Most any solvent will work. Brake clean is generally softer than carb cleaner, mineral spirits will work too.

Not really, the seal has a rubber bellows that will be deteriorated by the oil. This rubber bellows is what usually fails when a water pump starts to leak.

Have a look at my post 3 and 4 http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/vintage-mercedes/372819-4-5-water-pump-durability.html

In the old days, 50's and prior, some water pumps had a grease fitting or oil cup for the bearings but not the seal.

I'll pull the belt, rotate all the pulleys to see if they go smooth.
Clean the belt, clean the pulleys, cross sand the tensioner pulley. Grease the tensioner pulley shaft, and take the gloss off the back side of the belt.

get back to you later.

While you're in there, I would take a close look at the belt tensioner spring. They do occasionally fail or over stretch.

Since this is a serpentine belt setup, grab your various pulleys and tensioners and see if there is any "slop" in the shafts. If there is, it can cause the pulley to be very slightly out of alignment when the belt is tensioned. The result is usually squealing or chirping. Tight/stiff pulleys due to failing bearings are another frequent cause of squeals on a serpentine setup, you're looking for something that's causing drag.

How do I tell if its stretched.

I will post a pic.

the belt does sit a little close to the outside edge of the tensioner pulley.
I'll take a pic and post.


I think I got that pulley just off the shelf at local parts place(commercial place not pep boys).
If I can find the old pulley should I put it back on? I bought that one from Pelican in January 2014?

Honestly. this might have been my only initial problem..

OK. First off. The belt on the tension sits positioned toward the front of the pulley. It actually extends over the edge by the width of less than a penny.
But it looks like it did that on the original pulley which I found and it shows a grease line where the belt sat. .
Here is a picture. The first two are the Flennor one installed. The third picture is the one I replaced, bought from pelican parts in jan 2014 shows how belt sat on that.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...?dl=1508518369

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...?dl=1508518254

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...?dl=1508518369

Here is a pic of my spring on a measuring tape. It is MB original. Is it correct length? Roughly 8 1/4 inches
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...?dl=1508518254

Can should I space the tensioner pulley outward to cover that 1/8 of an inch overhang
 

Can should I space the tensioner pulley outward to cover that 1/8 of an inch overhang?

OK. I pulled the new Fenner tensioner pulley and compared to the INA one I took off a few months back.
they are the exact same thickness. The new one spins more freely. The old one spins a few times when I roll it. the New one 4 or five times.
I think I'm gonna go with the new one unless someone has a better idea.

There is no slop in any of the pulleys. they all spin freely but the engine pulley.
the alternator makes a very slight squeak, but spins freely other wise.
The water pump pulley made a slight scraping noise that sounded like it was from where the pulley contact the pump. I cleaned that off and gave it a squirt of oil. (NOT IN THE HOLE) and the scraping sound went away. It turns a revolution of two when I spin it.

A good bearing on a pulley will NOT freewheel. It should feel smooth and "creamy" and make no noise, but if spun, should stop pretty well immediately. If it keeps on coasting, the bearing is toast. Something like an alternator that has some mass to it is another story, but a tensioner pulley should NOT freewheel.

Chris, the link in your Post #4 is for the fan clutch, not the fan clutch bearing bracket to which the fan clutch attaches. By the way never buy any URO parts because they are Chinese junk. Grab the fan clutch and check for excess play or wobble in the fan clutch bearing bracket.

There is no play anywhere. Not on the fan clutch pulley. Nothing really freewheels.
The two tensioner pulleys are about the same. The one that was in there no spins the same as the one I took off a month ago.
I washed the belt and cleaned all the pulleys as best I can with a little of this and that and finished off with a wire brush and carb cleaner.
I think I done good.
Moment of truth.