Radiator leak

nssracer · 03-30-2011, 01:36 PM

On my 2006 Alpine I have a small radiator leak. I have read in the past about this problem on this coach. I installed the rubber bushings to help stop this problem but at 26000 miles I have a small leak. Can this radiator be repaired and if not where can I buy one. Thanks, Doug

OneRVer · 03-30-2011, 02:22 PM

Any Radiator repair shop should be able to take care of a small hole. The really bad new is they will probably have to take it out to fix it. I know with a rear mounted radiator the cost is about a grand to have one taken out. OUCH!!

Wayne R · 03-30-2011, 03:53 PM

These radiators are aluminum and not repairable. Do a search in this forum and you will find more info than you want.

radsuphouse · 03-31-2011, 01:27 PM

The aluminum radiators had mass failures and not just in the Alpines. The Monacos, Country Couch, Holiday Ramblers, all of them. They fail because the aluminum is just not strong enough to span the distance between the mounts on the end of each tank without the middle of the core sagging do to the weight and lack of support, this causes the tubes to start to pull out of the header and cause leaks, even at very low miles. I have talked with people who have gone through multiple radiators in a matter of 30000 miles and occasionally less.

What you need is to have a steel tank, copper core replacement. The steel tank and siderails makes a solid framework that can hold the core in place and keep it from failing the way the aluminum ones do.

Another huge benefit of having a copper and steel radiator is that can be soldered on which means if you ever have a rock ding or any sort of road damage it can be easily repaired, as opposed to the aluminum radiator which would have to be Tig Welded.

If you do a search online, or on some of the forums around you can read alot about the aluminum radiators and all the problems they have. And you should also be able to find a manufacturer that builds them.

EngineerMike · 03-31-2011, 06:29 PM

Mac's Radiator of Portland OR area has a blueprint to make a replacement to the Alpine specs (they drew it up off a leaking aluminum one off an Alpine), and can ship it where needed.
Radiator Specialties of Sacramento made the defective radiator, then redesigned it to a stronger version. You can contact them also, tho they put a fitting on the lower (rear I think) tank that gets in the way of a good fit for replacement. IIWMI'd go w/Mac's.

Nobody has reported a catastrophic failure to my knowledge. So just make sure you watch your coolant level in the mean time, and do your due diligence on repair & costs till you have the best option.

Old Rv'er · 04-01-2011, 09:30 PM

Now I have not done the removal, but a grand is a chunk of change where I'm concerned, so I would try to remove it, carry it over to macs and have them make me a new one, and then put that new one back in. I might bite off more than I can chew, but then, if I knew then about these things, versus what I know now, I would not have it. Since we have no mothership, and turning a wrench is not to much for me to do, as stated above I would do it myself if I could.

OneRVer · 04-02-2011, 03:32 PM

While I just dropped mine off at CAT. They will have to disassemble part of the frame and maybe remove the rear bumper to get the radiator out. So I might be a little low on the grand.

But it has to be done.

Excuse me, I have to go vomit.

Old Rv'er · 04-02-2011, 04:35 PM

Sounds like the alpines are easier to remove?

FWIW - My friend has a 2008 HR and he got something in his at 5K miles. They needed a fork life truck to remove the condenser/radiator stack from the back of his coach, all those parts were in some kind of "housing" and the whole thing had to be removed to get at the radiator. He sat in the repair facility for a week or maybe 10 days before he was back on the road. Ouch!!!!!

OneRVer · 04-02-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Rv'er

Now I have not done the removal, but a grand is a chunk of change where I'm concerned, so I would try to remove it, carry it over to macs and have them make me a new one, and then put that new one back in. I might bite off more than I can chew, but then, if I knew then about these things, versus what I know now, I would not have it. Since we have no mothership, and turning a wrench is not to much for me to do, as stated above I would do it myself if I could.

Please let us know how it goes. If you are able to remove your own radiator that would be nice to know. If I buy another home I just might have to look at the Alpines.

Old Rv'er · 04-02-2011, 08:05 PM

Trust me, if I ever have to do the removal, I will take a bunch of pictures and document the process. And if you do, I know of an 36' that might be coming up for sale.

Fly'n Paws · 05-15-2011, 08:00 PM

Does anyone know if the 05 avalanche has the same radiator as the other Alpines. Ours is a rear mount and has started to leak (again) We had it fixed about a year ago but now it's back to leaking and worse than before. Time for a new one I'm afraid.

Old Scout · 05-16-2011, 02:59 PM

It doesnt!

EngineerMike · 05-17-2011, 07:01 PM

Avalanche definitely has a different radiator. Hope yours can be repaired.

OneRVer · 05-17-2011, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneRVer

While I just dropped mine off at CAT. They will have to disassemble part of the frame and maybe remove the rear bumper to get the radiator out. So I might be a little low on the grand.

But it has to be done.

Excuse me, I have to go vomit.

Well it took CAT 17.5 hours to remove the old one and install the new one at 95.00 a hour. I am almost done vomiting.