3 radiators in 2 months top seal leak

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Originally Posted by ctechbob
OEM should be a Denso, which can be had from RockAuto for ~$70. This is what I'd use. Or a Denso from the supplier you choose.

I've never had a problem out of a Koyo though either.
Right on ctech, DENSO all the way.

 

[Chris142]

I sell hundreds of not thousands of radiators every year. The failure rate I get back is very low. Less than 1%. If you have had 3 bad ones on the same car there is a reason. I wish I could see the radiator and determine what's up.

 

[David1]

I just ordered a KOYO RAD..... Got it via world pac for 55$ I pick it up tomorrow.

I do not want to use a House brand Radiator again.... No way No how

It really sucks to see coolant seeping out of the top of the radiator and I have been looking overflow hose and I even put a tie clip to make sure it tight and still seepage b/c I was hoping it was coming from the overflow hose.

well, all problems will coolant will be over now that the koyo rad is on the way..

What's really funny at AAP is some of the Carquest radiator box would say by Spectra... but the ones I was getting were TOUGH ONE and Carquest.

Thank you guys.

 

[David1]

Originally Posted by Chris142
I sell hundreds of not thousands of radiators every year. The failure rate I get back is very low. Less than 1%. If you have had 3 bad ones on the same car there is a reason. I wish I could see the radiator and determine what's up.



They all seep from the top... I had one guy tell me it was b/c I have silicone radiator hoses and they told me that the silicone radiator hoses are for steal racing radiators and not plastic radiators..
something about the silicone radiator hoses doesn't swell up to relieve pressure and I might put back on my new Gates hoses b/c I'm just tired of all this mess..

Here is picture.. do you think the silicone radiator hoses could be causing this?

Also yes the radiator does sorta float around.. at the bottom, there are 2 rubber holders and at the top there are 2 holders and you can actually move the radiator a tad from side to side and front to back..
Im just saying it not tight.

 

[David1]

Originally Posted by mclasser
Originally Posted by JamesBond
My guess would be leaking upper hose at the clamp or a bad cap. Wash the coolant off with water, let it dry then start the car and stand there and watch until it leaks.

Yes, OP should look into this.They can mimic a top seal leak by dripping coolant into the same place. While three bad radiators in a row is possible, his luck has to be really bad to encounter this.

You said you bought a made in Japan cap. Is it OEM? Sometimes, OEM caps don't fit right onto aftermarket rads. If you don't put the old hose clamp back into the same groove on the hose, it can leak. While you're at it, might as well replace the old clamp for good measure.



I have used 4 radiator caps... One that came with it.. I had the old one and then I bought one that was made in JAPAN you can see it in the picture.. it's really nice.. Ohh also I have a DENSO Radiator cap also.
In that picture there was no seepage.. however, I will think its been fixed and all is good and then boom I start to smell coolant and I look and I can see blue coolant draining down the fans and i can see it all at the top of the radiator where the aluminum meets the black plastic.

Also I changed the clamps i got super seal clamps. I really like these clamps b/c they dont dig into the radiator hose... However, I'm only using them on the radiator. The other side Im using the orginals and no leak..
The hoses are not leaking... Hope this helps.

 

[David1]

Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by BigD1
Who manufactures the house brand for AAP?

I bought a AAP/Carquest for my Toyota pickup back in March of this year, and the box label was plainly marked Spectra Premium. Working good so far.

I do know how you feel though about getting bad parts. The Cardone reman power steering pumps from AAP were a nightmare.


You don't really know as they change suppliers often depending on the lowest bidder for the contract. Whatever you do never buy a rack or pump, A/C compressor, or any reman part from these places the failure rate for most of these parts is astronomical.



I know when customers come in I sorta try to tell them if their problem only a bad clutch then let me get them a new clutch and the clutch remover and installer tool and its cheaper and you don't have to evacuate the system.
I see them cheap remans come back all the time even the new kits i think A/C tech sells them it will come with the expansion valve and a bottle of oil and all come in 1 box.. I had a guy come in the other day and want his $ back.
I told him sorry its a replacement warranty and not a $ back warranty. He explained he was on his 2nd kit and was not going to have a 3rd.. He had the old kit with him and all I could do was defect it out.. I figured he was going to sell it on eBay or just hold on to it..

Now DENSO I have not had any problems with..

Anyways I have been trying to sell more A/C Clutches.. b/c I remember the old days when if the clutch was shot people just changed the clutch and that was that.. Now people want to change the whole darm compressor.

 

[David1]

Oh I know CHINA can make some good stuff... I mean look at the ISLANDS they are building in the south China sea. I mean CHINA can make great products depending on what you want to pay them for the product.
It seems most want whats called WHITE BOX / NO BOX products.. I saw a documentary on You tube about it... This guy is in a perfect location I guess he factorys are near the shipping yards so he can send 1000s of products and not be far from the huge ships.

In his factory, you can see he is making all kinds of products and he puts them in a regular box with no name.. He then explains that a certain vendor will then put their sticker on the box. He also explained that the vendor will say I want X amount of a certain product made and he is going to pay x amount.. The guy would do some calculation and tell him sure I can meet that but I need you to buy X amount more. Probably to maximize his profits and you can just see 1000s of people making grills and yes auto parts and tons of electrons and you just gatta see it.. I hope its correct video

He even goes on and states that his quality control is nowhere near as good as NON-White box or brand name products however he says in today's life most people want the best deal as possible.

I think this is the video but can't be sure.

 

[David1]

Its very odd... some say TOUGH ONE and then they had Carquest.. I have noticed that the new ones starting to come in say Carquest made by Spectra when I get to work I will take a picture and post it.. I was told that we are having such a problem with radiators the carquest will start to have spectra sourcing out AAP radiators...

So the box will say Carquest brought to you buy spectra or somthing like that.

However its all about quality control... Its possible that spectra had some Quality control problems with certain products and them sells them to other vendors to rebox.

I cant wait to show the picture...

 

[Lubener]

Make sure you do not have a bad motor mount causing the engine to rock, tugging on a hose and stressing the radiator.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by David1
Originally Posted by Chris142
I sell hundreds of not thousands of radiators every year. The failure rate I get back is very low. Less than 1%. If you have had 3 bad ones on the same car there is a reason. I wish I could see the radiator and determine what's up.



They all seep from the top... I had one guy tell me it was b/c I have silicone radiator hoses and they told me that the silicone radiator hoses are for steal racing radiators and not plastic radiators..
something about the silicone radiator hoses doesn't swell up to relieve pressure and I might put back on my new Gates hoses b/c I'm just tired of all this mess..

Here is picture.. do you think the silicone radiator hoses could be causing this?

Also yes the radiator does sorta float around.. at the bottom, there are 2 rubber holders and at the top there are 2 holders and you can actually move the radiator a tad from side to side and front to back..
Im just saying it not tight.

the radiator cap is the vent. The hoses just move water.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by David1
Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by BigD1
Who manufactures the house brand for AAP?

I bought a AAP/Carquest for my Toyota pickup back in March of this year, and the box label was plainly marked Spectra Premium. Working good so far.

I do know how you feel though about getting bad parts. The Cardone reman power steering pumps from AAP were a nightmare.


You don't really know as they change suppliers often depending on the lowest bidder for the contract. Whatever you do never buy a rack or pump, A/C compressor, or any reman part from these places the failure rate for most of these parts is astronomical.



I know when customers come in I sorta try to tell them if their problem only a bad clutch then let me get them a new clutch and the clutch remover and installer tool and its cheaper and you don't have to evacuate the system.
I see them cheap remans come back all the time even the new kits i think A/C tech sells them it will come with the expansion valve and a bottle of oil and all come in 1 box.. I had a guy come in the other day and want his $ back.
I told him sorry its a replacement warranty and not a $ back warranty. He explained he was on his 2nd kit and was not going to have a 3rd.. He had the old kit with him and all I could do was defect it out.. I figured he was going to sell it on eBay or just hold on to it..

Now DENSO I have not had any problems with..

Anyways I have been trying to sell more A/C Clutches.. b/c I remember the old days when if the clutch was shot people just changed the clutch and that was that.. Now people want to change the whole darm compressor.


Replacing the clutch if the coil went bad can work. If the hub bearing failed it usually takes the nose cone and front seal with it. No point of putting a clutch on a junk compressor. And by all means do not sell rebuilt compressors! They are all junk.

 

[David1]

Here is the picture.. at work all the old stock radiators say TOUGH ONE and then some say carquest but the new stock actually say Carquest then Spectra..

Now I know spectra makes pretty good stuff... I know its china but its not bad.. take a look at pics.

 

[David1]

I always like to sell DENSO or Delphi and even Valeo A/C Compressors... but sometimes people will see Driveworks Remanufactured and like the price much more.... I tell them the DENSO is much better
Also A/C Delco A/C Compressors I sell once in a while.. I can get anything via world pac for customers who really want the best parts...

However most the time people just care about RIGHT NOW.... I must hear this 1000 times a day..... You guys ready???

Here we go.. I hear this.

** IM GOING TO SELL THE CAR IN THE NEXT YEAR ANYWAYS SO IF THE CHEAPER PART that comes with a lifetime warranty lasts me till I sell the car then I will be happy... Then I give the customer what they want.

Has any other auto parts seller ever hear that????

 

[David1]

True... but Im talking about only if the clutch is worn out...... Many times its just a bad clutch.... not always.. I had a guy that showed me his old a/c compressor that actually exploded...

 

[mattd]

Make sure the system isn't getting over pressurized by a head sealing problem.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by David1
I always like to sell DENSO or Delphi and even Valeo A/C Compressors... but sometimes people will see Driveworks Remanufactured and like the price much more.... I tell them the DENSO is much better
Also A/C Delco A/C Compressors I sell once in a while.. I can get anything via world pac for customers who really want the best parts...

However most the time people just care about RIGHT NOW.... I must hear this 1000 times a day..... You guys ready???

Here we go.. I hear this.

** IM GOING TO SELL THE CAR IN THE NEXT YEAR ANYWAYS SO IF THE CHEAPER PART that comes with a lifetime warranty lasts me till I sell the car then I will be happy... Then I give the customer what they want.

Has any other auto parts seller ever hear that????


I am not a parts seller but have had customers tell me that for the last 40+ years trying to justify using crap parts. Now I work when I want on what I want or not at all, if they want to use cheap crap go somewhere else.
There are some really decent parts that are not much more expensive but let me determine what to use if you want me to repair it if it lets go.

And the next good one. "I fully understand if I supply the parts the labor is not warrantied". Sure until it lets go in 2 days or even the same then you are calling me fit to burn if I don't fix it for free. . I pass on that B.S.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by David1
I always like to sell DENSO or Delphi and even Valeo A/C Compressors... but sometimes people will see Driveworks Remanufactured and like the price much more.... I tell them the DENSO is much better
Also A/C Delco A/C Compressors I sell once in a while.. I can get anything via world pac for customers who really want the best parts...

However most the time people just care about RIGHT NOW.... I must hear this 1000 times a day..... You guys ready???

Here we go.. I hear this.

** IM GOING TO SELL THE CAR IN THE NEXT YEAR ANYWAYS SO IF THE CHEAPER PART that comes with a lifetime warranty lasts me till I sell the car then I will be happy... Then I give the customer what they want.

Has any other auto parts seller ever hear that????

Most worldpac stuff isn't even that great. The parts are often made by OEM suppliers and are close, but not identical to the real part. I would place the quality somewhere between generic parts store and dealer.

Nowadays, 90% of the time, if you want quality you NEED to buy from the dealer.

 

[BigD1]

That picture of the Spectra radiator is like the one I bought back in March of this year. It was top notch.

@David1 Did you get the Koyo radiator installed yet?

 

[tahoe_hybrid]

Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by David1
I always like to sell DENSO or Delphi and even Valeo A/C Compressors... but sometimes people will see Driveworks Remanufactured and like the price much more.... I tell them the DENSO is much better
Also A/C Delco A/C Compressors I sell once in a while.. I can get anything via world pac for customers who really want the best parts...

However most the time people just care about RIGHT NOW.... I must hear this 1000 times a day..... You guys ready???

Here we go.. I hear this.

** IM GOING TO SELL THE CAR IN THE NEXT YEAR ANYWAYS SO IF THE CHEAPER PART that comes with a lifetime warranty lasts me till I sell the car then I will be happy... Then I give the customer what they want.

Has any other auto parts seller ever hear that????

Most worldpac stuff isn't even that great. The parts are often made by OEM suppliers and are close, but not identical to the real part. I would place the quality somewhere between generic parts store and dealer.

Nowadays, 90% of the time, if you want quality you NEED to buy from the dealer.
need to buy a 1994 toyota celica 250,000 miles no problem

 

[Lubener]

Alot of cars go to 250k. What's the big deal about a 25 year old Celica? Your suggestion doesn't answer his question.