Author Topic: Contessa side radiator leak  (Read 6812 times)

Jerry Leonard

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Contessa side radiator leak
« on: December 17, 2014, 02:51:41 AM »
I have a 2008 Beaver Contessa.  Last summer in Utah we had the aluminum radiator relplaced.  Drove from Utah to Florida no problem.    Last week we went on a local club rally 100 miles away.  When we arrived our radiator was leaking coolent very fast.  There were three small holes in the radiator apparently caused by pea gravel.  Had the coached towed to Peterbuilt shop where the radiator was removed and repaired and reinstalled.  Drive home was OK and no leaks.  How could this happen as we didn't drive over any gravel roads.  Is the mud flap the cause by rocks hitting it and then thrown back.  Has anyone installed mesh around the shroud that the fan fits into?   Has anyone removed the large mud flap altogether..   By the way it is supposed to be 3 inches off the ground.  Mine is about an inch.
Jerry.  JL9305@aol.com

Lee Welbanks

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2014, 04:40:54 AM »
Can you actually see where gravel/road debris is hitting the radiator? On my Patriot Thunder there is basically no part of the radiator exposed to be able to get hit.
My flap is about three or four inches off of the street. I bet if you called BCS they could tell you what it was when new.

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2014, 04:48:59 AM »
Guys,
I'm missing something here. How can the mud flap which is mounted further to the rear of the coach than the radiator cause stone/debris to impact the radiator while moving, especially when the foreign objects need to get around the fan shroud?
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Edward Buker

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2014, 04:52:06 AM »
Jerry,

It is not uncommon for tires to pick up stones and invariably they are flung somewhere in the rotation trajectory of the tire tread. If the stone can hit the spinning fan, it can be readily cast into the radiator. The fact that you had three of them would lead you to believe that there was some location in your route that had a significant quantity of the right size stone to fit your tread pattern. It is a travel fact of life that this occurs.

The most likely case is that whatever mud flaps and wheel well shield that you have in place allows a trajectory path to the fan blades. Some folks, especially those that travel in Alaska have indeed created a stone guard around the fan blade area. As far as a stone being cast towards the mud flap and then reversing direction and finding its way to the fan blade, it is possible, but I do not think this is as likely as some more direct path like inadequate mud flaps behind the tire exposing a more direct shot towards the fan blades. Try and view from behind your rear tire tread if there would be a direct path from a stone leaving your tread to a fan blade. Most fans including mine have some portion of the fan blade that rotates outside of the shroud.

Later Ed
« Last Edit: December 17, 2014, 04:56:28 AM by Edward Buker »

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2014, 05:30:37 AM »
I was thinking of the rear flap, not the wheel flap (Thx Ed). Still hard to believe 3 holes in 100 miles on paved surfaces.
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

George H. Wall

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2014, 01:34:46 PM »
In the first 2 months after I purchased mine, they replaced under warrenty, the rubber shroud around/under my radiator with all metal, as the rubber was already tearing away. They  told me this was better protection. We have been to Alaska 3 times since.  Henry

Steven Hoffman

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2014, 05:33:34 AM »
May have only been one rock.  Thrown up by the tire, hit the fan thrown into the radiator, bounced off the radiator and thrown back again by the fan.  Could bounce around in there a few times easily.


Roy Warren Co-Admin

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Re: Contessa side radiator leak
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2014, 02:57:46 PM »
Jerry,
Below my fan on my 05 Thunder there is a solid metal plate.  Inside of that there was a gap about 6" wide.  I attached a metal strip reaching over to the engine block in that gap.  That stopped a lot of the dirt I was finding under my radiator.  It also stopped a lot of the dust on the right side whenever I was on a dirt road. 
Roy
Roy Warren
2005 Patriot Thunder
Cat C-13