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International-9.0
Advanced Member

USA
459 Posts

Posted - 01/26/2017 :  6:13:30 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
This isn't technically a school bus post, but it involves an engine that is probably used by many rear engine models and would have a similar setup. My parents have a large RV (44k GVWR) and it has a 450 hp Cummins ISL. My dad got a low coolant light the other day and noticed his block heater would trip the breaker. The coolant was full, but the wires had been damaged (insulation torn). He fixed the coolant reservoir sensor wires and the problem went away.

Going down the freeway, the light came on again. He decided to ignore it. Then the engine warning alarm came on on the coolant gauge was pegged, but the engine did a protective shutdown. He coasted to the shoulder and checked out the engine. Coolant was still full (other than a little that had blown out), but the serpentine belt had shredded and was gone. So of course, no water pump rotation will cause overheating in a hurry. He got a new belt and everything was fine. However, the RV is only 2 years old with a little more than 12,000 miles. Any idea why the serpentine belt shredded up at such an early age? We checked it when we did a service a few months ago and there were no cracks or anything. It looked brand new.

Has this happened to anybody with an ISL? Perhaps it was damage by a road object or perhaps there are some pulleys that are misaligned.

Thanks for any input!

Jonathan

krmvcs
Advanced Member

362 Posts

Posted - 01/27/2017 :  07:29:17 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Had the same happen to me on one of my ISL's. I always remove the belts to check everything and one time I skipped a rib when I reinstalled it on one of the harder to see pulleys. Just a thought. Remove the belt and check all the pulleys (bearings) and the tensioner, and use a straightedge to check alignment.

-Ken-
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International-9.0
Advanced Member

USA
459 Posts

Posted - 01/28/2017 :  7:27:28 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The belt has not been off except very early on. I think the alternator failed on it when it only had like 1,000 miles on it, but that was so long ago that it would have failed before now if it was a skipped rib. They put a new belt on, but I think it would be wise to check the alignment of things. Perhaps there is a bearing that was occasionally locking up or acting funny. My guess is that there is a misalignment or faulty belt. It obviously started failing in increments as the wiring damage the first time was evidence of that. Of course, he didn't think to check the belt the first time, but now he will know to do this in the future if this starts to occur again. Thanks for the input!
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eddo
Advanced Member

USA
311 Posts

Posted - 01/30/2017 :  10:26:07 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have had a couple of Cummins in my 2016 trucks need belt tensioner pulleys- because the belts were slipping backwards. One of my companies other mechanics gave me the advice to keep a tensioner and belt in stock, they go bad often. My engines are the ISB's, but could be a common issue.
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International-9.0
Advanced Member

USA
459 Posts

Posted - 01/30/2017 :  7:04:05 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the input Eddie. I'm not sure if they use the same tensioner, but it's entirely possible. I guess the biggest thing that bothered me was that we didn't have the belt off and the mileage/age was almost nothing. I will say that the alternator was replaced when the RV was brand new. I think it that happened before the vehicle had 1,000 miles on it. It might have even been on the trip home from the dealer. It was so early on that I don't really think that was related to the belt failure, or it would have happened much sooner than now (but who knows). If we find anything out or it repeats, I'll post any new information here.
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Thomasbus24
Administrator

USA
4544 Posts

Posted - 01/31/2017 :  04:43:06 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Alternator replaced eh? Red flag! Need to confirm the pulley is correct in case the replacement came with a pulley already installed.

Freightliner had a few units in the late 90s that had pulleys for a Cummins installed on the CAT units. The belt would slowly, and I mean slowly wear then all at once it would turn to crap. Took us 2 or 3 events to figure that one out.
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International-9.0
Advanced Member

USA
459 Posts

Posted - 01/31/2017 :  4:56:11 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yeah, perhaps you are right. I just figured that it would have failed before long before 10k miles if it was a misalingment, but maybe it's only slight and the damage was slow. I find it very interesting that you had engines with the wrong pulleys.

Something new that I have learned is that the engine manufacturer really has little to do with the installation. All they do is provide the engine. Most of the other rigging is all chassis provided. The motorhome can only be taken to Freightliner for anything that isn't related to the body. Even if it's an engine problem, my dad cannot take it to Cummins. It must be taken to Freightliner to get warranty work done. Interesting how all that works.
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krmvcs
Advanced Member

362 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2017 :  08:06:23 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
i remembered that i saw something related to your issue in the TBB portal. ill send you an email.

well i cant send the attachment here. you can email me if you like and i can send you the document. it had to do with the tensioner not being installed correctly. same thing might have happened to your rig.

-Ken-

Edited by - krmvcs on 02/01/2017 08:13:28 AM
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International-9.0
Advanced Member

USA
459 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2017 :  6:49:09 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ken, you don't have the option enabled for me to email you through the forum. You should be able to send email through the forum to me, though. If not, my email is jbopp@berry.edu

Thanks,

Jonathan
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International-9.0
Advanced Member

USA
459 Posts

Posted - 02/20/2017 :  4:29:18 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My parents' RV came back from the Freightliner shop. They could find no open TSBs/recalls and they supposedly checked the pulley alignment and said everything was good. Unless it happens again, I guess we can just assume it was a one-time anomaly. If it happens again and something is found out, I'll post that for everybody's reference.
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