Charge Air Cooler - recore or replace with a different model?

[belfert]

My charge air cooler has three cracks and is not repairable.  I can no longer get a new charge air cooler as they are no longer made and inventory is exhausted.

A local radiator shop will cut the tanks off and weld in a new core for $1,400 to $1,500.  Clifford mentioned he doesn't like doing recores on CACs.  I could get a new CAC for a truck and rework the piping and mount for less money, but a lot of work.  I would get something that should be available if I need new again down the road.

Any opinions on a recore versus replacing with a different model?

[Dave5Cs]

A lot of work, but only once.

[belfert]

A lot of work, but only once.

The thing is, am I going to be spending $500 to $600 to replace my CAC every few years?  I don't know if a recore would be any better.

The radiator shop I took my CAC to for testing last week had repaired the CAC in 2006 when I first got the bus.  (They put a plate on the CAC to identify it and still had the records of the repair.)  Back then the leaks were in totally different spots and were repairable.  I suspect the CAC has been cracked for a number of years as I don't recall ever seeing above about 17 PSI of boost.

I am guessing it would take me two to three months of weekends to find a CAC that would work and then to do all the fabrication work to properly mount a different CAC.

[belfert]

Is there a good reason not to recore?  It would save me at 100 hours of research and fabrication, but might cost more for a recore than changing to a different CAC.

My current CAC is about 29" tall and 27" wide.  If I do a replacement can anyone recommend a replacement CAC that should be available long term if I need another one?

[DoubleEagle]

The CAC on my 94 Eagle with Series 60 is 29" H and 21" wide, so you might be able find one that works well enough that is smaller. Why yours is bigger I don't know, but mine is for a 470 hp engine (12.7L). Having one that does not leak, even if it is smaller, will be a gain.

[luvrbus]

Call Bher Dayton in Canton SD 605-764-1283,also there is a place Tulsa OK that fab you one and they are fair on the price but I forgot the name they did TomC's CAC if I remember right,A 100 hrs may be a little high on the install though 

[belfert]

I don't think 100 hours is high at all if I have to build mounts for a different CAC and then rework all the piping.  My fabrication skills are non-existent.  I have a welder, but don't know how to use it.  I will probably have 20 hours just into research on which CAC to buy.

A number of years back I spent probably 100 hours just fixing an oil leak from the oil cooler on my Series 60.

[belfert]

Call Bher Dayton in Canton SD 605-764-1283,also there is a place Tulsa OK that fab you one and they are fair on the price but I forgot the name they did TomC's CAC if I remember right,A 100 hrs may be a little high on the install though 

Behr Dayton sold the Canton, SD plant to Adams Thermal Systems back in 2003.  Behr Dayton still has a plant in Ohio.  I'll send a PM to TomC about his CAC.

[luvrbus]

Match the CFM and the CAC shouldn't be hard to replumb, MCI DL3 have CAC about that size

[TomC]

Roadhouse Manufacturing.

[belfert]

Roadhouse Manufacturing.

Did they do custom or just a standard charge air cooler? 

I contacted Roadhouse and they say they can fix just about any CAC without a recore.  I might send it out to them next Spring.  My big concern is will it just crack again in another area if they repair it?

[chessie4905]

I would think the cracking would come from being too ridigly mounted. Maybe the mounts need added cushioning to avoid the issue. Unless the air flow throught it sets up stress vibration.

[luvrbus]

I would think the cracking would come from being too ridigly mounted. Maybe the mounts need added cushioning to avoid the issue. Unless the air flow throught it sets up stress vibration.

They crack even mounted in rubber I don't understand why someone cannot build a CAC that doesn't crack,the plastic ones last about 2 years for 600 bucks,Prevost CAC are terrible about leaking   

[chessie4905]

Eliminate it and use water injection

[robertglines1]

ok  $$$ tight old man here! JB weld has worked great for many years. Hasn't failed yet. You dealing with inside pressure to out worse could happen it blows out ward.