Oil Change Costs?

[BrianE]

While this has been posted in the past, the following link will allow members to download relevant tech publications from the Prevost website. The maintenance manual lubrication section gives a detailed list of periodic maintenance items and lube specs. http://prevostparts.volvo.com/techni.../en/manuel.asp.

Jon's spread sheet, his maintenance schedule and a whole host of other valuable information can be found in the Information Sharing section of this site.

[Richard Barnes]

If you are in East TN, you could also come to my house for your "under the bus" look. That way Jon won't have to move his bus from his garage. If you come here, you should still ask Jon to drive the one hour 10 minutes from his house to mine, and carry a notebook/pen, and bring coveralls. He will fill you with info.

Jon did a beautiful chart for maintenance on the bus. I modified his a little bit for my bus, and if I can find your email under Members List, I'll send you a copy. It's in Excel spreadsheet program.

Eric Faires
Huntsville, TN

Eric,

Can you send to me as well; crichardbarnes@bellsouth.net
Thanks, Richard Barnes

[hobobimmer]

Jon's spread sheet, his maintenance schedule and a whole host of other valuable information can be found in the Information Sharing section of this site.

A few people on this POG site have asked me to send them the Maintenance chart I use when I service our bus. Just to make sure I'm not receiving credit for work I didn't do, my chart is based on Jon Wehrenberg's chart, which can be found, as Brian E. points out above, on the Information Sharing section of this site. I didn't create it. I copied it from Jon Wehrenberg.

As Jon encouraged me to do when I was learning about our bus, he said adapt his chart to our bus. So I did. Note that if you do use what I send, there will probably be a lot of changes for your bus. And for extra insurance to make sure your "personalized chart" covers what it is supposed to cover, review his chart to make sure you've covered everything. Remember, he is A-1.

Eric Faires
Huntsville, TN

[Ray Davis]

Eric,

As a point of comparison to Jon's chart, what type of customizations did you add?

[hobobimmer]

Eric,

As a point of comparison to Jon's chart, what type of customizations did you add?

I'm not sure of the "customizations" I put in that are different from Jon's. One thing I think I added (without going back to Jon's to compare) was a "Next Due" column. He may have that, too, I just can't remember. Other things I know would be different would be oil filter numbers (and probably every other filter number, if I listed it). Same for belt numbers. Since we have different era buses, we're going to have different numbers for almost everything.

I think on my most recent chart, I regrouped some of the items from his list. For example, I put all the brake line inspections, brake shoe inspections, and brake adjustments together instead of different places in the chart. I recall that Jon grouped his more by mileage (5000 mile items first, then 10,000 mile items, then 6 month items, then one year items, then 10 year items, etc.). It would be up to you to organize your chart as you see fit. I used Jon's chart for my first three services, and it works beautifully.

My chart is a work in progress/process. If ever I see something that I want to change, I just change it on the chart. I would encourage you to do same with my form or Jon's form for your bus. I think the most important thing would be to make sure you have everything you do to the bus on the chart, and go through the chart whenever you do maintenance to make sure you cover every item you want to cover for that time/mileage interval.

Hope this is helpful and answers your question.

Eric Faires
Huntsville, TN

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just a few comments......

Each chart or schedule is coach specific. I list my filter and belt and air bag and other numbers on my schedule so when they are due I do not have to go looking for them.

Also the intervals are mine. I use the Prevost schedule as a guide, but I also know from experience when I want to change brake chambers, air bags, etc. I also have very short oil change intervals. Others may choose to set other intervals. Its you schedule and there is no right or wrong as long as it satisfies you.

It is coach specific because each chassis has differences, like Eric's 8V92 compared to my Series 60. I have automatic slack adjusters whereas Eric has a combination of some automatic and some manual adjusters. I also included house maintenace, such as AC filter cleaning.

So if you pull up the Maintenance Schedule, use it to create you own and you will also probably improve upon what I did.

[Mark3101]

What is reasonable for an oil and filter change on the Series 60? Local Freightliner is quoting ~$340 which seems a tad high to me.

I am servicing the genset myself, but am not interested at this point in the hassle factor of changing the oil and filter on the big engine.

Just had mine done at local Freightliner dealer today. Oil change, oil filters, fuel filters, check differential oil, and a quick once over under the bus for $429.00. I will do the genset myself, but didn't want the hassle of the main engine either.

FWIW, they used 15-40 Delvac 1300.

[GDeen]

Nice coach Mark! Hope you guys are enjoying it.

I have found a local independent diesel shop about 15 minutes from my barn. Talked to the service writer and they maintain several Prevosts owned by some local entertainers. He knew of all the lube points and was familiar enough to discuss the bus over the phone. Going to give them a shot - like the idea of establishing a raport with a local independent for this stuff going forward.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Free advice.........when you turn your coach over to someone, especially someone you have not used before don't hesitate to give them a list of exactly what you expect, including such seemingly simple and obvious thins as look for indications of leaky hub seals, do not overlubricate the slack adjusters, check for chafing of any air lines, hises or wires, check all fluid levels, drain all air tanks (caution regarding the tanks serving the air bags...the coach will drop when they are drained).

By explainiing your expectations, and then checking when the techs are done they know you have a high degree of interest, and are not apt to give them a pass is something is not correct and should have been checked.

I am speaking from experience on a coach that was represented as having been properly serviced and it was not. In fact it had several things wrong that could have resulted in a serious situation.

I think you can use the Prevost service schedule, or a maintenance schedule found on the POG site or one you create on your own. I seriously would consider documenting what was done and add the date and mileage. It not only helps you with scheduling future work, but if you retain those records the next owner of the coach knows you have a coach worth a premium due to documented maintenance.

[GDeen]

As a follow up, finally was able to keep an appointment with a local independent diesel shop yesterday (Malone Diesel Dripping Springs, TX). Selected Malone due to the convenience of their location and the fact that they also take care of several other Prevosts for customers in the area.

Went in armed with my lube point schematic from the on line Prevost maintenance site. Was able to go over the lube points with the hand before he got on the crawler and underneath. Also went over jack points before they supported the coach.

41 qts of Delo in the engine, 9 more in the overhead reservoir, fuel filters, oil filters, lube and inspection was $440.00. Took about 2.5 hrs as I watched over them. I would like to forge a relationship with them for future maintenance and was happy with the work. As Jon says, when they figure out you know the coach (somewhat) and are very involved in its upkeep, you tend to get more personalized service.

As an aside, a couple of the other mechanics and the shop owner came out to look over the coach. All said the engine compartment was the cleanest they have seen which is good. That also creates a more attentive and careful dynamic by the mechanics.