How to access front-to-back wiring conduits to engine bay in MCI MC-9

[65_flxible]

I'd like to run some wires to from the front basement to the engine bay in an '82 MCI MC-9.  In the engine bay, there are several large diameter conduits terminating in the engine bay, that go through the central rooftop utility tunnel in the basements.  When I pull the panels from the rooftop channel in the basements, I can see these conduits running towards the front of the bus.

However, in the front-most basement, they are still running forward and not accessible.  Removing the front wall panel on that basement wall just exposes the interior heater core and fans, and I don't see any way to access the front of these conduits to run something to the engine bay. 

Does anyone know how to access the front of these conduits that run all the way to the engine bay, to run wires through them? 

Any help or advice is appreciated, thanks. 

[richard5933]

I'd like to run some wires to from the front basement to the engine bay in an '82 MCI MC-9.  In the engine bay, there are several large diameter conduits terminating in the engine bay, that go through the central rooftop utility tunnel in the basements.  When I pull the panels from the rooftop channel in the basements, I can see these conduits running towards the front of the bus.

However, in the front-most basement, they are still running forward and not accessible.  Removing the front wall panel on that basement wall just exposes the interior heater core and fans, and I don't see any way to access the front of these conduits to run something to the engine bay. 

Does anyone know how to access the front of these conduits that run all the way to the engine bay, to run wires through them? 

Any help or advice is appreciated, thanks.

Not sure if the MCI is similar to the GM in this regard, but GM always included about half a dozen spare wire pairs in the front-to-back conduits. If you've got the same thing then perhaps you can avoid having to run more wires and just use what MCI put there.

Mine are detailed in the wiring diagrams and are visible in the front/rear electrical boxes. When I first saw them I thought a previous owner had cut some factory wires and taped up the ends, but then I discovered that GM put these there on purpose.

[buswarrior]

Do you still have stock hvac?

Some of them terminate in the hvac cavity. The rest come out in the front axle cavity, as they head off to their various destinations.

Some carry coolant, some carry hvac refrigerant, some carry wires.

Be careful...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[65_flxible]

Thanks for the input, Richard and Buswarrior. 

I'm actually trying to run 12/3 armor cable to the engine bay to run some 240v auxiliary fans I'm installing back there, so using the existing spare wires won't work for me. 

It doesn't have the original HVAC, I'll get underneath and see what I can find.  I may end up just having to run it through the basement firewalls all the way to the back, I guess.

[lovetofix]

It doesn't have the original HVAC, I'll get underneath and see what I can find.  I may end up just having to run it through the basement firewalls all the way to the back, I guess.

Since the original hvac is gone you can run it through the suction refrigerant line, which more than an inch I.D. so has plenty of room.
Just make sure you know which line that is (unless it has fallen off it is insulated) then double check it, get a saw of some kind, triple check it to make sure you have the right one and then cut it wherever is the most convenient back above the transmission. It comes out up front into the evaporator compartment. I used a shop vac to pull a string through and then used that to pull my wires.