Serpentine belt

[Branson_N_Tucso]

Have a question on how long is a reasonable time to replace the Serpentine belt on a Cat C-7 engine. It's been 28,000 miles since it was last replaced. Had one break and had a bill of $1,999.00 because it locked up the air condition condenser.

Thanks for your recommendations.

[wolfe10]

With a rear radiator, really easier to have someone above AND someone below to get the belt onto the correct grooves of the pulleys.

And, let us know if you do have a separate V belt for the water pump, or like some late model C7's the serpentine belt drives it as well. Remember, the C7 is the evolutionary successor to the Caterpillar 3116 and 3126, both with separate V belts for the water pump.

[bigred1cav]

Thank you, the belt is installed via under the bed where the engine is visible?
2001 Freightliner Fleetwood Bounder

sailor_lou wrote:
My C7 has a single serpentine belt that also spins the water pump. Even with my rear radiator setup I can change it myself in about 15-20 minutes and the only tool needed is a 1/2" drive ratchet to move the tensioner. Actually the most difficult part is removing all the "stuff" (my wife's clothes, shoes and the cat's bed) out of the rear closet to open the hatch in the floor.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

[sailor_lou]

My C7 has a single serpentine belt that also spins the water pump. Even with my rear radiator setup I can change it myself in about 15-20 minutes and the only tool needed is a 1/2" drive ratchet to move the tensioner. Actually the most difficult part is removing all the "stuff" (my wife's clothes, shoes and the cat's bed) out of the rear closet to open the hatch in the floor.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

[FIRE_UP]

bigred1cav wrote:
Where do ou have it installed and at what labor costs?

FIRE UP wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
We've owned our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP now for 8 years and have put 42,000 on it since we purchased it. And I've changed that Serpentine belt and the water pump belt TWICE in that time frame. Those belts are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cheap to try and stretch a life span on them especially since we often are on looooooong stretches of baron roads and freeways. So, knowing I've done at least that to help preserve our nice travels, is a great piece of mind.
Scott

If you're asking me about cost and where or who installed the belts? It was ME. I yanked the radiator and CAC and did all the work myself. It was a bit of work but, it's paid off, twice. On our coach, while it's time consuming, it's not all that hard to pull both the radiator and the CAC. Once those are out of the way, the rest is cake.
Scott

[BUB1988]

I replaced both belts on my 2003 Gulf Stream DP with a CAT 330HP with rear radiator.
Takes a 1/2 ratchet to pull down to pull off the serpentine belt. It takes if I remember right a 1/2 socket to loosen the water pump vbelt. It took me probably 2 hours which included running down to the freightliner dealer for the belts. I suspect a repair shop would charge 1.5 - 2 hrs.

[bigred1cav]

Where do ou have it installed and at what labor costs?

FIRE UP wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
We've owned our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP now for 8 years and have put 42,000 on it since we purchased it. And I've changed that Serpentine belt and the water pump belt TWICE in that time frame. Those belts are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cheap to try and stretch a life span on them especially since we often are on looooooong stretches of baron roads and freeways. So, knowing I've done at least that to help preserve our nice travels, is a great piece of mind.
Scott

[FIRE_UP]

wolfe10 wrote:
Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
We've owned our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the CAT C-7 330HP now for 8 years and have put 42,000 on it since we purchased it. And I've changed that Serpentine belt and the water pump belt TWICE in that time frame. Those belts are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cheap to try and stretch a life span on them especially since we often are on looooooong stretches of baron roads and freeways. So, knowing I've done at least that to help preserve our nice travels, is a great piece of mind.
Scott

[Tom_Barb]

My belts and hoses have been in since 2010 look as new (kevlar)

[wolfe10]

Because of the higher heat where the belts are located in a diesel pusher, I would strongly suggest 10 years is twice what I would run.

And very likely on the Caterpillar C7 you have a separate V belt that drives only the water pump. It is NOT on an automatic tensioner, so tension needs to be checked and adjusted occasionally. And, replace this belt when you replace the serpentine belt.

[time2roll]

Yes I believe the primary cost was to replace the compressor and the belt fell victim to the lock up.
+1 for 10 years or 100,000 miles is the expected minimum life of the belt.

[theoldwizard1]

Branson N Tucson wrote:
Have a question on how long is a reasonable time to replace the Serpentine belt on a Cat C-7 engine. It's been 28,000 miles since it was last replaced. Had one break and had a bill of $1,999.00 because it locked up the air condition condenser.

A broken belt will NOT "lock up" an A/C compressor or condenser (a condenser has no moving parts). A locked compressor could cause a broken belt and that could damage a condenser.

In general, serpentine belt are good for 10 years or 100K miles OR MORE !

[FIRE_UP]

Branson N Tucson wrote:
Have a question on how long is a reasonable time to replace the Serpentine belt on a Cat C-7 engine. It's been 28,000 miles since it was last replaced. Had one break and had a bill of $1,999.00 because it locked up the air condition condenser.

Thanks for your recommendations.

Branson,
Yep, me too on "...locked up the air conditioning condenser....". Now, first thing that's needed is:

year/make/model/chassis etc. that we're dealing with here. Lots of coaches were fitted with the C-7 and, in all three versions. The 300, 330 and 350HP versions. Depending on which model coach, length etc, replacing that Serpentine belt might not be too bad. But, on some, it's quite a job. Since 99.999999% of the coaches fitted with the C-7 are rear radiator, as stated, some can be a real bear to work on.

A good RV diesel tech, might be able to have the old belt off and the new one on in as little as 15-20 minutes, again, depending on access to it. But, even the best techs can be thrown for a loop in some of these coaches.
Scott

[Tom_Barb]

replace with the new Kevlar and silicon from NAPA never worry about it again same with Hoses.

[chuckftboy]

Assuming you mean because of a locked up air conditioning compressor, then that is quite a job, If the compressor is driven with the serpentine belt, when it locks up it will distroy the belt no matter how new it is.