Eagles International Forum

Hi Eagle bus friends!

I'm completely new to eagle buses. My father passed away may 26th at the age of 74. He left me a 1973 silver eagle 05. I believe the engine is a 8v71. It's 500 miles away from me at a storage yard in Detroit Michigan. I live in Nashville TN. Perhaps you guys could give me some advice about it. Id like to get it fixed and brought to my home. He bought it in 2012 and drove it for about a year before it broke down. The last time he drove it was December 2015. He drove it on December 2nd and had to get it towed about 10 miles back to the storage yard because it "puttered out" in the street and he couldn't get it restarted. He tried driving it again the next day and had the same issue only this time he made it 25 miles. I have a stack of my dad's receipts. Unfortunately my dad and I had not discussed recently what was going on with the bus. Maybe you guys have some insight. Here's a list of his receipts for the bus. I'm a pretty ok mechanic myself but I know little about diesels. I don't know if it starts or what I need to do first before trying to start it. Going to see it soon.

He paid $10000 for the bus

8-6-2012 5 door hinges $29.50
10-13-2014 blower drive shaft 8v71 $68.16
11-3-2014 8d demo rapidstart (engine/battery jumper) $119.48
11-7-2014 1/8 hi roc sc drill b5deg $27.90
11-11-2014 12v 40mt starter w/sol $229.67
6-18-2015 1/4-18 not 4 flute high speed steel pipe tap-bright $8.44
6-19-2014 1 1/2" 1/2 Dr std socket 12pt $11.48
6-29-2015 fuel pump/pump core/blower rebuilt by shop/blower drive shaft $926.46
6-29-2015 5149644 blw kit? $46.81
9-16-2015 bought parts total $400
23515145 Detroit deisel air compressor gasket $2.25
Detroit deisel 8v71 or 8v92 steel pan oil pan gasket $14.50
5104096 2 thermostats $71.44
5132155 Detroit deisel thermostat seals 8v53 $13.16
5104507 cylinder block end plate gasket $1.99
5103544 water pump mounting seal ring 8v71 or 8v92 $4.19
Ch33apl fram oil filter 8v71 or 8v92 $11.50
Bf5800 fuel filter $16.50
Bf5810 fuel filter $16.50
Two fittings $11.25
22 hose clamps $41.58
Etc etc etc etc etc etc.
9-23-2015 motor oil $201.29
10-6-2015 pilot assembly for wall heater $44.84
10-16-2015 3/16 aluminum tube 3/16 cmp nuts 3/16 cmp sleeve $4.63
10-27-2015 straight hose blue silicon coolant $10.68
11-4-2015 axaob3 autozone xl antifreeze $64.95
11-20-2015 11oz starting fluid smb $6.33
12-2-2015 Exxon deisel pumped $93.05
12-2-2015 bus drove had to be towed $150
12-3-2015 charged batteries flying j $47.50
12-3-2015 bus driven had to be towed 25 miles $325.00

That was the last receipt. What was the reason the bus broke down in the first place? What is the deal with all the gaskets? My dad did all his own work as far as I can tell exept for rebuilding the blower. It's been sitting pretty much for 5 years. Your thoughts about getting it back on the road? Thanks.

Photos.

These Facebook posts are a clue that suggests it still starts. I kind of think he just got tired of paying for tows and decided to spend more money on his girlfriend.

Btw there's stuff he did to the bus that's not listed on the receipts. Interior work. He installed hardwood floors. Built cabinets, installed a toilet, a sink and a range, a bed in back, a couch, a table and some chairs he got a couple of kerosene heater for it. It has beilt in ac. A tv over the drivers seat.

Anyone care to take a gander at what it's worth? My girlfriend wants me to dump it for $2000. Lol I'd dump her for $2000. It's my dad's bus! Does anyone know how long it is? I seem to be remembering it's a 40 footer but I'm not sure.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AQ3Jp ... bPB0WKHWXF


Photos of the interior. My dad was living in it obviously. He owned a house that burned in 2011. Brought the bus by selling the property. The ceiling panels are taken down but it wasn't that way when I visited last Christmas. I'm sure they'd be easy to put back up.

Sorry about the passing of your father, I hope he got some pleasure out of the Eagle. What you have is a 8' wide X 40' long Model 05 with a 8V71 engine, and probably a Spicer 4 speed manual transmission that is non-synchromeshed (which means double clutching is required). The exterior looks fairly good, but the interior is unfinished and needs a lot of work. $10,000 might have been a little high when he got it, but $2000 now might be a little low, provided it is running okay. As to what is causing the engine to die out, I would guess that fuel supply and prime issues are a good probability. Clogged fuel filters and/or leaking fuel lines could cause that problem. Pictures of the engine compartment would help. You may or may not have a generator to power A/C's, judging by the big fan hanging from the ceiling. The A/C unit on the interior wall is a split unit with the compressor down below somewhere, but if that is a single unit, it will not be enough going down the road. The chances of the original Coach A/C working are slim. If you get it running, it would be a hot steamy trip from Detroit to Nashville.

Thank you so much doubledeagle! This information is invaluable! From what I remember the air conditioning works well but it comes from the engine only. I would not be surprised if he simply didn't use the generator because he has electrical hookups. I'd be surprised if the AC does not work now.

What you said about fuel issues rigs a bell! I've talked to him about it before but it's been a little while. My dad didn't have tons of money but he was a very sophisticated political activist and writer. He was nominated for a Nobel Peace prize in 2016 out of only 200 out of 7.442 billion! We usually discussed those type of things.

What should I do about starting it? From what I understand the motor oil should be good for a while longer because it lasts for 5 years. If there is diesel still in it I'm thinking it should be drained and refilled. But my dad was very organized and he's probably already drained the diesel. From what I understand the diesel is only good for 6 months. Also the antifreeze should be good for three years at worst if it was mixed with tap water, which gives me about 6 months. Is there anything else I should be paying attention to other than making sure the batteries are charged? Other than everything? Lol I'm probably going to hire someone to.get it going. I know it takes a good chunk of diesel toget one if these babies rolling. I'm thinking about $100 worth should do it.