[Archived]

I know that the Country Coach guys will chime in but I think that Country Coach replaced the Prevost dash and instruments with a product from Silverleaf,but I don’t have a clue what year they started doing that.

[Archived]

Rob,

Congratulations on the industry’s best conversion. Yes, I’m just messing with those that didn’t pick Country Coach. But seriously, you have a well engineered and built conversion.

I’m not sure which glass dash you have. They had their own that ran off of an industrial Windows based PC and at some point switched to the SilverLeaf VMS 640 (CLICK HERE) In either case, the glass dash displays and/or collects the data messages from the engine and transmission and displays other data, like voltages, air pressures, tank gauge, and others. The SilverLeaf unit is far more robust, displaying more data, including rear camera display, and can display tire pressure information and other coach information with the right options.

Hopefully, you also received the Country Coach manual. It not only goes through the operations, but provides valuable elctrical wiring and plumbing diagrams.

[Archived]

Jack,

This is before silverleaf. The system boots up with some industrial computer then displays the instruments on a flat glass panel. The only thing is I am missing information that the MCD displays.

Rob

[Archived]

Gil,

Thanks for the response. You are correct. The system boots up with some industrial computer. I do not believe that it is silverleaf. I have had silverleaf on a couple of coaches and this seems different. My concern was all the information called out in the Prevost Manual relating the the MCD does not seem to appear on the flat glass screen. I am getting the Country Coach Manual that comes with the coach so I am hoping it shows me where and how I can get the MCD displays. My concern was that I wanted to be somewhat knowledgeable in this area when the coach is delivered to me this coming Saturday. If the MCD portion was put on another monitor, I want to be able to locate that monitor and verify its functionality before final acceptance.

Rob

[Archived]

I have a 99 CC and I had to replace my Country Coach Digital Dash with the SilverLeaf Glass Dash.

If your unit is like mine you will not get the information you are talking about. The Digital Dash will display all the info I think you need. I am not sure what the MCD info is but I assume it is info comming off the ECM down in the steer compartment like the Digital Dash does.

I have all the documentation for the Dash if you need a copy. Not really too much to it.

At some point in time be prepared for the dash or it’s computer system to go out.

My unit ran on a computer running Windows 3.1 and no one has any of the drivers or software to help you with a reload. Another thing is if the PC goes out it’s history because you will never find any parts that will work on that old of a PC. Graphics card, hard drive, floppy drive etc.

With all this said there is one guy, maybe two, I know of who have some old units or parts in a limited quantity.

Nick Hesslerl 1-541-954-2452, he worked for Country Coach during this time and Myles Circo mcirci@hughes.net.

Myles bought all the Country Coach stuff left at the auction in Oregon.

My set up also had DeLorme Street Atlas that displayed on another screen to the right of the dash that displayed the highway as you drove, like the navigation systems in use today.

Anything I can help with just let me know.

Good Luck

[steve]

Charles,

I must say, the Prevost Forum group is wonderful. In time, I will learn a great deal from everyone here as they are so helpful. The MCD displayed such things as MPG, instantaneous MPG, trip odometers, average speed, a digital clock, metric/english scaling, etc. You are correct, it does come off of the ECM. How does the Silverleaf Glass Dash work for you. I had Silverleaf in my 07 CCoach Intrigue and always found the Silverleaf people great to deal with and never had a problem with any facet. I did not have a glass dash but had a separate small 3×5 screen that I could monitor trip mileage, mpg, instantaneous MPG, oil pressure & temp, xmission pressure and temp, along with a miriad of other inputs. Many of those items are called out in the Prevost manual under the MCD. I will sorely miss these inputs if not available on the digital dash.

I do not yet know if I need any of the documentation you are talking about. When I get the coach in a couple of days, I will be able to see what Country Coach made available as far as the dash documentation. Thanks so much for offering.

Rob

[michael]

Rob,

Welcome to PC Rob, you found the right place for information and assistance.

I
had a 2000 CC and it was a good bus and had the CC glass dash and
famous DOS 3.1. I was fortunate and didn’t have any dash issues, but
did have to replace boards in the overhead for the bitch in the box
or called the synthesizer..

As
others have pointed out, you can still get parts from Miles and if
you can hook up with Nick he could likely help you. The problem is
not parts, but where do you find someone to work on it. I doubt there
is anyone out there other than those two that can troubleshoot and
then repair your dash. The bus will still run if it goes blank, but
you’ll be without any information. The solution other than those
above is Silverleaf and that conversion is in the 12K range I
believe.

The
CC guys will jump in here and correct me if there are places to have
the glass dash worked on. What you wouldn’t want to do is have
someone try to learn the repair on your wallet.

[Archived]

Tom & Nancy,

Thanks for the update. Yes, it does look like I will be in the dos 3.1 mode and it appears to be functioning just fine. Since you had one, can you tell me whether or not you had inputs that the Prevost MCD (Message Center Display) offered. Specifically, did you have a trip odometer, a fuel economy mode, a clock/distance mode, average speed, etc. that the MCD offered. I did not see any of those items when I looked at the coach. That is a problem when you are a Newby and don’t know what to look for. If those items are available, are they programmed onto the flat screen or is there another monitor that shows these inputs? The reason I ask is that it looked like another external monitor of some sort had originally been on the coach but has since been removed. I was told it was a radar detection unit but I would like to make sure.

[Roger]

The CC Digital Dash will give you all the important opporational parameters like oil pressure, oil temp, transmission temp, 12 and 24 volt readings, front, rear and aux air pressure etc.

I don’t remember if mine would calculate mileage and some of the other things you mentioned.

If I can help in any way just email me or contact me on the forum.

The SilverLeaf has been great. No problems at all and it will give you MPG, GPH, Instant MPG, AVG MPG, Rolling MPG, in some model World Transmissions it will indicate gear selection, there 4 different screen set ups you can choose to use and in some cases the type of info displayed and in which position on the screen.

Good Luck

[Archived]

I can’t remember what Mileage related data I could get out of the old CC dash either. FWIW, you should invest in SilverLeaf’s VMSpc, as should everyone regardless of converter. It’s a black box that hooks up to a PC that will give you virtually all DDEC information and some calculated information, like HP and Torgue readings. I used VMSpc in my last coach as a data logger to help the engine manufacture determine what was going on. Great product. If you want to see what you can display on this, go to their web site and down load the application on your PC (not MAC). The SW is free.

Although repairable, I would (and did) just replace mine when the digital conversion unit was acting up. It’s a 4 hour job, is often done at the coach’s location, and cost $10K if done at their facility or when scheduled with some of their marketing trips. They are at most large FMCA rallies.

[Archived]

The SilverLeaf I have now will do all that. HP, Transmission shaft speed, torque, intake temp. I think the VMS PC and the installed Glass Dash perform the same and display the same. I really like it.

[Archived]

I don’t doubt there is an advantage to Silverleaf for those who own CC coaches.

But to add the capability to other conversions is probably more expensive and less capable than getting a DDEC reader such as Nexiq and the appropriate DDEC software, and to that you can add ABS diagnostic software and Allison transmission softeware.

I scouted ebay and on a previous coach was able to get the reader and DDEC III software for about $250. I had to pay $1000 for DDEC V software, but I can also diagnose my ABS. I am looking to pick up software for may transmission.

You can read more data with that than anything plus you can reset codes.

[Jim/Chris]

SilverLeaf’s VMSpc is $350, as I recall. It does much more than a DDEC reader. So, you don’t need a CC to take advantage of its value. It worked great on my CAT powered Beaver.