Need a new radiator please help

Topic: Need a new radiator please help (Read 2583 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #25 – August 14, 2018, 01:35:39 pm

Quote from: John44 – August 14, 2018, 12:47:25 pm

Did'nt Alchemist have the 454 maybe he will chime in.The way that it split tells me there may be other problems besides a radiator,
any chance you can purchase a towing plan to get it to where it goes?

The day it broke down on the side of the freeway, we called a towing company. And, it wasn't cheap! It is currently at my mother's house. Waiting to get the radiator fixed, so that we could drive it to the mobile park. Hopefully soon.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #26 – August 14, 2018, 01:38:52 pm

Quote from: Protech Racing – August 13, 2018, 10:20:44 pm

Looks like Chevy 454 . tT the rad should be the same or similar to 1990 P30 step van. Gogleate it and compare pictures. It should not be too expensive.

It does look like it. But, that one is for a 5.4L and mine is a 7.4L.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #27 – August 14, 2018, 01:44:13 pm

Stephanie,
If it fits the only difference will be the cooling capacity. If it is just going to be parked it would be fine.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #28 – August 14, 2018, 02:14:54 pm

Quote from: Prsteffy206 – August 14, 2018, 01:35:39 pm

The day it broke down on the side of the freeway, we called a towing company. And, it wasn't cheap! It is currently at my mother's house. Waiting to get the radiator fixed, so that we could drive it to the mobile park. Hopefully soon.

I wish you luck in this endeavor.
Are you sure the mobile park is even willing to let you park this coach there? Many parks have age and/or condition guidelines.
There was a reason the radiator "split wide open". It was most likely "pressure" caused by heat. JB Weld is capable of making a temporary repair of things like that. If you can get the radiator to hold distilled water or coolant, you can make the 45 minute trip by watching the engine temperature gauge and stopping to let the engine cool off if necessary. Leaving the radiator cap off will allow you to travel without building up pressure in the radiator.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #29 – August 14, 2018, 03:53:41 pm

There appears to be something like 25 tubes that are completely separated from the tank. With this much damage you surly have some major pressure getting into the cooling system. The radiator cap either didn't open and relieve the pressure or there was more pressure than what it could handle. In either case you must have major leak from the compression side of the engine to the cooling side. By looking at these pics. a new radiator is not going to fair any better. If you do put a junk yard radiator in and leave the cap loose you might make the trip, might not. If you are going to have the coach set up permanently you may be money ahead to just tow it to it's final resting spot.

Pamela & Mike

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #30 – August 14, 2018, 04:52:03 pm

My heart is breaking. I was just trying to do a good deed and it turned into a nightmare.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #31 – August 14, 2018, 05:05:49 pm

How far did you drive it before the radiator blew? One of the less expensive ones online you found will do as good or better as far as distance and you can leave the cap loose to keep it from happening again.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #32 – August 14, 2018, 05:07:21 pm

There is an old saying ..... I believe it to be true.

"No good deed goes unpunished"

But..... it will all work out, it always does for those who don't give up.

You are doing the right thing and once this setback is over, you will have comfort in knowing you did what you thought was best.

Repair or replace with a good used radiator, install a new cap and watch your gauges closely. Get to your destination and take the rest one step at a time.

Wish you luck.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #33 – August 14, 2018, 05:16:39 pm

Quote from: craneman – August 14, 2018, 05:05:49 pm

How far did you drive it before the radiator blew? One of the less expensive ones online you found will do as good or better as far as distance and you can leave the cap loose to keep it from happening again.

We drove it about an hour away and that's when it broke down. I'm sad to think that maybe the seller knew about these issues and assured me that it was a smooth machine.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #34 – August 14, 2018, 05:46:06 pm

Quote from: Prsteffy206 – August 14, 2018, 05:16:39 pm

We drove it about an hour away and that's when it broke down. I'm sad to think that maybe the seller knew about these issues and assured me that it was a smooth machine.

A motorhome is a complicated piece of machinery and many things can go wrong, especially if the operator is not familiar with all the systems involved. Losing power can cause a total loss of braking and steering ability. You need a good mechanic to get you out of this problem.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #35 – August 14, 2018, 05:53:01 pm

And if you ever buy another motorhome, don't even think about driving it without a Road Service policy like https://member.coach-net.com/Renew/default.aspx
It may even be a good idea now, before you try to move this coach again.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #36 – August 14, 2018, 06:15:37 pm

As I briefly mentioned earlier, if just looking for an RV as an inexpensive residence, a motorhome of any kind is NOT the way to go.

A trailer IS.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #37 – August 14, 2018, 06:42:34 pm

Steffanie. at this point you may want to go back to the seller with your disappointment in not being able to get your brother in a home and off the street. If he is an honest seller, he many help with repair or towing.

if he knew there was a problem, he will just blow you off. what do you have to lose at this point.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #38 – August 14, 2018, 06:43:25 pm

Stefanie,

You are trying to do a good deed, and you've got yourself in a bind. You need to find someone with some basic mechanical knowledge to help you out. Surely you have a partner, or relative, or a friend from work...anybody who has worked on cars as a profession or as a hobby. Dealing with this radiator, and any other immediate problems that might arise, is not rocket science. It will just require a little dirty work and some parts chasing. Any halfway competent shade-tree mechanic should be able get you temporarily moving again, without spending a fortune.

The blown-up radiator in your coach could very well NOT be correct for this application, so don't let that confuse the issue. There is no telling who put it in, or where it came from. If you can find a honest mechanic to help you, they can probably examine the way it is mounted and hooked up, and tell right away if it fits properly or was just "forced" into place to make the coach drivable enough to sell.

It shouldn't be hard to get the coach running good enough to get to the camp ground. All you need is a little experienced help!

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #39 – August 14, 2018, 07:00:42 pm

Agree with Chuck-- certainly to the point of getting a more accurate diagnosis of the ROOT CAUSE of the problem.

If it is a blown head gasket or cracked head, investing in a new radiator may be a waste of good money.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #40 – August 14, 2018, 07:17:21 pm

The Roadmaster chassis used the 454 Chevrolet engine and a radiator that is the same as the Dodge motor home chassis so that is why it looks like a dodge radiator.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #41 – August 14, 2018, 08:29:24 pm

I sent Stefanie a pm and told her to pull the dip stick and check the oil, if it was not milky looking, get someone to pull the spark plugs and turn the engine over to see if there is water in the cylinders, if there is engine damage tow to the park.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #42 – August 14, 2018, 10:40:03 pm

One more thing about RV's and overheating. There are some serious mountain grades in the western US and trying to push a heavy motorhome -- or even a car -- up a steep grade creates a lot of heat. To keep from overheating, it will be necessary to get in the right lane, turn on your emergency flashers, shift to a lower gear and slow down.
As you slowly climb the grades, pay attention to the burn marks on the pavement. They were all caused by people who failed to monitor their gauges and overheated their vehicles so severely that they started on fire.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #43 – August 15, 2018, 09:03:57 am

Quote from: Dakota Slim – August 14, 2018, 10:40:03 pm

As you slowly climb the grades, pay attention to the burn marks on the pavement. They were all caused by people who failed to monitor their gauges and overheated their vehicles so severely that they started on fire.

True dat! There is a road off 395 going east into Death Valley, it's called SR 190. I don't know what the % of the pull is, but there are not only splotch marks all the way up, but 50 gal drums of water alongside the pull! We made it fine, but guess what gauge my eyes were on all the way up? Yikes!

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #44 – August 15, 2018, 12:56:34 pm

Just an idea Stefanie but if it were me I would try to trade the MH for a travel trailer.. One that would suit your brothers needs can be had for not much money.. I would list my offer on craigs list and take the first reasonable offer of trade.. My bet is you can get that done before the radiator can be replaced and you can move on, and any friend with a pick up truck can move it for you for nothing.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #45 – August 19, 2018, 09:45:21 pm

Stefanie, I'm sure I'm not the only one who hopes you were able to fix your radiator problem and get your Foretravel to where you wanted it to go. Please give us an update.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #46 – August 19, 2018, 10:43:04 pm

Hi everyone! So, we were able to remove the radiator and took it to a radiator shop. They are quoting me $756 to recore it. I decided to wait. So, currently, I'm looking to see if I can find a replacement. However, this thing is so ancient that I don't think anybody has this radiator anymore. Maybe I can post pictures and someone can help me identify it??

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #47 – August 20, 2018, 08:21:09 am

OK, so a top tank, down flow radiator with "L" shaped mounting brackets on the sides. For a experienced radiator expert (not me), that should help narrow down the search. Kinda unusual top tank design - there are two inlet hose connections on top tank. The one in front is centered and connected to a extended fill point (see photo in original post). The one in back (connection to engine) is on the driver side. Bottom outlet (engine connection) on passenger side. Transmission cooler connections on bottom tank.

Googling...

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #48 – August 20, 2018, 09:51:17 am

There are some sites out there that have radiators you can match up,will try and find them,found them when I was looking for
a replacement for the gen,you could even oversize somewhat,where are you located you could always check another rebuild shop.

Re: Need a new radiator please help

Reply #49 – August 20, 2018, 10:26:38 am

Look around on E bay ;3 Core Performance RADIATOR for 55-58 Chevy-/K-Series Truck/ Pickup/...

700$ is a ripoff IMHO. You should be able to match something up. You might have to use a separate trans cooler but for 2 - 400 $ should be able to solve this.
Post up your zip code and city and I'll check my network for peeps that may be able to help you out.

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