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Craig Crockett
New Member

5 Posts

Posted - 04/09/2013 :  2:25:51 PM  Show Profile  Visit Craig Crockett's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hello I am trying to get info on a bus that I am looking at to purchase that originally came from Fairfax Virginia. It is Bus #486 or #436. It is a 1998 Series 3000 Genesis with a DT466 that has 51,700 miles on it. I am in Belize, Central America and so is the bus. Vin # is 1HVBGAAN9WA081601 Any info on bus would be very much appreciated. Bus is from Fairfax county public schools, thank-you

Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 04/10/2013 :  03:05:30 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It likely has many, many more miles on it than the 51,700 it may say. Those dashboards were junk and often had to be replaced (many times along with the odometer)
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Craig Crockett
New Member

5 Posts

Posted - 04/10/2013 :  6:39:46 PM  Show Profile  Visit Craig Crockett's Homepage  Reply with Quote
thank-you the bus is in nice shape, motor is clean and no bad leaks but dash seems to have alot of wear and shifter knob is gone. I have not driven it yet, seats show little wear. Thank-you very much for your reply. What was the average mileage when a school would sell their bus, thanks Craig
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member

354 Posts

Posted - 04/10/2013 :  7:20:50 PM  Show Profile  Click to see C.HARDY's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Fairfax........definately going to at least 200k-250k miles.

"Hardybusman"
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Craig Crockett
New Member

5 Posts

Posted - 04/11/2013 :  9:21:00 PM  Show Profile  Visit Craig Crockett's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Thank-you for your reply. What is the normal miles you can expect out of a DT466 in a school bus? I have owned many class 8 trucks, and motors from that era you could expect about 500,000 before an inframe.
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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 04/12/2013 :  03:45:46 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It really depends on how that bus was maintained as far as the cooling system goes. If Fairfax kept up on coolant additive and changes, and the bus wasn't abused (overheated a lot), then it should be a darn good engine yet. I'd get some SCA test strips and check the coolant before buying...but that it just me.

They really weren't failure prone as far as bearings, heads and such. A few fuel components and turbos here and there...nothing major.
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Craig Crockett
New Member

5 Posts

Posted - 04/12/2013 :  8:22:50 PM  Show Profile  Visit Craig Crockett's Homepage  Reply with Quote
That sounds good, I know the additives are very important. All I know about that engine is that it was a very good engine in our axial-flow combine on the farm. The combine actually wore out before the engine did.Im really going to check the bus out good , especially now that I know that it has more than 51,000 miles on it. I have to check out which auto tranny it has. Ive read on the forums that the 466 eats the Allison AT-545. Thanks again for all the help, this has beeen my first time on a forum of any kind and it has been very helpful.
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member

354 Posts

Posted - 04/13/2013 :  09:02:29 AM  Show Profile  Click to see C.HARDY's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Biggest thing about a bus is the constant stop and go. I would say 200k on a bus is comperable to 300k on a truck. Just my opinion. That bus should be fine as Fairfax usually takes good care of them. I've owned two Fairfax buses and they both did fine. One still runs daily for a local church.

"Hardybusman"
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Craig Crockett
New Member

5 Posts

Posted - 04/13/2013 :  9:03:22 PM  Show Profile  Visit Craig Crockett's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I agree, the constant accelerating and decelerating is far more wear than an over the road truck gets.I appreciate the info onthe Fairfax buses. I'll take the bus out and give it a good work-out and give it an inspection. I have a good thermal laser gun that will give me the tempature read-out to what ever I point it at. Its very useful for checking rearend and tranny temps.Thanks again for all the input, I feel alot better about the bus, being well informed.
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