If it was easy, I wouldn’t be having so much fun right!  Today I got back up on the horse, and took the bus out for a spin.  In the process, I have discovered some new problems, and exacerbated some old ones.

I started out by firing it up and driving out into the neighborhood.  This is officially the first time I have driven the bus for any distance outside of the apartment parking lot. Yay!  I didn’t take a video, but really wish I did – next time… I pulled out onto the street smoothly, quickly accelerated into second gear.  Things were going well, so I sped up a little and shifted to third – so far so good!  I decided to take  the next turn, and my plan was to press in the clutch, slow down, shift to second, and come out of the turn smoothly in second gear.  What actually happened was I turned the corner, and as the bus engaged in second gear, the engine bogged down and hiccuped until it almost died.  I coasted to a stop – I’m on a residential street with no traffic – and got it started again in first. Again, as soon as the clutch is released, the engine hiccups and bogs severely for a little bit before clearing and giving me normal power.  I quickly turn around and head back to the parking lot.  My first real drive is a success, but clearly I gots me some more problems!

I spent some more time driving around the parking lot with the bus bogging every time I try to start, or shift gears – even when shifting from first to second which is usually really smooth and easy.  Finally the hesitation got so bad that I limped it back to the garage – after that it wouldn’t even start! Stupid bus.  I let it cool for a few hours, checked the coil, and the accelerator pump, finally I got it going again.  But even now, it didn’t run like it did before – rough idle, dies occasionally, rough acceleration – I’m wondering if this stupid engine is ever going to work!

I’ve noticed that the fuel lines are very dirty, possibly getting dirtier, and my new fuel filter is brown from crud in the gas tank.  I don’t think this is causing all my issues, but it definitely isn’t helping!  I also know there is a massive vacuum leak somewhere on the carb – I can here it hissing and sucking for air.  My plan of attack is to buy a 5 gallon gas container, drain the tank, try to clean it out as best I can without removing the engine, replace the lines, fuel filter, fuel pump, and do a full carb rebuild with new gaskets, new float, new accel pump, and possibly even a new throttle plate assembly. I’ll also replace the spark plugs because I’m sure they are fouled with carbon from the improper carb settings.  Hopefully all of that won’t take me too long, and will solve all of my engine problems.  I better get crackin!