Opinions on new Radiator I recieved.

[WilliamM2]

I have a 2009 Camry with a leaking radiator. So I ordered a Denso replacement from Rock Auto. The radiator arrived with a slight bend/twist to one of the end rails. The radiator holds pressure. Just wondering if this kind of damage could cause an issue in the future.

Dent on box that lines up with bend:



Here is the damage, front drivers side of radiator:



Top view:


Back side in the same exact spot, can hardly see any bend, I think that rail just twisted a little:




I used a straight edge, on the front side it's bent in a hair less that 3/32". From the back it's a hair less than 1/16". I think it just twisted the rail a little. One row of fins squished a little, only that one tube is affected. I also measured corner to corner, and it IS still square.

I'm afraid if I return it, the next one will be even worse. Aluminum is so easy to bend. Shipping sucks these days, they push these guys to deliver so many packages, they don't have time to be careful. And Denso does not pack these too well, about 1/4" on 3 sides of the radiator.

I've also heard Rock Auto sucks for returns. I did ask this question over on the Toyota Nation forums, and did get responses from two actual mechanics there, they say it will be fine. I would love more opinions before I spend a day and $50 worth of Toyota SLLC anti-freeze! Hate to have a leak later.

And yes, I got new Gates hoses, and a new Gates (Motorad) cap. Couple of clamps too, for the trans cooler lines, since the old bottom ones are a bit corroded.

Thanks for any opinions.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Guessing you paid somewhere around $100-150 for that?

Depending on, I would just let it go.

Is your time worth the hassle of the return and replacement?

Could slap a brand new unbent one on there, get a rock kicked up from the road and end up with a bunch of bent fins on your first drive and not even know it.

 

[WilliamM2]

Guessing you paid somewhere around $100-150 for that?

Depending on, I would just let it go.

Is your time worth the hassle of the return and replacement?

Could slap a brand new unbent one on there, get a rock kicked up from the road and end up with a bunch of bent fins on your first drive and not even know it.

The fins aren't realy bent, just a little squished on one side. Very small area, and you can still see light through them. I actually expected bent fins, but there aren't any.

I was more concerned with the slight bend/twist in the one tube.
I'm leaning toward keeping it, just want to make sure this won't affect it down the road.

It was $97 at RockAuto, cost isn't an issue. They had many choices from $66 (CSF) to $120 (tow package). Denso is the OEM, so I went with that.

Thanks.

Oh, there's no way to get a rock damage on the road, they put the condenser in front of the rad! Much more expensive repair.

 

[RLGL]

Will it line up with the mounts? The other worry is the seal between the plastic tanks and the aluminum body down the road.

 

[WilliamM2]

Will it line up with the mounts? The other worry is the seal between the plastic tanks and the aluminum body down the road.

The rad mounts on posts in rubber grommet, shoud be no issue there. I measured corner to corner, both directions, the rad is square to the mm.
If this could affect the seal is my main question.

 

[Paperdoc]

I would expect no problem. A minor bend in a tube is NOT an issue. IF that tube were partially collapsed at that point, or IF there was evidence of leakage, that would be different.

 

[Zorba]

I've been screwed on a questionable radiator before. It had been a return to AutoZone. Started leaking after the first drive. Because of that experience, I'd send it back and get a new one. I'd probably try locally so you don't have to worry about shipping.

More than likely it'll be fine, but I'd worry about the seal down the road. The bend could cause uneven expansion went it heats up.

ETA: Honestly, after looking at the pictures again, I probably wouldn't worry about it.

 

[WilliamM2]

I've been screwed on a questionable radiator before. It had been a return to AutoZone. Started leaking after the first drive. Because of that experience, I'd send it back and get a new one. I'd probably try locally so you don't have to worry about shipping.

More than likely it'll be fine, but I'd worry about the seal down the road. The bend could cause uneven expansion went it heats up.

ETA: Honestly, after looking at the pictures again, I probably wouldn't worry about it.

Are you trying to confuse me? It was definetely never opened before, and not a return. Local parts stores (Autozone etc.) want $350 for a no name radiator. Hell the dealer only wanted $185.

Thanks,
After reading of RA's horrible customer service, I think I will keep it. Waiting for a no spill funnel from Amazon (delayed three days so far), so it'll probably be later in the week when I get to it. 5" of snow today and tonight anyways. Should be Sunny and 40f again by Weds.

 

[WilliamM2]

So it seems like 5 say no problem, one says maybe. More opinions would be great, wanna decide for sure by tommorow.

 

[BoomerD]

Easiest solution...take it to a radiator shop and have them pressure test it. If it leaks, either have them repair it and try to get a refund, or just send it back as is.

 

[WilliamM2]

Easiest solution...take it to a radiator shop and have them pressure test it. If it leaks, either have them repair it and try to get a refund, or just send it back as is.

It holds pressure, It's in the first post. The question was, would it cause an issue later.
And no one repairs these plastic/aluminum radiators. Thet've been using them for over 40 years. All the radiator shops around here closed at least 20 years ago.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

It holds pressure, It's in the first post. The question was, would it cause an issue later.
And no one repairs these plastic/aluminum radiators. Thet've been using them for over 40 years. All the radiator shops around here closed at least 20 years ago.

-Maybe it would be more fruitful to ask you: what are you afraid is going to happen?

IMO worst case you have another leaky radiator and have to do this whole song and dance over again.

 

[WilliamM2]

-Maybe it would be more fruitful to ask you: what are you afraid is going to happen?

IMO worst case you have another leaky radiator and have to do this whole song and dance over again.

Just what you stated. I wondered if that bend could cause a leak later. I don't enjoy doing things twice.
But as I said, if I ordered another, it very well may have more damage.

Just seeking opinions before I begin. It's about a 4 hour job according to the book, Dealer wanted $800 including new hoses.

Indy shops wanted between $970 and $990. No new hoses, and they use "compatable" coolant (whatever is on hand is my guess). I think I have $175 in all the parts and coolant.

BTW, the Camry has 80,500 , miles on it. No rust on the body. This is actually the first repair it's ever needed, other than a water pump under warranty.

I bought it with 36,000 in 2012. So I don't drive a whole lot, had a short commute. I may be retired now, not sure yet. So I only put 2K on it in the last year. I would like to keep it a while. I need a car, but don't drive enough to make a new one worthwhile.

 

[Torn Mind]

Leaking radiator is common with Toyota because their official lifespan is too high. 70-80% of their lifespan is when the fluids should be changed. Pink fluid is 10yr and 100k, so the first change should have been 7-8yr, 70000-8000mi. After that, a yearly renewal should keep the radiator alive.

I would install it, check for leaks after 30 days. Nothing wrong after that, then just keep it. If failure appears, raise issue with RockAuto for defect. They might not even need you to ship it back if the failure is due to a defect.

Also, even though Denso is the same as the OEM, the Denso radiator I got had a hole in the wrong place for one of holes, so I just installed it without the 10mm screw. 2007 Toyota Matrix.

 

[crashtech]

That amount of damage is essentially cosmetic, though if it had been me I'd have sent it back for a replacement since I do this sort of thing for a living. Can't put that kind of stuff in a customer vehicle. Also a return with documentation might help the companies involved pinpoint where such damage is coming from (unlikely, but one can hope). For all you know, there might be thousands of boxes with similar or worse damage caused by a negligent operator somewhere in the supply chain.

 

[WilliamM2]

That amount of damage is essentially cosmetic, though if it had been me I'd have sent it back for a replacement since I do this sort of thing for a living. Can't put that kind of stuff in a customer vehicle.

Answers like this are contradictory, and confusing. It's just cosmetic, but you couldn't put it in a customers car?
Why not if it's just cosmetic? You can't see it after it's installed.

 

[crashtech]

Answers like this are contradictory, and confusing. It's just cosmetic, but you couldn't put it in a customers car?
Why not if it's just cosmetic? You can't see it after it's installed.

I apologize for the confusion, it's just that when my customers pay me to do a task, they have the right to expect a result with no compromises. Not to mention that a select few may have the work inspected to ensure it is correct. Even a slightly bent radiator could be construed as having been sold a defective product at retail price. It's simply not something I would do, even if I knew it would be fine in my own vehicle.

Hope this clarifies things.

 

[NutBucket]

Leaking radiator is common with Toyota because their official lifespan is too high. 70-80% of their lifespan is when the fluids should be changed. Pink fluid is 10yr and 100k, so the first change should have been 7-8yr, 70000-8000mi. After that, a yearly renewal should keep the radiator alive.

Changing the fluid won't prevent the plastic end tanks from failing. Basically nothing will prevent that.

 

[Torn Mind]

Changing the fluid won't prevent the plastic end tanks from failing. Basically nothing will prevent that.

The metal goes first if the fluid is not swapped out. That's what happened to my mom's Toyota Matrix. It innocently started as just the temp guage going up. Didn't seem like a big deal. Added some fluid, and it seemed already for a few more thousand miles. But then it came back intermittently, and then eventually, I see the busted radiator metal. Swapped that out. The acute symptoms and swap was done at 10 years and about 100k, the actual first failure might have been around 80-90k and 8-9 years.

 

[Zorba]

FYI: I've done a defective return through RockAuto and it wasn't a big deal.

 

[WilliamM2]

FYI: I've done a defective return through RockAuto and it wasn't a big deal.

You are confusing. Would you keep it or return it? I'm leaning toward keeping it.

 

[WilliamM2]

The metal goes first if the fluid is not swapped out. That's what happened to my mom's Toyota Matrix. It innocently started as just the temp guage going up. Didn't seem like a big deal. Added some fluid, and it seemed already for a few more thousand miles. But then it came back intermittently, and then eventually, I see the busted radiator metal. Swapped that out. The acute symptoms and swap was done at 10 years and about 100k, the actual first failure might have been around 80-90k and 8-9 years.

I've never seen the metal fail. It's the seal between the tank and the metal.


The fluid wouldn't protect the metal on the outside anyways.

 

[Zorba]

You are confusing. Would you keep it or return it? I'm leaning toward keeping it.

Just giving you the data point that I didn't have an issue with Rock Auto, since you said you heard they were bad. Really you may have missed your window to report shipping damage, though.

At the end of the day, if the thing starts leaking in 3 years are you going to be upset you didn't swap it now? Even if you had no way of knowing if it was related?

 

[WilliamM2]

Just giving you the data point that I didn't have an issue with Rock Auto, since you said you heard they were bad. Really you may have missed your window to report shipping damage, though.

At the end of the day, if the thing starts leaking in 3 years are you going to be upset you didn't swap it now? Even if you had no way of knowing if it was related?

I have until Dec. 20th to return. I've only had it 4 days. No I would not think it was related if it leaked in three years. I'd think denso quality has fallen. I figure if this was an issue, it would show in the warranty period.
I'll ask again, would you keep it?

Thanks.

 

[Zorba]

I have until Dec. 20th to return. I've only had it 4 days. No I would not think it was related if it leaked in three years. I'd think denso quality has fallen. I figure if this was an issue, it would show in the warranty period.
I'll ask again, would you keep it?

Thanks.

Shipping damage would get a free replacement shipping both ways, while a return doesn't.

If I noticed it before I started the work and had days to spare, I'd probably exchange it. If it was in the middle of the task, I'd probably keep it. Not trying to be vague, just on the edge for me like it appears it is for you.