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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 09/24/2012 :  11:32:02 AM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hey Fella's,
I havent driven my bus in a while but I went to take her out this weekend. Firstly, I installed a new battery as the old one was of course dead. Secondly, I got her started rather quickly and pulled her our a few feet. I left her running and everything seemed to be fine....UNTIL...I noticed a little bit of smoke coming out of the lowest vents under the control panel next to the drivers seat. I shut her off immediately and the smoke stopped. I opened up the exterior panel of the bus and noticed the heater fans and wiring looked to be fine. I unscrewed every screw in the entire plastic console housing to expose all the wiring of the control panel and everything seemed ok. The smoke seemed to be coming from below this console down where the two heater fans were but I couldnt see anything......So I decided to start the bus again and see if I could track where it was coming from....Now she wont start at all! I waited over night, came back today...still wont start. She turns over but just wont kick in. I am thinking there was probably a wire that was chewed on by a rodent which caused the smoking but am not certain. Is there any fuses that could be blown that would keep the bus from starting perhaps?

Wolf0r
Top Member

USA
2181 Posts

Posted - 09/24/2012 :  12:47:37 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Check for voltage at your distributor cap. The big red wire should have battery voltage with the key on. I can't think of anything in that area that would effect starting. I have a 87 chevy carpenter at home. I'll look it over tonight.

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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chevybb2
New Member

7 Posts

Posted - 09/27/2012 :  11:58:46 AM  Show Profile  Visit chevybb2's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Check for a big fat red wire to a terminal on the firewall in front of the driver and a matching one inside the bus on the other side above the drivers feet. It carries the main power and can get corroded and smoke like that. I had to stop and evacuate the bus for this one time. Hope this helps.
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Wolf0r
Top Member

USA
2181 Posts

Posted - 09/27/2012 :  12:22:07 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by chevybb2

Check for a big fat red wire to a terminal on the firewall in front of the driver and a matching one inside the bus on the other side above the drivers feet. It carries the main power and can get corroded and smoke like that. I had to stop and evacuate the bus for this one time. Hope this helps.

Yup that's happened to me before.

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 09/27/2012 :  2:22:05 PM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by chevybb2

Check for a big fat red wire to a terminal on the firewall in front of the driver and a matching one inside the bus on the other side above the drivers feet. It carries the main power and can get corroded and smoke like that. I had to stop and evacuate the bus for this one time. Hope this helps.



Great idea I will check that! Thanks guys

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredg21/sets/
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 09/29/2012 :  3:49:14 PM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jared

quote:
Originally posted by chevybb2

Check for a big fat red wire to a terminal on the firewall in front of the driver and a matching one inside the bus on the other side above the drivers feet. It carries the main power and can get corroded and smoke like that. I had to stop and evacuate the bus for this one time. Hope this helps.



Great idea I will check that! Thanks guys



Does the fat red wire go directly to the battery?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredg21/sets/
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Wolf0r
Top Member

USA
2181 Posts

Posted - 10/01/2012 :  10:02:19 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jared

quote:
Originally posted by Jared

quote:
Originally posted by chevybb2

Check for a big fat red wire to a terminal on the firewall in front of the driver and a matching one inside the bus on the other side above the drivers feet. It carries the main power and can get corroded and smoke like that. I had to stop and evacuate the bus for this one time. Hope this helps.



Great idea I will check that! Thanks guys



Does the fat red wire go directly to the battery?


Mine goes to the starter B+ and has a fuse link wire. Yours may have melted.

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2012 :  08:55:48 AM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Alright well as I was checking the wiring I noticed this burnt up harness down under the dash on the left side. does anyone have a clue what this black box is and if it would prevent my bus from starting? Regardless though I feel like this was where the smoke was coming from.




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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2012 :  1:14:40 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
What in the hell is that thing guys!?!?
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IBTMech
Top Member

USA
973 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2012 :  2:36:35 PM  Show Profile  Visit IBTMech's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Well, the GMC Brigadiers of the mid '80s had a warning beeper for low oil/water/air and I know that if it failed, you could not start the engine. I think the one they used looked a bit different than that one but it probably has the same function.

If it doesn't fit, FORCE it.
If it breaks, well, it needed replacing anyway.
Pullin' wrenches for 45 years.
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 10/06/2012 :  5:45:40 PM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
After some research in the old 87 Chevy manual, it appears to be the "Engine Alarm Module". Now the gruesome task of finding a replacement one. Anyone know where to start?

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IBTMech
Top Member

USA
973 Posts

Posted - 10/09/2012 :  5:22:25 PM  Show Profile  Visit IBTMech's Homepage  Reply with Quote
If I recall correctly, the last one I bought was hard to find and very expensive. All these units had 3208 Cats. We're talking 10-12 years ago.

If it doesn't fit, FORCE it.
If it breaks, well, it needed replacing anyway.
Pullin' wrenches for 45 years.

Edited by - IBTMech on 10/09/2012 5:26:29 PM
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member

354 Posts

Posted - 10/09/2012 :  6:12:37 PM  Show Profile  Click to see C.HARDY's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Jared, my diesel GMs would start without that module hooked up. We had trouble with them beeoing constantly for no reason but yours may be different.

"Hardybusman"
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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 10/10/2012 :  03:10:11 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Surely there has got to be some way to wire around that piece of crap.
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 10/10/2012 :  05:30:20 AM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Thomasbus24

Surely there has got to be some way to wire around that piece of crap.



Well luckily the wonderful people at Mike and B's in Ohio hooked me up with a brand new off the shelf unit they had laying around. I got lucky!! But thanks for all of your advise!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredg21/sets/
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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 10/10/2012 :  06:55:11 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Very nice! They can come up with some of the most interesting parts just when you need them mosty!
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Jared
Top Member

USA
1865 Posts

Posted - 10/10/2012 :  08:50:04 AM  Show Profile  Visit Jared's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Thomasbus24

Very nice! They can come up with some of the most interesting parts just when you need them mosty!



Agreed - they truly are the best and not too far from me here in Baltimore either.

Also, I dont understand why I see so many pictures of old buses online from Myers (and yes I know some of them have been crushed)yet whenever I call them for parts or help they seem to not have one GM chassis bus on the lot?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredg21/sets/
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