Normy

SO....How many of you have DEVEK radiators?

How many of you have had your DEVEK radiators leak?

DEVEK is charging $778 for these parts. Is it worth it? What is the average longevity of this product?

Normy?
'85 S2 5 Speed

-leaking DEVEK radiator.

Eric Dvorak

Hey Normy,
Where is the rad. leaking? I've been considering a Devek rad. but have heard about a few of them leaking. I don't understand how an all aluminum unit springs a leak without having something poke a hole in it.

tdelarm

Normy,

I like the built for Devek by Ron Davis radiator.

1 year/6k miles with no leaks or problems so far. Keeps the car running cool even in the Los Angeles heat.

I think it’s worth the investment.

Ed Ruiz

I had one for 13 months before it started to leak. Keep in mind the core is not welded to the aluminum side tanks - it's glued. Once the glue seperates, there's a leak.

I replaced the DEVEK radiator with an OEM radiator two years ago, and couldn't be happier. YMMV.

tdelarm

God...I hope I won't have to deal with that cuz that would really suck <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />

Hoping for the best.

<img border="0" alt="[oops]" title="" src="graemlins/oops.gif" />

Bernie

800.00 for a radiator is too much money if you ask me. Of course, not knowing what the OEM rad costs, its probably a deal.....
I think it would be cheaper to find a really good rad repair shop build one from scratch....

Hmmmmmmm?????

Barry Johnson

I've had mine for over 35,000 miles and not a single problem yet. Took it down to Cali from Washington and no heat problems. I track the car occasionally and also kept the car very cool. I'd recommend it, just make sure you keep your hoses in check.

Barry Johnson

I've had mine for over 35,000 miles and not a single problem yet. Took it down to Cali from Washington and no heat problems. I track the car occasionally and also kept the car very cool. I'd recommend it, just make sure you keep your hoses in check.

Nicole

Oh pleeze, not this topic again!

People have used those radiators for street and track use for years, and I can't remember any complaints on this board or at any of the 928 gatherings - other than Ed's.

If you really want to torture yourself, check the archives!

The cost of a factory radiator is around $1,000. For more than $200 less you can get a quality replacement product that looks great and appears to work really well. I would not hesitate to switch to a DEVEK radiator, if my original would leak.

One question, though: How are core and side tanks connected on the original radiator? Aren't those glued as well? They certainly don't look like they are welded, since the tanks are plastic. And: Aren't the original radiators known to separate and leak at the tanks?

Zandramus

Very good point Nicole,

The OEM radiators would have to be glued as the side tanks are plastic. I would have expected the Devek's to be Welded as they were metal on metal application. However if the OEM is glued then why isnt that good enough for the Devek ones.

I do agree however that $800 is a pretty steep price to pay when you can take yours to an average radiator shop and have it re cored.
JMHO

Greg86andahalf

I had my OEM radiator cleaned and pressure-tested. I think the side tanks are held on by the series of tabs running down the sides of the main unit. With that in mind, the tanks can only be R/R'd so many times until the tabs begin to break. I understand that the tab method is quite common according to my radiator shop. The shop never mentioned glue.

Greg

Ed Ruiz

I am by no means the only person to have a DEVEK radiator leak. I know several folks who have had the same thing happen, and one of the had it happen TWICE. :^(

Depending on the OEM radiator your 928 needs (they are not all the same), the cost can be anywhere from $600 to over $1000. The shop I frequent sold one to me at their cost.

Mark Anderson uses a stock OEM radiator in his race car, and has no overheating problems with it. Keep in mind that he drives that car to its limits and does so at southern Califirnia race tracks in Summer (think 120 degrees Farenheit - in the shade).

Folks, Nicole is right. This topic has been cussed and discussed ad-nauseum. Go back some pages, and read all about it.

Also, keep in mind that the original questioner wanted to hear from folks about DEVEK radiators. I was only providing my experience. Just because your experience is different than mine, doen't make mine any less valid. That is one of the meanings of "YMMV".

Bernie

Against the OEM rad, the DEVEK rad is the better way to go.
I have seen them and they DO look and fit very nicely.
I think that 800 or 1000.00 for a rad is extremely expensive period....
Kinda like the 225.00 motormount thing you know.

I guess it doesn't make good sense for a company to build a rad that is less than half the cost of the original. Kinda like throwing money out the window.
When most domestic rads can be picked up for a fraction of that cost, it kinda makes one wonder if there is the possibility for a cheaper mousetrap.

PeteS

Ed's is the only one I've heard of having problems. I've met and talked to maybe a dozen others that have a Devek radiator and haven't had any problems, with some of them having had them for years. The Devek one is cheaper than the Porsche one.

Ed Ruiz

Call DR at 928 Specialist. I think he keeps a list of those who have told him about their radiator experiences.

BTW, my OEM radiator was at least $200 less than a replacement DEVEK radiator, and it came with a 2 year warrantee instead of one for only a year. YMMV.