MUST DO Skoolie Maintenance 101 (oil, coolant, & adding a block heater, too!)

You're not going anywhere if you neglect the care and maintenance of your diesel engine. In this first episode of an upcoming series, I'll show you the basics of oil and coolant maintenance and install a block heater on the way.
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My name's Chuck, I've been professionally converting buses for the last 8 years and was director of operations for a charter bus company before that but it's time for a change.....
Follow me on instagram for more info
/ chuck.cassady
For paid consults, skoolie advice, solar help, and more, email
[e-mail]
Check out my shop
www.chromeyellowcorp.com
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#skoolie #offgridliving #busconversion

[@IAMJOELBURRIS]

Chuck, I'm not super mechanically minded and thats been my biggest concern about doing a skoolie build. Man the info you give freely to the world is so friggin' valuable! Thank you for the hard work you put in making all these videos!

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thanks for watching! I have plenty more to share

[@corby404]

As a retired truck driver, I approve of this message.

[@halleluYAH144]

You go Chuck! One of the most important topics of a skoolie that no one really vlogs about 👍🏽

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Agreed! You ain't goin nowhere without it!

[@redpandabus-adventuresinlife]

@@ChuckCassadyYT sure your going to lots of shops on pretty expensive hooks! Not to mention the super high cost of not really sure the person who is working on your vehicle is any good repairs.

[@opossumgrylls3275]

Unlike Chuck, most people who are into schoolies, vanlife, etc... have absolutely no idea what they are doing inside or outside the vehicle.

[@deanh7190]

I like to take a punch and make a hole in the bottom of the old oil filter in order to drain it before removing to prevent spillage down my arm. Also, for perfect coolant filling with no potential air gaps, I just started using an Airlift tool. Creates a vacuum for easy complete filling. Can also be used to check for any leaks (just vac and observe gauge for several minutes). Great coolant choice. I took it a step further and used the NF (nitrate free) version. "Maintenance is inexpensive when compared to break-down maintenance". Some wise Mechanic😉

[@GiselleTrujillo]

Chuck you are highly intelligent! You are well spoken and you seem like an attorney and scientist. What's your background. You are the greatest KZbinr! Sharing a wealth of knowledge, golden, thank you so much. I love your channel, your content and your transparent personality. I am learning so much before I dive into this Skokie world.

[@GiselleTrujillo]

Ohh my goodness I loveeeee you for sharing such knowledge, thank you, thank you thank you, I've been taking notes and saved most of your video under my CHUCK CASSADY SCHOOL. Whomever is going on this skoolie journey and does not watch all your videos first with be at a disadvantage. Can you put a program where skollie owners go for 3 days and you you give us a crash course with hands on experience and literature. This will be a hit, I will attend.

[@lilliancucco2701]

Don’t forget to turn heat on in the dash to circulate the fluid from the heater core as well as get the air out of the system when refilling.

[@GiselleTrujillo]

You are the seal of approval in the Skoolie industry. Can you start a program where you certify Skoolies for safety and productivity?

[@johnnylightning1491]

As someone who just had to add coolant to a 2016 International 4300 with a Cummins 6.7 I can tell you that neither the manual (type III (red) coolant) the 2 International dealers I talked to or International's help line were of any use at all. No one could tell me what red coolant to use (there are 2 types made by Shell) whether it was supposed to be OAT or NOAT coolant or anything useful at all. All the International help line did was tell me to call the dealer. I put in Shell ELC OAT coolant and hope I'm right. I guess the moral of the story is that it's easier to do all of the stuff you did than it is to find out what kind of coolant you need to add to the system. Thanks for letting me rant and keep the good stuff coming.

[@danp762]

I like the videos. Thank you for sharing. It's nice to see content I can use. 😀 Your "How a PRO SKOOLIE SHOP RASIES THE ROOF (Skoolie Conversion Guide #4)" was about a year to late. That video would have saved me 100 hours on my roof raise. The way you use the circular saw to cut the hat channels with a jig is genus. I have a 2003 international RE300. I got it from the Aurora school district down by you. It has all the bells and whistles dt466e non-egr, 3060, retarder, and full size under storage.

[@canadianguy2612]

Why I’m glad I built out a shuttle bus... standard engines

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I hate working on cutaways though!

[@canadianguy2612]

@@ChuckCassadyYT what’s so awesome about this video though, in the sea of oil change videos, This one is in a league of its own. Thank you for sharing your knowledge bro!

[@redpandabus-adventuresinlife]

@@canadianguy2612 l'm doing a shuttle bus too! In Saskatchewan.

[@rwdrummer]

Good stuff here! Another thing worth mentioning for anyone watching who is totally new to engine maintenance is that you want to change the oil when the engine is warm.

[@alanhat5252]

...warm but not 80°C hot, the burns are apparently very painful.

[@mytranslucentreflections8995]

Oh, that description! Lol! Also brought back memories of my first oil change in my '64 Falcon, when the oil filter crushed in my hand and I used my foot to kick the wrench to unstick the plug! (It was so stuck that everyone thought I'd have to replace it anyway!) No, I don't recommend the method but in this case it did work! Even the o-ring was still good! That filter though... It had certainly been a while!

[@charlesb4267]

I thought I would add an important point as I realize its impossible to cover every little detail without a video going on forever. It has to do with switching over to Extended Life Coolant ( there are a few types of ELC which is a whole other confusing topic and I won't even pretend to understand the chemistry behind them all ) which I too am a strong believer in over the traditional green coolant which causes damage due to typically not being changed out near often enough. It has to do with the filter if in fact the engine has a coolant filter as back when the green coolant chemistry was being used the filters supplied typically had an additive in them that gave the coolant an additional DCA4 chemical charge and then at every engine oil change or once a year the coolant filter was also swapped out for another one which contained more of the DCA4 additive. Well with the new ELC coolants they are NOT compatible at all with that additive and so any filter put onto the engine after this newer coolant technology is now put into use has to ONLY use a filter that is just simply filter media that contains no chemical of any sort. As an example a CAT specialty mechanic was doing some work on a used highway tractor I had bought and he so wanted to take my coolant filter housing right off and throw it away because he had other customers bring their truck through a heavy truck quick lube place that was clueless and were putting on coolant filters that had the chemical additive and ultimately that would damage the engines cooling system and liners as it would destroy the chemical properties of the long life coolant. I insisted he leave it alone as I knew only I would be doing the maintenance and realized what filter to only be using and I want a filter in place as its a window into the coolant system as I cut each one open after I replace the old coolant filter to examine it for the type of contaminant if any that is getting trapped in the filter.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Great point! It actually was hard to find a filter without SCA in it already! Luckily I don't let shops work on my own rigs but that is good information for most!

[@charlesb4267]

@@ChuckCassadyYT I expected you would be up on it but in case it wasn't voiced for your audience I felt I should speak up. I'm not surprised it was not as easy as one would assume to source a filter without the additive as that was part of the reason those filter systems were added to engines so the additive could be easily applied vs the additives in a bottle. On a side note a couple of years ago I had an ex John Deere now independent mechanic working on one of my combine harvesters changing out the water pump and thermostats as a preventative maintenance item and he could not believe how spotlessly clean and rust free the thermostat housing was inside as he said he had never seen one look that way as they always had rust in them. The reason for the rust he always found was the use of the green coolant and it not being changed out often enough and I used the green coolant for many years in these units myself ( with a number of drain intervals over that time ) until I had swapped over to the ELC some years ago. Coolant systems are often neglected, that is the sad truth and becomes the early demise of some engines as a result.

[@VentiBus]

@@ChuckCassadyYT Where is a good place to find filters?

[@flynncremin6347]

Class videos, just stumbled upon you and I can tell I'll be learning a lot of genuine info here. Appreciate it man

[@kellystinydreamsbus]

Thank you for this series much appreciated.

[@mariemedina257]

Hello Chuck. Dig watching you..Thanks for sharing. Marie from Denver.

[@mariemedina257]

❤

[@WillMenesesHikes]

Great maintenance vid Chuck! 👍 It's always the little things that count. ✌

[@williefufu2985]

Thank you for the video.

[@alansmith2336]

As usual C thanks for your knowledge and teaching us how to do things and save money at same time. Have done many car oil changes but a bus is different everything is so much bigger. Thanks for all your great content. I have already learned so much.

[@Donald_Shaw]

Great job as always, Chuck. Enjoy your pro tips.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Thanks don!

[@mmsmits2868]

You make it look so easy! With my two left mechanic hands I would have the oil in my shirt and the coolant down my pants. I guess that could be nice too - I don't know. Thanks for showing us how it should be done properly!

[@MarcusBuer]

Wow, I never understood why americans use the dognose buses for school buses until I saw this video. It makes maitenance way easier than a flat nose frontal engine or a rear engine.

[@alanhat5252]

19:13 good advice, getting used to touching & checking your engine definitely makes it less intimidating. Finding out what all the parts are & how they work helps too.

[@drgranger2648]

You get me so juiced, another awesome video, thanks again! Sent in your web form, looking forward to your contact. Getting my list of questions ready.

[@redpandabus-adventuresinlife]

But as l always say... Love your vids! 💜

[@jimross7648]

The block heater is a friend to all those who live or play in the land of snow and ice. - 40 spares no one it's icy bite.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Amen. And -40 is minus 40 in C or F

[@kenknaell1290]

Very nice Chuck. Every word you say is informative . Sorry you couldn't work in a Margarita :>)

[@Spaznaut1]

OMG a valve for the coolant filter? Why did I not see this when I lost around 2 gallons of antifreeze while changing my filter this past weekend... GAH

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Well now you know!

[@SkoolieB]

Great video! I’m an old trucker living in my bus (40’ 2015 FE Bluebird with15k on the engine, no that wasn’t a typo thats 14k not 140k) up here in Alaska. Up here many of is add oil and tranny pan external heaters too. Coolant flushes are my least favorite thing to do, but as you said one of the most important. Any suggestions on preventive maintenance on a def system during -40f - 50f winters? I have a heater on my 15 gallon def tank too.

[@alanhat5252]

18:50 I like to change the Diesel filter(s) at the same time.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Coming up!

[@hotrodpc66]

For damn sure, cooling systems are way overlooked. More to it than just levels especially with all the temp sensors and later models with EGR coolers and all the gaskets. Anyone price an EGR cooler lately? There goes a $1000 with labor easily and sometimes more.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

You get it!

[@robertkiell]

make sure you grease those brakes if they are drum style.. if they are disk ones... no grease needed

[@aj22977]

Hi Chuck don't forget the coolant filter constantly puts additives in the coolant for about a year. Change it once a year along with the air fryer and purge valve for your air system.

[@aj22977]

Air dryer

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Good point, however on an ELC system you specifically use filters without SCA! It was actually hard to find one but yes, on a green system 1000%

[@aj22977]

@@ChuckCassadyYT wow sca are rare for a fleet vehicle. Are you going to run the rack. Sometimes they drift a little after being set on a rebuild.

[@alanhat5252]

@@ChuckCassadyYT what are all the technical terms? ELC? SCA? Purge valve? 'Run the rack'? Sorry, I'm English, we have different terms for what's probably identical things.

[@alanhat5252]

ELC -- extended life coolant? SCA -- 'something' coolant additive? Purge valve -- automatic drains on the braking system air tanks?

[@LionHarp]

Hey Chuck. I have a question for you, what coolant filter do you use with the Rotella ELC? a zero unit or something with DCA's in it like a Baldwin BTA plus 4 units? I am lost and would like to hear your opinion about it. Thank you much for all your videos and info you share. Maybe a video about a cooling system flush is a must in the skoolie world, it seems nobody goes in detail about it out there. And we all would love to hear your knowledge about it. btw I own a 1999 international 3800 t444e and am about to do a flush and install a new water pump. Thank you so much again.

[@alanhat5252]

14:47 the "freeze plugs" have another use -- when the water freezes the plugs get pushed out by the expanding ice so, if you're really lucky, it won't crack the block (or head, they have them too). That's why die-cast blocks have them & not just sand-cast ones. The plugs stuck to the ends of little pillars of ice look quite funny unless it's your job to find all of them & replace them when it thaws. Something to watch for -- there might be some dropped into the oil pan too, along with maybe a gallon of water, wrecking your oil.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Yessir

[@alanhat5252]

@@ChuckCassadyYT Of course that shouldn't ever happen if you're keeping up with the antifreeze like yours.

[@TheRustDominatorTN]

Plz do a mini bus coolant and fluid levels

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

for a minibus just look up how to do it for that model van

[@redpandabus-adventuresinlife]

I'd like to add a comment if l could... From experience. I saw a truck come into the shop on the hook. The oil filter fell off because the spindle was loose. When the oil change was done the person didn't check to test the tightness of the spindle. It worked it's way off of the engine. Expensive ouchies. In Saskatchewan when it's - 20 to - 50°C (-58°f) without that plug.... Your not going anywhere lol. When doing that coolant fill l usually run the heater core as well. So it gets fully filled too.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Great tips from up north! I bet there are some operators that don't even turn their rigs off at those temps

[@redpandabus-adventuresinlife]

@@ChuckCassadyYT anything below -30°C everyone idles if they are on the road trucking. You dont want to freeze your engine.

[@alanhat5252]

I check my mirrors frequently so I noticed when a black line appeared behind me that wasn't in front & I stopped to investigate. The sealing rubber on the oil filter had blown out. It was one of the older type filters where you just change the paper element, you keep the casing. It turns out someone had managed to leave an old sealing ring in the groove & put the new one on top!

[@redpandabus-adventuresinlife]

@@alanhat5252 the driver claimed that he had no warning sign other than the ECM went into shutdown mode due to loss of oil pressure in the Detroit engine. It was a newish tractor at the time. Only a few years old.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Classic double o ring....sad story!

[@BradIXXI]

Should you change your thermostat when you do your PM ?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I did. Cheap insurance

[@moustachemike7128]

I got Soo much stuff to watch today I can't get anything done...:)

[@moptop85]

Where did you put that air bleeder valve? Up high or is there a trouble spot

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

At the highest point in the system

[@alanhat5252]

@@ChuckCassadyYT On all the engines I've looked at (mostly European market) that's where the take-off for the cab heater is & revving the engine blows the air through & it comes out the header tank.

[@cycleoflife7331]

I noticed when I got our bus that dip stick looked overfilled by the school mechanic. Should I worry about blowing seals.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Depends on how full. Make sure it's not fuel or water causing it to read high as well

[@cycleoflife7331]

@@ChuckCassadyYT I drained about a quart looking for water or gas on the bottom and noticed no water on the bottom of the bottle. So I’m thinking maybe the bus is not level. Hoping it was just that or a mechanic overfilled it. On another note- do you have to fill the new filter all the way or most of the way? This way I don’t have it spill all over.

[@infotoons212]

I just rebuilt the injectors on my 7.3 E450 short bus. I wouldn't say my engine and I are friends, it's more like I've found my self in an abusive relationship.

[@sonnysjsu]

how often do we need to change the coolant filter ?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

I'd change it every year or so

[@bmxican1023]

Is there a difference between a block heater and a glow plug? I thought they both accomplished similar purposes, but glow plugs have significantly larger cables

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Very different! Glow plugs are for preheating the combustion chamber and are powered by the vehicles starting battery and used at every cold start. Block heaters usually use another source of power and are foe warming the engine Block itself. They both help cold starts, but my diesel does not use glow plugs

[@alanhat5252]

@@ChuckCassadyYT glow plugs hark right back before spark plugs were invented, right back to 'hot tube ignition'! They're a bodge that many manufacturers still use & they're unreliable. Both my Diesel engines just start unless the temperature is very cold & then I'm happy to put a flame into the inlet manifold. Both my previous engines had Lucas Flame-Start built in.

[@SaYeager]

I noticed last winter that Alyssa's bus didn't have a block heater when she was in the real cold weather. The big question is with the electrics you installed in her bus could she plug a block heater into itself?

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

She does have a block heater but she didn't use it. She could have easily ran her block heater off her system though

[@SaYeager]

@@ChuckCassadyYT Thats what I thought I've never seen a 7.3 that didn't have one and I was sure she had all the power she needed.

[@mercedese5507]

I bought a 2012 International School bus and was ripped off by the seller/dealer. It has major blow by. Sucks.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

Sorry to hear that!

[@cycleoflife7331]

I’ve been told that there is No coolant filter on my 2006 DT466 and I don’t see one in the location Chuck’s is.

[@ChuckCassadyYT]

very possible as that is a different generation of DT466 from mine

[@cycleoflife7331]

@@ChuckCassadyYT funny how different each application of the DT466 engine can be.

[@paulyassy257]

Who is regretlyss on youtube?

[@opossumgrylls3275]

Those gloves are an absolute waste. They rip immediately.