RE: e28/m20 Spun News...

[Jeff Pharr <pharr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,

I broke the overflow nipple off the side of my radiator (installing a
new battery and caught the overflow hose) and spent several days trying
to salvage it.  I used several high tech epoxies and brass tube inserts,
etc. and could never do any better than stay leak free for a mile or so.
YMMV, but I finally gave up a bought a replacement radiator.  I made
sure it had metal end caps so that it could be repaired. But as they
say, "Be careful what you wish for..."

When my new radiator was one month out of warranty, it started leaking
at one of the metal end cap seams.  I have just re-installed the
radiator from its second round of end cap repairs.  If it starts leaking
again, I'm not sure what I will do.  Although my all-metal replacement
came from a reputable source and was anything but cheap, the radiator
repair shop has declared it a "cheap piece of junk from Taiwan"  He
expressed surprise that it had lasted a year and, of course, offered to
sell me a better one (can you say 'conflict of interest', 'not motivated
to really fix my radiator'? I knew you could...)  Incidentally, the
replacement he has so graciously offered to sell me has plastic end
caps.

- --Jeff
'86 535i
'89 325iX