the same thing. We circle half of Des Moines again headed for the bus barn and noticed the tranny was leaking again. Damn, I just took a shower, I don’t have dirt under my nails and I have to mess with the bus before we leave. This old thing is greasy and it’s hard not to touch it without becoming filthy. I have Luke pull it off the road, I pull on my coveralls, grab an orange cone so I don’t get ran over and step off the bus. A few minutes later and a couple gallons of transmission fluid we are going again. Great another long drive wreaking of grease, diesel fuel, and having dirt under my nails. Even with the best cleaner it’s hard to get that old gunk off. The last is the grand daddy of them all. In fact, not to spoil what happened, I’m writing this in a suburban with nine people in it headed back to Des Moines. Yep, that’s right Louis broke down in the middle of nowhere and couldn’t be revived. It was bad. Jason was driving along and everything seemed fine. I went up and gave a quick check of the gauges and told Jason I’m going to sleep. Twenty minutes into my nap, or sleep, since the night before was New Years Eve. Mandy comes and gets me and says that the bus just died. No way, what the hell, every time I fall asleep or try too the bus dies. Jason told me I shouldn’t try sleeping any more so that we can make it home. I go out to see what the deal is only to find the engine compartment door hanging by a screw, anti freeze dumping out onto the ground and something burning. Wow, I had to step back like a field medic in WWII and prioritize. The burning smell was first. It ended up being a small electrical fire in the bay. Next, was finding out where all the antifreeze was coming from, and then it was the door. All in all I only stopped the electrical fire and removed the engine compartment door. I was out of parts out of tools and stuck in the middle of nowhere on New Years Eve. Hey, chips and canned chili isn’t that bad for supper is it?
posted by The Nadas at 9:26 PM
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