autozone radiator woes

[nachoman]

Many years ago, I bought an Autozone radiator for my 1965 mustang coupe. It ran for about 5 years, and got clogged. Because it was under lifetime warranty, I took it back and got another at no cost to me. The car still has an autozone radiator, and it is still under lifetime warranty. But, I have a problem.

The radiators I have gotten lately keep leaking from the seam that joins the upper tank lid. I'll get a new one, but within a about two months it will develop a pinhole leak from the seam. The leak will slowly grow, and sometimes other pinhole leaks develop from the same seam. Rather than deal with it, I simply make sure the radiator is full about once per week. Eventually when I have time, I take the radiator back to Autozone, and I get a new one. Within two months, the cycle begins again.

Has anyone else had a problem with autozone radiators in this way? My thinking it is a manufacturing process or material problem in that the top is not properly soldered in place due to using improper solder or an improper soldering technique. But considering this has happened three times in a row, I'm now wondering if something about my engine is causing these radiators to fail. The pressure is regulated by the cap - so it should not be too high. And the solder should be able to handle the temperatures - but maybe not the hot and cold cycles? Should I take the current leaking radiator back to autozone and risk it failing again in a few months, or take it to a radiator shop to have it properly resoldered?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Explorer]

If you raise enough stink, maybe they'll just refund your money and go somewhere else. No reason you should have to fix what should be right to start with. Only possible problem I can see is if you are running too high pressure radiator cap. And that's getting picky.

 

[woodbutcher]

If the wrong solder/flux is used,the solder joint WILL be weak.Worked for a friend for several years that had a radiator/cooling system shop,and he got a BAD batch of flux and had a real hassel with seams leaking,until the problem was caught by the supplier.
Do the seams always leak in the same place?
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

[nachoman]

That's what I was thinking. The manufacturer got a bad batch of solder or flux, made a bunch of radiators using that bad material, and I've simply been getting replacements from that bad inventory. They only leak from the seam that joins the two halves of the top tank together.

 

[Explorer]

There are even cheap aluminum radiators that use epoxy! Wouldn't put it past them.

 

[chad]

As some 1 who wrks in AutoStoned Commercial (every other Sat) I can say they usuall sell Dorman /or/ Spectra rads. (both Chinese?).
Nother thread has another rad (alu 4 same price as these) from a co in the Philly area that is inexpensive but can;t vouch 4 that quality either.
Check THAT 1 out...

 

[nachoman]

Update -

After failing to find another new raidator locally, I opted to take the leaking autozone one into the shop for soldering. For 55 bucks, they opened it up, cleaned it out, and re-soldered the upper tank lid. It's been a month, and so far NO LEAKS! The guy at the shop told me new radiators are soldered by machine. His thought was that the machine may have been set up incorrectly, and was not putting enough solder into the seam. Make sense to me. If the the factory had quality control issues, no wonder the replacements kept leaking from the same spot.

 

[HARVEY LIGHT]

I work at O'reillys and they sell the same cost radiator but form a different manufacurer. If this fix doesn't work out you might just get your money back from AZ and march down to the O'reilly store for a replacement. (NO - I am NOT trying to dis AZ, but they, like us, have contracts with their vendors so you most likely will find the one vendor has crap and the other doesn't)

 

[chad]

I hope this aint jackin yer thread nachoman
but any one out there hear bout the Right to Repair legislation?
It seems that the Big 3 are seeking to disallow any one but them from having info about the trouble codes (started in '96) the 'readers' supply (OBDII). In my employ w/a big box prts house there's a row. They say "it aint fair" and "we'll go outta business". The radio just had a lill story/'magazine' that it would bring prts manufacturing back to the States. I can't tell who's right...may B a 3rd and 4th side o' the story. Seems MA may B a 'test state' & if it passes here they'll roll in out across the country.
(OK, may B I should ask an administrator as well, this is 'politics'. That may not B allowed either)

 

[az1966]

I have the same issue with checkers/O'Reilys,,life time warrany,,, burned thru 2 radiators in approx 6 years,, keep saying to them see ya in 3 or 4 years,, and then go with it. the only way I see out is to take the radiator to a Radi repair shop and let them fix it once and for all.