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mrpicky
Senior Member
123 Posts |
 Posted - 02/22/2018 : 5:29:14 PM
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| Working on a 05 IC RE DT 466. Well, the sending unit went bad on the bus, and when I went to pull it out of the small hole on top of the fuel tank the damn float popped off the unit and fell into the tank. Tried rocking the bus to and fro to get the float out to no avail. Also tried fishing it out with a wire coat hangar. Cannot see it and of course the tank is FULL due to the driver not wanting to run out of diesel. Any suggestions or should I just leave it in there! Probably a 70 to 80 gallon tank BTW. |
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td083
Senior Member
195 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2018 : 02:45:12 AM
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| I would spend may be 10 minutes trying to fish it out and just go get a new one couldn't see it hurting anything at least wouldn't think so . |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2018 : 06:25:13 AM
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| Yeah, I don't see how it could hurt anything being in there. The only thing it might do is obstruct the pickup tube if the fuel gets down that low. But, sounds like that driver keeps it full so shouldn't be an issue. |
Bryan |
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eddo
Advanced Member
USA
311 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2018 : 07:59:48 AM
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I don't foresee an issue with leaving it in there.
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2018 : 09:43:41 AM
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This driver may keep it full, but I always try to not go with "Oh well this guy/gal is good, he/she will be fine" since the next driver may not be like that.
That said, I wouldn't mess around for longer than, oh, say, 5 minutes trying to fish it out. Look at at it this way, it's an 05, that tank is overdue to start leaking anyways! 
I would think it would be too big to get under the tube, wouldn't it? |
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mrpicky
Senior Member
123 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2018 : 2:58:07 PM
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| OK, thanks. Replaced the unit without getting the old float out. New one was tough getting float in that small hole. |
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bwest
Administrator
United States
3820 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2018 : 05:34:32 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Thomasbus24
This driver may keep it full, but I always try to not go with "Oh well this guy/gal is good, he/she will be fine" since the next driver may not be like that.
That said, I wouldn't mess around for longer than, oh, say, 5 minutes trying to fish it out. Look at at it this way, it's an 05, that tank is overdue to start leaking anyways!
I would think it would be too big to get under the tube, wouldn't it?
I've only had one tank leak in 25 years. It's interesting how different areas have different problems. Glad I don't live where you have rust issues! |
Bryan |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2018 : 02:52:37 AM
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| For us, they start to leak somewhere between 8-11 years old. Some start on top, others at the bottom where the beams support it. These have all been rear between frame rails on Blue Birds, but others with different buses fight it too. Aluminum tanks, please! No, seriously, please? |
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bestguessrepairs
Active Member
24 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2018 : 05:49:52 AM
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| Aluminum tanks leak just as often if not more often. Aluminum tanks pit out real bad around bands because of moisture/salt/grit/brine. It ***** because the tank looks perfectly fine but yet will have pin hole leaks where the band was up against the tank. Bluebird is terrible because of poor placement design. Crap just collects in and around the tank towards the front and eats away at the tank. Bluebird doesn't do anything about it because its a money maker for them. If they would change the design or coat the outside of the fuel tanks with more than just paint it would help out. |
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Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2018 : 06:10:20 AM
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Good point on the aluminum. I wondered if they were to dip the tank in molten plastic if that would help.
The Thomas and IC dealers here will drop the tank on a new bus and have it coated with something like that Rhinolining for a small fee. |
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kummins
Active Member
41 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2018 : 06:12:06 AM
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i place rubber strips between the tank & all contact points, (brackets, straps, frame, whatever).
comes in different widths, 2", 3", 4" and thicknesses from 1/8" to 1/4", in lengths up to 50' rolls.
i get mine from a local hardware supplier (not that big orange/blue corporate store chain)...
here's an example: https://www.equalseal.com/product-p/c-neost-12450.htm |
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bestguessrepairs
Active Member
24 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2018 : 11:48:11 AM
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| I wish they would dip all tanks in some sort of protectant. I know that when I replace or repair tanks I use rubber strips around band contact points also. But I also spray rust inhibitor on entire tank or area and then spray the tank with Norton Undercoating. Not the cheap Norton rubberized undercoating (82776) that Napa sells but the Premium Norton (82775). It hardens more but also resists rust and it seals up better from moisture and dirt to prevent it from cracking and flaking off. |
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57fan
Senior Member
United States
148 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2018 : 9:48:06 PM
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I would not worry about a float, floating around the tank. The pick-up tube is so close to the bottom of the tank that the float would never get underneath to cause any issues. We dont even bother to check the sender if the gauge goes crazy on our 05 buses(IC FE & RE). We just change out the sensor. Can usually change one in about 20 minuets. They can be a pain in the butt to get out the small hole but once you figure out which way it goes its a piece of cake.
I have a 15 second rule on floats. If it moves away from the hole in 15 seconds then its going to stay there forever. (have not lost on in a tank on an IC yet) Best of luck fishing for the float.
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Lead, Follow or get out of the way! Thomas Paine |
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torque
Advanced Member
Canada
358 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2018 : 08:33:25 AM
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| Be careful if using the rock the bus method. I worked beside a shop years ago, someone had put paper towels in the fuel tank and the tank was fairly full, it was winter and the fuel was cold. A couple guys rocking the bus while another was fishing out the paper towels through the sending unit hole. Some fuel splashed out and hit the trouble light bulb, bulb blew and a fires started right in front of he guy inside. Fortunately, his biggest problem personally,was the mess in his pants. |
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Sending unit float fell into tank
