3126 cat n an ambulance chassis

[mhuggler]

Originally Posted by dieselbeef

oh btw...that v belt on the water pump is cracked and so loose idk how it stayed on there....so theres my overheat problem...but either way I'm changing tensioners and belts..cuz the serp aint much better..cracked too...all the old parts will make good spares

That's what I pictured. It's very very common. A lot of owners didn't even know it was there until it failed and I showed them. Everybody was so happy when they put everything on a common serpentine. The V-belt water pump wasn't exactly a shining moment for Cat. Lol

[dieselbeef]

lol..yea..not exactly a great place for it either..the coolant hose for the air comp is so close I cant believe it aint got a rub spot

[dieselbeef]

new belts and tensioners..not a bad job...took maybe 2 hrs..the water pump belt was so bad..chunks out of it..im lucky we made it home...gtg now on that

but it didn't fix the charging problem..the alt is a huge ambulance unit..putting out 14.3 14.5 all the time..but at the batts..I only get 12...so somewhere something isn't making a good connection?...altho...my son was watching the readout in the odometer and it went between 11.8..and the light came on..to 12.8 for just a minute...all while just idling...that's next on the list....usually it is sitting at 12 or 12.2ish...but the lights are strong and the truck has no issues starting or cranking

could it be a bad battery?

[biggy238]

How are you checking all of your voltages?
And yes, I would check for a bad battery

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[BigPapa]

Where are the batteries located on the truck? How far from the alternator?

[dieselbeef]

under the drivers door in a slide out compartment...im checking them with a Milton load tester. also there are 3 gauges in the truck ..the one on the odometer..andaftermarket for the ambulance..and one that's plugged into a power outlet for our charging devices..all are pretty close but I'm going by the Milton

its a strange setup since it was ambulance. it goes to a block on top of the engine and then to a disconnect then to batterys..ill get some pics..seems odd. taking the cables off and checking water and then each batt individually after I charge them....gonna be a pita..

[BigPapa]

I asked because we used to do all the repairs for our county EMS ambulances, most were 7.3, 6.0, and the 6.4 Fords. We had several that had very long runs of cables that were too small and were losing voltage. We replaced them with the appropriate gauge cables, problem solved. It amazed me how much voltage drops on a 15 foot cable that’s two or three sizes too small.

[dieselbeef]

so I'm checking along the wires and all the connections and I realize if I ground it to the engine I get 13.6...if I ground it to the chassi I get 12.1...sooo..I start chasing grounds now..find the main battery ground not very tight and kinda rusty under the bolt. took it off..ground it clean..cleaned the terminals and poof! 13.2 to 13.6 at idle...stays clost to 13.1 on a 10 mi quik trip..i think I got it....beats the 11.8 I was getting!

on another note. I dipped the tanks and the fuel is clear green...so the oil useage isn't the injector o rings...its just the rings I imagine...a qt every hundred miles or so? hardly anything come out of the roadtube....not enough to see even..or when I pull the dipstick..just don't seem like 285k is enough to wear out this engine....but at this point..ill just add oil...

I even got the air horns working by just hooking the compressor up and letting them blow for a minute or 2 a cpl times..now they work too....time to unload the pos....lol

[dieselbeef]

this f'n gutless pos ..why..why did I buy this heap of smoking dung.....was gonna be the end all hauler for me..air ride..auto..med duty...instead its a slow ass pos with less power than my 02 ram...bout the same mileage..the cummins don't use any oil..the fl pos uses about a gallon every 500....at twice the fuel expense

so I changed the belts..tensioner....cleaned the rad with degreaser..pressure washer..didn't take it out but Im pretty sure it isn't got any kinda clogs for airflow...

poc wont go over 60mph without getting hot..at 60 on flat ground ambient air bout 80 degrees it is over 200 degrees coolant....65 itll go 210....and slowly keep goin to about 220 til I slow down to 55 or so..itll get back to about 200 210 then and I can get back to 60..run any faster the temp just keeps going to the 225 mark..so I just drive slower...

f that crap...thermostats next but I need to be able to run 65 70...

is this truck really this sorry that the pickup will outpull it..the camper is over 12000 lbs...itsw only marginally taller than the truck....empty..itll run like hell and not get hot..doing any work it got nothing

its really frustrating whena 3500 dodge rolls by with a 40 ft triple axle fifth wheel toyhauler with a boat behind it...towing dbls...and goes by me at 70 when im in the slow lane like a pig doing 55

[biggy238]

Rad needs cleaned znd injectors need orings (or replaced)

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[4x4dually]

Tow words....sell…..it.

Find something with a real motor. Ya, that sucks, and I feel for ya. You can polish and polish but you'll still have a turd.

[4x4dually]

Originally Posted by J-Pipes

Could always follow Jory's lead and swap an 8.3 Cummins into it!

From page 1.

[mhuggler]

Originally Posted by dieselbeef

this f'n gutless pos ..why..why did I buy this heap of smoking dung.....was gonna be the end all hauler for me..air ride..auto..med duty...instead its a slow ass pos with less power than my 02 ram...bout the same mileage..the cummins don't use any oil..the fl pos uses about a gallon every 500....at twice the fuel expense

so I changed the belts..tensioner....cleaned the rad with degreaser..pressure washer..didn't take it out but Im pretty sure it isn't got any kinda clogs for airflow...

poc wont go over 60mph without getting hot..at 60 on flat ground ambient air bout 80 degrees it is over 200 degrees coolant....65 itll go 210....and slowly keep goin to about 220 til I slow down to 55 or so..itll get back to about 200 210 then and I can get back to 60..run any faster the temp just keeps going to the 225 mark..so I just drive slower...

f that crap...thermostats next but I need to be able to run 65 70...

is this truck really this sorry that the pickup will outpull it..the camper is over 12000 lbs...itsw only marginally taller than the truck....empty..itll run like hell and not get hot..doing any work it got nothing

its really frustrating whena 3500 dodge rolls by with a 40 ft triple axle fifth wheel toyhauler with a boat behind it...towing dbls...and goes by me at 70 when im in the slow lane like a pig doing 55

D64BEE87-68BB-4391-95E0-2ECA332FAD52.jpeg
When you change the thermostat, dump two of these in the cooling system and run the tar out of it for an hour. Run it/flush it afterwards until she drains clear. I also remember you saying that it has a thermostatic-viscous fan clutch. I would definitely replace that; they only lock up 70% even when they’re new. As far as the oil consumption goes, I know you checked the fuel already but it really is usually the fuel injectors.

[biggy238]

Originally Posted by mhuggler

Attachment 74601

When you change the thermostat, dump two of these in the cooling system and run the tar out of it for an hour. Run it/flush it afterwards until she drains clear. I also remember you saying that it has a thermostatic-viscous fan clutch. I would definitely replace that; they only lock up 70% even when they’re new. As far as the oil consumption goes, I know you checked the fuel already but it really is usually the fuel injectors.

I like to leave the tstats out during a flush. I also try to pull a hose that's low on the cooling system to dump it rapidly.

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[J-Pipes]

Why would it pull better than your Dodge? I'd venture a guess the Dodge has a bit more power being modified. Now I'm sure this thing handles the load much better, but remember, you went down on power.
I still say if you really think you need more than the Dodge, go single axle big truck.
Same suggestions hold for this as the Dodge, compounds, and p-pump FTW!

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[4x4dually]

Originally Posted by J-Pipes

Why would it pull better than your Dodge? I'd venture a guess the Dodge has a bit more power being modified. Now I'm sure this thing handles the load much better, but remember, you went down on power.
I still say if you really think you need more than the Dodge, go single axle big truck.
Same suggestions hold for this as the Dodge, compounds, and p-pump FTW!

Ya, I agree, I bet the dodge pulls better.....but the issue isn't pulling...it's stopping and handling in emergency maneuvers.

[dieselbeef]

if it would run 70 without overheating id be happy enough with it...the oil consumption is down the road..i can live with it for now..

the front brakes are getting grabby too...

I figure if tis don't do it for the over heating ill put it out front for 22500$. maybe some Mexican will buy it

[dieselbeef]

called freightliner today in tampa..my gawd they are stupid..gave em the vin..still told me it has an air clutch and it doesn't call for a thermostatic option..wtf! geezus..the cat dealer said it is unavailable...they didn't say which one it was the number for...791071 is an air clutch....ser is 8yl72401 vin is 1fvabpak21hh40957

[jfaulkner]

Without digging through 300+ posts, air fan clutch is the only way to fly. The viscous hubs are complete chit, local fuel company had one in an IH with a Maxxforce (which is a turd with diarrhea filling) but it would always overheat. Replaced it twice and made no change. They ended getting a new Kenworth which amazingly doesn’t overheat and doesn’t need pulled with a rope to start.

[dieselbeef]

its 700$ plus core I don't have...I don't wanna reinvent the pos..just drive it