1980 FC with Cat 3802 - fan bearing replacement - any history of problems?

[Gregory OConnor]

George, When and if you find a need to pull down the pan, replace the
oil pick-up and screen. Bryant or BlueBird Bus facilities may not be
the best choice. The 3208 is older than most bus models in operation
( much like the 8V92 in my bus). I would call a local Cat Parts
supplier and ask the parts clerk for a recommendation of a customer
who works on 3208 units. If you want to verify the Speedo, you can
try and multiply the engine hours by 30 and see if it is closer to
100,000 or 200,000. The bearings on the fan and idler pulleys often
fail from enginecleaner solvent pressurewashing. it may be time to
check idler bearings (if any).

I think the owner of Gus's Garage is named MikeH. He is a forum
member and Mike's garage would be the best place to surrender a sick
bird. He is very knowledgeable and experianced with the Cat in your
bus (Cat is nick name for the engine manufacture and not a slant on
your copilot of 38 years). I am an experienced Bird fanciers but I
dont understand how that would qualify me to give good material
advice? I would have better advised you the curtains and carpet
choices.

I enjoy your style, welcome

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Lewandowski98040"
wrote:
>
> Hi -
>
> I'm a newbie.
>
> My wife and I just purchased a 1980 FC 31 from a nice guy (Don D.)
in
> Oregon. For me, it was love at first sight, but realistically, I
> know that this is going to be a high maintenance affair with an
older
> lady. Her speedo reads 90,000 miles but Don said that her true age
> could be 190K, since he was not her first lover. I promised him
that I
> would be kind, and try to keep her proud heritage mostly intact for
> the next owner.
>
> Before venturing too far from home, I introduced the Bird to my
> nephew, Rob, who owns a busy transmission rebuild shop in Issaquah.
> He put her into one of his service bays for two weeks. He serviced
> the Allison and the differential, rebuilt the power steering pump,
> sent the radiator out to a rebuilder, replaced some leaky hydraulic
> hoses, etc. Even though Rob normally runs with a fast, young,
racing
> crowd that's swigs synthetic lube and snorts nito injection, he
seems
> to have bonded with my old Bird as he gently poked and prodded for
> tell-tale signs of fatigue and imminent failure.
>
> Among other things, he found that the radiator fan bearing is "a
> little loose". He tried to replace the bearing but this bearing is
no
> longer available from local suppliers. It has a shaft that's
> integrated into the sealed bearing assembly. The Cat. replacement
> part is a whole new assembly. with a different mounting bracket and
> normal bearing with separate, removable shaft. It would cost me
> about $1,500 for these expensive parts and the shop time to install
them.
>
> I am wondering if any veteran Birders have found a source for the
> (presumably less expensive) original bearing, with its embedded
shaft,
> and what is the service/failure rate of that original style
bearing?
> I don't want a seized bearing to send the spinning fan flying
through
> my new radiator.
>
> Rob, also recommends that I take my bus to the local Blue Bird
dealer
> (Bryant Motors) for an engine checkup. He suggested that I want
might
> to have her valves adjusted and her head bolts tightened. What else
> is prudent, in the way of preventive maintenance? What should I
> include, in my instructions to the technical wizards at Bryant? If
> possible, I want to sacrifice a little cash now for peace of mind
down
> the road, to avoid having to surrender a sick Bird to the tender
> mercies of part-time grease monkeys at Gus's Garage & Liquor Stop in
> Widespot Wisconsin next summer.
>
> Meanwhile, my bride of 38 years wants to know why we're still tied
to
> the dock, instead of sailing off into the sunset, on that golden
> voyage that I promised her when I brought this old Bird home to live
> with us. Just like on my wedding night, I'm stalling and hiding my
> inexperience with grand promises of how wonderful everything will
be,
> when I finally get out of neutral. Any helpful marital advice from
> experienced Bird fanciers would be much appreciated. I've already
> used up the old trick of vague promises about new carpets and
curtains.
>
> George Lewandowski,
> Mercer Island, WA
>