99 Monaco Windsor side radiator CAC removal

[Papa_Jim]

Regarding the exhaust system; this era of Monaco coaches were fitted with the flex pipe at the factory, simply because the mufflers were firmly mounted to the frame of the coach. It was an easy inexpensive way to make the connection.

Regarding the PAC brake; if what you have is seized and beyond reclamation, then there's a new model of PAC brake that's supposed to be good.

Regarding the transmission; a flush isn't needed. Drain the fluid. Change the filters. Replace the fluid with Transyd, and then after a time (someone else will know exactly when) drain it again, change the filters again and replace the fluid with Transyd again, and you're probably good to go for as long as you want to use the coach.

Jim

[Krutzmart]

Thanks papa Jim
Posted on mr transdyn post. It's huge. 63 pages. So I posted and was am waiting on reply. That's good info too. It's expansive and a waste of good fluid to flush. Cation on side of error tho. But good news.
I have the disassembly complete. Installed new water pump and getting ready to put on exhaust manifold.
I drained the tranny fluid today. It didn't look bad. But I'll have the sense and piece of mind of knowing now. I have pics coming.

[Krutzmart]

Here are some pics of the cold pack disassembled, and there parts. Note: this is a RS-3316 and that crosses over to a RS 4125. I had to call in the big guns.....MAD MAX.... to help me lower the unit out. I can blow on the fins of the radiator and they turn to dust. Found a hydraulic cooler leak.

[Krutzmart]

The pics here are an exact look of what my unit looked like when I dropped it. The unit in pics is from a salvage company. This is the complete package with the fan. I left my fan in for now, a few pics of it.
Also a few pics of the radiator core with measurements and the Charge Air cooler, hydraulic cooler with measurements.

[Krutzmart]

last but not least the coolant piping that needs replaced. I am still searching for someone to make this, and I will likely call Monaco for these parts as well. I'm thinking a piping company that does HVAC systems in ethylene glycol (EGW) or propylene glycol (PGW). can make something like this.

[Krutzmart]

I got the exhaust manifold installed yesterday. I used some anti seize on the bolts and torqued them to the book spec of 32 ft lbs. It seems that some agree this is not tight enough and in fact 39 ft lbs is the answer.
I will be tightening the torque to 39 ft lbs and re checking after running and warming up the motor a time or 2. Her is another helpful post on the exhaust manifold procedure and torque values.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f123/2002...al-185084.html


The exhaust was dropped off to builder last week. 2-3 weeks and he will replicate what was removed. I decided to use the flex pipe in the same spots for vibration. Aluminized steel for all CAC pipe and muffler. 304 stainless for the turbo down pipe and tip, I guess the flex pipe is stainless but I'm not sure on the grade ? EST was +- $1900.00 from
Autojet inc in Des Moines Iowa.

Cold Pack, was ordered, I went with Source Eng. I ordered the radiator, oil cooler, Charge Air and a new shroud. Not sure on the wait time, but sure getting exited to finish this. Cost was $ 6476.00 with shipping to a business with a fork lift. I'm sure a residential shipping would be more.

[Krutzmart]

Parts are starting to show up.....fun...fun.. the radiator, charge air cooler, fan shroud and hydraulic cooler all showed up yesterday. Felt like Christmas in April. I unpacked the radiator and shroud because I had a little time last night. Looks like I will be heading to the hard wear store today to buy new hard wear, nuts and bolts to put this all together. I will not have a chance till next weekend to actually get the COLD PACK installed back in the coach. This is a quality system, thanks SOURCE ENGINEEREING ( dealer) and JB radiator specialties ( manufacturer).

Still waiting on the exhaust system. I did get the final price of $ 1450 for the 304 stainless exhaust piping, I opted for aluminized charge air piping, radiator piping, muffler to save $ . So it ended up being $ 500 under what they quoted and that hardly ever happens.... thanks AUTO JET out of Des Moines, IA.

[barmcd]

Originally Posted by Krutzmart

Jim,

OK, if I'm gonna do this I'll do it RIGHT on all aspects. lol......
I read a post on a guy who did stainless full exhaust, I'm going that route.
Found a company in Des Moines, IA that builds exhaust for diesels school buses AUTO-JET is the name, they can MANDRUL bend 4" exhaust and offer aluminised steel and stainless steel. Now I think its 404 or 403 and not the 304 stainless but I think either one will surfice our needs.
I would love to see that post if you find it. Maybe I saw a different one and more info the marryier.


Any reason to keep the flex pipe, can I just get rid of it and have bends and stainless jointing ? or do I need the flex part for vibration of some other reason ?

Thanks again,
Kris

I have flex pipe coming down from the exhaust manifold and solid pipe all the way to the chrome tip. The muffler is bolted to the frame. I'll be replacing the system from the muffler to the exhaust tip and using rubber hangers to mount it.

[Krutzmart]

barmcd,
I had solid pipe coming out of turbo about 1-2' welded to flex pipe that bends 90 down to another 90 bend welded to 2-3' of straight pipe again, then flex pipe again for 2' and another straight pipe then muffler. After muffler it is all hard pipe bent. I have a pic of it laying on the ground in this post I think.


Got the COLD PACK installed last weekend, I will have some pics coming soon.
I am having a little trouble with thermo valve, it seems my threading is upside down, so when I install thermo valve it is upside down and that will not work, I am working on shimming it.
The other problem I am running into is my AC condenser mounts are now different. They were welded to the CAC and now I am going to fab up a new bracket to mount it. I do like the new design, no weight handing on the side of the CAC, not that is was much but now the weight will be on the top of CAC. Better design in my opinion, but I was expecting plug and play and that is not the case here.


Any ideas on thermo valve, could I put in a extension or will that remove the sensor from the "flow" ?

[jacwjames]

When I diagnosed my thermo valve as being bad and after receiving the new one I had a heck of a time taking the old one out because it would not swivel. I got lucky in that there was enough room to turn the whole thing, the 2 fittings did hit the upper coolant hose/pipe but I was able to force it past. I quickly removed the old one and then installed the new one without loosing much coolant. I then took the old one and clamped it down to remove the 2 hydraulic fittings. I could never get the swivel portion of the old valve to work but the new one does swivel which allows you to position it where you need it. You could try cleaning to try and get it to swivel.

As to whether you can put some sort of extension on, I would be concerned that the temperature of the coolant might not activate the thermo valve correctly. I would assume it would still work but it may not kick on as designed.

[Krutzmart]

Well I got a call from Auto Jet telling me the exhaust parts and the coolant piping was all done last Friday. Got it picked up yesterday and must say these guys are pretty good. I asked them to replicate the old parts and they nailed it as far as I can tell. I did go with the flex pipe, it worked for 17 years for original. Total came in at $ 1446.13. Respectful and fair price.
Looks like Friday will hopefully be a big day in this project for me. I plan on buttoning up the COLD PACK, get all the fittings & lines installed, get the turbo and the new pack brake installed, get all the exhaust back in and fill it with hydraulic fluid, coolant, and transmission fluid. Still on the fence for the transmission flush, just might do it because of the new coolers, don't want any loose fragments from manufacturing in there, but will defiantly flush the AW46 hydraulic oil and coolant, both getting new filters after flush.
I did have a chance a week or so back to pull the transmission filters out and replace them, they honestly looked original, ugly, looked way past due.
Just might have time to fab up the new AC condenser bracket, bent some flat stock 1" to my exact height from mount to mount. Now I need to cut it and fit it, drill out some rivets and rivet this new bracket to the ac condenser and bolt it on. Back on page 2, post # 25 you will see a pic of the side mounts, the new CAC has top mounts.
Also attached 2 diagrams of the radiator, hydraulic and charge air cooler prints from Source engineering and jbl radiator specialist order.
Attached is a pic of the new exhaust parts, turbo down pipe to the muffler, exhaust tip, hanging brackets, charge air hot and cold pipes, and new radiator coolant piping and I have new silicon boots & radiator hose to plumb all of this back to good, just hope the weather holds out.

[Krutzmart]

The rain held off till about 3pm so I got a fair amount done Friday, not as much as I'd like but here is what I did.

Installed turbo with new gaskets, be sure to fill oiling hole before you re install oil lines, this will prevent any non liberated areas during initial start up,
Installed new pac brake, and got it oiled with pac brake oil.
Installed new exhaust system, turbo down pipe with flex pipe to muffler. This needs to be a flex pipe. After installing it I know understand the need for the flex pipe. 1. It allows for expansion and contraction on two planes, vertical and horizontal planes, this is needed for the muffler being hard mounted to the frame and the piping being mounted to the motor that sits on rubber motor mounts Papa Jim pointed out earlier in the post.
Now after you get it installed it sit almost on top of the radiator piping and I'm sure you don't want contact, so with the flex pip you can just shift it a little to where it needs to be.
Installed the new coolant piping, I am thinking about painting it with black engine paint, I know it looks pretty silver, but wouldn't the paint protect the steel from eventually rusting pre maturely ? I think so....
I still need to fab up the AC condenser bracket and fill with fluids, and run down a 22 degree fittings for the thermo valve (its almost 180 degrees off in new radiator) so the elbows will allow me to hook up hydraulic lines.
I ordered the silverleaf computer for this beast, may get it Tuesday and hopefully I will be starting this up for the 1st time in the next week or so.

[96 Wideglide]

If the pipes aren't stainless, yes, paint them.

[Krutzmart]

Thanks 96 wide glide.....
yes the exhaust is stainless, but muffler , charge air piping is aluminized steel and so is the coolant piping. So that being said paint the paint all aluminized.
what about the muffler itself...
Paint it too ?