Radiator Heat Sinks Crumpled

I bought a brand new radiator for a Diesel Mercedes ('87 300D Turbo). A mechanic replaced the engine on the car and intalled the radiator. He says the bolt that held on the fan was longer than it should have been for the replacement engine and the fan wobbled and touched the radiator when he drove it around the block after the work was done. This brand new radiator now has the the shape of the spinning fan pressed in to it. It poked two tiny holes in it and he said he would pay to have it fixed. That is $45 at a local radiator shop. That radiator guy told me on the phone he would be able to comb the heat sinks back into shape. But when he saw it, he said it is risky to bend the fins back because it could create more holes. In the radiator bath when testing it, it was clearly leaking in just two places. He send he would use some "substance" to fix the radiator, not a TIG welder because the Aluminum is too thin.

I have two questions:

1) Do bent fins (which reduce airflow) have a tremendous impact on cooling capacity? (To describe more precisely how bent they are: I would say in most areas of impact (which creates a complete circle) there is between 1" and 2" of mashed fin damage (as measured from the outermost portion of where the fan could possibly touch toward the "axle"/center of the fan. This particular engine can't handle an overheating very well...it cracks the head/blows gaskets almost immediately, so I would really like a perfectly functioning cooling system.)

2) In areas where the radiator is not currently leaking, am now I much more likely to have leaks down the road? For example, maybe it is very thin in some areas now and almost broken, but not leaking _yet_.

Should I just replace this radiator?

Thanks! Michelle

Reply to
Michelle
Loading thread data ...

This damage occurred because either the engine fan wasn't tightly bolted onto the engine or the engine's motor mounts weren't tight and the engine moved forward into the radiator.

This is basic mechanics and shouldn't happen.

Don't live with a compromised radiator that may start leaking in a couple of years.

IMHO the engine installer should replace the radiator.

See:

formatting link

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

Tell the mechanic to buy you a new radiator... he screwed up and he is responsible.

Reply to
Tiger

Yes, and yes. You should hold this mechanic liable for a new radiator. If it is a reputable shop that should be doable. If it's "Tony down the street" than the best you can do is negotiate the labor price down by the value of the radiator.

On 23 Aug 2004 10:15:58 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Michelle) wrote:

||I bought a brand new radiator for a Diesel Mercedes ('87 300D Turbo). ||A mechanic replaced the engine on the car and intalled the radiator. ||He says the bolt that held on the fan was longer than it should have ||been for the replacement engine and the fan wobbled and touched the ||radiator when he drove it around the block after the work was done. ||This brand new radiator now has the the shape of the spinning fan ||pressed in to it. It poked two tiny holes in it and he said he would ||pay to have it fixed. That is $45 at a local radiator shop. That ||radiator guy told me on the phone he would be able to comb the heat ||sinks back into shape. But when he saw it, he said it is risky to ||bend the fins back because it could create more holes. In the ||radiator bath when testing it, it was clearly leaking in just two ||places. He send he would use some "substance" to fix the radiator, ||not a TIG welder because the Aluminum is too thin. || ||I have two questions: || ||1) Do bent fins (which reduce airflow) have a tremendous impact on ||cooling capacity? (To describe more precisely how bent they are: I ||would say in most areas of impact (which creates a complete circle) ||there is between 1" and 2" of mashed fin damage (as measured from the ||outermost portion of where the fan could possibly touch toward the ||"axle"/center of the fan. This particular engine can't handle an ||overheating very well...it cracks the head/blows gaskets almost ||immediately, so I would really like a perfectly functioning cooling ||system.) || ||2) In areas where the radiator is not currently leaking, am now I ||much more likely to have leaks down the road? For example, maybe it ||is very thin in some areas now and almost broken, but not leaking ||_yet_. || ||Should I just replace this radiator? || ||Thanks! ||Michelle

Texas Parts Guy

Reply to
Rex B

You paid for a new radiator, you should get a new radiator. A repaired radiator isn't new.

JazzMan

Reply to
JazzMan

He originally was going to charge $1k to replace the headgasket. Then it turned out the head was cracked, so I bought another engine for $1k and he said he could put it in for no extra money (like still $1k for the headgasket turned engine switch job). So far he only has $500 of my money, so I am thinking maybe he won't ask for any more money. So, yes, like you say, maybe he'll be deducting it from the labor and just charge me $500 for the whole job. I've definitely become his friend, in a way. He bounces ideas off me. Still, I think I'd come off as cheap and he'd be less likely to actually give me a break if I ask him right now to just do the whole job for what I've already given him. I'd be better off just waiting until its done -- somehow it seems like at that point he'll just say "go ahead...just take the car and don't worry about the money."

Know what I mean? Am I way off?

Reply to
Michelle

You may be on the track... but you need to make sure what he is going to do... if he disagree with you and both at an impass... and he is mean... he could try to impound your car and apply for your title... real messy.

Reply to
Tiger

Why do I get the feeling this mechanic is not an established retail automotive repairer. From your last description it sounds like this mechanic is working from home.

Reply to
RV

you paid for a new radiator

CASE CLOSED

the case, minus a few cans!

Reply to
pool man

Do the following if you suspect he might not help you. There's always a tiny (diminutive) chance that the story he told you about the factory bolt would "hold water". But the below would place you in a much better bargaining position. And, remember: if, and I said "if", he's attempting to cover his mistake by wrongly blaming all on a factory bolt being too long, you don't need him for a mehanic or maybe even a friend. And by your description, that's a fan-imprint--not a bolt imprint.

Borrow a friend's 'el-cheapo'car when you go to get yours. Ask him if you can leave the friend's car while you go test drive your "job"--all BEFORE you pay him any more $. When you return to get your friend's car, have someone take you in yet another car. Once you have your car at home, he can't come get it. Neither can he keep your friend's car. Then would be a good time to settle on the less-than-new radiator. And, when placed in that position, I'm sure he'd be more nearly willing to do his part and do what's fair. HTH & good luck. I don't crave swapping places with you. We don't wish to pay for someone's else mistake. Yet we want to be fair. Remember, often others may not feel the same fairness you need to feel in this situation. s

Reply to
sdlomi2

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.