20V Radiator Plastic vs Metal?

[Scalmanini Steve]

It may be true that "The Nissens all metal radiator
actually has a higher rate of failure than the
stock AKG radiator", but what's preferable, a
part with a higher failure rate but that won't
fail suddenly and completely, or one with a lower
rate but that commonly fails completely and
without warning and would leave you stranded
(and is more expansive)?

The necks/nipples won't break off of a radiator
with metal tanks but they might seep at their
seems sooner than one with plastic tanks.  I'll
bet the metal ones aren't really "all metal", but
instead have metal tanks crimped onto the metal
heat exchanger with a gasket in between, just like
the ones with plastic tanks.  I doubt that they're
actually soldered together like we might assume
from the proverbial old days.  So with one more
metal surface against that gasket to corrode, vs.
the more inert plastic one, I would expect those
with metal tanks to fail at that gasket seal sooner
than those with plastic tanks.

Can someone who got one of the metal ones tell the
list exactly how the tanks are attached?

The bottom line is, IMHO, I'd rather risk a slow
failure with warning than a sudden failure that
would leave me stranded.

Comments?


Steve
Ukiah, CA


Patrick Anderson ptanders at attbi.com Wed, 22 Jan 2003

The Nissens all metal radiator actually has a higher
rate of failure than the stock AKG radiator. ...


Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 1:55 AM

... what are the pro and cons of the AKG OEM
radiator and the all metal Nissens?


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