Anyone know what engine are in these buses?

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stutaeng

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Chevy Express cutaway buses operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART.) https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Dallas_Area_Rapid_Transit Likely operated by many others.

I see these circle all day from my window, every 15-20 minutes. Seems I see drivers repeat every 1 hour or so, so likely a 30 mile round trip? A quick hand calculation puts these vehicles in the thousands of miles quickly! Times 365 days a year with all of the routes and they are literally putting millions of miles on these, and nothing but stop and go city diving.

All I know is they are gas (maybe CNG?) and probably have 5.13 gears. I'm guessing they are 2013 models and newer. 4.3, 4.8, 5.3, 6.0? Anybody know? All I can say is the engine must be very durable.

The current website lists 4.3 as the base engine with 6.0 optional:

https://www.gmfleet.com/vans/chevro...hoppingLinks&x-bodystyle=express-cutaway-3500

Maybe @L31MaxExpress knows? :)

I'm looking at getting an Express passenger van and was curious, LOL.
 

someotherguy

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The 4.3 is standard in the 139" wheelbase models, according to that link. That's pretty short - a couple inches less than an extended cab shortbed GMT400. Short for a bus, anyway!

99.9% sure any of those DART buses you're looking at will be the 6.0, though their claim of 341 HP is an odd one; not sure which 6.0 it's gonna be but it seems the gasoline/CNG/LPG capable one is the called the LC8.

Richard
 

sewlow

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It's regular maintenance that determines an engine's durability more than anything else.
My Dad & Uncle were fleet vehicle owners & their own mechanics. (+ 2 employees) 34 vehicles between the 2 of them. It wasn't uncommon for those cabs to attain 500,000+ miles on their original engines. Scheduled oil changes & tune-ups was all it took. I.L 6's, 305's, 327's, 350's & even 400's.
The ole man was damn near fanatical on fluid changes. Purchased oil by the 45 gallon drum. 6 at a time! Good oil, too. GulfPride 10w/40.
Thing is, the cars would put on that kind of mileage in 4 or 5 years. They never got cold. ...and it's the cold starts, the short trips with that heating/cooling cycle, that can be hard on an engine. Along with poor maintenance.
Down-time on a fleet vehicle costs money. An expensive priority piece of machinery that's not earning it's keep. It's in the Co.'s best interests to keep the damn thing on the road.
I'd much rather buy a higher mileage fleet vehicle than a low mile soccer mom ride. Y'know. The one that's had 3 oil changes over 100,000 miles. An idea that's considered a treat for the vehicle as opposed to being part & parcel of vehicle ownership.
 

stutaeng

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Dang! Thanks guys! They are not diesel for sure, and pretty high-revving...

I

was sure it was 6.0 iron block on those buses, but then I came across at lot of used Express 2500/3500 vans with 4.8? I think maybe GM was using them on the Express vans since they were discontinued on the trucks? It's usually how it goes with GM, at least with the discontinuation of the 5.7 carrying over to the vans.

I'm not sure I would want a 4.3 on 3500 anything. I mean, the Ecotec 4.3 is supposed to be a good engine, but it jumped from Generation 1 (SBC) to Generation IV or something like that?

I'm leaning toward the 6.0 option for realiability/serviceability...
 

L31MaxExpress

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Chevy Express cutaway buses operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART.) https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Dallas_Area_Rapid_Transit Likely operated by many others.

I see these circle all day from my window, every 15-20 minutes. Seems I see drivers repeat every 1 hour or so, so likely a 30 mile round trip? A quick hand calculation puts these vehicles in the thousands of miles quickly! Times 365 days a year with all of the routes and they are literally putting millions of miles on these, and nothing but stop and go city diving.

All I know is they are gas (maybe CNG?) and probably have 5.13 gears. I'm guessing they are 2013 models and newer. 4.3, 4.8, 5.3, 6.0? Anybody know? All I can say is the engine must be very durable.

The current website lists 4.3 as the base engine with 6.0 optional:

https://www.gmfleet.com/vans/chevrolet-express-cutaway-3500-4500?x-symbolic=LEARN MORE&x-carline=express&x-modelyear=2020&q-sourcepath=/content/fleet/na/us/en/vdc-collections/2020/chevy/vans/express/express-cutaway/jcr:content/vdcVehicleInfoBlockConfig/vdcShoppingLinks&x-bodystyle=express-cutaway-3500

Maybe @L31MaxExpress knows? :)

I'm looking at getting an Express passenger van and was curious, LOL.

Friend of mine works for the city of Fort Worth. They get about 100K out of those 6.0L CNG bus engines and another goes into its place. Drivers don't care about them and they run hot. They burn valves and when that happens a GM replacement engine goes into its place. He told me the Ford 5.4 and 6.8L engines were just as bad if not worse on CNG in reliability.

UPS trucks are lucky to get 50K out of an engine. They shut them off at every stop, fire them up, drop into gear and floor them from every stop.

I hear the Express vans are supposed to get the gas 6.6 for 2021 and I believe the 10 speed.
 
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