Price to recore a MCI9 8v71 radiator??

RickB · March 06, 2009, 12:22:51 PM

Anybody out there rebuild their 8v71 radiator lately? Waiting on a price for the recore just wanted to find out the ballpark I should expect. Also any leads on new or rebuilt radiators? I am imagining they are pretty expensive.

Give me some info so I don't think the sky is falling!!

Rick

luvrbus · March 06, 2009, 12:30:50 PM

No info for you on a MCI recore Rick but a Eagle 4x4x8 tube dimple core it was $1490.00 and that will be about the same area that you have with the 2 good luck

Sammy · March 06, 2009, 12:41:57 PM

Call Diesel Radiator Co for a price....http://www.kellysearch.com/us-company-900599975.html
Prevost Parts - http://www.prevostparts.com/cgi-bin/pages.cgi?page=network
Local truck radiator guy.
Good luck.

lostagain · March 06, 2009, 05:50:27 PM

Just had mine done this winter: Cdn$2000 for about 3' X 3'.

JC

johns4104s · March 06, 2009, 07:13:35 PM

I recored my radiator on my 4104. I had them add two more rows of tubes, I unbolted the tanks of the old Rad, bolted them on the new one. Total cost $850.00 This is a lot smaller than your rad.

John

luvrbus · March 06, 2009, 07:30:43 PM

Rick, maybe worth a call to Altas Radiator in Corpus Christi Tx that is were I got the best deal by far.I know they have Eagle cores in stock ready for shipment. good luck

buswarrior · March 06, 2009, 07:35:16 PM

I'd be thinking that there may be modest savings in these troubled times, to those who know how to get them.

The traffic of regular customers will be off the pace.

Stand firm, a busnut may be regarded as a cash cow, and they'll fleece your inexperienced backside to pay this month's rent in one shot.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

JohnEd · March 06, 2009, 09:35:42 PM

I thought the "hot shop" was in Chicago or therabouts. I think they made the rads for MCI but were way cheaper than the OEM.

I got some solid advice for you however: Get the really big 8V92 rad with the new space age dimpled tubes that really hike the capacity. You pay that extra money once. Then you run your fans slower and use a thermostat thingy that cheats the squirrel cages when the engine is cool. You can save a bunch on the HP and MPG needed to "fan" the engine and that reduced cost just goes on and on. A Knut on here did that on his Eagle(I think) and he also added a aerodynamic modern fan and a temp controlled fan drive and a really huge radiator for his use. Got 1.5 mpg boost by moving less than half the air and then not even always.

Food for thought?

John

BG6 · March 06, 2009, 11:35:55 PM

Quote from: RickB on March 06, 2009, 12:22:51 PM
Anybody out there rebuild their 8v71 radiator lately? Waiting on a price for the recore just wanted to find out the ballpark I should expect. Also any leads on new or rebuilt radiators? I am imagining they are pretty expensive.

I would call the tour outfits in your area, find out who they have or had doing radiators for their MCI 9s. It isn't unheard of for a shop to have a "stray dog" -- a leftover part from a model no longer popular, that they will cut a deal on just to get their money back out of it.

Also, if there are any wrecking yards with big trucks and buses, you might be able to find a used one in good shape. I dunno about the MCI 9, but some buses use the same radiators (or cores) as some commercial trucks. If you have bolt-on headers (tanks), you might find the right core on a Mack or a Freightliner. You never know -- but if you find out, post the info here for the next guy.

JackConrad · March 07, 2009, 04:51:05 AM

Quote from: BG6 on March 06, 2009, 11:35:55 PM
If you have bolt-on headers (tanks), you might find the right core on a Mack or a Freightliner. You never know -- but if you find out, post the info here for the next guy.

The MC7,8,9 series of buses use 2 smaller radiators (one on each side), I have not seen any truck radiators small enought to fit in the available space on these models. Jack

Hartley · March 07, 2009, 10:52:00 AM

I got new cores for my MC9 from
http://www.generalradiator.com/

Better than the original.

You have to tell them it's and MC9 with dual radiators,
they have the specs at their shop.

The hard part was changing the tanks off the old ones
and re-installing them on the new cores. Many Many Bolts
and holes to drill. Some fiddling with broken bolts too.

Mine were $750 for the pair delivered by Fedex in 3 days.

Takes a few tools, busted knuckles, drill bits and patience
and can be done in about 5 hours of cussing....

Dave....

RickB · March 07, 2009, 03:30:26 PM

Dave,

How long ago did you buy those cores???

I'm hoping it was fairly recent because that is definitely the way I'm going if they are reasonable

Thanks everyone for the info

Hartley · March 07, 2009, 03:51:38 PM

Oh.. I almost forgot.

You should probably count how many tubes your old radiators have.
It's probably 4 or 5 tubes. The new ones can have up to 7 tubes and still fit into the top and bottom existing tanks.

Mine were for a 6V92TA with automatic. I actually had too much cooling after the change and had to hook the shutters back up to keep the engine warmed up decently. Couldn't get over 150 degrees on a hot day which is too cold for a detroit... I made a 4 hour climb up signal mountain pulling 10,000 lbs of trailer and my water inlet temperature measured at the intake of the pump never went above 157 degrees and the engine temps held right at 190 degrees. I pushed so hard that I actually rolled backward when my foot slipped off the pedal. 1st gear wide open at 10 mph in places...scary ride.. Never trust a GPS on the first try on unknown roads..(at night!!!)..

My originals were 5-tube and the new ones were 6 + tubes (7 in places).

artglass · March 07, 2009, 04:59:51 PM

i got mine from american radiator in chicago, need to know haow many bolts accross the end , and on sides, total # of bolt holes , measurement of the core , they punch the holes and give you the gasket material to bolt on your tanks, i think mine were about 400 each about 2 years ago. they will build them up usually the same day, ship ups.
Kevin