Eagles International Forum

I got back into the bus this morning and swapped the rod end around to the other side of the bellcrank and it worked much better. Here is a closer view to show how much clearance I have now. Doing this did allow me to get the bus in gear and move it around the yard, identifying other issues as I did. What fun.

First issue is the clutch itself. I can step on the pedal and shift gears, but when I release the pedal it doesn't immediately come up all the way - it hesitates - until I hear a short spurt of air from the back and the pedal pops up, engaging the clutch, launching the bus forward. I learned quickly to keep my foot on the pedal with slight pressure to keep it from launching, but it isn't correct. Need to find the fault and deal with it. I'll get one of my technicians to push and release the pedal while I listen in the back to see where the spurt of air is coming from.

Second fault is reverse. I'm not sure if it is something I am doing wrong not shifting correctly, not pushing the button at the correct time or if it straight up doesn't work. More diagnosis is required for this. I would be greatly appreciative if someone could tell me the correct sequence for shifting into reverse. That could be my whole problem there.

Third thing is the throttle. The pedal is very hard and after pressing down to increase engine speed, I release it and the engine speed stays high. I have to go to the back and physically move the linkage back to the idle stop. I can move the linkage back and forth freely by moving it on the engine and it drops the engine speed as soon as the linkage moves. I moved the bus around at an idle. I need to figure out how to break into the front of the bus to gain access to the throttle pedal air cylinder, then work my way to the back chasing air lines until I end up at the air actuator on the engine end throttle linkage.

Best thing about my limited success today is that now I can move the bus around and get it inside under cover from the sun and run a fan to the interior and get some cooling. Life will be so much easier doing that.

Story continues...

I suspect the problem with the clutch action is the adjustment of the actuator linkage to get the spacing correct. Attached is copy of the manual for the five speed transmission with same clutch assist setup. Don't forget that there are a lot of greased pivot points and support bearings between the front and rear. The floor hatches on the inside and the ceiling hatches in the cargo bays provide access to every point. Spray grease can help if there is no grease fitting. (Another thought is whether there is enough play in your connections at the yokes to allow free movement, if they are too tight that might cause a problem).

Lubrication applies to the throttle linkage as well, there are a lot of pivot points that need it. This is assuming that you have the stock mechanical linkage that it came with. Someone might have changed it to a Williams air throttle setup, but if the throttle is stiff, it's probably mechanical and needs lube and maybe some better return springs. Chances are all the joints have not been lubricated for a long time, and the cumulative restrictions make it a hard throttle. Adding stiffer springs can work, but then your foot will get mighty tired holding that throttle.

Reverse gear - put lever in second gear position, hit reverse gear button on left drivers panel, a 12V solenoid pushes lever at the transmission to engage reverse. If it is not working (and that happens in old buses), the lever can be pushed/pulled by reaching in with a tool like a hoe or grapple from the drive axle wheel well on the drivers side. Pull to the outside of the bus to engage, push in to disengage. You can observe the reverse solenoid from the floor hatch and the 3-4" lever that sticks out at the end of the connection.

Looks like fixing the air leak has mushroomed into a lot of things. I hope the owner appreciates what you are doing for him.