Driving my 96 Dodge Ram CTD home today, sitting an an intersection and CLUNK. Engine shuts off like the key was turned.
Fires right up and runs fine so I keep driving.
Mile down the road and I notice the A/C is no longer cold. Check the gauges, generator light is on and water temp is moving up. I figure I threw the belt off or something.
Pull over at the next convenient location, and notice that the pulley on the waterpump pulley is GONE! That was the clunk. Cummins engines have a pressed on flat water pump pulley driven off the back side of the serpentine belt. Serpentine belt is shredded.
I call up my buddy who I get parts from, about 2 seconds before he leaves work to tell him the water pump I got from him E36 M3 the bed. Its a remanned unit, so no real surprise there.
So he goes, pulls the higher grade water pump off the shelf and a serpentine belt and says "They will be in the parts runner truck in back with an invoice. Come by some time and settle up."
I call AAA (AAA Gold for the win!) get the wrecker to come, tow it home, hop in the Corvette and run to his store 5 minutes from my house. There in the back of the parts truck is a new belt, new water pump, and a gallon of antifreeze. Good thinkin, buddy!
Get home, get the new water pump in (2x 13mm bolts and 1x 10mm to bolt to move a wire out of the way, love my Cummins) and am back on the road. Total time was 1:45 from on the hook to back on the road.
Lessons learned: 1. Cheap parts are not a bargain. To be fair I knew this but the Jew in me hates spending money wherever possible. 2. Keep your friends close, and your friends that work at parts stores closer. I owe him a beer or 2!
