My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Covers engines and transmissions
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chuckster
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:53 pm

My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Post by chuckster »

Happy Friday SFriends,

I hope you’re starting to dig out of the winter and making plans for some trips!

I am getting ready to have some maintenance done on the ‘01 Zanzibar I bought in August. We made a few trips with it but outside of checking that fluid levels were okay I haven’t had any service done. I bought the Allison MD-3060 filter kit and the the synthetic trans fluid and will change that myself with the helpful tips already found here on SafariFriends (thanks for that). I do have some records that came with the coach from the previous owner and it looks like he was fairly diligent about getting some routine service done periodically but never anything beyond that. The water/fuel separator and the secondary fuel filter next to it has a date of 5/2019 and 41K written on it (3K) miles ago. CAT3126B is my power plant.

Sooooo, the purpose of the e-mail is to tap into your thoughts as to what I should have my local CAT Truck shop do on my coach when I take it in given I am not sure what has ever been replaced and when. Here is what I am thinking:

Inspect brake system condition and fluid test
CAC cleaning
Radiator hot tank clean and pressure test
New rad hoses
Rad bung and petcock installed in the crossover tube for easier coolant changes/valve relocated (worth it if not replacing radiator?)
New radiator fan bearing with Viton seals
New regulator (thermostat)
New CAT ELC coolant
Slobber tube installed well below bottom of radiator
Pacbrake lubed
New serpentine belt
New water pump belt
Water pump hose(s)
Water pump?
Check and adjust valve lash
Air filter
Primary and secondary fuel filters
Oil change

I was thinking that while it was apart to just have them replace most hoses and belts and keep the old for emergency spares. They are 41K miles old after all. This will be an expensive maintenance but I think it will be worth it to know that we will be able to hit the road for many more years and miles and hopefully just have filters and fluid changes for a long time to come.

Given the mileage and the unknowns about this coach is there anything else imperative at 41K that I am missing? Opinions on the above are welcome too!

Thanks for all the expertise and help from everyone. I am learning! It will be nice to get to go to an expedition with you all when the COVID cr@p is not so pervasive fear.

Regards,
Chuck & Mitzi
'01 Safari Zanzibar 3646 (side entry)
Cat 3126B / Allison MD3060
Magnum M-Series "Blue Max" chassis
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland toad
stuplich@ymail.com
Posts: 1146
Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2019 8:51 am

Re: My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Post by stuplich@ymail.com »

chuckster wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 9:20 am Happy Friday SFriends,

I hope you’re starting to dig out of the winter and making plans for some trips!

I am getting ready to have some maintenance done on the ‘01 Zanzibar I bought in August. We made a few trips with it but outside of checking that fluid levels were okay I haven’t had any service done. I bought the Allison MD-3060 filter kit and the the synthetic trans fluid and will change that myself with the helpful tips already found here on SafariFriends (thanks for that). I do have some records that came with the coach from the previous owner and it looks like he was fairly diligent about getting some routine service done periodically but never anything beyond that. The water/fuel separator and the secondary fuel filter next to it has a date of 5/2019 and 41K written on it (3K) miles ago. CAT3126B is my power plant.

Sooooo, the purpose of the e-mail is to tap into your thoughts as to what I should have my local CAT Truck shop do on my coach when I take it in given I am not sure what has ever been replaced and when. Here is what I am thinking:

Inspect brake system condition and fluid test
CAC cleaning
Radiator hot tank clean and pressure test
New rad hoses
Rad bung and petcock installed in the crossover tube for easier coolant changes/valve relocated (worth it if not replacing radiator?)
New radiator fan bearing with Viton seals
New regulator (thermostat)
New CAT ELC coolant
Slobber tube installed well below bottom of radiator
Pacbrake lubed
New serpentine belt
New water pump belt
Water pump hose(s)
Water pump?
Check and adjust valve lash
Air filter
Primary and secondary fuel filters
Oil change

I was thinking that while it was apart to just have them replace most hoses and belts and keep the old for emergency spares. They are 41K miles old after all. This will be an expensive maintenance but I think it will be worth it to know that we will be able to hit the road for many more years and miles and hopefully just have filters and fluid changes for a long time to come.

Given the mileage and the unknowns about this coach is there anything else imperative at 41K that I am missing? Opinions on the above are welcome too!

Thanks for all the expertise and help from everyone. I am learning! It will be nice to get to go to an expedition with you all when the COVID cr@p is not so pervasive fear.

Regards,
chuckster
Unfortunately the only sure way to prevent any future coach problems/breakdowns is to sell the coach.

BTW. other than routine maintenance, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" has worked satisfactorily for me.
Mel
'96 Sahara 3530, mine since '01
250 hp 3126 Cat, MD3060 Allison
chuckster
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:53 pm

Re: My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Post by chuckster »

Hi Mel,

I think I’ll keep my coach and take the calculated risk of something breaking. :lol:

I pretty much subscribe to that ‘if it ain’t broke...’ philosophy to a point as well but I know a heck of a lot more about cars but when It comes to a rear pusher motorhome; not so much. I do know that traveling across the country you really hope to not break down in the middle of nowhere where nary a diesel jockey or parts can be found. I do work still unfortunately and usually have plans to go from point A to B on a pre-calculated timeline. I don’t have the luxury of padding my travel itinerary by a week in case something unexpected comes up. I’ve owned a older, used gasoline motorhome of one sort or another for 30 years so I am no stranger to mechanical surprises....many that I took care of myself.

I was looking for guidance on what should be considered while the radiator is removed and out of the way. I really have no idea how good or bad things are for the drivetrain; I just became the owner in August and only did a few trips not too far away. I do understand that the CAC and radiators in these get very nasty dirty due to oil blow by and sucking dirt and grime through the fins to cool that beautiful Cat 3126B. I also understand that 44K miles might be considered barely broken in for a diesel motor and compares with 150k on an automobile. I also realize that this coach is 21 years old now and for 44K miles has either sat an awful lot or has had an odometer issue; not likely given how good the coach looks overall. I am told all the receipts are there from both owners... the second owner who had it for 10 years and put about 20K on it during that time whom I bought it private party from and he lives about 5 miles away. Going through these receipts reveal not much has been replaced due to break/fix...an alternator at about 40K; lucky I guess. The rest were routine oil, A/C maint, generator maint, new batteries, new tires and such.

While I don’t want to drop a ton of money on fixing things that ain’t broke, we plan to keep this beauty for quite awhile and travel pretty extensively in it soon. We’d like this to be our last motorhome...The Keeper! Peace of mind comes at a price and what I am after is doing what SHOULD be done that will invest in its overall reliability for a long time to come AND while I am not quite retired and having much less income in the years ahead. I suppose another option is to buy a bunch of those Cat parts I listed and hoarde them in the coach for the break/fix in the middle of BooniesTown USA so that I have them. I’d rather go into Western States Caterpillar with a list of what I think I’d like done than have them tear it apart and tell me what they’d like to do. :shock:

Always enjoy the input and opinions and glad you are a regular here. Thanks!

Best,
Chuck & Mitzi
'01 Safari Zanzibar 3646 (side entry)
Cat 3126B / Allison MD3060
Magnum M-Series "Blue Max" chassis
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland toad
Fredf
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:31 am

Re: My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Post by Fredf »

I've got the same engine (3126E), 44k miles, water pump went out this past September. Finally found it at a cat dealer. New pump and labor was $1500.
FYI: new water pump part number is, 20R-0586.
The old # in manual will not work and will not cross reference!.
chuckster
Posts: 286
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:53 pm

Re: My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Post by chuckster »

Fredf wrote: Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:06 pm I've got the same engine (3126E), 44k miles, water pump went out this past September. Finally found it at a cat dealer. New pump and labor was $1500.
FYI: new water pump part number is, 20R-0586.
The old # in manual will not work and will not cross reference!.
Hi Fred,

My ‘01 Zanzibar is a Cat 3126B...not the “E”.
Chuck & Mitzi
'01 Safari Zanzibar 3646 (side entry)
Cat 3126B / Allison MD3060
Magnum M-Series "Blue Max" chassis
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland toad
TDJohn
Posts: 552
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2019 11:34 pm

Re: My first maintenance on this 44K mile ‘01 Zanzibar

Post by TDJohn »

It is always best to call CAT and provide them with you engine model and serial numbers, and they will provide the parts or part numbers needed.
John
'95 Serengeti, Cummins C8.3-300
Allison 6spd.
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