[JIM]

I have always been under the impression and keep this in mind that it’s ONLY my preception of manufacturing. If a company builds a product and I can do the service, then the companies service center doesn’t get repair and service dollars which is bad for their bottom line. So over the years they keep building products that require special equipment and tools to work on their products. You have a problem, you look it over and then say, that looks like I might mess that up, I had better take it in. (GOTCHA)

I guess my bus is like my wife or like the house that I have lived in for the past 36 years, I would like to think there are not going to be to many new supprises.

Jon, I wished I lived within a short drive from you or someone else that enjoys doing his own service/repair work. I would like to see how the Prevost chassis has evolved.

[Gerald]

Without a picture of what you have, I offer my solution.

Through the hole through which you are checking the oil level, insert a clear plastic hose, the largest you can fit through the hole. The hose should be about 4′ long, with it make one large loop after inserting into the hole and with the free end being inserted into your mouth suck the oil out of the gear box into the tube watching the level in the coil. When the coil is full and well away from your mouth, stop the suction and remove the tube from the gear box and blow the oil into a bottle/can to be discarded. Re insert the tube and repeat the process until completion.

Fill the gear box with fresh oil and check the level. If you insert a short piece of the tubing into the hole all the way to the bottom, then placing a finger over the outer end of the tube to seal it. Remove the tube and measure the distance the oil in the tube is from the bottom end. This will tell you exactly how much oil is in the bottom half of the gear box.

You might think this method sucks and in a way it does, but the benefit is you do not have to disturb any alignment and the job will be successfully completed after only about an hour with little mess and you not even getting dirty.

My thoughts from outside the “box”, JIM

[Davy]

In another life I used to develop medical products for production. These were large products ranging from sterilizers to multi-purpose units with refrigeration (biological refrigerators) and other systems. Before we could release it for production we had a service review. We used different methods to assemble a product than those that would be used to disassemble it for service because we had lift tables and access to all sides, a luxury not available when the unit is installed.

The service people who had to bless the product prior to production release literally took it apart and reassembled it using techniques they had to use in the field. We generally got a long list of complaints, not all of which we could address. The point is that we needed to produce a servicable product. Since Prevost sells to a large number of fleets who have their own service techs and who have to keep the coaches rolling you can bet serviceability is very high on the list of features.

There are some products that the manufacturer wants to limit or prevent others from servicing. I just never felt our coaches were made that way.

As to improvements there have been many, almost all of which are minor, but they address things I have found. My inverters now have a by-pass feature. I can access a fuel priming port. grease fittings now point to where access is easiest, my steer and tag hubs are permanently sealed for life, wheel studs are such that the inner drive wheel threaded stud has been eliminated. The rear has a fold up fender that exposes all air bags and shocks, plus the ride height valves. (That’s a huge benfit). There are many others but you get a sense the engineers are listening.

The flip side however is stuff is getting more complex. The engine is a mess with the EGR system. I would hate to have to replace the gazillion sensors that are all over the engine because someone with 5 foot arms will be needed to access some of them. The slides are a pneumatic system nightmare, but the flip side is the generation slides I have can be run in or out by over riding the system in minutes if needed.

I know from training last year that the multiplex electrical system (that I wish I had) is a huge improvement in simplicity and diagnosis. If you can read the information center messages and take a little time with an electric diagram you can isolate a problem and be on your way. A temporary fix might be as simple as switching a bad module with one not used extensively.

I’m still learning the current coach, but the more I work on it the more I appreciate how much effort and thought has been put into creating both the chassis and the house and how a lot of the changes translate into improvements in access and servicing it.

[Archived]

Attached are photos of the Superior fan gearbox.

Tom, I used a 1/8″ wood dowel to check oil level and after wiggling it around in the vent I managed to locate what felt like a depression or hole smaller than the dowel and got just a touch of oil on the end of the stick. This being the case, it doesn’t seem feasible to suck the oil out. I suspect that there is a drain plug in the bottom of the box and this tends to be supported by the “NOTE” on top. Note in the photos that there is minimal clearance between the bottom of the box and the top of the support bracket so there is no chance of accessing the drain plug as installed. Dale, I’m wondering if your setup/installation is similar and if so how did you manage your modification? Thanks to all for your help

[Archived]

Unscrew the entire tube.

[JIM]

Remove the pipe with vent as Tom suggested and follow my suggestion in a previous post. The one using a clear hose.

If you are acumulating tools, purchase a small suction gun or make one from an old shock absorber or hand bicycle tire pump.

JIM

[Dale]

[Archived]

Round wire will be difficult to read accurately. Actually you could use the end of the engine dipdtick only measuring from the end for your own level.

I think you get the idea, I’m done. Good luck. JIM

[JIM]

Success in changing out the oil. Once again, thanks to all for your suggestions and advise.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[Archived]

Now your the expert for the next questioner.