Carl Fausett

Thank you, Courtshark.

No matter who makes the radiator, they buy their cooling cores from one of about 3 manufacturers. Then they add the end tanks, fittings, etc.

We got a bad batch of cores that were over-crimped where the tubes fitted the end plates. At about the 1 year-old mark these cores started to fail with small cracks in the end plates, and that was the first we knew that we had been shipped a poor core crimp design. As to those radiators that got out from 2010 to 2011, we have replaced them under warranty - even though they are 2+ years old. Customers have paid zero dollars.

I think a two year warranty is exceptional...

We started buying a different (and better) core from a different manufacturer in 2011 and have not had the problems since.

Courtshark

Excellent response, Carl. Will be contacting you shortly to order a radiator, among other items. Prepping for the Glen in October.

eijun

Being Behr wont do it unless it is a big batch, cant we just get a community fund going for custom batches from Behr?

That and have a custom super aluminum radiator that is custom built for racing purposes (ie withstand racing pressure damage and forces). IE more expensive.

ROG100

So I think the point is "very well made"

Three sellers of alloy radiators and all three have failures within a short period of time

Devek rads failed after a few years - all years
I believe Mark had the same issues - all years
Carl was selling Mark's rads up until about three years ago - approx.
Carl sold a new rad - Failed
Carl now sells a newer new rad - time will tell!!! But do not worry it has a two year warranty (commendable).

On my cars I will stick with Behr.

ROG100

Did Behr tell you that??? Why would you need custom when they already have the correct radiator for all cars 78 to 95.

dr bob

The mountings for the radiator are originally a little flexible, at least the top supports. There's neccessary room to grow and shrink, at least laterally, built in to the support design. I'll suspect that most original rubber cushions are hardened though.

The original radiator has plastic tanlks sealed with o-rings. allowing the core to resize itself independently of the tanks. With continuously variable coolant flow, changing flow path within the tubes, heat input, and total dissipation, it's not hard to visualize all the internal stresses the core sees. That's got to be part of the reason the end plates are allowed to move around in the original design. An all-aluminum unit with the ends boxed is a recipe for stress and leaks. It's just a matter of time before fatigue cycle life is exceeded at the tank to core joints. Like a beer can that's bent back and forth a few times, but with small thermally-induced motion.

Got a car you plan to keep and drive? Get with your favorite supplier now and buy a spare stock unit to have on the shelf, before all the hoarders grab them and hold them for ransom. Lots of 'interesting' cars end up parked or scrapped because of lack of parts support as they age. It would be a shame to see good cars made unavailable due to a normal maintenance part like a radiator going NLA. Parking the car with a good radiator is no guarantee that it will still be as good when the car is un-parked later. So stay on top of cooling system maintenance even if the car is driven infrequently. Think about annual coolant changes as cheap insurance for the car and cooling system.

Mark/Roger, what's the critical mass needed to get Behr to make a run of radiators? Even if they just supply new cores and continue to supply tanks, we'd have enough to get them assembled to spec with the old aux cooler sections from the originals.

ROG100

I already have calls into Peter Grunow and Colin Carter at Behr HQ in Germany and also Behr NA in Troy.
Wait and see. They already make the radiator just need to keep it in production with a minimum purchase.

I also asked one of the wholesalers do the same direct with Behr.

eijun

Er, I dont mean custom new radiator.
I mean just batch orders I know many companies wont produce anything unless it is a decent sized batch.

Avar928

How much do Behr rads go for?

ROG100

$800+ depending on which one

Speedtoys

Thats what the mount rubber bumpers are supposed to do..but even so..there is a force applied to the radiator.

Not talking much, but a car chassis does move.

NoVector

Glad I bought my spare from you a couple months ago Roger—no regrets. Received perfectly wrapped; not a scratch or dent. I learned my lesson with the PSD reservoir, sometimes, NLA really means NLA.

ROG100

That same radiator from Porsche is now $1884. IIRC Mark still has some left at a great price (I'm sold out).

Mark Anderson

Thanks Roger,
I do have 10 left as of this am.

jeff spahn

I am glad I bought mine from Roger last year when my all aluminum one **** the bed. Tried to have it repaired at a local shop that does all of our work on our fleet of trucks. He epoxied it. Cost $250 and lasted a year.

Bought a new Behr from Roger. All is cool now. $800 doesn't hurt a year later.