SP radiator

[woodwinds450]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "ajgibb2002"
wrote:
>
> Hello all,
> I have a relatively small leak in the radiator and have to deal
with
> it before hot weather and hills
> -- Is there anyone on the forum with first hand experience doing a
> radiator R & R on an SP?
> -- Are there any special "gotchas" in the job?
> -- Is there anything special about the standard SP radiator that an
> ordinary truck radiator place would have problems with in terms of
> repaid/rebuild?
> -- Has anyone substituted a new "5 tube" for the old "3 tube" on an
SP?
> -- Are the "5 tube" units easily available? Where?
> Thanks much
> Austin
>

Austin,

I replaced the core on my SP last year with a 5 tube. I used a 5
tube because the replacement core had tubes that went thru the fins
rather than one that had accordian fins (between the tubes). The one
with penetrating tubes is more robust, but less effecient in heat
transfer. I removed the header tanks from the old core and soldered
them on the new one myself, so a good radiator shop should have no
problems. The upper radiator outlet is a very close fit, so make
sure it doesn't try to support the radiator because of interference (
it can cause the connection to the header tank to leak).

The change has been the best modification I have made to my Bird.

Good luck

Jim Brookshire
Agitator1@...
89 SP-36