3126 Water Pump Belt Replacement ???

[EastCoastCB]

I'm trying to replace my cracked old water pump belt on my 3126 and I can't get it off without removing the harmonic damper?

Anyone one else done this belt on their Cat?

I'm not even driving the bus till I get this belt replaced. Its behind the damper and its a smaller diameter than the damper! DOH!


Also- anyone done a coolant change or flush??

Got a new coolant tank on the way. Mines rusty as hell.

Need to get my hands on a service manual for this thing I guess.

[cadillackid]

the 3126s ands C7s ive seen have a seaprate little V-belt for the water pump with its own tensioner underneath theres a couple bolts to loosen that idler tensioner and pivot it inward to let the belt slip off

[banman]

What Christopher said.

and...

https://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-9-2320-312-24-2.pdf

[MIKE N STEPH]

Ive done this on our 02 3126 to put the belt on turn it backwards so the thin section of the v is facing out and the wide section is facing the balancer the you will have enough room to slide it over once you pass it over flip the belt back ... Coolant flush is pretty straight forward on the cat just like any other engine. They dont seem to be a pain to bleed the air out either

Originally Posted by eastcoastcb

i'm trying to replace my cracked old water pump belt on my 3126 and i can't get it off without removing the harmonic damper?

Anyone one else done this belt on their cat?

I'm not even driving the bus till i get this belt replaced. Its behind the damper and its a smaller diameter than the damper! Doh!


Also- anyone done a coolant change or flush??

Got a new coolant tank on the way. Mines rusty as hell.

Need to get my hands on a service manual for this thing i guess.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

the 3126s ands C7s ive seen have a seaprate little V-belt for the water pump with its own tensioner underneath theres a couple bolts to loosen that idler tensioner and pivot it inward to let the belt slip off

Till you get to the harmonic damper. The belt is behind it, and smaller in diameter. I guess I gotta take the outer ring of the damper off to change the belt. Fun.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by MIKE N STEPH

Ive done this on our 02 3126 to put the belt on turn it backwards so the thin section of the v is facing out and the wide section is facing the balancer the you will have enough room to slide it over once you pass it over flip the belt back ... Coolant flush is pretty straight forward on the cat just like any other engine. They dont seem to be a pain to bleed the air out either

Wow! Thanks a million, I'll try this out tomorrow. Mine was twisted all kinds of ways to try to get it off- it looks to me like its several inches short of coming off around the damper but I'll try again with flipping the belt over.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by banman

What Christopher said.

and...

https://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-9-2320-312-24-2.pdf

How do you use that manual? Its so tiny I can't even see it on my 62" screen.
Edit- thanks I found the zoom feature. Still can't find anything in there about the water pump belt other than the specs for the tension on it.

[banman]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

How do you use that manual? Its so tiny I can't even see it on my 62" screen.
Edit- thanks I found the zoom feature. Still can't find anything in there about the water pump belt other than the specs for the tension on it.

Unless the links no longer good, it's several 3126 manuals to include a completed rebuild of the engine.

How to get the belts on and off will be in there somewhere -- I confess, I printed it at work but the pdf is searchable so...

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by banman

Unless the links no longer good, it's several 3126 manuals to include a completed rebuild of the engine.

How to get the belts on and off will be in there somewhere -- I confess, I printed it at work but the pdf is searchable so...

I've found lots of specs and values but nothing on how to actually do it. Will keep looking. Thanks again.

[sepudo]

Originally Posted by banman

Unless the links no longer good, it's several 3126 manuals to include a completed rebuild of the engine.

How to get the belts on and off will be in there somewhere -- I confess, I printed it at work but the pdf is searchable so...

this is a great PDF! thanks for sharing.

I scanned through the whole thing searching "trans" "transmission" and I'm wondering if in the PDF or somewhere else there is a diagram that tells me what all the different dash lights that *may* one day come up will mean.

For example in my photo above, I did not know until recently that the red symbol means low air. I thought it was related to ABS since they both came on and both went off around the same time.

Other than checking my ABS connectors and cleaning the area, I'm wondering what else I may need to check

thanks all

[cadillackid]

you need an actual freightliner manual.. that dash will be similar to an FL60 or FL70 truck as far as the instrument panel cluster lights..

[EastCoastCB]

Well unfortunately the belt flipping trick did absolutely nothing. Didn't even come close to getting the belt off. its several inches off.
Only way is gonna be to remove the damned damper ring.

[MIKE N STEPH]

THAT ODD THERE MUST BE DIFFERENT VARIANTS OF THE BALANCER OR WATER PUMP BELT BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I DID THE PUMP AND BELT I DIDNT TOUCH THE BAALNCER AT ALL

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Well unfortunately the belt flipping trick did absolutely nothing. Didn't even come close to getting the belt off. its several inches off.
Only way is gonna be to remove the damned damper ring.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by MIKE N STEPH

THAT ODD THERE MUST BE DIFFERENT VARIANTS OF THE BALANCER OR WATER PUMP BELT BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I DID THE PUMP AND BELT I DIDNT TOUCH THE BAALNCER AT ALL

Mine's not even close to coming off at all.
I think maybe since the oem one is small and when they get replaced maybe the shops use slightly larger belts.
There are two damper sizes. 210hp and lower get the larger one.

This sucks. I can get a socket and breaker bar in there but just barely. I'm unable to see the bolts but I can get to them. There are 8 holding the outer ring on the damper. No idea on the torque values and Cat doesn't say. IDK if I can get a torque wrench in there anyhow. If I do this I may just have to wing it.
THIS SUCKS

[MIKE N STEPH]

Yeah that does suck i know mine is a 190 hp engine not sure about yours. I know i got the water pump from cat but cant remember the belt ... Make sure to check the water pump for up and down play in the shaft too when you have it off mine had a bunch of play thats why i changed it

Originally Posted by eastcoastcb

mine's not even close to coming off at all.
I think maybe since the oem one is small and when they get replaced maybe the shops use slightly larger belts.
There are two damper sizes. 210hp and lower get the larger one.

This sucks. I can get a socket and breaker bar in there but just barely. I'm unable to see the bolts but i can get to them. There are 8 holding the outer ring on the damper. No idea on the torque values and cat doesn't say. Idk if i can get a torque wrench in there anyhow. If i do this i may just have to wing it.
This sucks

[EastCoastCB]

Yeah the wp and all other pulleys spin nicely with no play.
I haven't hooked this up to a computer yet but the bus has extremely low miles/use on it.
Kubla is on his way over to do some dmv stuff and we're gonna pull the balancer off.
Mines 190 hp too, fwiw.
Its definitely the original belt on here.

[banman]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Well unfortunately the belt flipping trick did absolutely nothing. Didn't even come close to getting the belt off. its several inches off.
Only way is gonna be to remove the damned damper ring.

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.

[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.

[MIKE N STEPH]

Yeah your luck in that way all my pulleys needed replacement and so did the waterpump but at least i know that project is done with

Originally Posted by eastcoastcb

yeah the wp and all other pulleys spin nicely with no play.
I haven't hooked this up to a computer yet but the bus has extremely low miles/use on it.
Kubla is on his way over to do some dmv stuff and we're gonna pull the balancer off.
Mines 190 hp too, fwiw.
Its definitely the original belt on here.

[Native]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Yeah the wp and all other pulleys spin nicely with no play.
I haven't hooked this up to a computer yet but the bus has extremely low miles/use on it.
Kubla is on his way over to do some dmv stuff and we're gonna pull the balancer off.
Mines 190 hp too, fwiw.
Its definitely the original belt on here.

I do not know what Kubla's timing will be like ... but we are about two hours from departing from Cocoa to head to the Swarm. We can easily divert to your bus location on the way and help out with that pesky belt.