Aluminum Radiator issues

[LarryW]

10 yrs ago I swapped in a Griffen Aluminum radiator. Six years later that radiator leaked where the core is fastened to the side tanks. Griffen
epoxies the core tot he side tanks. So I replaced it with another Griffen. Now, another 4 yrs later, the same leak where the core fastens to the
tank just to the inside of the inlet hose. It is not repairable and has to be replaced. Has anyone else experienced this kind of failure with their
Griffen? There is another vendor supplying aluminum radiators through eBay. I contacted them and they aluminum weld the core to the tanks. See this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1978-GMC-Motor-home-radiator-23-26-ft-model/164031077720

Anyone had experience with this vendor?
--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.

 

[jim kanomata1]

There is a way to repair the leak, call me .
We now sell the different brand.

On Wed, Jun 10, 2020 at 7:47 AM Larry via Gmclist
wrote:

> 10 yrs ago I swapped in a Griffen Aluminum radiator. Six years later that
> radiator leaked where the core is fastened to the side tanks. Griffen
> epoxies the core tot he side tanks. So I replaced it with another
> Griffen. Now, another 4 yrs later, the same leak where the core fastens to
> the
> tank just to the inside of the inlet hose. It is not repairable and has to
> be replaced. Has anyone else experienced this kind of failure with their
> Griffen? There is another vendor supplying aluminum radiators through
> eBay. I contacted them and they aluminum weld the core to the tanks. See
> this:
>
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1978-GMC-Motor-home-radiator-23-26-ft-model/164031077720
>
> Anyone had experience with this vendor?
> --
> Larry
> 78 Royale w/500 Caddy
> Menomonie, WI.
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502

 

[LQQKatJon]

I have heard some complains about the griffen when I was shopping in 2018, but no one clarified what the issues were? I tried calling this guy at the
time:

http://www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com/Motorhome_Enhancements/index.html

but he was in-coherent on the phone, so I bought the ebay radiator. I did call and talk to the people because I was confused as to the photos they
had online at the time. Seems that someone had an oddball radiator they claimed was for a Kingsley that had the odd tube out of the tank. I paid
for his "kingsley" radiator. but they called me and made sure I had the standard GMC radiator.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mliuPsgPYWI/XC1diKXj29I/AAAAAAAAj0s/icymF66G7VsFKFZXtbkPLT0kJYLNk4IpACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D

I have one of those superior radiators from Ebay- they were $200 less when I bought mine in 2018 then I see they are now. ouch! it seems like a
solid built radiator, but as you know, it only has has been run in my coach since labor day of 2018, and probably no more then 3000 miles on it....
I need to check my mileage log this week to see where i am at with the next oil change before i head west at the end of the month.

--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/

 

[Matt Colie]

Larry,

That radiator supplier is on the east side of the Detroit metro area, and I have done business with them for a good while now. They were one of two
that would build radiators to order for some special programs. The other shope got bought up and so was no fun to deal with anymore.

In complete honesty here, I suspect that if you order from Jimk, the price will be little if any difference. The big deal is that if there is an
issue, you have JimK on your side. (I could just do over there and get in their face. I doubt I would have to.)

The one I put in my coach has only been there for for about a thousand miles so I really can't give you an honest answer about longer.

Matt (with lots of new stuff since last spring)
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[Ken B]

Two GMCers Jim Buchannan and Gene (Name intentionally left blank) originally went to Griffin to get them to make a GMC MH radiator. After that they
owned the design and all sales had to go through them. The fellow you talked to was probably Gene who is a very nice fellow.

Gene started having medical problems and eventually could not really participate in the business any more. So Jim took over control of running the
business by himself. The last time I saw Gene, he and Jim showed up at Bean Station, without their coaches, for the day. I talked to Gene for a
while and I am not sure he knew who I was any more. This is probably why you got an incoherant answer on the phone. In the years before that Gene
was always a very pleasant and intelligent GMCer to work with and talk to.

I have a Griffin radiator obtained from Gene and installed by about 10 attendees lead by Emory and Colonel Ken at the Harrington GMCMI rally. I have
never had an issue with it and my engine temperature is always rock solid under all operating conditions.

I have no experience with the Superior radiator so I can not compare them.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[adolph santorine]

I didn’t see the name of the supplier, but there’s a hot rod radiator maker in Mt. Clemens Michigan called Superior.

Local hot rod guys are pretty happy with them.

Dolph Santorine

DE AD0LF

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 ex-Palm Beach TZE167V100820
Howell EFI/EBL , Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission

>
> There is a way to repair the leak, call me .
> We now sell the different brand.
>
>> On Wed, Jun 10, 2020 at 7:47 AM Larry via Gmclist

>>
>> 10 yrs ago I swapped in a Griffen Aluminum radiator. Six years later that
>> radiator leaked where the core is fastened to the side tanks. Griffen
>> epoxies the core tot he side tanks. So I replaced it with another
>> Griffen. Now, another 4 yrs later, the same leak where the core fastens to
>> the
>> tank just to the inside of the inlet hose. It is not repairable and has to
>> be replaced. Has anyone else experienced this kind of failure with their
>> Griffen? There is another vendor supplying aluminum radiators through
>> eBay. I contacted them and they aluminum weld the core to the tanks. See
>> this:
>>
>>
>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1978-GMC-Motor-home-radiator-23-26-ft-model/164031077720
>>
>> Anyone had experience with this vendor?
>> --
>> Larry
>> 78 Royale w/500 Caddy
>> Menomonie, WI.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk
> http://www.gmcrvparts.com
> 1-800-752-7502
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[jim kanomata1]

We stock the correct Al. radiator that fit.

On Thu, Jun 11, 2020 at 8:12 AM Adolph Santorine via Gmclist <

> I didn’t see the name of the supplier, but there’s a hot rod radiator
> maker in Mt. Clemens Michigan called Superior.
>
> Local hot rod guys are pretty happy with them.
>
> Dolph Santorine
>
> DE AD0LF
>
> Wheeling, West Virginia
>
> 1977 ex-Palm Beach TZE167V100820
> Howell EFI/EBL , Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission
>
>
> > On Jun 10, 2020, at 11:00 AM, Jim Kanomata via Gmclist <

> >
> > There is a way to repair the leak, call me .
> > We now sell the different brand.
> >
> >> On Wed, Jun 10, 2020 at 7:47 AM Larry via Gmclist <
> gmclist>

> >>
> >> 10 yrs ago I swapped in a Griffen Aluminum radiator. Six years later
> that
> >> radiator leaked where the core is fastened to the side tanks. Griffen
> >> epoxies the core tot he side tanks. So I replaced it with another
> >> Griffen. Now, another 4 yrs later, the same leak where the core
> fastens to
> >> the
> >> tank just to the inside of the inlet hose. It is not repairable and has
> to
> >> be replaced. Has anyone else experienced this kind of failure with their
> >> Griffen? There is another vendor supplying aluminum radiators through
> >> eBay. I contacted them and they aluminum weld the core to the tanks.
> See
> >> this:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1978-GMC-Motor-home-radiator-23-26-ft-model/164031077720
> >>
> >> Anyone had experience with this vendor?
> >> --
> >> Larry
> >> 78 Royale w/500 Caddy
> >> Menomonie, WI.
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> GMCnet mailing list
> >> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >>
> > --
> > Jim Kanomata
> > Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> > jimk
> > http://www.gmcrvparts.com
> > 1-800-752-7502
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502