1991 Toyota Coaster 19ft "beabus"

Welcome to beabus, the Sprinter-length, off-grid capable, classic 1991 Toyota JDM camper van with 3 beds and 6 belted seats (2 front, 2 middle, 2 rear).
This manual will help you get acquainted with its features and functions.

Quick Intro
1. Drive and park safely: Listed as class B due to its compact size, beabus has the short length and tight turning circle of a 144in wheelbase Sprinter. You can park it in regular parking spots, helped with a 360 degree camera. It's Right-Hand drive, Diesel, with automatic transmission. The speedometer displays km for speed and distance. Use Google Maps on CarPlay for mile speed readings. Toggle the I/O rocker button for 360 camera and CarPlay in the cockpit button panel to enjoy radio listening even while ignition is off.
2. Sleep warm: Operate the diesel heater while parked on the self-adjusting thermostat setting at typically 20-25 celsius. While driving, use the strong factory heater instead. Wind pressure affects combustion of the diesel heater, so don't use it when driving fast.
3. Eat and drink well: Boil a pot of water or fry an egg with induction with about 150Wh of energy. Use the exhaust fan. Fill water tank (next to driver guest seat) with water from a restaurant or other source by carrying it like a bag. Tap the white button on the front of the kitchen block to run the water pump. Water is automatically filtered and UV disinfected, so it’s potable — no need to buy separate drinking water!
4. Stow your stuff: Underneath the bed, and accessible from inside and outside, is space for 2 check-in bags, 2 carry-on bags, and two folding bikes (Brompton)!

Driving and Parking
1. Fuel Consumption: Diesel, 13-17 miles per gallon. Tank holds 18 gallons, so range is about 250 miles. When filling, add 1/2 bottle of diesel performance additive (in rear of bus there is a storage hold next to the rear bumper on both sides of the bus. The one on the driver side contains spare fluid bottles). Efficient cruising speed (no cruise control) is 60mph. 75mph is max speed.
2. Oil Monitoring: The engine is very robust. But do give it oil: The engine uses ~2 quarts of oil per 1,000 km. This is normal. Check the yellow dipstick (accessible by opening the engine hatch between front seats) regularly. Top off with 10W-40 oil (half synthetic).
3. Braking: Use the exhaust brake when approaching curves or driving downhill to minimize front axle steering interference. A light will show up on the cockpit panel when engaged. Don’t forget to turn it off after use! Avoid heavy braking on steep descents; rely on the engine brake for better control by selecting a lower gear on the automatic transmission.
4. Parking: Draw blinds when parking to deter theft. Turn off toilet Light and middle and front ceiling lights to avoid draining the starter battery. Turn off the radio. Lock both doors. Close all sliding windows. There is an Airtag located in the cockpit ashtray for tracking.
5. Registration and Insurance: Papers are on the driver’s side sun visor. Dimensions are 6 m (L) x 2 m (W) x 2.95 m (H). Odometer reads at 60,000 original km (metric) as of February 2025.
6. Chains and Traction: Stored in the rear left outside cabinet (opened with Subaru key).

Lounging, Sleeping, and Toilet
1. Front Lounge: Use the Lagun table for meals or work. To sleep a single guest in front, bridge the two sideways guest seats with their back rests.
2. Rear Area: Use the service tray to protect fabric when eating or drinking.
3. Toilet: The urine diverter separates Number 1 (goes to grey tank) from Number 2 (goes into garbage-bag lined bin). After each Number 2, get a fresh garbage bag and seal and dispose like a doggy poop bag in any garbage bin where you would feel comfortable disposing doggy poop. The gray water tank has a valve to empty it, find it underneath the toilet on the outside passenger side. Empty it every 3-6 days. Because the grey water tank contains just urine and dishwater, you have more options to dispose of it legally and safely than if it contained fecal matter.
4. Cleaning: Use the powerful onboard Orick 110V vacuum for clean-ups. There’s a replacement bag in the cabinet underneath the induction stove.
5. Roof Rack:
• Walkable on the section with wooden planks.
• Don't step on the solar panels or other roof areas in front of the wooden planks to prevent roof warping and panel damage.

Battery and Power Management
1. Camper lithium battery (2 x 24V for total 6.75KWh underneath front guest seats) provides off-grid power for 4-6 days
• Per day, expect to use about ~1-1.5 kWh for fridge, freezer, heater, lights, and radio.
• Solar (800Wp) replenishes ~1.5-1.8 kWh/day (sunny conditions) or ~100-500 Wh/day (cloudy).
• Driving adds ~400 Wh/hour.
• 110V shore power recommended every 4-6 days to fully charge camper battery. Plug located near the driver’s door. Yellow power cord in trunk.
3. Monitoring:
• Use Victron connect for solar and alternator (while engine on) charge functions, id1084677271 on the Apple Store
• Use the BAT-BMS app from Shenzhen Grenergy for lithium battery levels, id1611741274 on the Apple Store
4. Starter Battery (2 x 12V in series for total 24V next to passenger side entrance)
• Jump-start the starter batteries (should be rare!) by connecting the jumper cables (in trunk) with the lithium camper battery bank behind the driver seat: plus to plus, ground (the driver side guest seat metal frame) to ground on the starter battery. Pause for a moment before making the connection to really be sure you are connecting 24V to 24V. If the cable gets hot right away, immediately disconnect: you connected 12V to 24V.
• Use trickle charger (behind passenger seat) when storing the van for a long time. Again make sure you connect correctly across the starter batteries for 24V, not 12V.

Please report any issues or suggestions for improvements. Your feedback helps us maintain Beabus in top condition!