Print

[tulenutn2o]

Well fellas, Last year I built my shop heat exchanger using a tractor radiator(new one I had laying around) . Worked great for a year, couple of weeks ago furnace calling for water. Me thinks ut oh, where's the leak. I go hunting to find what I thought was a drain fitting leaking on the radiator. Had not been in shop for a couple of days and went out to find the floor wet. Upon further inspection, I found that all the rows of the radiator were leaking and looked like swiss cheese, joints were all leaking too. Chemical says safe for aluminum, copper, etc. Then someone pointed out the Chinese thing. I guess they use a solder that appears gold, USA stuff looks silver. Well I ended up ordering a new heat exchanger to replace that radiator. This time a USA piece. My advice is to buy the USA/Canadian  stuff and save in the long run. I might add that the USA made heater core that I used ( it was used also) is still perfectly fine, no issues.

[Scott7m]

Well I'll disagree...   I myself would rather have the chinese coils than the us ones.  90% of all of them are made im china, but the us ones I have seen actually looked worse than the china ones.  Never had one to leak. 

Even companies that sell furnace parts who advertise made in the USA, if you talk to them long enough, well they come from china too. 


You probably just have a bad part or maybe something about your treatment was affecting it, I'm not sure.

But to assume that china makes junk, I'm not buying that argument

[Scott7m]

Turtle, who sold you a us one?  Just curious

[RSI]

So this was a truck radiator that is leaking? I wouldn't even consider using one of them after seeing how they are made.

[tulenutn2o]

So this was a truck radiator that is leaking? I wouldn't even consider using one of them after seeing how they are made.

Tractor radiator= leaking/hemoraging. Truck heater core= no leaky, just fine. Stuff was in the shop not being used, so I used it.

[tulenutn2o]

Well I'll disagree...   I myself would rather have the chinese coils than the us ones.  90% of all of them are made im china, but the us ones I have seen actually looked worse than the china ones.  Never had one to leak. 

Even companies that sell furnace parts who advertise made in the USA, if you talk to them long enough, well they come from china too. 


You probably just have a bad part or maybe something about your treatment was affecting it, I'm not sure.

But to assume that china makes junk, I'm not buying that argument

Scott7m: what I have seen over the years is that some chinese stuff looks good, even better than U.S. stuff.............but looks can be deceiving. Very little quality control in chinese materials. You might get a good part today(luck) but chances are you are going to get the inferior one. Some factories in China believe as long as it goes in the box and bolts together, it's good. Never mind that the part doesn't sit level, plumb, or square. After 30 years in the refrigeration, hvac, industry, I have really seen spike in the numbers of  part failures- usually chinese parts. I cringe whenever I see China on any electrical part...........for anything! Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to get things that are made domestically anymore. As for boiler treatment, only thing I can go on is that it says safe for aluminum on it also. My last test was AOK. You will never find me standing up and defending anything that comes from the very country that is trying to own us. Only people that do are the ones that are making a healthy profit peddling their stuff. Look at the quality foodstuffs they send us-tainted with lead and whatever else, lead laced toys, tainted pet food, etc. I also understand our country's lax laws as far as what denotes made in USA anymore.Basically, when you buy a new furnace or A/C today, you are getting a US cabinet,heat exchanger with a whole bunch of foreign parts. Those said foreign parts seem to fail more often today then they used to. Capacitors is a good example that comes to mind.

[Scott7m]

I agree with you about the electrical stuff, it's hard to get quality electrical switches and stuff anymore at all. 

As far as china trying to own us, I think our govt is giving it to them one bail out or debt ceiling rise at a time.  There are good companies in china and there are bad, I've had great experience with the coils and such.

[tulenutn2o]

I agree with you about the electrical stuff, it's hard to get quality electrical switches and stuff anymore at all. 

As far as china trying to own us, I think our govt is giving it to them one bail out or debt ceiling rise at a time.  There are good companies in china and there are bad, I've had great experience with the coils and such.

I have also found their rubber products to be inferior as well. Seals, hydraulic rams not very good either. Rams are shiny and all, but when magnified, you can really see the difference and why they leak sooner than others. Glad you are having good luck.

[Scott7m]

We have the highest corporate tax rate in the world.. 

We also have an anti business govt who makes about 2435 to many hoops to jump through before you can open any big business.  Those of cost all carry fees.  It's nuts

[Scott7m]

I agree to a certain extent.  I still feel that many companies would do more business here if the tax rate was lower. 

[Bull]

I agree with tulenutn2o on the quality issue but agree that our government helps push business away from our country.

[Jcl]

I'm going to stay away from the political side  of things.  but here around my house there is a radiator shop that has recored  4 radiators for me and they give a 5 year warranty   2 of them are now over 8 years with no leaks.    most core jobs cost me $100 maybe look for a shop round you?

[tulenutn2o]

I would rather employ U.S. workers any day. The problems with America today is out sourcing get it ? We continue to buy foreign junk as we give up our jobs to cheap labor. What does it take for people to realize the simple facts. The foreigners might be cheaper but who do you want to employ? I try to support Americans. Who do you support?

I support USA, unfortunately, we are all supporting more and more of our fellow citizens.............whether we want to or not.That's as far as I dare take that one.

[tulenutn2o]

I'm going to stay away from the political side  of things.  but here around my house there is a radiator shop that has recored  4 radiators for me and they give a 5 year warranty   2 of them are now over 8 years with no leaks.    most core jobs cost me $100 maybe look for a shop round you?

Hard to find radiator shops anymore. EPA and OSHA has been hard on them too. I believe in repairing old whenever possible.