Radiator vs. CAC vs. Condenser?

univmd wrote:
Radiator vs. CAC vs. Condenser?

I have a rear radiator. What is the difference between the 3? Where are they located in relation to each other? What is inside each of the 3, pink radiator fluid in all 3? I have a Freightliner with ISC Cummins 360, Gulfstream Tourmaster 2008.

Okay, many identified where the three items are located, but missed some of the question.

To start, the radiator, whichever position it's in, is the only one of the three that contains coolant.

The charge air cooler (CAC) looks a lot like a radiator and does substantially the same job. On turbo charged engines, they're using hot exhaust air to add power and forcing it back into your engine through the CAC. The CAC, a large air cooler, cools this hot air before it's put back into the engine. So it's only cooling/containing air.

The condenser is a product of your dash air conditioning system. It basically cools Freon, a process that changes gas to liquid and creates cool air. The condenser, which is usually much smaller (about 18" x 24" and 2" thick) can be located wherever the coach manufacturer has room. It needs air flow and usually has an electric thermostatically controlled fan to cool it. Since most cars do not have a CAC, the condenser is typically mounted in front of the radiator where most people are use to seeing it.

Finding a coolant leak on a rear radiator DP can be a difficult task. It's hard to get a good view of all of the components. You'll need to crawl in and around your engine to see where the coolant is coming from.

wolfe10 wrote:
Boy, quite a few incorrect answers here.

When asking a chassis related question, you will get a lot better answers if you tell us what chassis you have.

I suspect you have the Freightliner chassis. Click on your year model (of the chassis, not necessarily the coach) and your model: http://freightlinerchassis.com/component/option,com_servicecenters/controller,oem/oem,Gulf%20Stream%20Coach/view,oemprint/

With a rear radiator chassis/coach:

Fan on engine PUSHES air through the CAC (Charge Air Cooler), then through the radiator (which is what you see from the back) and then out the back grill. You will quickly see the front of the CAC if you access the engine room from the bedroom or closet. In fact you absolutely should clean the front of the CAC at least once a year-- again through the bedroom or closet.

The dash A/C condenser is generally located in front on rear radiator coaches. In fact have not seen one sandwiched in with the radiator and CAC on a rear radiator coach. Side radiator coaches sometimes DO have the condenser as the outermost component of the cooling package, but as with rear radiator coaches most are at the front of the coach.

Yup, and you committed one of those wrong answers.

Many Monacos, with rear radiator and CAC, mounted their AC condensers on the left rear of the coach, just behind the axle.

Richard

I believe the TourMaster with the Mercedes engine has the condenser on the outside towards the back of the radiator or the extreme rear. I think I saw one like that.

Jim is correct. There ARE stacked cooling systems with CAC above the radiator.

Monaco (lower end Monacos-- those with rear radiator built on Roadmaster chassis vs Freightliner) and Alpine (low end Alpine) come to mind.

For your chassis, Brett probably has it right (per usual)

The Monaco you mentioned... well Monaco always did things different...
A rear rad Monaco has the CAC ABOVE the radiator, not sandwiched with it. The whole stack is huge.
And the trans cooler and air conditioning condenser is on the left side, just behind the rear wheel.
This is a way different layout than most coaches.

Boy, quite a few incorrect answers here.

When asking a chassis related question, you will get a lot better answers if you tell us what chassis you have.

I suspect you have the Freightliner chassis. Click on your year model (of the chassis, not necessarily the coach) and your model: http://freightlinerchassis.com/component/option,com_servicecenters/controller,oem/oem,Gulf%20Stream%20Coach/view,oemprint/

With a rear radiator chassis/coach:

Fan on engine PUSHES air through the CAC (Charge Air Cooler), then through the radiator (which is what you see from the back) and then out the back grill. You will quickly see the front of the CAC if you access the engine room from the bedroom or closet. In fact you absolutely should clean the front of the CAC at least once a year-- again through the bedroom or closet.

The dash A/C condenser is generally located in front on rear radiator coaches. In fact have not seen one sandwiched in with the radiator and CAC on a rear radiator coach. Side radiator coaches sometimes DO have the condenser as the outermost component of the cooling package, but as with rear radiator coaches most are at the front of the coach.

Condensers are not always located at the rear on a diesel pusher. Mine is up front angled at a 45 degree angle, just in front of and between the two front tires and uses an electric fan.

On a rear-radiator pusher the engine fan pushes air from the engine back through the CAC and radiator and out the back of the vehicle.

You might also have a hydraulic radiator and a tranny radiator.

guardrail53 wrote:
Ok, on ALL!!!,, Semi's out there running the road, the CAC, or "charge air cooler",, is on the front, or cool side of the radiator! PERIOD!! Why would they put it on "the hot air side" of the radiator on Motorhomes??? Defeat the purpose! And the A/C cond. is in front of that in most cases! The radiator will be the closest to the motor, unless the fan is blowing the air away from the motor, then it will be reversed? The charge air cooler has to have to coolest air, for it to work properly! Hope that helps? Take a piece of paper, start your coach, place it on the radiator closest to the outside of the coach, does it stay, or get pushed back at you? That will tell you if it is pulling or pushing the air!

On my diesel pusher with a rear radiator with a Caterpillar engine the fan blows the air out, it does not pull the air in like a motorhome with the engine in the front.

I have never seen a semi truck on the road that is a diesel pusher like coaches.
The CAC is the closest to the fan and the radiator is on the outside facing the rear of the coach.