BUSRide Maintenance February 2014

FEBRUARY . 2014

busridemaintenance.com

the exclusive maintenance resource for the transit and motorcoach industry

n e t e Th rules new ing h s a w for pg4

Know your sensors p6

From The EDITOR The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in December the closing of 52 bus companies as a result of Operation Quick Strike. The operation, an eight-month intensified effort to shut down unsafe motorcoach companies, removed 340 vehicles from the road.

Operation Quick Strike should have put most operators on high alert, but has it? The FMCSA shut down many ne’er-do-well operators in the past eight months. However, among those 52 companies affected by Operation Quick Strike, how many were well-meaning operators who simply allowed their standards to slip too far?

You surely have policies to monitor any malfunctions that occur over-theroad or any issues in the maintenance bay. Your good policy is to address these malfunctions proactively before the vehicle undergoes a roadside inspection – but is your company properly executing your own good policy?

Are you sure that your employees are vigilantly following the law?

It’s imperative that maintenance professionals review and enforce the FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scoring system.

CSA is constituted on seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) that determine how a motor carrier ranks relative to other carriers with a similar number of safety events. The BASIC that’s most concerning to maintenance professionals is, you guessed it, the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. According to the FMCSA, some violations that may cause an operator to rank poorly in this BASIC include “operating an out-ofservice vehicle, operating a vehicle with inoperative brakes, lights, and/or other mechanical defects, and failure to make required repairs.”

A major aspect of CSA enforcement has to do with record-keeping. Preand post-trip inspections must be properly conducted on every vehicle, with results meticulously recorded in Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs).

Follow through with these policies and ensure that every employee knows to do the same.

FMCSA Safety Investigators are studious about inspecting maintenance logs, so your drivers and technicians must know that even the most minor bookkeeping slip-up will negatively affect your company’s well-being. Any violations related to the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC will negatively affect your Safety Measurement System (SMS) score for two years.

Educate your drivers and technicians about keeping proper maintenance logs, and then make sure that every employee is following the letter of the law.

If there’s any lesson to be learned from the companies shut down by Operation Quick Strike, it’s to never let your company’s safety standards slip.

Vol. 04 • No. 2 Publisher / Editor in Chief Steve Kane steve@busride.com Group Publisher Sali T. Williams swilliams@busride.com Executive Editor David Hubbard david@busride.com Editor Richard Tackett rtackett@busride.com Art Director Stephen Gamble sgamble@theproducersinc.com Production Coordinator Kevin Dixon kdixon@busride.com Accountant Fred Valdez fvaldez@powertrademedia.com

BUS industry SAFETY council

FEBRUARY 2014

CONTENTS

Richard Tackett Editor BUSRide Magazine

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The ten new rules for washing

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By Jack Jackson

Sharpen your ESP; save the bus

A publication of:

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Is it the sensor or the system?

How to apply “electronic sensor perception” when a laptop is not available

By Christopher W. Ferrone

Departments From the Editor Products & Services

BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | FEBRUARY.2014

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POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: BUSRide Magazine 4742 North 24th Street, Suite 340 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Phone: (602) 265-7600 Fax: (602) 277-7588 busridemaintenance.com busridemaintenance.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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ECOLIFT debuts with new version Recognized as the industry’s first ultra-shallow, full-rise, in-ground lifting system, ECOLIFT is available in a twoscissor or three-scissor configuration with total lifting capacity of 60,000 lbs. and 90,000 lbs. respectively. The most recent version of ECOLIFT now features fully flushmounted aluminum pit covers for even greater convenience and safety.

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SAS Rubber’s smoke and flame resistant compounds are perfect for mass transit needs.

Whether you need a window gasket or door edge, SAS has a compound that will meet your smoke and flame rubber requirements.

SAS Rubber has a proven track record supplying many transit authorities. Their parts can be found on trains and buses throughout North America.

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Ease storage with a roll cab Snap-on’s Classic 60 roll cab features seven drawers for more storage. The drawers are 32 inches wide (wider than competitive drawers) to hold long objects, pry bars, extensions, torque wrenches and more. 14-gauge steel gussets reinforce the corners, keeping the box square for a lifetime. Drawers have larger pulls for more finger space.

The cab’s drawers feature aluminum drawer trim.

Snap-on Kenosha, WI

Stertil-Koni Stevensville, MD

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The ten new rules for

washing

By Jack Jackson

With so many questions and not many answers to find in one place, we have put together the Ten New Rules for Washing to help you consider some things you may or may not think of. Every company has different reasons to wash and different reasons to not wash. We hope to help you decide whether your current method is fine or you need some more information.

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Use less water Using less water reduces cost.

You’re charged for water going in and out of your building.

A 3/4” hose uses 17 gallons of water per minute.

A pressure washer uses 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute.

• Automated systems can use as low as 2.5 gallons per minute, but can also use more than 3,000 gallons per minute.

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Ask yourself: What is your water footprint?

Use less soap Using a metered amount of soap ensures efficiency.

soft-touch system uses less soap. It lets the A brushes do the cleaning.

• Today’s brush technology will not scratch – just ask your manufacturer.

• Stop free-pouring soap – go to a metered soap system. The ROI is incredible.

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Ask yourself: Are you applying soap in the most efficient way possible?

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BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | FEBRUARY.2014

Use less chemicals and proper application

Using the proper combination is key. sing more soap suds is not the correct method.

U It just costs more money, requires more effort and takes more time to remove.

• Dish soap is for dishes, vehicle soap is for vehicles. Don’t try to mix and match industries.

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Ask yourself: What’s your method of applying and rinsing chemicals?

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Reduce labor with an automated system

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Humans are costly and inconsistent.

• Productivity diminishes when hours are spent washing vehicles.

• Water, slippery conditions, ladders and chemicals are all a recipe for a safety disaster.

Ask yourself: How are you using your labor?

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Less land means more versatility

Measure, measure, measure Nothing improves until it’s measured.

Utilize the same space to wash and service vehicles.

Systems are available today that allow for multipurpose areas.

• Wash your vehicle and change your engine within minutes.

• Single-use areas are costly with today’s real estate and building costs.

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Ask yourself: What kind of system are you using today?

Cleaning more means cleaning less

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Frequent cleaning produces results. cleaning your vehicles more frequently, it By takes less time to wash them in the future.

• Overall investment in proper cleaning rotation pays off over time with lower costs.

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Ask yourself: How often do you wash your vehicles?

Automated systems mean less waste and power A recycle system may be the key.

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Recycle systems may be “zero discharge” to save water and sewer expenses.

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Recycle systems are EPA and eco-friendly all the way around.

Ask yourself: Can a recycle system work for your facility?

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Understand your cost per wash.

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Key in on what you need to become more efficient and more eco-friendly.

Ask yourself: Do you analyze all cost factors?

Faster washing is important

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Throughput is king.

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Speed should be top of mind, no matter if washing generates revenue or is an expense.

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Until you measure your results, you can’t measure your gains.

Ask yourself: What system are you using today?

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Where does the waste go?

Know more about how your waste affects the environment?

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The “new” green in washing is proper disposal of gray water.

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Be environmentally aware of what you do.

Ask yourself: Where is your waste going? Not knowing can be costly to your business and image.

Jack Jackson serves as president of Awash Systems Corp. Visit Awash online at www.awashsystems.com.

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Sharpen your ESP; save the bus Is it the sensor or the system? How to apply “electronic sensor perception” when a laptop is not available

By Christopher W. Ferrone

T

his is not a lesson in diagnostics, nor a shortcut on the proper use of diagnostic laptop procedures. Rather, I simply want to inform operators of my experience and show how to prevent a breakdown by temporarily diagnosing a road failure without the aid of laptop diagnostics.

Any modern motorcoach now typically comes equipped with myriad electronic sensors located throughout. If one were to go bad and malfunction, the coach would either stop running or limp along at a lower than desirable speed and interfere with its proper operation.

These assorted sensors monitor fluid levels and temperatures, and actuate systems such as the cooling fans. This specific sensor must register the exact position of the crankshaft at every moment to determine fuel delivery and critical RUN functions.

The following would be my picks if I were to create a short list

of sensors to keep watch on — and perhaps proactively switch out in advance of their failure: 1. Transmission shift enable switch located on the service brake valve for an automatic transmission 2. V ehicle road speed sensor located on the tail shaft housing of the transmission 3. Engine oil pressure sensor 4. Low water sensor 5. Water temperature sensor 6. Cooling fan control solenoid 7. Turbocharger temperature sensor 8. Engine timing reference sensor (TRS) [Detroit Diesel] 9. E ngine synchronous reference sensor (SRS) [Detroit Diesel] 10. Engine crankshaft position sensor [Cummins]

One sensor to watch is the Turbocharger Outlet Temperature Sensor (TCO).

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BUSRIDE MAINTENANCE | FEBRUARY.2014

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If any one of these sensors/solenoids malfunctions, the engine will either stop running or derate itself.

It is self-explanatory if the engine stops running. However, if the engine derates it will only run at a predetermined lower RPM and road speed to protect itself.

Ask yourself: Is the sensor malfunctioning or is the system in fact experiencing an actual problem that needs immediate attention?

If the problem is a bad sensor, but the system is okay, the driver can then proceed as best he can. This should not cause any damage to the motorcoach or engine, just the inconvenience of traveling at a slower speed.

If there is a problem with the system, such as low oil pressure, the driver must stop operation immediately to avoid engine damage.

The real issue here is how to tell if the trouble is with the sensor or the system. It is best to replace these sensors periodically before they malfunction.

Each sensor/solenoid costs approximately $60.00 retail. To replace all nine amounts to about $540.00 per motorcoach — a small price to pay considering the financial downside of a road failure, loss of business and towing.

There are a few quick steps to determine if the sensor for that particular system is at fault without using the diagnostic laptop.

For engine oil pressure concerns, check the mechanical oil pressure gauge located in the engine compartment. This gives a true value of the engine oil pressure and lets the operator know if the oil pressure is adequate, and that it is the sensor that is causing the problem.

For water sensors, both low water and high temperature: Open the engine doors and look at the mechanical temperature gauge, which, again, gives a true reading of the engine coolant temperature. The driver must stop at once if the temperature is above the normal range. Proceed only if it is below the normal range.

As for the water level, open the engine doors and check the surge tank sight glass, which shows a true water level reading.

If the cooling fans will not engage, open the engine doors and lock-on the cooling fan test switch and proceed. This will allow the coach to run at normal speed and inform the operator that the fan clutches are working normally; and that the problem is with the system and sensors.

As for the transmission shift enable switch, if the transmission fails to shift into gear after pressing the service brake pedal while pressing the shifter to D or R, the quickest way to get

going is to “jumper” wire the switch wires to complete the circuit.

While the transmission will go into gear, the operator must understand that this is strictly a temporary measure. The safety feature of this switch has been bypassed and requires immediate repair. Otherwise, the transmission can be shifted into gear without depressing the brake pedal.

The TRS and the SRS will both prevent the engine from starting if either system malfunctions. The TRS will also stop the engine if it malfunctions. While it is okay to ignore the SRS in these situations, be sure to check the TRS if the engine stops. If the engine will not start, check both the TRS and SRS. The quickest way to determine which sensor has malfunctioned without the aid of a diagnostic laptop is to spray starting fluid or ether into the intake duct while cranking the engine. If the engine starts with either starting aid, then the SRS is bad. If the engine will not start using starting fluids, then most likely the TRS is bad.

As with all vehicle maintenance, it is critical to check the fundamental items daily and during the failure event. It is imperative to check all fluid levels and belts before moving onto the items listed above.

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