I use to drive these when I worked with First Bus, but they were manual. They were so under powered and the suspension was more suited to an archaic truck. Funny enough, the tick over reminds me of the Mercedes mini buses with the Carlisle body I use to get to and from college back in 1996. They were also automatic with an Allison gearbox and H registration. The company that had them from new were Red Admiral in Portsmouth and when First took over in 1995/1996, they disappeard.
Mercs are terrible, I drove several sprinters and they are the most crude, noisy, slow and unreliable crap you could ever drive, give me a Transit or Volvo anyday!
I remember the old Norfolk Green Automatic Merc Breadvan Buses used to rattle and surge at idle- gearchanges were also jumpy and noisy on the AT545 transmission.
Some of these merc breadvans rattle badly as quite often someone takes out the idler device that can be found on the left hand side of the steering column that can be turned to remove the rattle of the engine. On the opposite side is the indicator stalk and in the middle is the steering wheel.
I use to drive these when I worked with First Bus, but they were manual. They were so under powered and the suspension was more suited to an archaic truck. Funny enough, the tick over reminds me of the Mercedes mini buses with the Carlisle body I use to get to and from college back in 1996. They were also automatic with an Allison gearbox and H registration. The company that had them from new were Red Admiral in Portsmouth and when First took over in 1995/1996, they disappeard.
1100HondaCB 1 week ago
LOL wth the whole bus is shaking
tpaper12 2 years ago
Mercs are terrible, I drove several sprinters and they are the most crude, noisy, slow and unreliable crap you could ever drive, give me a Transit or Volvo anyday!
mickeymoose76 2 years ago
Volvos are the best sounding. This crappy minibus sounds like a pussy.
TangaraG33 2 years ago
I remember the old Norfolk Green Automatic Merc Breadvan Buses used to rattle and surge at idle- gearchanges were also jumpy and noisy on the AT545 transmission.
OM904LA engines are better, but still rattly.
I Can tell a Merc 4litre anywhere
djoska87 3 years ago
what are the older 4-litre engines called (the ones in these buses) since the Vario/Solo/Versa all use the OM904LA engine?
ThisIs2009 2 years ago
Mercedes OM364
Normally Aspirated 4 - Cylinder Diesel
Thats the gutless beasts name!
(LA Stands for turbo on the OM904LA or OM366LA example?? i might be wrong)
djoska87 2 years ago
yeah that makes sense! thanks for the info :-)
ThisIs2009 2 years ago
This was the last bus I ever rode. And that was on the 23 from town centre to the car park where my car was. I'm too lazy :D
L0rM 4 years ago
thats a bad engine stagecoach in bassetlaw have merc 709d alexanders. they rattle, squeel, etc
jaggass 4 years ago
Some of these merc breadvans rattle badly as quite often someone takes out the idler device that can be found on the left hand side of the steering column that can be turned to remove the rattle of the engine. On the opposite side is the indicator stalk and in the middle is the steering wheel.
hamster1992monton 4 years ago
seriously?
W444444 3 years ago
He is having you on mate. there isn't an "idler device" at all,
Resources:::
2 Years engineering experience and my father has been dealing with buses for over 32 years..
DSmaster99 2 years ago
yeah i guessed that he was having us all on lol...
there is no reason for a tickover setting to be at the drivers use!
W444444 2 years ago