3126 Water Pump Belt Replacement ???

[Meathead]

Im late getting here but your belt should be Napa #257345. And yes, at first you think she ain’t coming off, but it does

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by banman

I would get the correct belt from Freightliner and see if you can get it over the balancer -- just cut the old belt off.

If you still have to remove the balancer -- be sure and use a correct puller for it -- I know it looks massive and indestructible but you don't wanna damage the bonded rubber.

The old belt is hilariously short of slipping over the balancer.
Balancer is off, Freightliner has NONE of these belts in FL. Going to Oreilly's.
The balancer doesn't require a puller. I got it off in five minutes.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

All the ones I've done, the damper didn't have to come off. On the ones with the larger damper, it's definitely tight, but it will slip over the balancer if you flip it so the flat side of the belt is inside.

Oh, and grease the O-rings when you put them in the grooves, this will help keep them in place when you are installing the pump.

I'm not installing a pump. Just changing the belt.
two other folks good at working on stuff tried to get it off, too.
It wasn't even close at all.

[EastCoastCB]

Job is done. The only thing left to mystery is the torque specs for the damper's outer ring. There are 8 bolts. I torqued em to 40. They felt about that tight. I can't find the spec anywhere even adept ape doesn't know.
I may go back out and torque them to 55 or so, idk.

Spent most of the day in Kubla's MCI. That thing sure rides nice. Too big for me, but its a cloud on wheels.

Edit- Glad I stopped at 50 lbs. spec is 40 on the 8 bolts on the damper for anyone else who's wondering.

[EastCoastCB]

This is what the old belt looks like-

[EastCoastCB]

The new belt installed.

[Booyah45828]

Lol, yeah there's no way you were getting that over the balancer. I wonder if that's stock, because all the ones I've seen were around 12", and they didn't have the slots on the inside. But a google search shows balancers similar to your so IDK.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Booyah45828

Lol, yeah there's no way you were getting that over the balancer. I wonder if that's stock, because all the ones I've seen were around 12", and they didn't have the slots on the inside. But a google search shows balancers similar to your so IDK.

I think folks are using larger-than-stock belts to get them on and off without removing that damper.
The damper isn't a big deal. Its a bit awkward working it up from underneath but its easy enough.
The old belt says Caterpillar on it and judging from the condition of it and the rest of the bus I really believe it to be THE original belt that came on this engine. I'll never really know, though. When I do a search it comes back as notched v-belt.

Now I'm just waiting for the new coolant tank. Once its on the bus I'm going to flush the coolant a few times over and put the red elc stuff in it.

[banman]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

The old belt is hilariously short of slipping over the balancer.
Balancer is off, Freightliner has NONE of these belts in FL. Going to Oreilly's.
The balancer doesn't require a puller. I got it off in five minutes.

Cool. Was thinking the balancer would be harder to remove -- good to hear it ain't...

Thanks for the pic/measurement!

The weight must be a little awkward though...?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by banman

Cool. Was thinking the balancer would be harder to remove -- good to hear it ain't...

The weight must be a little awkward though...?

Its not too bad. Just one handing it while you start the bolts is a little awkward.
Having done it now I could do it again in a half hour or less. But man is it daunting when you're not expecting that added step!

[banman]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Its not too bad. Just one handing it while you start the bolts is a little awkward.
Having done it now I could do it again in a half hour or less. But man is it daunting when you're not expecting that added step!

Oh exactly -- that's the kinda surprise on the side of the road late at night that brings a grown soul to tears...

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by banman

Oh exactly -- that's the kinda surprise on the side of the road late at night that brings a grown soul to tears...

Yep.
That's why bus maintenance is so important. If you keep up with it you reduce the chance of that late night roadside bummer plus if you do end up on the side of the road you'll be familiar enough with stuff to get it done without as much fuss or stress.

[mmoore6856]

[QUOTE=EastCoastCB;372249]I'm not installing a pump. Just changing the belt.
two other folks good at working on stuff tried to get it off, too.
It wasn't even close at all. i
had some of these too

[Native]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Now I'm just waiting for the new coolant tank. Once its on the bus I'm going to flush the coolant a few times over and put the red elc stuff in it.

You may want to hold off on the coolantchange until after you diagnose the compressor. If you have to pull the compressor, you will have to drain the coolant.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Native

You may want to hold off on the coolantchange until after you diagnose the compressor. If you have to pull the compressor, you will have to drain the coolant.

Yep. I'm not averse to draining it again, too.

[Truthseeker4449]

Originally Posted by Native

You may want to hold off on the coolantchange until after you diagnose the compressor. If you have to pull the compressor, you will have to drain the coolant.

This is valuable information to know, my own compressor isn't doing too good either. It works, but the build time is too slow, especially at idle or even fast idle. At high rpm it works ok so no drivability issues so far but I sure as heck don't want to have to rig something up on the side of the highway.

Where does it feed coolant in? Is there a hose? Does it go through the front cover?

[mmoore6856]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Its not too bad. Just one handing it while you start the bolts is a little awkward.
Having done it now I could do it again in a half hour or less. But man is it daunting when you're not expecting that added step!

before you put the pulley back on screw a short stud in the top hole to help hold it and guide it on. install a few bolts then remove the stud. lots easier to install.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by mmoore6856

before you put the pulley back on screw a short stud in the top hole to help hold it and guide it on. install a few bolts then remove the stud. lots easier to install.

Not really needed.