Stranded!

[Kwest364]

Headed to skooliepalooza, I'm stranded on side of road in Yucca Valley, CA, off route 62. Bus broke down. Started smoking coolant, then everything went out: air brakes, power steering, radiator fan. Not sure what's what and which belts go where. Looks like couple of belts snapped.


Need to know: belt sizes for all engine components. I don't know how many it had originally, but it looks like at least 6 belts. Where do I find sizes? Auto parts stores can't look em up and don't know.

If I had a parts diagram, that would be perfect. Ideas where to find parts diagram?

Where to start?

Bus:
1986 Chevy B6000, 6.0L V8, GAS, manual transmission

 

[Jaybz]

I was able to find belts listed on Rockauto: look up a 1986 Chevy “medium duty truck” and select the 366 motor. There may be different configurations so it may list more than what you need, but your belts are on there somewhere.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

@Keywest364,


Hard to tell from the pictures and I'm not familiar with your engine, but I think it's likely your water pump seized up (or whatever pulley is in common with all the belts that broke). If that's the case, replacing the belts alone won't help. Please explore that possibility before proceeding. Multiple belts breaking at once with no common cause would be quite a coincidence. Good Luck.

 

[jimmythomas]

It would be a good idea to check the fan blades to make sure they aren't damaged from eating the belt. The second groove on the alternator is rusty -- can a second belt fit?
I would second the water pump fail - it's the only pulley that looks like it's had some serious action.
Good Luck!

 

[Jaybz]

I had all the belts go on my 454 for absolutely no reason just a few months ago. I think one broke loose from age and took the others out. Very few differences between the two motors, hopefully your experience is the same as mine!

 

[Kwest364]

I had all the belts go on my 454 for absolutely no reason just a few months ago. I think one broke loose from age and took the others out. Very few differences between the two motors, hopefully your experience is the same as mine!

Seems to be similar thing here. I'm guessing age, and when 1 snapped, it took others with it. Fan got wrapped up in one. Blades look good, though. It's wrapped around the base. Hopefully, just cut it off and that's that.

Wish I had pics beforehand to compare and at least know how they were routed. I can assume on some, but it's unfamiliar to me.


Did you have the 454 engine in a skoolie? Are belts same sizes and routing? I'm trying to order new ones, but unsure of their length, size, which equipment wheels they're attached to, etc

 

[Jaybz]

Here’s a few diagrams from similar year BBCs, I believe the belt routing should be very similar. If I remember correctly, there’s quite a bit of adjustment. I had the wrong belt on from Indiana to New Jersey after the incident, and it worked just fine. It’s a pain but you’ll get there!

Edit: Mine is in a P30 motor home chassis. Yours is a heavier duty version of the motor so there’s minor differences in deck height, rings, etc but I can’t imagine the accessory drive is radically different.

 

[Kwest364]

Everyone, thank you for your help. I'm routing belts and trying some alternatives.

1. What do the air pumps on this engine do? Emissions stuff? Will it hurt my engine if I DON'T route a belt around 1 or both? Curious what their function is.

Reminder: 1986 Chevy 366cu in/6.0L, V8, Gas, manual

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

for your air pump question?
do you have air brakes?
hydraulic brakes?
or is that an air compressor for smog pump?

 

[Kwest364]

for your air pump question?
do you have air brakes?
hydraulic brakes?
or is that an air compressor for smog pump?

I have air brakes. That's a separate belt for the air compressor (which is for the air brakes)

I'm not sure what the pump actually is. There are 2 pumps on top, connected to carburetor. On the air filter, there's a diagram that labels them LH air pump and RH air pump. It's labeled "A.I.R/EGR Sytem" so I'm guessing emissions of some sort. (Pic attached)

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

thats the smog pumps.
you might be able to run wiithout them but will get a check engine light.
if not its a good time to just get rid of them if your state has a limit of vehicle age for emmissions inspection.
if not they have to be fully functional.
for example my state says that any vehicle older than 30 years doesnt have to be inspected period.
my 77 truck has all of that deleted but my 86 bus still has to have a full AMFSA inspection only because they are the only garage that knows what they are looking at and will touch it.
i dont mind that cause the one i use never fails me they just say hey look at this that needs to be taken care of for next year and they know i will do it.
but emmissions inspections depends on your vehicles state of reegister.

 

[PorchDog]

Yep-- I posted on your other thread-- those are Air Injection Reaction pumps, and pump fresh air into the exhaust manifold right at the exhaust port. Your engine will run fine and not be hurt by not having that air injected.

Many times on these older vehicles-- the tubes that bring the air will rust out right at the manifold. And-- the nuts that tighten these tubes into the manifold are rusted stuck-- and folks will cut them and pinch them off-- because there is no way to loosen those nuts.

Whether that is case on yours is really a moot point right now-- you just need to get back on the road.

 

[peteg59]

Hopefully you're not still on the roadside?
In case you hadn't heard about the Skooliepalooza location change, the linked thread gets into that, again if you hadn't heard.
Good luck on your fix, and hopefully it wasn't too expensive...

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/blm-shuts-skooliepalooza-down-38441.html#post463517