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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
 Posted - 01/24/2005 : 3:35:24 PM
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Today, our regular bus, a 2003 IC RE went in for service so West Ox (one of our garages) gave us bus 1254 a 1989 Blue Bird All American FE. We have only about 13 in the fleet, and almost every time our bus goes in for service we get one usualy 1255 but that is besided the point.
Anyway as soon as I boarded this morning all confortable and ready to go, I noticed that the engine was extremely quiet as we pulled away, almost like a gas engine, and than came the WHISTLE. the entire way to school, (30 Mins.) the bus made a high pitched wistle, not like the usual wistle they make with acceloration, but a LOUD wistle that would go without change in pitch (like the TC2000's and the chevy's) have a change in pitch,) it sounded like a tea kettle that would not stop. We were going crazy! Has this happened to anyone else? |
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78fordwayne
Top Member
USA
2868 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2005 : 4:07:30 PM
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| It sounds like its just the turbo. Some sound a little diferent than others. |
Robert B.
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2005 : 5:11:58 PM
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| Hey IC-RE, I drove a West Ox spare today. Bus #1030, an '87 IH/Ward with the 4 lamp system. For some reason I like those buses....the way that 9.0 roars.....the huge steering wheel. Just sumpin about em! |
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Rich
Top Member
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2005 : 5:33:04 PM
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That would be the turbo. And as 87fordwayne said, every turbo will make a different sound.  |
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Cody
Top Member
United States
1630 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2005 : 5:57:56 PM
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| Yep, its the turbo you're hearing |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2005 : 7:08:54 PM
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| Hey IC-RE, I drove #1250 the other day, but I didn't notice any whistling. Those AAFE's have V-6 Caterpillars in em, and they run pretty good. I HATE those buses though, because of the way the brake treadle is squeezed in between the accelerator and the steering column boot. I got big feet and I'm scared if I had to react fast, I'd miss the brake. I'm glad there's only a few of those buses and I hope they get rid of them SOON! |
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BBInt.10
Top Member
USA
1042 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2005 : 7:28:39 PM
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There was this one sub bus that I would get when I was in middle school that I actually ended up having most of my 6th grade year that made a terribly annoying whistle kind of like what you're describing. It was an '87 or '88 Ward International with the 7.3L in it, so it wasn't the turbo charger there. But yes, I can sympathize with you... and I rode that bus every day for almost a year!
-Dave |
If all your problems are behind you... you must be a school bus driver. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2005 : 1:41:27 PM
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| How did you survive, we were going batty! |
 bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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1983WardFord
Top Member
USA
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2005 : 2:45:02 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC
Hey IC-RE, I drove a West Ox spare today. Bus #1030, an '87 IH/Ward with the 4 lamp system. For some reason I like those buses....the way that 9.0 roars.....the huge steering wheel. Just sumpin about em!
I'm jealous!!! |
Due to the current economic condition, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice. |
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Chris
Top Member
USA
1013 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2005 : 2:56:24 PM
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Are you all crazy? I love the turbo!
Too much whistle could be a problem though. Our buses (AmTran and IC) have a rubber boot that can get a cut or hole in it, just from wearing out, and if this happens it would cause access whistle, and loss of power when going up hills. I don't know what Blue Bird or Thomas' are like though. |
My Personal Fleet
1985 Ward Ford #1 Lexington Local - 1990 Wayne International NO.2 Walton-Verona - 1992 Ward Senator NO.4 Walton-Verona *SOLD* |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 3:45:04 PM
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| Well, Were back in 1254 again today, this is the story of my life! LOL!! The driver was about to go insane, she is requestion we get a TC on Monday, because our bus is expected to be out for the rest of the week. |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 6:02:07 PM
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Hey IC-RE, have you seen any of the new buses yet. If not, you should soon...they are giving them out right and left!
BTW, I noticed another major change on the new buses. The rear end now has a hatch (looks like the Thomas ERs, but a bit smaller). It must be for easy access to the radiator....all the older Amtran and IC REs have that big grate that must be unbolted. The rear bumper is a new design too. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 6:27:18 PM
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| I saw one of the new buses on Wednesday heading down Old Kene Mill Road in Springfield. Probrably out of West Springfield High School. They look NICE!! They have the new roof cap design, and smoothe sides. From the look of the rear grille area, they have the DT466 engine as opposed to the V8 diesel. Thats just a speculation though, as the ones with the VT365 that Ive seen have a bit different rear grille. Also, I noticed what must be a unique Fairfax spec...The grille area is painted Yellow, as it is on all of our older AmTran/IC RE buses. Everyone else around has the black grille, both on the newer ones, and the older ones. It looks good though! I'm sure those drivers are happy. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 8:33:40 PM
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| I haven't seen one yet, and I am so dissapointed, today I was driving on west ox to the mall, and just to check, I made a U-turn 5 times passing the garage over and over again, but I saw nothing. I am soooo disapointed, I need to see them!! I am dying, the suspense is killing me!!! |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 11:00:26 PM
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| IC-RE...You will like them I'm sure of it. They even have both AC units on the drivers side, just like the 02s that you like. They are pretty easy to recognize as the roof caps look a bit different from previous models. They have a bit more black, painted all the way down to the windshield, and do not have that yellow gap between the black paint and the windshield. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 04:45:26 AM
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Ohh yay, I hate that yellow strip, does it look anything like this pic from school bus central? (I hopw you ddon't mind Rich!)
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bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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Rich
Top Member
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 07:49:07 AM
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The rear grilles no longer show what engine the bus has, as all the grilles are the same no matter what the engine. Now, the only way to tell from the outside of the bus, is the badge to the left of the service door (200= VT365, 300= DT466), or of course by a seasoned ear.  |
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 08:27:02 AM
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| fairfax specs that everything on the body except the rub rails be painted yellow. don't know how they get away with the a/c grills being black. |
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R44 5308 A Train
Advanced Member
USA
247 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 09:00:37 AM
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Our 1992 Ward/Internationals do have a distinctive sound.
BTW, it's amazing these buses still do regular service(and most trips until a couple of years ago)after all these years! |
New York, New York, a wonderful town,
The Bronx is up, and the Bettery's down,
The people ride in a hole in the ground,
New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!!!!!
-From the 1949 classic movie "On The Town"
I love NYC!!!!! |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 09:33:34 AM
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| If the rub rails are the stripes on the sides of the buses, than we have them painted black. We do not allow our buses to have any badges on the buses except the emblem on the front, Therefore, our buses probably won't have the RE 200 or 300 sign on the front |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 12:24:00 PM
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IC-RE. Funny you should mention the badges...I diddnt get close enough to see if the new Fairfax REs have them, but they sure do in Arlington County, and it's a Virginia statewide spec not to have them. If you see one, the badge would be right beside the service door.
I am pretty sure these buses have the 466...Unless International found a way to kick the VT365 up to 215 HP. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 2:42:45 PM
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Sorry, I don;t know anything about engines, is that better or worse than what we have now?
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bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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disneynuts
Advanced Member
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 09:42:30 AM
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ic-re or anyone in fairfax
what is the purpose of the dual fuel doors on the ic's.
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BusFreak
Top Member
USA
798 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 10:00:00 AM
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IC-RE...Its better.
Disneynuts....I've never noticed that...where are the doors? I know one is on the service door side towards the middle. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 10:32:28 AM
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| Hey disneynuts, there is only one fuel door...the other (identical looking) door houses the Auto/Manual service door switch. I don't know why they put it there because students love to reach in there and throw the switch.....causing the driver to wonder why the door suddenly quit working! |
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scottyd
Advanced Member
USA
491 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 11:37:40 AM
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| Hey, other drivers love to through that switch too--lol. |
Scott
Driving America's Future |
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scottyd
Advanced Member
USA
491 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 11:46:09 AM
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Although, some of our older Chey/GMC conventionals do have two fuel doors. They also have a sticker that says CNG (Clean Natural Gas).
BTW--There are about seven of those Chey's at West Ox that have been retired. Three are in the lower lot by the fence and four are by the fuel pumps. I know 203, 248, 256 and 515. I don't remember the other numbers. |
Scott
Driving America's Future |
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Bus 801
Advanced Member
USA
410 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 11:56:18 AM
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Here are the GMC's that have been retired so far at West Ox (WOX):
Upper Lot: 203, 515, 282, and 265. 515 has a Chevy grill but they are all GMC's though.
Lower lot: 256, 248, 262 - all have Chevy grills and are missing the licsense plates. I know 256 has a blown head gasket. |
Rob
Floater 421
http://community.webshots.com/user/bus801
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Bus 801
Advanced Member
USA
410 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 12:07:08 PM
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| I forgot to add that 1303 has been retired too. It was a 1990 78 passenger TC/2000 Blue Bird and was a WOX spare until it was in a bad accident - front is destroyed, it's being used for parts now. |
Rob
Floater 421
http://community.webshots.com/user/bus801
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Edited by - Bus 801 on 03/13/2005 12:41:24 PM |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 1:27:22 PM
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Wow, I used to ride... 203, 256, 282, 262, and 1303 frequently throughout elementray school, my firends mom used to drive bus 256. I know the driver who had 1303 is now in 1564, he is the activity bus driver for Oakton (Late bus)
So, let me get this straight, all of the Cehvy's are CNG and diesel, all of the GMC's are Diesel, I never would have thought that there was a difference, to me they are all kinda crappy! I hear nothing but complaints from teh drivers about them. |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 4:48:02 PM
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| None of them run on CNG anymore, IC-RE. There were CNG Fords and Thomas ERs too. I think they did it for government $$$$....but the buses were so unreliable, it cost 'em more in maintenance and unnecessary driver pay than they got from Uncle Sam. I know a guy that drove a CNG fueled Thomas and he said they were a NIGHTMARE. 35 minutes just to fuel them and he had to do it twice a day! They ran lousy on the stuff too, he said. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 5:21:50 PM
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| I know that they don't run on them anymore, but wow 35 mins to fill a bus? WHY? |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 5:03:56 PM
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quote:
I am pretty sure these buses have the 466...Unless International found a way to kick the VT365 up to 215 HP.
I believe the VT365 is available with a rating of 215 hp. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 5:25:51 PM
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| I looked at one tonight. The sticker on the valve cover reads, "The VT-365 Family of Engines". There were 3 or 4 horsepower (and torque) ratings listed and 215hp was punched out. Couldn't make out the torque rating. |
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2005 : 5:43:16 PM
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| IC, are these buses more powerful than our current ones? The buses must be beautiful!! Do they have any differences in the interior compaired to the 2002-2004? |
bus 1980, a 2008 IC RE 300 for Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia. |
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1989 BB AA FE
