Yesterday my guys call me to say the water pump on the 953C (BBX 700-750 series) was leaking coolant out the pulley shaft. I went to my local Cat dealer parts online site and a remanufactured pump with core is $246 and they have one. A new Cat replacement is $453 plus tax. I am planning on replacing the whole water pump with a reman. since the price is not that bad and most of the work is removing other items to gain access, so might as well replace. What is all entailed in replacing the water pump? Plan on removing the rear shroud to gain more working room. Also planning on removing the radiator if we can't get access, since the water pump is on the bottom side of the engine. Anyone done this before? Any advice? Thanks in advance.
I'll email you the Service Manual procedure if you like. Depending on what else has to come off there may be some other things that it would pay you to replace at the same time.
Thanks Nige! I would appreciate it. PM sent. That's what I was thinking as well. Tensioner and other bearings on the fan, etc? The machine has 4200 hours.
I'd check them if nothing else, just to be sure. Approach it with an open mind would be my view, and replace anything that needs it bearing in mind the degree of difficulty to remove that piece at a later date compared to having it accesible right in front of your nose when you are working on the pump. Also keep in mind what I refer to as the "disaster potential" if said part actually lets go .....
Easy job on this machine. You might need to remove the LH battery for access. The only other parts you will need are a couple of O rings and the short hose at the top of the pump. Parts you may want to take along are the belt and tensioner. You won't need to remove the fan drive, shroud or radiator or any of that shenanigans. You'll only need to remove a fan guard if you decide to replace the belt. ( Make sure you get the right belt. They are different depending on if your machine has A/C or not.)
Thanks Cmark! Not being in front or rear in this case of the tractor, I am assuming the worst. My tractor has both batteries on the right side and if I remember correctly, the water pump is on the left side of the machine/engine? The part # for the belt is 224-2636, which is the one equipped with a A/C. It's $102 and original so I plan on changing that as well. Thanks Nige for the info in the email. HEF is such a wealth of information and as my iron ages, you guys really help all of us out. I am not a mechanic but I am learning through "trial by fire". On a side note, the Cat parts interface (customer version) online is a very handy tool and if anyone runs Cat iron, I would highly suggest you get set up to access it.
CM, could you post the website address for the online Cat parts? thanks
JBGASH, this is the portal for my local dealer - http://www.thompsontractor.com/partsandservice/OnlineTools/Pages/OnlineTools.aspx It should be something similar for your dealer. On the main page go to parts and service. Your PSR can set you up or I think you can set your own account up.
CM, you need to keep constant watch on those water pump belts. They are in so low they never get noticed and are always loose. Later Bob
Bob, this machine has a serpentine belt which is in decent shape last time I checked it. Going to replace it while we're in there.
Got the reman pump and replaced it today. Yeah it was easier than I thought, bear in mind I had just finished a BBQ competition and had 4 hours of sleep Friday night sleeping on an air mattress in a motorcycle trailer, after a long week.:dizzy So the location and procedure wasn't so clear in my mind. Anyway the pump came out easily once the alt. was out of the way. The old one in the back of the truck, headed to the cat house to get the core price. The pulley shaft had so much play in it that it was like a pencil in a drinking glass. Also replaced one of the pulley's as it had some slack. The fan hub has some play so I ordered the parts to rebuild it, they should be in Wed/Thur. Going to keep an eye on it as I don't want it to grenade into the fan and radiator. The reman pump came with all the plugs, seals and a gasket (which wasn't needed) for the back plate. We installed the plugs at the parts counter on the reman pump using the old one as a guide to make it easier to install in the field. A 3/8" bolt head fit's nicely in the large allen head plug if you don't have that big of an allen wrench. Redneck ingenuity at it's finest. Thanks for all the advice!:drinkup
Good job CM. Sounds that would have made for a good episode of swamp loggers. Access looks a little tight to the engine on that 953. A belly full of BBQ probably didn't help.