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Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Yahoo Message Number: 110075
HI gang.

Well my new to me coach that I am picking up next month has the aluminum Radiator in it. My understanding is that it's not a question of if the radiator will fail, it's a question of when. The coach was well maintained by original owner and has 100k miles. If money grew on trees, I would just replace it, but I'd like to get some miles under my belt, and get as much time as I can with the radiator. Any advice from those who had a failure and how many miles they lasted would be appreciated. I was told the part is 5k, and then labor on top of that.

Thanks in advance.. 
Dave

04 Intrigue Ovation 42'

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110077
I have a theory. I can't prove it so take it for its worth. If you have fan controller issues with the fan running high most of the time I think the suction created compromises withthe radiators and the charge air cooler. The first two charge air coolers were replaced by the factory during the warranty period. The Third one cost me. Another theory was when I was traveling in Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Hew Hampshire that summer the roads were in very bad condition with the expansion joints being very wide and the entry to and from highway bridges being in very poor condition shaking and jarring the coach. Roads marked at 55mph could only be driven below 30 mph. My radiator failed after 5 years and 50,000 miles. It failed right after I had to drive across country with the fan at high speed. 2000 miles from New Hampshire. The replacement was bad from the get go, but was replaced at no charge. Monitor the transmission fluid, it should be a bright medium red in color. At the soonest sign of compromise with the fluid becoming milky or off color get the service done. You don't want to replace a damaged transmission, too. If you feel the transmission shifts becoming noisy, sloppy, or rather abrupt it could be coolant contaminating the transmission fluid.

TWI 2004 Intrigue 11731

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110092
Thomas,

Thanks for the information. I will definitely keep an eye on the transmission fluid. I am hoping to get a couple more years out of the radiator. I would like to put tires on the coach this year, and maybe do the radiator next year... but time will tell.
Thanks again.

Dave 04 Intrigue Ovation 42'

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110094
From informal conversations with other coach owners, as well as reading several posts on multiple forums, I came to the conclusion that:

Some of these aluminum radiators will not fail from the manufacturing defect >Most of the radiators fail slowly. Vs catastrophic full dumping of fluid. Many coach owners with failures, detected controllable slow leaks that both told them they had a problem, but also did not strand them. One gent decided to finish his several thousand miles trip, adding coolant/distilled water to the reservoir daily (He wanted to do the replacement himself, with his tools.) >Now caution on the previous bullet. Sure, some catastrophic failures have occurred too:)! So for sure, it's the luck of the draw about how they fail.

On Fan Control Unit's. Mine had two or three times when it defaulted to High. Each time I was able to clean the connectors, and it behaved normally. But I did go ahead and have the Source Engineering Wax Thermal Valve installed. I did this because I liked the infinitely variable fan speed, vs the Low/Medium/High speeds. Now I only divert power from the wheels for the specific fan speeds needed to retain proper coolant temperatures. Admittedly not a great deal of power, but when climbing grades, anything that can put more power to the wheel on a marginally sized engine to RV load - is a help:)! (We have the ISL370 (Cummins preprogrammed to 400.) CAPS era engine. It is within the rule of thumb range of power to weight ratio, but for sure does not have the extra HP/Torque of the option CAT Bigger Block engines amiable as an option in Intrigues, and Mana's on up.)

I'd start budgeting for a potential future replacement radiator, so if it is needed, you are able to order and replace rapidly. But I'd personally take the reasonable chance of a 'gradual failure' - IF it fails:)!

Enjoy your new ride, and best to you and all,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110096
Smitty thanks;

I am glad I am not getting the advice of change it immediately... although catastrophic failure would make me wish I had. I totally figure on putting money into the coach as I go along... but right now have a lot of rods in the fire. I have the money and resources to fix these items, but don't want to divert funds to them unless needed. The coach has the C-12 Motor, not sure if that makes any difference, but I will absolutely figure on replacement at some point in the near future... Just not this month. Haha.

Thanks again for your advice. 
Dave

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110103
There is a chance you have a C13 instead of a C12. CC switched to the C13 during 2004 production. You can get the engine number off the vanity cabinet door and call the Cat hotline to find out for sure. I think Damon's website also list at which s/n CC made the switch. My coach has the C13.

Britt

2004 Intrigue 11836

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110104
If a C12, that may be a plus, as it was at the end of a very long and thus mature manufacturing cycle. C13's were I believe ACERT's(?), and while a good engine, they had more complexity then the C12's (And the C12's, from memory, were only abut 1/2 liter smaller the the C13, but I believe the blocks were lighter between the two engines, so less mass/weight using power to carry itself, and more available to propel a coach.

Caution on this input, as it was from 5-7 years ago when I was shopping hard. On my spread sheet of Pro's & Con's when comparing various RV's - I gave the ISM and C12 the highest weighted scores. (I was looking for pre heavy smog changed diesels.) I gave the ISX and C13-15 a lower score, due to more smog, and 'stuff/complexity' of engines. ISL's and C9's (And on a few coaches the ISC, but I would have put the Bank's system on the ISC if the right coach came along with it in it.) were my third tier engines. The coaches I was looking at did not have C7's or ISB's in them. (I ended up with the ISL, because I let my wife see the galley in the 40' Allure High Cascade model... And Allure in 2004 only had the ISL option, where as Intrigues had the Bigger Cat as an option.).

C12's and C13's, are IMO a plus in that size coach:)! And as I've commented before here, and on other boards. Bigger engines not just for the added reserves they have in HP/Torque, but also because I feel they provide an added safety margin with higher Braking HP via their larger displacement and Compression Braking. Usually 2 Stage, but some ISM's and Big Cat's had 3 Stage.

Best,

Smitty
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110105
Britt, I will definitely check out that resource when I pick up the new to me coach. It would be surprising that the former owner was unaware of the motor size as he did service the coach for 12 years. Anything is possible right? Dave

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110106
Thanks for the information Smitty; Always good to get your perspective on things. I've heard you comment on your wife seeing the galley on the cascade. Haha  Should have distracted her and sent her to the ones you liked....Kidding..

23 days to pick up of new to me coach... 04 Intrigue... C-12...3 stage brake...2nd rate galley as per smitty's wife. (sorry smitty, couldn't resist)

Dave

Re: Aluminum radiator 04 intrigue ovation

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 110107
You just changed your radiator for 2500?? Where did you get the new radiator from>? Was it the steel replacement for the original aluminum one?

Dave