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Another radiator leak!
In Fredericksburg Texas. Radiator leaking. Just had new coolant put in at ETLC over New Years. Drove to Tallahassee and had to put almost two gallons in. Thought last of Air was coming out. Drove all over Florida, across the Gulf Coast, down to Brownsville, up to Austin, and then over to Fredericksburg.
Got to Fredericksburg and noticed fluid on top of battery cover and then inside engine doors. Thought hose from Webasto servicing needed tightening. Then after sitting had coolant on the ground. Took covers off Webasto devices, hoses dry.
Mornings have been mid-30s last week or so.
Then noticed dripping off bottom of radiator. This doesn’t look like an easy fix.
Based on other radiator leaking problems, I’m going to try to tighten the bolts at the bottom of the radiator that I can reach. Are there nuts on the bolts I have to try to hold, or do they thread into the radiator or to a welded nut?
Jeff said my worst case options are either fix radiator or go new. Has any one had long term success with repair. If I can save a stack of Benjamins by repair, I might go that direction. But if it’s only a hand full of buffalos … then new is probably better.
I’m next to the Permian Basin and all the diesel shops are swamped. We’re headed west. I’d like to get to Phoenix if we can get that far. We’re going to be with Hilgers for five or six days and figured Dan and I could swap out the radiator at the RV Resort. Unless someone has a suggestion for a reliable shop.
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81 Replies
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All the bolts have nuts on the other side but many are difficult to get to without taking the fan shroud off.
Make certain that your radiator is really leaking. I had coolant in the same place and was “sure” that the radiator was leaking. It was not. The overflow hose from the cap goes to the same general location. I overfilled during a coolant change and some coolant was pushed out when the engine reached full operating temps.
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On a previous coach the fins and tubes were damaged by corrosive salts from the roads so instead of buying a new one, I had the original recored.
I can’t remember who did it, but when it came back it looked new and it was far cheaper than a new one.
I’m sure a Google search will show who and where to get a leaky radiator repaired or recored.
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Just an FYI.
If you head west on 10 you have 380 miles to the split in Van Horn. The only 2 places inbetween are Ozona and Ft Stockton. Nothing out there for long stretches.
Then you have 2 hours to El Paso and another 7 to PHX. So you got alot of trucking if your leaking. I would try and find it, have plenty of water on board and watch my temp.
If it’s bad I would regroup and head up the 2 lane to Prevost in Dallas.
I don’t know who said your next to the Permian Basin but all that activity is NW of you in Midland / Odessa.
Later
bv
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We swapped out our radiator for new (from Prevost) two years ago. Just a couple of suggestions if you do have to remove and replace it…I would not try to replace it in a campground and definitely not without a forklift or tractor with a bucket loader. The radiator is extremely heavy! Plan on snapping off all of the mounting bolts which hold on the interior shroud. Also, we needed a good impact wrench and heat to remove the two large nuts on the bottom mounts.
P.S. Try using a cell phone mounted on a cheap “selfy-stick” to reach in behind the radiator for good, close up pics or video. It works great. Good luck!
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Dick, sometimes I can’t tell if you are kidding!
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I forgot to mention, it is a very tight fit coming out and going back in.
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Dick, You may want to shop around for a new radiator. I was quotes from $2800 to $4500 for a new radiator. My local shop in Princeton Texas found an exact replacement for $2900 + $1200 labor. Darrell
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It has been my experience that fixing a radiator is a waste of time (core repair), and that replacement of the entire radiator or a complete re-core is the best way to go for long life. Unless your radiator has been changed out before, it is pretty old. Just taking it apart and fixing a tube or two stresses the entire core to some extent. You are better off to replace it, especially if you plan to keep the coach for an extended time.
We used to have a radiator shop do repairs on truck radiators years ago, but found out it was better, quicker and less expensive in the long run to just replace them with either an entire assembly or at least a new core if the tanks were in good shape.
If I find a leak, I will replace it. No doubt at all.
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There’s a Stewart Stevenson on the east side of El Paso. I-10 Exit Horizon Blvd. go north approx. 1/2 mile on left.
Mike
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Dan,
Swapping out a radiator in a campground will surely not go well, are you certain you want to visit with Dick?
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Also a Stewart Stevenson right behind you in San Antonio on I 10. Where I took mine in for Blower Seal R&R. They work on coaches. Tommy is the Shop Foreman and a good one. I’m just right North of you if your still in Fredericksburg, if you need a hand and do it yourself. Have a Bobcat Skidsteer or tractor with forks if needed.
Also Texas Custom Coach is due south 40 or 50 miles (Pipecreek Tx.) and Dave, the owner, might be able to help. Just got mine out of there for a Inverter and transfer switch change out.
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Your old radiator is 20 years old now. Leak might be an old and now failed repair.
A new radiator is probably the best choice with long term peace of mind. Replacing in a camp ground will not go well. The picture above showing a lift…might give you hint.
BTW…Your buddy Hilger has a new/new radiator which I wrote the check for shortly after buying the 2000 Marathon H-45.
AL
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Tom, I have people that have people in Phoenix, if Dick could gave made it there, NWIH were we touching wrenches!
Oh and I have to thank Al for all of the money he spent on 591, it’s awesome. Even now, if I have a problem, one call to KC and poof someone shows up, fixes problem and I never see a bill. Best warranty ever, Thanks Al!
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
NIn spite of Dan Hilger’s persistent lobbying to do a field repair in Mesa AZ we’re in Kerrville Texas at Lemeilleur’s RV Truck & Equipment Repair Co., Inc.
The campground in Fredericksburg highly recommended them. I called the shop and talked to the owner. She was very confident on the phone (but not cocky), said they were familiar with diesel pushers, and had lots of experience with radiator problems … both rebuilding and installing new.
So I put five gallons of coolant in to get to 40% of the sight glass (could I have simply used distilled water?) and made the 32 mile trip. It was about 1pm on Friday so I knew we’d spend the weekend. They only allow dry camping outside the fence and I knew I needed fuel for the generator. Looked at two local places close to the shop for diesel but they were difficult to get in. So we made the 10 mile trip on I-10 to Love’s at Comfort, TX. The low coolant probe is in the front of the reservoir so going up the hills the SEL came on and going down it went off. Straight and level it was off, so I knew I was OK. Added two more gallons of coolant at Love’s … lots of coolant dripping off the back flap under the bumper.
Back at the shop the crew examined the engine compartment and found a hole or two in the radiator. What they surmise is that a rock or something got kicked up by the driver side tires, bounced into the engine compartment, and then was pounded against the radiator one, twice, or more times puncturing it. So Monday morning the radiator comes out and goes to the radiator shop in San Antonio for examination and hopefully a full cleaning and repair. If not salvageable, Prevost parts has a radiator in Nashville (Buddy are you at Jeff’s and headed home in a few days?) and one of course in Quebec. (They also have one CAC in Quebec.)
Like a DS I didn’t check the PC Users Map for a maintenance facility in West Central Texas. I thought about going back to San Antonio but that was 90 minutes on shoulderless roads (we’d just done that trip). Prevost Dallas seemed too far (4.5 hours) and Prevost Houston is not on my list. I called Prevost PASS and they gave me two Volvo shops in San Antonio. Both had warned the CSR they were busy.
The shop is very nice, spacious, clean, and owner and the service manager sound knowledgeable. So I think I’m in good hands. Time will tell.
I know Dan is awfully bummed we can’t do this in the fancy Mesa RV resort with a ten year rule. He was concerned about them not letting us do it. I said, “Once we get started, they are stuck. We have to finish.” He did a radiator swap on his older coach and I helped do a P&W R-985 swap on a Beech 18 float plane at the dock in Houghton, Michigan 45 years ago … so I think Dan I could handle it.
Thanks for the responses, suggestions, and recommendations. I’ll keep you posted with the results!
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Question….what flavor anti freeze are you using ?
I think Hilger is off my Christmas card list…
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