1995 Thomas Westcoast-ER

[KlingonFiero]

Finally, got a pic uploaded!

 

[KlingonFiero]

And, evidently, I need adult supervision!

I just found the other fuel filter! Right in front of my old blind eyes!.
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Not sure what was going through my addled brain until now.
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Hopefully I can pick up the filter when I go to town tomorrow.

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Also. Why is my coolant clear?

 

[EastCoastCB]

And, evidently, I need adult supervision!

I just found the other fuel filter! Right in front of my old blind eyes!.
.
Not sure what was going through my addled brain until now.
.
Hopefully I can pick up the filter when I go to town tomorrow.

.
Also. Why is my coolant clear?

Probably just water if its clear. Watch for leaks anywhere in the cooling system. A lot of times when there's a slow constant leak folks will just top off with water.
If your coolant is clear and has no color at all think about doing a flush and fill.
Also totally unrelated but check the condition of your water pump drive belt. Its behind the main serpentine belt.
Try to get a genuine Cat filter for that fuel filter if you can. They're not anymore $ than store brands and I've seen them cut open on YT. They're the best filters.

 

[KlingonFiero]

Well that sucks. I was just googling clear coolant. Found something called "global" coolant??? Its supposedly clear with a slight gold tint to it.
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I'm surprised that I could drive almost 300 miles with just water in the engine. It never went more than a needle mark above 195*...
Of course it was very mild temps outside the whole trip back.
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I'm not really in a position to flush and fill the coolant. I'll be able to do an oil change easily enough. There is no real running water or a drain near me for accidental coolant spills.

I did check the belt behind the harmonic damper. It's pretty new looking and is adjusted properly.

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Hopefully I can find the Cast fuel filter in Yuma tomorrow!

 

[EastCoastCB]

Well that sucks. I was just googling clear coolant. Found something called "global" coolant??? Its supposedly clear with a slight gold tint to it.
.
I'm surprised that I could drive almost 300 miles with just water in the engine. It never went more than a needle mark above 195*...
Of course it was very mild temps outside the whole trip back.
.
I'm not really in a position to flush and fill the coolant. I'll be able to do an oil change easily enough. There is no real running water or a drain near me for accidental coolant spills.

I did check the belt behind the harmonic damper. It's pretty new looking and is adjusted properly.

.
Hopefully I can find the Cast fuel filter in Yuma tomorrow!

Well- running straight water is better for cooling so it won't hurt anything in that sense. Why racers run straight water. But you want antifreeze for a variety of reasons.

 

[EastCoastCB]

any freightliner shop/dealer or Cat shop/dealer should have it for around $20.

 

[Sehnsucht-SKO]

The coolant properties of engine coolant is basically just the water. If it never gets below freezing then it's not a major risk. The antifreeze properties of engine coolant is what matters because an engine won't run on ice and also water can crack the cast iron engine block when it freezes. The color is usually indicative of the antifreeze chemicals as well as specific additives recommended by engine manufacturers. Some are orange, some are green, best to verify which is recommended by the manufacturer and do a flush and fill. Even if you don't expect freezing temps you don't want to neglect the additive benefits that combat corrosion and provide other benefits lacking with simple water cooling alone.

 

[KlingonFiero]

Okay...
I will stop around for someone in Yuma to do the flush and fill. I have plenty of coolant (or water) in the resevoir now. Just preparing to spill some when I pull the middle of the bus heater, I'll definitely be keeping the front heater/defroster for driving!
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Also, is there an off the shelf belt part number for when I remove one of the a/c systems?
I need the overhead room in the bus for my kitchen and the underbody space for the frame mounted propane tank.
We wanted to keep both, but just can't seem to find a way to do it...

Thanks all!
Any of you gonna be at skoolie palooza in Ehrenburg this Feb? I'll pour you a cup of coffee or get you a beer! Can't tell you how much help you all have been!

 

[KlingonFiero]

I changed the primary filter this morning.
Still waiting on UPS to deliver the water separator filter, should be here by Tuesday.
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When I used the primer on the engine, after replacing the filter) it never got stiff or hard to push. It did leak a tiny amount of fuel.
My limited googling has said that's bad and might even be the reason for my Loss of Power!
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Is there an easy way to test it to see if its sucking air?
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Thanks all!

 

[Cheezewhiz]

Hey!

I think we got the same bus from the same auction. Same paint pen writing inside, which I've appreciated a bunch.

Now I'm having the same problem, lol.

I've changed both filters, though can't find this water separator? Where was yours?

Also, did you ever get the power loss resolved,, and what did you do?

My thought is the fuel pump is toast-it's leaking oil in that area. But, I can't figure out if it's got a lift pump and the injection pump, or if it's like my old detroit that just had the gear pump mounted on the motor.

An injection pump is $500 I don't have in this parking lot... lol

Oh and to have an answer for your old question, if it's leaking fuel out, it's leaking air in most likely

 

[Cheezewhiz]

So! Turns out Caterpillar isn't an engine company, it's a ******* garbage manual company. They tried to shake me down $500-actually the estimate was around $520 for the service manual for the 3116. I found one online for $40, which is approximately $45 more dollars than I should have to pay for a discontinued engine that cat doesn't even make parts for anymore. Information should be free.

It doesn't have a table of contents, it doesn't have an index, the components are listed in no particular order, and almost everything important gets referred to totally different manuals! A couple sections referred me to a ******* MICROFICHE. I've literally never seen a microfiche in person. This manual was compiled in 2008. For a motor from the mid 90's. There's few photos, the descriptions are vague, and apparently vicegrips are a serialized, specialized tool that requires-you guessed it-purchasing another manual to fully understand.


Anyway, the loss of power, top end speed, smokiness and rough starts all boiled down to a $5.33 rubber diaphram, called the FRC, fuel ratio control. Part number 6I-1564 and that’s an i after the 6.

Old one had a half-inch tear, and I was doing 20mph smoking like a six pack a day habit.

It restricts fuel flow if the turbo hasn't spooled up.

It's kind of a bastard to get to in that vehicle, and I'm real glad I put motorcycle pegs on the bumper below my engine compartment.