Looks like you have rust from your engine. ECP makes a great radiator for $219.00. All 3 of my cars use them including my driver.

 

That is pretty rusty ,question is why?
Aluminum is pretty repairable
I have a Champion in mine and it's not rust stained like that :shrug:

 

Aluminum doesn't rust. If that is, in fact, rust, it's a rust stain from rust elsewhere in the cooling system and shouldn't have ANY effect on the radiator. I would fight it, starting with your State's Consumer Protection office.

 

I was expecting the company to state the hole was due to electrolysis.

It is unusually rusty in color . mine still looks new after 7 plus years .

 

I would fight it. Since aluminum doesn’t rust, how could rust colored water or even rust deposits from the engine put a hole in a new radiator.

What brand? Would be nice to know who doesn’t stand by their warranty.


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I would fight it. Since aluminum doesn’t rust, how could rust colored water or even rust deposits from the engine put a hole in a new radiator.

What brand? Would be nice to know who doesn’t stand by their warranty.

I'm going to email them back and ask for an explanation on how the aluminum rusted, and explain to them that all I ever put in my cooling system was antifreeze and distilled water. The water from our well is really hard, so I don't dare put it in a radiator. If they end up telling me to kick rocks, then I will come back with the name of the company. I would also like a picture of this hole that was eaten through the aluminum and causing the leak.

 

Here is my draft reply to the company:

1. The radiator is made of aluminum. How did the aluminum rust as aluminum does not rust? What you are seeing in the radiator are rust stains from the coolant from an iron block, which does rust, staining the radiator. I can't imagine these stains caused a hole. If you notice the tubes at the top of the radiator are clear of any debris that could clog the flow of coolant and cause issues.

2. How was it determined that a corrosive chemical in the coolant caused a hole in the aluminum? I don't see any evidence of a hole caused by a corrosive chemical.

3. What was this corrosive chemical? In the time that I've owned this radiator, the only chemicals I put in the cooling system were automotive anti-freeze and distilled water. No "water wetter", rust inhibitors, water pump lubricants, etc. Just anti-freeze and distilled water. I have an aluminum water pump and a pot metal thermostat housing on the same engine, and neither one of these items have developed holes from this mysterious corrosive chemical.

 

I would do an inexpensive pH test on your coolant. As an HVAC tech I use test strips to check pH levels on coolant that flows through boiler aluminum/stainless/copper heat exchangers. If your coolant passes the test (acidic or alkaline) the manufacturer doesn't have a leg to stand on.

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I would do an inexpensive pH test on your coolant. As an HVAC tech I use test strips to check pH levels on coolant that flows through boiler aluminum/stainless/copper heat exchangers. If your coolant passes the test (acidic or alkaline) the manufacturer doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Funny you should mention that. I still have the 1.5 gallons of the coolant from the radiator sitting in my shed. Where do I find the test strips?

 

Pool chemical supply store, or Amazon of course.

 

HVAC wholesaler, pool and spa dealers,

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They are wrong in their statement about it being rusted. Corroded would be the correct answer if there is an issue with the aluminum radiator. There is always the possibility that they did not manufacture it correctly or it could be directly related to the use of distilled water. How long did the car sit before it was brought up to operating temperature once you added the anti-freeze and distilled water? What ratio did you use? How long does the car sit in between driving times?


Distilled or demineralized water should only be used if it is going to be mixed with at least a minimum of 35% coolant to 65% water ratio. The coolant is required to neutralize the aggressiveness of the mineral hungry water... Food for though.

Passive surface films must be created to properly protect the soft metals in the cooling system. The passivation process requires heat and flow in the system to effectively develop these surface films. If the car was run up to operating temperature once you added the coolant mix then there is less of a chance the distilled water would have an effect.

The key is to immediately run the vehicle once the radiator has been filled. Storing a new radiator with only water, particularly distilled, and anti-freeze may allow for bacterial growth and/ or corrosion of the untreated surfaces, both of which may result in leaks, or damage to the radiator. Using distilled water will increase the radiator's susceptibility to damage as distilled water is not electrochemically balanced; it is stripped of impurities and therefore ionically hungry, which will cause it to attack soft metals more aggressively.


It's been awhile since I messed with metallurgy issuesbut thought I would through in my .02. This is not to say that using distilled water caused the issue but something for everyone to research and think about. I'm in the process of looking at radiators now so I too would be interested in pics of the leaks and who the company is. Good luck, Jim

 

Read the following. Possibly a cause of your problems or maybe not.

Radiator corrosion

The rust in the systems is also very hard on components. The rust is really small particles zooming through passages and slowly sands away material. Think of a sand storm.

Granted, the radiator could also be at fault and possibly would have been repaired under warrantee if not for the rust stains. The rust is cause to believe the cooling system was not properly maintained in the past, either by your or the previous owner.

 

If some of us are thinking its a Champion, their warranty states that the lifetime part only applies if it was installed by a "garage," if a home Joe like most of us installs it it is only good against leaks for less time, I can't remember right now.

If the case is that they are stating that "any" corrosion is a case to void the warranty that counts out 97% of iron blocks that haven't been rebuilt recently. And they should say so.

 

Kinda looks like an ACP radiator? I would have cleaned that baby inside and out before sending it in for warranty.

 

Just to put folks at ease at bit, it's not a Champion.

Did a pH test on it, and it came up as 8.0. From what I've read online, it's within parameters for not being caustic or acidic enough to attack the metals in the cooling system. Still waiting to hear back from the manufacturer on how they figure it was a "corrosive chemical" in the coolant that burned a hole in the radiator.

 

Update: I received an email today from the sales person at the manufacturer. They took my info to a manager, and my radiator is covered under the warranty. They will be shipping a replacement radiator to me. Not sure when it will get here, but looking forward to getting my car back on the road!

 

WOW, a replacement not just a repair. You gotta say their name now!

 

Whoops...forgot to put that in the update. It's an ACP MaxCore radiator.

Don't know if folks read my proposed response to them, but that is what I sent to them, and getting a replacement in return.

 

Nice link,My buddy and his Dad have had Morgans for a long time now,including a 3 wheeler.
Distilled water is recommended even today in every Ford WSM,so I am not following how it is bad to use.

 

Distilled water is recommended even today in every Ford WSM,so I am not following how it is bad to use.

Tap water, drinking water, and spring water all contain minerals that will precipitate out leading to the build up of scale.
I prefer distilled water.

 

Good for you !

 

So did they offer an explanation behind the failure?

 

Wow, that’s cool! It’s always good to see someone stand behind their product and do the right thing, and a good guy come out on top, congratulations ! Hats off to ACP

 

ACP should school that moron that told you the radiator was corroded.

 

OEM's use "deionized water" these days. For us DIY'ers distilled is usually the most practical substitute. If you buy premixed coolant it's half deionized water. So I'm told.

 

Update - the new radiator arrived and ready to be installed. Much thanks to ACP for listening and honoring their warranty. There's another side to the story, but I will post that in another thread. Just got to get some other things taken care of under the hood, and then the new radiator goes in. Thanks for listening and your advice everyone!

 

Curious:
Your ID says you have a top-loader but the radiator has provisions for an automatic cooler. If true, what’s the reason?
I always thought it would be nice to have a provision for a temperature sender in the radiator bottom to measure how well the radiator was cooling.

 

I suspect the unneeded automatic trans cooler is more a function of cost savings from having to stock fewer variations of radiators. As for using the unused automatic transmission cooler bungs for a temp sender, a temp sender would not be immersed in liquid (trans fluid) so it would not read accurately.

 

A truly good company would have taken care of this the first time. It shouldn't have taken a follow up email to get them to do the right thing.

 

I tend to agree with you there, however, they did the right thing after just one follow-up email. I've dealt with other issues where it has taken emails, phone calls, and finally a letter to the head of the company before the right thing was done. I'll take this one as a win, and go on about my business. I still have a radiator from another manufacturer that still hasn't been resolved a year later. That's why I ended up buying the ACP radiator.