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Radiator How long do they last

RadiatorHow long do they last I have 21 year old Motorcoach and planning a trip across Canada and returning back By way of United States  should I have the radiator replaced the age is there and how big of a job is it to replace it is it more that a days job
Rick & Hilda looking forward to full- timing one day for now couple of months at a time
1999 U270 3602
Built number  5530.  Feb 1999            Motorcade  number 18438
8.3 Cummins Allison six speed with brake  retarder
Purchased Nov 28 2019

Re: Radiator How long do they last

Reply #1 –
Way too many variables for there to be a specific answer.

If driven on salted roads or parked near the ocean, the outside fins can rot.

If coolant is not changed as it should be, they can rot from the inside.

In some cases, if they start seeping from the ends, the bolts can be re-torqued and will stop the leak.

Best advice is to look closely at the radiator (and CAC as well-- including its welds where it is bolted to the chassis) to determine its condition.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Radiator How long do they last

Reply #2 –
I'm with Brett. Just take a good look at it. I've had one that leaked. Tightening the bolts and adding Barr's Leak fixed it. Also have one with rotten fins. It doesn't leak and doesn't get hot. My advice: If it doesn't leak and the engine's not overheating, you're good to go. Regarding the cost, there are a number of threads here that discuss that but you'll be in for several thousand for sure. A couple of guys here have done their own. I admire those guys. Too much for me.
jor

Re: Radiator How long do they last

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Cape Bretoner –
RadiatorHow long do they last I have 21 year old Motorcoach and planning a trip across Canada and returning back By way of United States  should I have the radiator replaced the age is there and how big of a job is it to replace it is it more that a days job

Radiators don't fail catastrophically, you always get some warning and the ointment of your choice will allow you to continue onward, be it pepper packets from McDonald's fast food or something from the auto parts store.  Unless you allow them to freeze.

In 2014, in preparation for our move to somewhere warmer, I took our ice damaged radiator from our 1986 P30 chassie'd Rockwood to my favorite guy in Bow, NH and asked him to resolder the tank and rod out the core.  When I picked it up I was told the core was fine.  That radiator was 28 years old.

My current project is a 1968 Siata Spring with Fiat 850 mechanicals, and that 50 plus year old radiator is in fine shape as is the heater core. Not to mention the radiators in our 1983 and 1986 motorcycles.  Well I had Ron Rondeau clean the '86 because of build up from poor antifreeze.

I can understand where you're coming from after the little incident with the rear bulk head and the sub frame, but I imagine that's all behind you now for a good long time.

Now is the time to enjoy the ride.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Radiator How long do they last

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Old Toolmaker –
Radiators don't fail catastrophically, you always get some warning and the ointment of your choice will allow you to continue onward, be it pepper packets from McDonald's fast food or something from the auto parts store.  Unless you allow them to freeze.

In 2014, in preparation for our move to somewhere warmer, I took our ice damaged radiator from our 1986 P30 chassie'd Rockwood to my favorite guy in Bow, NH and asked him to resolder the tank and rod out the core.  When I picked it up I was told the core was fine.  That radiator was 28 years old.

My current project is a 1968 Siata Spring with Fiat 850 mechanicals, and that 50 plus year old radiator is in fine shape as is the heater core. Not to mention the radiators in our 1983 and 1986 motorcycles.  Well I had Ron Rondeau clean the '86 because of build up from poor antifreeze.

I can understand where you're coming from after the little incident with the rear bulk head and the sub frame, but I imagine that's all behind you now for a good long time.

Now is the time to enjoy the ride.
thanks for the information and yes the bulkhead project is complete we also change all the fuel lines coach and generator and went over it from one end to the other all looks fine and very happy with the job I would like to post pictures of the job but can't figure out How to post more than one picture at a time thank  for all the information that you all give me in the last few weeks it made the job a lot more easier and interesting to tackle it turned out to be a learning experience and in joyed it
Rick & Hilda looking forward to full- timing one day for now couple of months at a time
1999 U270 3602
Built number  5530.  Feb 1999            Motorcade  number 18438
8.3 Cummins Allison six speed with brake  retarder
Purchased Nov 28 2019

Re: Radiator How long do they last

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Cape Bretoner –

  I would like to post pictures of the job but can't figure out How to post more than one picture at a time.


That's easy to trouble shoot.  Check the size of your photographs.

"Allowed file types: doc, gif, jpg, mpg, pdf, png, txt, zip, xls, bmp, jpeg, docx, xlsx, pptx, mp3, aiff, m4a
Restrictions: 10 per post, maximum total size 49,152 KB, maximum individual size 49,152 KB"

I hope you have a sense of humor on this rainy Sunday here.

I know you're Canadian and all Metric so I'll explain the American measurement units.

K = Kilo = 1,000  KB means either Katherine Becker, a motorcycle friend or Kilo Bytes.

Mega, I  don't know why, means million 1,000,000.  It should be MM for mille mille but it doesn't.

So the American English is trying to say that you can have 1 photograph of 49,152,000 bytes or as many as 10 photographs of 4,915,200 bytes each.  Check my math, I did it in my head.  You can ask Lynn my partner about my facility with decimals.

Congratulations on the successful basement re-build!
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Radiator How long do they last

Reply #6 –
A good telltale when looking for an RV to purchase is radiator rot. Lots of rot may mean a lot of other problems down the like like bulkhead problems. Our radiator is OEM 1993 and looks like new with zero rot so check it yourself by pulling the cover off.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)