New / Replacement radiators - MC9?

plyonsMC9 · July 18, 2017, 10:08:38 AM

Good morning bus folk!

Was about to get my bus back when the shop noticed that the radiators weren't cooling - one of the units in particular was only cooling about 5 degrees. Turns out a lot of the fins were rotted off. Maybe due to so much time spent in Illinois - or just getting old - I did try to always clean the bus thoroughly after each use. $:-\$

Anyways - The only place the shop could get new radiators was a place that would build them new $$$$ - with a 4 week lead time. I tried my usual suspects, Luke, etc., but no go. I _think_ also MCI said they did not have them?

Has anyone had a good experience w/ a supplier of MCI/9 radiators, or am I looking at just used, and rodded out?

I'm working w/ Complete Coach Works (advertised in BCM) and so far they are very helpful with the used parts - they are checking availability. But if new is a possibility I'd like to at least know about it - compare the options, etc., If I do have options.

Thanks as always!

TomC · July 18, 2017, 10:35:27 AM

Find a commercial radiator shop and have the radiators recored with maximum thickness that the top and bottom tank will take. Not cheap, but neither is a burned up engine. Good Luck, TomC

thomasinnv · July 18, 2017, 10:53:15 AM

Try general radiator, they're out east somewhere, warehouses all over the us. They can build you a corr, or a whole new radiator. Usually about a week from order to shipped. Reasonable prices too.

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plyonsMC9 · July 18, 2017, 07:25:47 PM

Thanks gentlemen,

I am still working with Complete Coach Works and they're working hard to locate my smaller (6" ) radiators in their inventory. They think they have a couple but should find out tomorrow a.m. They have a lot of radiator & MCI experience for which I'm grateful.

I spoke w/ General Radiator and they would only re-core due to the age. But I'm keeping their number just in case. And Tom I'm going to request the re-core if something doesn't work out tomorrow. There has to be a good commercial shop in Phoenix - though my web searches aren't turning up a lot to this point.

Kind Regards, Phil

Dave5Cs · July 18, 2017, 08:41:27 PM

Phil re-core if your tanks are good is pretty much as new as you can get for a good price. New seals and core older tanks. New you can add rows or use the ripple fins etc but for a lot more money....

Dave

belfert · July 18, 2017, 09:56:25 PM

I would suggest a re-core if tanks are good instead of an unknown used radiator.

I had cooling problems with my bus and sent my radiator to a local shop that does commercial radiators. They cleaned it and found problems. I ended up with a new core. The shop made out good on me because they had the core on the shelf for years and had bought it when copper prices were lower.

plyonsMC9 · July 19, 2017, 11:30:30 AM

/sigh -

OK, well the shop feels that the tanks are not in very good shape and do not want to have those re-cored. Their preference is for me to supply the re-cores as it would take their supplier 4 weeks to build new. Soo, going to work w/ Complete Coach Works and get the used radiators and have them re-cored, then shipped out to Phoenix.

Not the best news but it does get me the re-cored radiators. On a positive note possibly it will be a little easier driving around in the desert w/ the re-cored radiators.

Thank you for all the excellent guidance, it's very helpful to have voices of experience coaching along the way.

Tom - I will pass along the request w/ regard to ".. have the radiators recored with maximum thickness that the top and bottom tank will take. ... "

Kind Regards, Phil

Iceni John · July 19, 2017, 12:31:07 PM

When I got my radiator recored last year I had Atlas Radiator in Santa Fe Springs CA make me a core with more tubes than before (73 per row instead of 57), the tubes now are dimpled, and the serpentine fins are much closer spaced than before. I could not go any wider or thicker because of the tanks, or specifically the space where the radiator sits, but I went almost 3" higher because I had some space above the top tank. I still have 6 rows because that's the most that a 4"-thick radiator can have. My radiator now has about 10% more surface area and about 28% more tubes than before. I had my radiator tanks and the coolant surge tank powder-coated, so no worries there about any future corrosion - if I had painted them myself, who knows if flecks of paint could eventually have come off their insides and blocked the tubes?

John

plyonsMC9 · July 19, 2017, 01:30:48 PM

Hi John, what was the result of the re-cored radiator? Did you notice increased cooling capacity, lower temps? Or is it too soon to tell?

Thanks! Phil

Iceni John · July 19, 2017, 01:59:24 PM

Quote from: plyonsMC9 on July 19, 2017, 01:30:48 PM
Hi John, what was the result of the re-cored radiator? Did you notice increased cooling capacity, lower temps? Or is it too soon to tell?

Thanks! Phil

Definitely cooler (less hot?) temps than before, but that's not saying much! At least I can now climb 6% grades in hot weather without chronically overheating. However, I would still like my temps to be a few degrees cooler. At least I know I've done all that is humanly possible for my radiator - I'm now thinking about a second radiator, but before I go that way I need to know how much actual difference it will make.

John

RJ · July 19, 2017, 02:09:28 PM

Phil -

Did you try Sam Caylor's place? He's been scrapping MCIs for years. . . 785-878-3405

Also, I think it was Diesel Radiator in the Chicago area that was the OEM supplier to MCI. . . (Or maybe General Radiator?)

FWIW & HTH. . .

plyonsMC9 · July 20, 2017, 07:44:53 AM

Thanks RJ! I did speak w/ General but they wanted the tanks. I did not know about Sam Caylor but will keep that name as a reference just in case. I have purchased 2 used & re-cored radiators from Complete Coach Works. Been working with Mando who seems to have a lot of experience w/ the MCI & other buses & their radiators. So far so good. They are currently processing the two radiators.

Kind Regards, Phil

edvanland · July 20, 2017, 09:13:48 AM

Industrial radiator in Phoenix was good they did mine, but sad to say they went out of business.
ED

Ed Hackenbruch · July 20, 2017, 12:24:05 PM

I have a set of used radiators for a MCI 5A that also fit a 7, don't know if they are the same for an 8 or not.....i kinda suspect not.

Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM · July 21, 2017, 06:09:17 PM

Phil, you can always put another radiator on the back of your bus on the outside if that doesn't work out for you like I saw somewhere. Not sure where.