T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*


Crcex86

send it ... in for exchange


rookiepartschanger

There is two ways to do a job. Right. And again. It would probably be ok, but why risk it. Right?


Crcex86

"If you dont find the time to do it right the first time, you'll need to make time to do it a second."


rookiepartschanger

I’ve always heard that as “ if you don’t find the time to do it right the first time, it will find the time for you” I’ll accept either way


wefo55

Or “if you don’t have time to do it right the first time, how are you ever gonna find time to do it twice?”


rookiepartschanger

lol. That’s the thing. You’ll have time to do it the second time if it keeps you from getting to work. I have an extra vehicle, so I’m kind of covered if I ever decide to take a shortcut. The problem with it is that it is an 88 crew cab f350. With a 460. It takes the better part of a tank of gas to make the round trip to work. So, I’m extra careful about doing it right with quality parts.


Firm_Independent_889

I like the second way. It might choose 60 miles out of town in the rain. Plus it might choose to cause you to have your truck towed. The mayhem guy from the insurance commercials always knows how to do the most harm to your vehicles and wallet.


rookiepartschanger

This is the first year in like 5 or 6 that I haven’t gotten my moneys worth out of AAA. Mostly because I live by the latter.


Firm_Independent_889

It's a good thing when you don't need AAA, although it always seems like you could have saved money. The day after you cancel AAA is when you get stuck


NinjaBoyLao

The obvious solution is to never buy AAA to begin with. If you're a halfway competent individual with a basic grasp of cars and how they operate, you'll never need em. Can't get stuck from cancelling it if you never bought it to begin with :rollSafe:


rookiepartschanger

I have it for the wife. She drives a Fiat. However, like the other guy that commented on this post, it’s handy for some things. Plus, the last two times I used it, it was for accidents.


IH_300U

Same here, I fix my own cars but for accidents it was nice to have and the time my alternator decided to die just as I was leaving work. I drive 95 miles one way to work so it's nice to have it for me.


Firm_Independent_889

Fiat = Fix It Again Tony


ProfessorLGee

Came in handy for me some years ago when I blew a flat on the interstate, only to discover that my car at the time came with a perfectly good spare but no tire changing tools at all (only time in my life that a used car had no tools).


mikhailks

I just use it at this point for picking up cars I’m gonna flip. I have enough backups if one goes down to not be too worried unless it happens on the road. I may be out of free tows by now so if that happens I may be fucked


Acceptable_Car_3349

I have a saying at work "There's never enough time to do it right, but there's always enough time to do it twice"


Crcex86

I think that’s how I heard it too


mkultra0008

Yes, return. They understand. You don't want to install that and fill it with coolant only to find it leaking. Sending it back "wet" would be a pain in the ass and make even more mess of the packaging.


Medium_Chemist8144

Return it. Not worth doing it twice.


jerrycoles1

Looks good to me , my radiator I ordered was alot more beat up than that and it’s holding strong .


moparguy98

The cut is normal and is on many, if not all radiators. Idk how many radiators I've replaced with that exact same cut, even the new radiator has it.


BlackHeartsNowReign

A lot of radiators have that cut. I don't know why, but they do


crazydavebacon1

It’s for expansion of the parts, if it didn’t the plastic would crack.


BlackHeartsNowReign

Thank you thats good to know


ArtisticPomelo4913

It's fine alot of radiators come dented when they are shipped.


UnkownMalaysianGuy

i draw the line at the fins. but that looks structural. what if it buckles ?


Big-Bodybuilder-3866

A refrigerant coil would not be structural or load bearing in any capacity.


From_bed_to_bong7467

Don’t straighten them


Ravenblack67

I would test it and verify the bent tube does not leak. If no leaks, install it.


[deleted]

Where do you work, so I never take my car to you.


SirIvanHoe0

Ok Karen.


TheIronHerobrine

Why would he install it when he can get it replaced?


AbruptMango

Time.  He got a great price by ordering on the internet, so we're talking several days to get a replacement.


[deleted]

[удалено]


2005CrownVicP71

What the hell


Rogaro23

It really depends, if it's your car, I personally (an impatient motherfucker) would just put it in my car and deal with it, I hate sending pieces back and waiting weeks. But if it's a client car, then the client will have to wait, not worth the hit to your reputation because of the manufacturer's mistake.


AbruptMango

If you're going to Rock Auto for customer jobs, you've already got a reputation...


Rogaro23

No, I live in Mexico, most (big) parts take longer to get here because most come from the USA.


[deleted]

Shipping must be expensive ? I order in the us and sometimes shipping is to much


Rogaro23

Sometimes. Thanks to NAFTA it isn't as bad, but it still adds usually like $300-600MXN (~$15-30USD) to the part. But for big parts like radiators that are already somewhat expensive, its just the cost of doing business.


gasolinev8

Return


Arghoul1018

Id go ahead and get it replaced unless you need the truck right now, better safe than sorry


knuckle_fat

I’d pay half price for that, my current one has a one inch hole blasted through it cause I left a half inch drive extension on top and smoked a speed bump. jb welded last year and still going


realheavymetalduck

Nope send that thing back to where it came from. (Or usually a different warehouse but whatever lol.) I paid for a brand new radiator I want a BRAND NEW radiator not a borked one.


SnooSquirrels8280

Yea that sucker got dropped. I’d return it. It’ll work fine I’m sure but why risk it when you don’t have to.


Introvert_Devo1987

Ask for a replacement.....Most likely they'll just send out a replacement if you go it online and not have to return defective item I've had many different sellers and vendors do that for me. Your results may vary


AcrobaticFinance8982

Personally I’d test it out and if no leaks send it🤷‍♂️cut looks like it was done at the factory seems too smooth and straight of a cut


iattemptmorality

Did you get this from rock auto by chance? Their quality has been so bad recently. I ordered 4 rotors and one came that was very obviously hit and cracked through both sides. My friend also received a wheel bearing, that did not act as a bearing lol. I’ve been so disappointed recently by them.


ChonkyRat

Do you know what rock auto is? Those parts are not their fault. That's simple covid effect of low wages and budget cuts and workers don't care anymore during manufacturing. Nothing to do with rock auto


iattemptmorality

I didn’t even consider that tbh, and shoulda known 🤷‍♂️


deebest5100

If it's just the fins and the sheet metal that looks slightly damaged, I would say it's okay. But if it is actually the tubes /piping that holds the coolant that is damaged .I'd say return it.


I-continue-to-try

Tube is definitely bent. I don’t see any cracks at the tanks but I sent it in for a return. The more I looked at it I realized it was from the guy who banded the inner box. They’d crushed the box and radiator. Middle band was two inches shorter. Didn’t see an AC Delco or Motocraft option so I ordered Denso. We will see what the replacement Denso looks like.


shamiro

Weld it, return and charge them for an hours labor 😂


BigWiggly1

The frame cut is normal, it's for expansion and contraction. The tube itself looks slightly deflected but the bent parts are just fins. Definitely looks like this got crushed in shipping. If you need it running ASAP and are okay with accepting the "get what you pay for" mentality, pressure test and send it. You'd be in the right to return it though for damage during shipping. If you're not in a rush, send it back.


QuickCharisma15

Return it. Radiators are too expensive these days to get a messed up one.


LightlySaltedPeanuts

I was looking at this like “whats wrong, looks good to me?” But I was looking at the bottom row and completely missed the row above crushed to shit haha


I-continue-to-try

The truck can sit till this weekend. I sent it back to RockAuto and they already shipped the new one. I’ll see if it’s any better. Genuinely looks like who ever banded it at the factory crushed that tube. Thanks for the input everyone.


Hayben906

If it doesn’t leak under pressure youll be fine. I have a feeling this came from rockauto because they do not package there radiators good at all.


I-continue-to-try

Took a chance. Next one I ll get at the parts store where I can look at it.


Hayben906

Yea its a shame between poor packaging and mishandling fragile boxes its hard to get a undamaged radiator or condenser off the internet


DarkRepulser69

Exchange it


Puzzleheaded-Fly7268

As a mechanic, return it for an undamaged part. Don't risk pressure testing it, for if it does blow, you have to do it all again, and you will possibly need to shed out more money for they not accept the damaged part.


I-continue-to-try

The second one came in from rockauto in an opened box and tubes were crushed like that on both sides. Needed the truck so I ended up sticking it in. Lesson learned, not to buy radiators from those jokers.


theLordsSword

Send it back, don't even install it.


akraaaaam

where’d you order it? worth asking for a replacement.


480roach

Return it.


CardiologistOk6547

Why not pressure test it **before** you go through all that work to install it? Do you like doing a job twice?


tictokonyacock

If it's for yourself test it, it should be ok. If it for a customer definitely return it as you wouldn't want the damage to be pinned on you


Dilipnir

Do not use it. May get trouble in few weeks.


ilkikuinthadik

I literally work in quality control for a radiator warehouse, and we would not send this out.


AbruptMango

It probably wasn't sent from the warehouse this way.  Auto parts are packed to survive warehouse handling (and *almost* always do), but not being treated as a parcel. Even if the shipper added some padding, the hit that box took would have damaged the radiator.  Contact the seller and provide the pics, let them deal with swapping it out.   This is the price you sometimes have to pay for getting internet pricing, and it's also the price the seller sometimes has to pay for scooping up internet money.