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Post by leedstom on Aug 9, 2007 15:25:00 GMT 1
Hi there, Im new on this forum.
A few weeks ago I was travelling on the 51 route in Leeds and I was on a double decker bus that is usually on the 50 route (it had the orange line on the side).
The reason I mention this is because the bus was relatively new - 04, but it sounded really noisy, as if the engine was struggling. Just wondered if anyone new what this could have been as I wouldnt have expected a new bus to be so noisy.
Thanks
Tom
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Post by jackh on Aug 9, 2007 15:30:54 GMT 1
I think the noise you maybe thinking of is the cooling fan, Volvo B7TLs and Volvo B10s and Olympians are most renown for their cooling fans been on most of the time and its them that make that loud noise.
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Post by pub146g on Aug 9, 2007 23:45:19 GMT 1
Hi all
Just thought I'd add a bit more on this subject.
As the previous reply said, the main culprit of noisy B7TL's is the engine cooling fan motor which is hydraulically driven and has a built in temperature sensor. The sensor fails causing the fan to run at max speed even when cold hence the noise.
In late 2005, after complaints from London residents about noise pollution from Volvo B7TL's Transport for London forced Volvo to find a solution to the cooling fan problem at it's own expense and to rectify all those buses in service. The solution involved updating vehicle software to make the cooling fans operate at a lower speed whilst ensuring there was no detrimental affect on engine performance.
So far this retrofit doesn't appear to have been offered to First Leeds who have quite a number of affected buses, notably some members of the 32431-32473 batch and a number of earlier Alexander bodied examples. Indeed, Bramley based 30953 is a particularly bad example and on a quiet night can be heard at least a quarter of a mile away as it roams the streets of Hawksworth and Horsforth on service 50/50A.
However, the fix was in place on new deliveries from roughly '06 registered buses so these shouldn't be affected. Certainly I've not yet encountered any of Leeds based 370xx batch with the problem.
Regards
Mike
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Post by jackh on Aug 10, 2007 9:06:30 GMT 1
Well on the 06 reg buses, there is an evident sound of the cooling fan in operation from inside the vehicle and notable from nearby the vehicle when stationery.
Well 32431 from 2004 batch would be no problem becuase that is rarely on the road as that is the original Gemini for any First fleet outside London despite South Yorkshire's entering service before Leeds.
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Post by deano on Aug 10, 2007 18:53:41 GMT 1
can some1 tell me whts wrong wiv w808 volvo b10
dnt no da first number
jus da beginnin of da registeration
because dat sounds like a motorbike at da moment
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Post by jackh on Aug 10, 2007 21:09:07 GMT 1
Is that a First Bradford Wright Renown you are on about 60848 W808DWX, and in what ways does it sound like a motorbike?
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Post by deano on Aug 11, 2007 17:46:59 GMT 1
u gotta hear it ..2 notice it..
but its comin from da side
it really weird ..
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Post by moonraker79 on Aug 15, 2007 11:59:09 GMT 1
u gotta hear it ..2 notice it.. but its comin from da side it really weird .. Do you mean it makes a kind of rattling sound?? Most FSY B7TLs make a loud noise from their engines becuase of cooling fans. Virtually every bus does this but more are more noticable than others. |
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Post by deano on Aug 15, 2007 21:17:46 GMT 1
no
its nothin like the coolin fan
i saw it this morning
but i woz on the 662 2 bradford so didnt hear it properly
but if it still got it
its weird
it normally on the 622,626 or 623 routes in bradford
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Post by leedstom on Oct 11, 2007 19:35:57 GMT 1
Sorry to drag this post back up, but I was on the 51A going up Churwell Hill (Quite a steep road) and there was a bus directly in front of us - the 51 - and it had the loud engine sound like I originally stated above. It was an -04 plate double decker. As it was going up the hill, the cooling fans were going really loud, but I noticed the brake lights kept flashing on and off constantly. I cant imagine that the driver would be applying the brakes going up hill when there was a clear run infront.
Can anyone think of an explanation for this, or will it just be a faulty brake light?
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Post by Craig on Oct 11, 2007 21:10:50 GMT 1
If this was today at around 5.30 then I was on a 51 which was racing with a 51A, and I certainly don't remember the driver kept braking. Certainly not on Churwell Hill, buses need all the power they can get to climb that!
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markr
Forum Member
Posts: 39
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Post by markr on Oct 17, 2007 21:49:06 GMT 1
I have distinct memories of Darts on 63 in Leeds with bad engines - hammering down Beechwood Avenue from Eden Drive (late, of course) and stalling as they attempted to stop quickly at the stop halfway down the street (opposite my bedroom window then!). Can't see them being much better now.
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Post by Craig on Oct 17, 2007 22:48:44 GMT 1
A lot of the time drivers seem to treat the Darts quite roughly, as you say sudden breaking, over accelerating, racing round corners. Or is any of this because the buses themselves are difficult to drive?
Also has anyone else noticed, a Dart with a full standing load always seems to make a rough 'grating' kind of noise on turning corners, its as if the extra weight pushes the wheels against the bodywork or something? Whatever it is it never sounds healthy!
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T101VWU
Forum Member
RIP B10LA's. Never be the same again.
Posts: 728
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Post by T101VWU on Oct 21, 2007 1:58:59 GMT 1
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Post by jimbob90 on Jan 23, 2008 20:43:21 GMT 1
I was in town last week and spotted one of the 07 plate B9TLs, with a noisy cooling fan. It wasn't as bad as the B7TLs but it was still loud enough.
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