Prevost Jacksonville

[phorner]

First of all, Hi again to all my friends (and extended family) at POG!

I'm finally back on the road. After nearly six months working on behalf of BP in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill incident in the Gulf of Mexico, the program for Emergency Advance Payments transitioned to another process which gave me an opportunity to take my leave and get back to retirement.

So.... as I fired up the bus to head for home I was presented with a couple of problems: the ABS brake warning light is on and I had no turn signals or hazard flashers. No left..... No right...... nuttin'!

Tried cycling the turn signal breakers and completed a futile search for the turn signal flasher. No luck. The turn signal flasher appears to be the most likely culprit since, according to Prevost, it's the only common component regarding both the right and left turn signals.

Hence, I have an appointment for first thing tomorrow to address these issues at Prevost in Jacksonville. Since I'm here, I'm also going to have the engine belt tightening air bags replaced, since I have no way to perform this repair at home and, being 11 years old now, they are ripe for replacement.

I'll post the outcome and any observations afterward.

It sure does feel good to be back !!!

[Richard Barnes]

Paul,

I'd like to know the results of the air bag replacement. I'm guessing mine are about 12 years old as well. And, welcome back to the road?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The bellows used for belt tensioning are fairly easy to replace except for the one beneath the radiator fan as I recall. I think I invested about 90 minutes to change mine out plus a little skin and blood on the fan belt bellows.

I got them from Prevost and as I recall they were less than $40 each. Is that right??????

[ajducote]

Paul & Janice,

WELCOME BACK! If you get a chance stop by TGO on your way home and visit a while.

[truk4u]

It's about time! I left you a phone message or two and thought you fell of the end of the earth.

Have them check your regulator while they're at it for leaks. The bellows are easy except that bottom one like Jon said.

Regards to Janice and Ivy!

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Welcome back, Paul. I was beginning to think you were in JAIL lots of guys work and participate in POG.

Too bad we didn't know where you were at the time, we were right around the corner from you for over a week.

JIM

[phorner]

Hi gang and thanks for all the welcome messages. Yep, Jon is right, that little rascal under the radiator fan is a bugger..... but the old one under the OTR compressor completely refused to cooperate. Had to cut it in half with a grinder to get it out.... and then the fuel separator was just close enough to the compressor to keep it from rotating enough to allow installation of the new one, so it had to be moved a bit out of the way. I have a new air regulator which will go in as well. And, since I was here, the bus got a full fluid and filter change and lubrication.

But all of that was the good news.

A thorough inspection while the bus was on the lift showed a pinion seal leak as well as significant deterioration of both the upper and lower A arm bushings. So.... tomorrow will include the front end work as well as an alignment.

And we haven't even looked at either the ABS or turn signal issues yet.

Truk: Thanks for the calls..... I actually DID remember but working 12/7, every time I thought of it, I was about to either got to work or go to bed!!! Hopefully we'll get a chance to get together this winter in the Sunshine State.

Andre: Thanks for the invite! If time allows we'll stop by. Would love to hear about your summer travels.

Jim: Jail???? Hey some of the claimants I dealt with had only their incarceration photo as proof of ID..... so I was certainly rubbing elbows with the inmate crowd.

[bonhall41]

Glad you're back in touch. We missed you in Kerrville. Greetings to Janice also. Hope to run into you soon.

Bonnie

[phorner]

OK folks.... my work has been completed. Here's what's been completed: Prevost Level III service, engine belt tensioner air bellows, pressure regulator and check valve replaced, new pinion seal to correct a leak, driver side tag axle inner wheel seal replaced to correct a leak, turn signal flasher replaced, left front ABS sensor replaced, primary and secondary air tank drain valves replaced, upper and lower A arms replaced, link bushings replaced (front and rear) and a complete alignment.

My original purpose for this visit was to address the turn signal and ABS problems as well as perform scheduled engine maintenance. I used my trusty bottle of Big Blue leak detection solution to check every visible fitting while the bus was up on the lift. Hence, the replacement of the drain valves. I also found a couple of fittings that were leaking and they were corrected also. The air actuator for the trans retarder was also found to be leaking and it was also replaced.

And, lastly, the Air Force One unit was re-located and better secured as it was in the process of coming loose. The Air Force One toad braking system is good but getting a good, secure installation under the bus has been a challenge.

The work to tighten up the air systems has paid off. My service brake pressures don't drop any more after being parked for several hours and my aux pressure holds considerably longer.... which is a real good sign considering how cold it has been here in Jacksonville the last couple of days.

I have been impressed with the level of service, the particular paying attention to detail by the technicians, and the efforts made my the entire staff to make sure that my service experience was a good one. I feel that they sincerely appreciated my business.

Now, if I can just scrape together enough money for fuel to get back home .......

[truk4u]

Glad you got fixed up Paul and sounds like Prevost did a nice job.

As for fuel money to get back to PSL, you'll just have to spend some of that BP gold you got for 6 months!