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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: lvmci on April 04, 2018, 07:26:24 AM

Title: MCI split radiator syndrome
Post by: lvmci on April 04, 2018, 07:26:24 AM
Hi All, I  was heading out of LV, in my MCI102C3 west over the SpringMountains ( this was the old Spanish Trail), on  a overpass of the rail road, when the temperature gauge shot up to 200° in no time flat. I put the sprayers on, pulled off and opened to see the fan belt flopping around loosely between the bottom of the engine and the pulley of the gear box, I think mitre box is the wrong terminology, between the two squirrl cage fans. Clifford had warned me that we needed to fix the crack at the center of the air box above the engine. The previous weld didn't hold, which is a common and failing repair of inexperienced mechanics, which Clifford and Gilbert of G&R, said they've had to repair. The big 9' fan belt puts tremendous pressure on the top pulley pulling it down, cracking the structure of the box in the middle, but also reducing the grip of the fan belt and consequently the speed of the two fans and the cooling of the engine. Fortunately it will be repaired this week, which requires pulling the fans, gear box and other parts to empty the air box to repair the stress crack,  Clifford puts gussets to strengthen the bottom frame, my thoughts are MCI should have done this on all split system radiators, as it is such a common problem, lvmci...
Title: Re: MCI split radiator syndrome
Post by: Boomer on April 04, 2018, 11:30:34 AM
Hope ya got a forklift available.  Easy to pull the whole assy. then.
Title: Re: MCI split radiator syndrome
Post by: PitRatPaddy on April 04, 2018, 10:07:07 PM
Sorry to hear that friend. Will you still make it out to the rally "over the hump?"
Title: Re: MCI split radiator syndrome
Post by: lvmci on April 05, 2018, 06:14:15 AM
Hi Paddy, drove my car in last evening, sorry I missed you, taking bus in today to rebuild fan box, lvmci...
Title: Re: MCI split radiator syndrome
Post by: gumpy on April 06, 2018, 03:57:41 PM
Post some photos if you can. This is the first time I've heard of this cracking issue. Would like to see an example so I know what to look for.
Title: Re: MCI split radiator syndrome
Post by: lvmci on April 06, 2018, 05:47:13 PM
Hi Gumpy, tried to, but was unsuccessful, put it on MCI bus conversions on Facebook, lvmci...