MC9 Diesel tank removal????

[bowmaga]

How hard is it and/or what do you have to do to remove the diesel tank on a 1979 MCI MC9?  The tank fill is right beside the battery compartment door on the curb side.  Not sure the exact size of the tank...(120-148???)  I just have a leaking feeling I'm going to have to do this....

[jjrbus]

Remove access panel, should be 2 bolts on top and pins on bottom. There ae 2 "plugs" in upper battery compartment remove and loosen cap screws on hold down straps.  There is an access panel in the condenser compartment open and find 2 more caps, remove and loosen capscrews that hold clamps. Remove tank.   Look around and find Service Manual for you bus, most important tool you can own.  HTH jim

[JackConrad]

Do you have the Aux. tank in the front bay?  If so it will look like a big box that is centered side to side and attached to the rear bulkhead of the front baggage compartment.  If you have this tank, there are large fuel lines (I think 3  1 1/4" lines) that connect to the bottom of the aux. and regular fuel tanks. Under the bus, remove the cover plate and you will see the lines. They are copper tubes with a short rubber connector on each end of each line. These attach to a plate that bolts to the bottom of each fuel tank. This plate needs to be removed before sliding the tank out.  Jack

[bowmaga]

No aux tank.  my front cargo bay is wide open.  I have an access panel in the front middle of the front cargo bay that i actually haven't had a chance to open up.  I think i will today.

[JackConrad]

    No aux. tank makes the job much easier. Inside that access panel is/or was your bus AC/heat stuff (blower fans, heater core, and AC evaporator).  Jack

[buswarrior]

Hello.

Did anyone mention to drain the tank out the plug on the end you can see?

Also, think hard about where you will park it during this exercise. You need a lot of access and some ton of water to wash with, and perhaps parked on an angle for drainage. Competing needs.

anyway...

There will be a mounting bump on the bottom of the tank that sits in a low spot for the aux tank fittings. No aux tank, there is a plate covering the mount.

The tank is wedged in against the frame at the top. Trouble is getting the bump on the bottom out of the hole in order to slide out. You can't lift it high enough from the end to clear.

A piece of 1/4 or 3/8 plywood, longer than 2 feet and a foot wide driven under the tank from the open side will tip it the right way to get the bump clear.

Make sure you get both the easy and the hard tank tie downs undone.... one near you, one way back there... Make sure the tank rattles around in there before the plywood trick and before you apply a lot of force. Too many busnuts fail to get the tank properly unfastened before busting a nut dragging on it.

I threaded a piece of chain into the beast and used the auto to put the pull on it. I'm just too lazy to haul like that anymore...

When replacing the board in the bottom, and you will need to, REMEMBER YOUR TIGHT CLEARANCE!  A piece of that plain hardboard from your local lumber folks will do the job. Take the existing debris out so you can use it for a pattern.

You'll also want to be washing the life out of it, if you already filled the hole with fuel. Lots of your favourite inexpensive dish or laundry soap is fine. Mine also got through the bulkhead and into the blower compartment, more rinsing, if you still use the stock heat or AC. Lots of sweet smelling diesel aroma upstairs every time you turn on the switch....

happy coaching!
buswarrior