CASE 580B C/K radiator repair or replace

If it is in that bad of shape where you have to do something take it out . It has to be removed to repair or replace it anyway. Why take a chance of cooking engine,contaminating hyd oil ,burning up hyd pump. You can decide new or repair after radiator shop looks at it.

Hillwalker said:

I could probably take it out and see what a radiator shop would charge to rebuild it but the radiator is so fragile that I might ruin it in the process. Any ideas?

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If it is that fragile (probably isn't!) you don't have many options.
What you want to spend and what you have need to spend will determine a permanent repair or one you will redo over and over.
A re-core of your radiator is usually the best option. Only you can decide how to repair or replace it.

My first thought is what do you plan to do with this thing? Hopefully you're not buying a truck and trailer and making this your full time income.

If you're planning to keep it around for odd jobs here and there, I'd take the radiator out, clean it, fix the leak, don't worry about the fins. Radiator shops are dying out fast around here, if you know a good one then take it there if you don't feel like doing it. If you can't find a recommended radiator shop, then buy the cheap one and shut it off once the oil gets hot, or find an air cooler.

The higher end of the price numbers you quoted are what it would cost to get it rebuilt or repaired around here. It might just be that is what it is going to cost.

Hillwalker said:

My 1975 580B has a leak in its upper tank and really fragile corroded cooling fins. I need to replace the fan belt and decided that now would be a good time to do something about the radiator. This is a 580B diesel shuttle shift with the transmission oil cooler built in to the bottom of the radiator. I can find replacements at around $250 to $275, but not with oil coolers. The radiator with the oil cooler runs about $650 to $875. Way more than I want to spend. I could probably take it out and see what a radiator shop would charge to rebuild it but the radiator is so fragile that I might ruin it in the process. Any ideas?

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My 580D has the transmission cooler separate in front of radiator.

You could buy the cheaper radiator and get an external oil cooler for tranny, just be sure to get a big enough one to do the job. You might also find that after you combine the price of the radiator and cooler you could get original one recored. Also be advised that there is a tin loop that is spot welded to the bottom of radiator that goes around hyd. pump shaft, if it hasn't been removed all ready.

Got the radiator out. And I found the sheet metal loop that the shaft goes through. The radiator was so rotten that the bottom came off when I was attempting to lift it out. The flexible connector to the crank pulley splines were nearly all gone, so I ordered a new one. Next problem is that the stub shaft and the splined connector tube that joins them is frozen on to the pump. I am going to cut/split the tube off the two splined shafts with a cutting metal cutting disk. I need to know how long the whole stub shaft is so I can try to cut the tube off at the joint between the shafts inside the tube. I will cut the tube at that point and then maybe be able to get the rest of the connector tube off the pump shaft. Found a new radiator for $372.40 shipped. Thoughts?

The new radiator probably won't have the loop so you may not have to cut shaft connector. We always broke the loop off the bottom tank so we didn't have to pull the pump. If you can get a die grinder in there to cut loop I think that would be best.

Thanks. Every thing is now hunky dory. New radiator coming, new pump drive coupling, shaft, connector coming too. Old shaft and connector off the pump after grinding two big slots on the connector for my two arm puller which got everything off the pump shaft. Now if I can locate a rebuild kit for the pump which no one seems to have in stock everything will be copacetic. Thanks!