Do bus makers use shoehorns to install radiators?

[belfert]

I just spent the entire afternoon removing the radiator from my Dina.  I swear they put that thing in with a shoehorn at the factory.  In reality, I think they may have installed the radiator before the engine was installed.  Dumping the coolant and removing everything holding the radiator in wasn't so bad, but it took over an hour to maneuver the radiator out of the engine compartment.

It will really be fun putting it back in after I take it to be evaluated and cleaned internally. 

I wanted to take photos of all our fun with 2x4s as levers and such, but I was too greasy and grimy to touch the camera.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Brian,

I hope my rads arn't as bad as your Dina...  I think they will be much easier. I hope!

Since you had a tough time getting it out, do what ever it needs before you put it back in. i'm sure you will anyway!

Good Luck
Nick-

[NewbeeMC9]

When you put it back in, you may want to get a tube of "RADIATER EAZE!"

[tekebird]

Nick MCI Radiators are much easier.

[Dallas]

When you put it back in, you may want to get a tube of "RADIATER EAZE!"

I think the official name for it is "KY Warming Lubricant for Radiators!" 

[belfert]

Based on what I have seen on older MCIs the radiators should be much easier to remove. 

The Dina has the radiator right next to the engine like the new MCIs.  And yes, I will be replacing the water pump and checking the turbo while I have the radiator out.  (Water pump is dripping coolant.)

[Kristinsgrandpa]

Brian, I took a long hard look at mine and would be tickled to death if I could get it out that quick.

I'm waiting for cooler weather to start on mine.

Mine sits beside the engine also.

Ed

[TomC]

Strange to hear that.  I can get mine out within an hour by myself with just a small floor jack to lower it down.  And this on a transit.  I guess transits are designed for quicker maintenance than highway buses.  Good Luck, TomC

[tekebird]

This would explain another reason why Dina's are no longer sold here.

Labor costs.

Reasons why they sold as well as they did in the states:

They are nice looking
they were significantly cheaper than a Prevost or MCI
They were supported by MCI parts


Reasons why they are no longer sold in the US.

they were singnificanly cheaper build/design
People stopped buying them because they were found to be significantly cheaper and possibl;y had higher maint costs due to labor/parts/reliability
Then MCI stopped supporting them because people stopped buying them

[Busted Knuckle]

Strange to hear that.  I can get mine out within an hour by myself with just a small floor jack to lower it down.  And this on a transit.  I guess transits are designed for quicker maintenance than highway buses.  Good Luck, TomC

Funny Tom, of course they are designed for quicker maintenance because they require more of it!

 BK  

[RJ]

Funny Tom, of course they are designed for quicker maintenance because they require more of it!

  BK 

Hey Bryce -

Can you think of a more severe service for a coach than transit operations??

Probably the only other HD vehicle that is subjected to more severe service than a transit bus is your friendly garbage truck!

It's no wonder they require more maintenance!!

It's even more of a wonder that they hold up as well as they do for as long as they're in service.

FWIW & HTH. . .



FWIW & HTH. . .

[belfert]

I believe a key reason Dina coaches are no longer sold in the USA is because Dina bought MCI in 1994 and sold MCI to JLL Partners in 1999.  It is unclear if Dina is even in business these days.

Dinas are not friendly for certain items that may need replacement like the water pump.  Craig Shepard was over recently and agreed that the water pump would be difficult to replace without removing other parts first.

[JohnEd]

Those double deck German transit busses do ten times the3 service as our transit busses as there is a conductor in the back that collects fares so they are like jackrabits to conserve the number of busses needed.  Those this have had the same design for 20 years so I can't say exactly how old they are but I do know they are squeek and rattle free and they accellerate like a sedan.  The old rounded Mercedes Benz transit/intermediate bus is a tribute to engineering as they seem to be unstopable and rattlefroof after 20 plus years.  IT CAN BE DONE!  MCI's have run for 20 years as transits in diofferent parts of the us and we are all familiarwith their record/reputation.

The transits in Eugene are a wreck after a few years and that has been the case for the past 10 years.  Junk at a low cost is still junk and I don't think it is cheaper in the long run.

John

[tekebird]

As a genearallity, Euro Buses do not last long here in the US as    compared to in Europe because many of the buses are owned by small operators and are often driven by owners or part owners....who care about the unit.

similarly, the quality of the maint department and driver training/hiring department at any company usually is shown in the bus after some time.

Greyhound for instance fails at both presently.

there are several quality   bus operators in the US that will not let a damaged coach out of the yard for any reason despite how light the damage.

Then there are others who will send it down the road as a first line coach if it starts.

[tekebird]

Dina has disolved at least as a vehicle manufacturer and  Dina did own MCI and under thier control developed the E4500 which is also not so nice from a mechanical aspect