1992 Dennis Dash Dart - Advice + Support

[HButler018]

Hello All

Renovating a 1992 Dennis Dash Dart, if anyone has any advice or information of renovating buses would be most appreciated, or any info on this particular bus would also be more appreicated - also looking for a manual as awell for the bus

Many thanks

[coachman]

I have never saw a workshop manual for a Dart but that doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. I worked on Dart’s with various bodies mainly Plaxton Pointer, Wright and Carlisle - Mk1, Mk2 and SLFs. The early ones had a B6 Cummins with an Alison box.
The engine were fairly indistructsble, just as long as they had regular oil and filter changes. They did suffer from cam shaft and cam follower wear and it was always advisable to keep the tappets adjusted. Rear main seals were prone to leaking as was the engine side plate.
The fuel lift pumps also leaked fuel into the sump on occasions and the front injector pump seal could do the same.
The fan belts and the belt tensioner also needed checking at regular intervals. More often if they had a retarder fitted.
The torque from the engine would put a lot of strain on the radiator and it’s frame. So radiators need constant checking for leaks and damage. There was a cassette rad modification and a hydraulic fan conversion available.
All the spring cushion rubbers needed changing every year when they ran in service. Also the rear axle casing cracked where the spring centre bolt located in it. It was possible to weld the these but more often than not they needed a new axle tube.
On the ones that did not have retarders fitted brake life was very short. Also in London the brake compressors and air dryers coked up very quickly.
I don’t expect your vehicle will have all these troubles as my experience was with buses that were on the road up to 20 hours a day 7 days a week. They also ran in London’s stop start traffic and had heavy loadings for most of the day.
I hope I have not painted too bad a picture of these vehicles and it’s worth remembering that the buses I worked on had a hard life.
In private ownership they should last for years without any problems once they were brought up to scratch.
P.S I forgot to add that diff life was very short, some people put this down to the reverse loading put on the diff by the retarder - others said it was due to the fact that in London the buses never traveled far in a straight line. Also make sure the the rear U.J on the prop is kept well greased as the tend to seize up and throw the prop.

[HButler018]

The Dennis Dash Dart that the boys are involved in does have its problems, we have an overheating problem, the dashboard is an absolute mess, one of the back lights doesn’t work too well, at first we though the chassis wasn’t absolutely done for but it actually isn’t too bad, it has a dent in the side, so much needs to be done, the boys are hopefully going to be going back to her again soon so that they are able to work out what needs to be done and what doesnt, there is a long journey ahead of us

[coachman]

Originally Posted by HButler018

The Dennis Dash Dart that the boys are involved in does have its problems, we have an overheating problem, the dashboard is an absolute mess, one of the back lights doesn’t work too well, at first we though the chassis wasn’t absolutely done for but it actually isn’t too bad, it has a dent in the side, so much needs to be done, the boys are hopefully going to be going back to her again soon so that they are able to work out what needs to be done and what doesnt, there is a long journey ahead of us

Just read your latest on the Dart you are restoring. I guess you have checked the oblivious, such as the thermostat is working and made sure that the radiator matrix isn’t blocked with rubbish. I have on the odd occasion known the water pump impeller to come away from the drive shaft. This can only be checked by removing the pump from the engine - also make sure that the fan clutch is working.