Where to buy a Radiator?

[77Travco]

I noticed that my Travco's radiator looks a little green around the seams. I don't want any issues this summer so I am going to be pro-active and remove it and take it to a local radiator shop here in town to be rebuilt.\n\nI do like to have options though, so... Does anyone know of a source to buy new radiator?\n\nI searched online for a Dodge M500 Chassis radiator but didn't find anything.

[Acesneights]

I doubt you'll find anything. Recoring is pretty much the only option I know of but they may be able to add an extra core. The Rad in my Dad's 1970 was recored and we added a row. If you wanna poke around NAPA and Radiator.com are the only places I could even think of that might but I doubt it. I could not even get the right heater core for my 80's Chevy K30. I had to have my old brass one repaired. All I could get was a Chinese made aluminum piece of junk that was half the size.

[77Travco]

I went ahead and pulled mine out. I took it to the local radiator shop and they were closed today... oh well. I will get it there next week sometime.\n\nNow is the perfect time to replace all belts and hoses... as well as the water pump, fan clutch, and thermostat. I haven't had any issues but it gets hot down here in the summer and I am trying to stay ahead of the game!

[rcb]

Have you considered an aftermarket radiator? As long as you've got room in there, and the hoses are in the right place, you should be ok, fan clearance not withstanding. It may make a little fabbing, but a 4 core radiator may be as cheap and cool better.

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

You can have a custom Aluminum radiator made, or go through some website, find one that will work. They are out there and getting cheaper

[77Travco]

I actually did buy an aluminum radiator for my Ford flathead car about 6 months ago but...\nDodge motorhome radiators are differen't. I could never find one that had the spout coming out the front instead of the cap on top. Also, this radiator has brackets on the sides that make it very specific to the vehicle.\n\nI took it into a local radiator shop and was quoted "Up to $700 if I have to recore it". I told him to do what he needed to do in order to fix it right. \n\nI was pleasantly surprised when he called me two days later and said it was ready... and the bill was $108.75

[77Travco]

I am curious... Do you have an aftermarket temperature guage? What is the temperature when driving down the road? Where do these engines "normally" run?... 190, 200, 210 ?\nI added a second (aftermarket analog) temperature guage and My coach runs around 200-210 on an 80 degree day with a new 160 thermostat, new water pump, new fan clutch and a refurbrished radiator. Seems kind of high to me. My factory dash guage stays below the 1/4 mark.

[77Travco]

Well, I got it all back together and drove it on Mothers day.\nRuns like a champ except it runs around 200 to 210 on an 80 to 85 degree day. I am not sure if that is normal but it seems kind of high to me.\nI found an old aftermarket temperature gauge in my toolbox and plumbed it into the intake near the thermostat housing. Maybe the guage that I found is off, the factory dash guage never gets over the 1/4 mark and usually runs lower than that.\n\nHere is what I replaced...\n- Radiator was cleaned and resealed by radiator shop... Guy said it was about 20% clogged\n- New water pump\n- New 160 degree thermostat (yes, the correct style for a Mopar big block)\n- New fan clutch\n- All new hoses including heater hoses\n- New belts\n- Found old mechanical temperature guage, installed it on the dash and plumbed it into the intake\n\nI have not tried to purge air from the system yet...

[Acesneights]

That sounds hot but I question the accuracy of the gauge. Where did you tap in for the sensor ?\nIf the sensor is not making full contact and fully protuding into the coolant,\nIt can give a false reading. Might be worth getting temperature laser gun and take some readings.\nI would say stick a thermometer in the rad but because the fill neck is not on top that may be difficult.\nI have owned a few of these and my experience so far oddly enoigh was the 318's ran really hot espcially in traffic.\n440's i have had all ran cool.

[Acesneights]

I wonder if the waterpump is different. Did you compare the impellers ? \nI can tell you even with a wobbly waterpump and a clogged Rad I still was not running hot. I purposely ran it up some hills but ambient temp here was mid 70'sF\nThe GMB part you used 120-1200 looks slightly different than 120-4170...\nHard to tell from a pic though. The specs show .01" of a difference in Hub height but if you are not throwing belts I doubt that matters. \nLet us know if it was just the gauge or if it is running hot. If the impeller is the wrong size for the water pump housing it could be cavitating.