Opened up my swing rad....

[Scott Forman]

...today for the first time just to check things out in there.

Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong time.
It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have it
changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water pump start
to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive water
pump?

Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and what-not
for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of other
things I should pay attention to before I close it up?

Scott Forman
82 FC35RB
Memphis

[erniecarpet@...]

Scott- look at those 2 small hoses on the street side. Those are for your oil
cooler and when I had my FC, that's what was leaking.

Ernie Ekberg
83 PT40
Livingston, Montana



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Eric Johnson]

Hi Scott,
First begin by saying some words of thanks to the Almighty that you have a swing
radiator. Many of us don't which makes opening up the front more of a project.
As far as
whether you replace the water pump or not, that's up to you.

My philosophy on our '84 coach has been not to replace hardware items like water
pumps
until there is some sign of a problem. Preventative maintenance usually covers
things like
oil changes, radiator fluid, chassis lube, belts, hoses, tires, on a reasonable
frequency. If
we extend PM to replacing hardware just because it's old, it difficult to know
where to
draw the line and it can get needlessly expensive.

If your belts and hoses are older than 3-5 years, I would replace them. Whether
you
change the belts or not, I've found it useful to re-tension them every one to
two years.
This is particularly true for the power steering belt which is under a very
heavy load. You
can get a belt tension gauge from NAPA or a belt supplier.

Eric in San Antonio
84FC35SB

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@...> wrote:
>
> ...today for the first time just to check things out in there.
>
> Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong time.
> It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have it
> changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water pump start
> to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive water
> pump?
>
> Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and what-not
> for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
> insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of other
> things I should pay attention to before I close it up?
>
> Scott Forman
> 82 FC35RB
> Memphis
>

[pattypape]

Hi Scott,

Take a look a the oil cooler coolant hoses, They are the two little
preformed hoses above the oil cooler, near the oil filters.
They sometimes leak, and if still painted yellow they are old.
They are in a very tight space and would be difficult to change on
the side of the road.

Bill 88 FC Michigan

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman"
<sforman@...> wrote:
>
> ...today for the first time just to check things out in there.
>
> Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong
time.
> It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have
it
> changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water pump
start
> to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive
water
> pump?
>
> Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and what-
not
> for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
> insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of
other
> things I should pay attention to before I close it up?
>
> Scott Forman
> 82 FC35RB
> Memphis
>

[davidkerryedwards]

The CAT manual has a spec for changing out the water pump. I can't
remember at how many hours they say it should be changed but I can
check the next time I go to my coach if someone else doesn't have the
manual handy with that spec. I don't think there's much design
difference between an auto water pump and a CAT water pump.

Kerry
82 FC 35
Denver-

-- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@...>
wrote:
>
> ...today for the first time just to check things out in there.
>
> Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong time.
> It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have it
> changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water pump start
> to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive water
> pump?
>
> Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and what-not
> for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
> insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of other
> things I should pay attention to before I close it up?
>
> Scott Forman
> 82 FC35RB
> Memphis
>

[Scott Forman]

I was aware of those and checked them, looks good. Thanks for the tip.

Scott

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, erniecarpet@... wrote:
>
> Scott- look at those 2 small hoses on the street side. Those are for
your oil
> cooler and when I had my FC, that's what was leaking.
>
> Ernie Ekberg
> 83 PT40
> Livingston, Montana
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

[Eric Johnson]

Hi David,
OK, I looked in the Cat manual for the 3208 and found no mention of replacing
the water
pump based on mileage. I did find a water pump test procedure that shows where
to
mount a pressure gauge in the front cover of the water pump. Manual says that
the gauge
should show 15 psig at 2800 rpm. Next time I have the front of my coach open I
plan to
check the pressure see how my pump is doing.
Eric in San Antonio
84FC35SB

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> The CAT manual has a spec for changing out the water pump. I can't
> remember at how many hours they say it should be changed but I can
> check the next time I go to my coach if someone else doesn't have the
> manual handy with that spec. I don't think there's much design
> difference between an auto water pump and a CAT water pump.
>
> Kerry
> 82 FC 35
> Denver-
>
> -- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@>
> wrote:
> >
> > ...today for the first time just to check things out in there.
> >
> > Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong time.
> > It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and have it
> > changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water pump start
> > to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive water
> > pump?
> >
> > Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and what-not
> > for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
> > insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of other
> > things I should pay attention to before I close it up?
> >
> > Scott Forman
> > 82 FC35RB
> > Memphis
> >
>

[Scott]

Hey Eric, just saw the post. I have replaced the water pump in our
coach. When it started to weep just like an auto water pump it was
time to replace.

I would be very careful take the rpms to 2800 without the engine
being under a load. That is pretty close to WOT. You do not want to
engine to runaway, then it is hard to stop. It prolly will stop, when
the parts are done flying out of it..

ScottB
86FC35 "RUBY" 4 SALE
SC

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Johnson"
wrote:
>
> Hi David,
> OK, I looked in the Cat manual for the 3208 and found no mention of
replacing the water
> pump based on mileage. I did find a water pump test procedure that
shows where to
> mount a pressure gauge in the front cover of the water pump.
Manual says that the gauge
> should show 15 psig at 2800 rpm. Next time I have the front of my
coach open I plan to
> check the pressure see how my pump is doing.
> Eric in San Antonio
> 84FC35SB
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"

> wrote:
> >
> > The CAT manual has a spec for changing out the water pump. I
can't
> > remember at how many hours they say it should be changed but I can
> > check the next time I go to my coach if someone else doesn't have
the
> > manual handy with that spec. I don't think there's much design
> > difference between an auto water pump and a CAT water pump.
> >
> > Kerry
> > 82 FC 35
> > Denver-
> >
> > -- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > ...today for the first time just to check things out in there.
> > >
> > > Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong
time.
> > > It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and
have it
> > > changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water
pump start
> > > to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive
water
> > > pump?
> > >
> > > Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and
what-not
> > > for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
> > > insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of
other
> > > things I should pay attention to before I close it up?
> > >
> > > Scott Forman
> > > 82 FC35RB
> > > Memphis
> > >
> >
>

[Eric Johnson]

Hi Scott,
My understanding from diesel mechanics and from the Cat manual is that the
engine can
operate without damage at wide open throttle and without a load. I have done it
from
time to time to for short periods (we're talking 15-20 seconds) and no parts
flew off.
Does make me cringe but the 2800 rpm is straight out of the Cat manual for 3208
engine.

Diesel engines can run away if they get an uncontrolled source of fuel (like
lube oil) but as
long as your governor is functioning this should not happen in normal
circumstances.
Regards, Eric

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott" wrote:
>
> Hey Eric, just saw the post. I have replaced the water pump in our
> coach. When it started to weep just like an auto water pump it was
> time to replace.
>
> I would be very careful take the rpms to 2800 without the engine
> being under a load. That is pretty close to WOT. You do not want to
> engine to runaway, then it is hard to stop. It prolly will stop, when
> the parts are done flying out of it..
>
> ScottB
> 86FC35 "RUBY" 4 SALE
> SC
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Johnson"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi David,
> > OK, I looked in the Cat manual for the 3208 and found no mention of
> replacing the water
> > pump based on mileage. I did find a water pump test procedure that
> shows where to
> > mount a pressure gauge in the front cover of the water pump.
> Manual says that the gauge
> > should show 15 psig at 2800 rpm. Next time I have the front of my
> coach open I plan to
> > check the pressure see how my pump is doing.
> > Eric in San Antonio
> > 84FC35SB
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > The CAT manual has a spec for changing out the water pump. I
> can't
> > > remember at how many hours they say it should be changed but I can
> > > check the next time I go to my coach if someone else doesn't have
> the
> > > manual handy with that spec. I don't think there's much design
> > > difference between an auto water pump and a CAT water pump.
> > >
> > > Kerry
> > > 82 FC 35
> > > Denver-
> > >
> > > -- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > ...today for the first time just to check things out in there.
> > > >
> > > > Question: My water pump looks like its been on there a loooong
> time.
> > > > It's working fine, but I'm wondering if I should go ahead and
> have it
> > > > changed out. Am I just being paranoid? Will the Cat water
> pump start
> > > > to leak to signal a pending failure like a regular automotive
> water
> > > > pump?
> > > >
> > > > Everything else looks fine. Checked all the connections and
> what-not
> > > > for the Facet Fan, belts & hoses look good, even added some new
> > > > insulation around the radiator. Anyone have any suggestions of
> other
> > > > things I should pay attention to before I close it up?
> > > >
> > > > Scott Forman
> > > > 82 FC35RB
> > > > Memphis
> > > >
> > >
> >
>