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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
 Posted - 09/12/2005 : 5:28:00 PM
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My question pertains to a 1997 Ford/Thomas (manufactured in the summer of 1996), with a 5.9 Cummins (I think), air brakes, and an AT-545 automatic transmission.
I was driving an afternoon route for another location about 30 minutes away from me, and after my afternoon route, when I returned to the bus yard, there was a Ford/Thomas on the lot that was running. I went inside, and the dispatcher informed they could not shut this bus off. She had three other guys in the lot try to figure out how to shut it off, and no one came up with any ideas.
I decided to check the bus out for myself. When I got inside I found no fuel shut-off lever. I am not a mechanic, so I did not know what to look for under the hood. But, sure enough, the bus was running and it had a full tank of fuel to boot.
Do any of you have any ideas how this bus could be turned off, or what the cause of this would be? I didn't think buses that new would have a fuel shut-off lever. If it did, I did not see one and the dispatcher told me they could not fine one either. I would appreciate any advice you could provide for me.
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On a side note, for those of you who are interested, this bus was in filthy condition. But, I looked past the uncleanliness of the bus and it was a decent-looking bus with decent specs, but it would be a lot better if it was cleaned up. This bus featured: 16 lamp exterior light monitor, wrist-roller door handle, 7" reverse lights, storm glass on entrance door windows, turn signals below the windshield, front-lit destination signs, west-coast style mirrors, black hood, extended headroom, AM/FM radio, and gray seats. This bus was owned/operated by a mid-sized contractor from the New England area that was bought out by First Student sometime in late 2000 or early 2001. |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4547 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2005 : 3:10:59 PM
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If it's set up the way I think it is, then on the driver side of the engine, locate the injector pump (has 6 fuel lines running into it's top in a row.
Attached towards the rear of the pump you'll find a cylinder shaped object about 4 inches tall and 3 inches around. It has three wires running into it with a quick-disconnect plug. This is the fuel shut off solenoid. At the oppiset end from the wires, you'll find the linkage to the pump. See that nothing has rattled loose and fallen into the way, not allowing the solenoid to shut down the engine. If so, then you can just manually clear the blockage allowing the engine to stop.
Seen this happen a few times! I hope my explaination made sense!!! |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4547 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2005 : 3:17:07 PM
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| I guess I should advise you to first try unplugging the solenoid...the bus will shut off unless something is physically holding the linkages up! |
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2005 : 5:19:39 PM
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Thanks for the replies, Patrick.
I did not call that location to get an update to see if they figured out how to shut off the bus. I assume they were able to shut it off today. That location is a little too far for me to travel just to check on a bus!
It was just bugging me to not know how this bus was still able to run. All I am familiar with is the dash-mounted fuel shut-off lever.
Thanks again for the info. I appreciate it! |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4547 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2005 : 1:38:10 PM
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Any time!
I certainly hope that the mechanics corrected this problem! |
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The Ford That Will Never Die
