Broken Radiator Pipe

[EVO-V]

Thanks for the added input, guys. Evo-V, the pipe broke because apparently the entire radiator was held together by rust! ok, I exaggerate, but when they drained the radiator and the reservoir, unbelievable amount of rust (and clumps of rust) came out, so I guess the radiator was really degraded, but it served me well. It does annoy me that the mechanic didn't see this problem when the radiator was overhauled early this year.

Last question! I can't seem to find an answer via google. With the installation of the new radiator, is it normal to smell burnt paint/plastic even after more than a week of light use? I assume it was normal to smell burnt something since it's new, but I'm assuming that should be gone after 1-2 sessions of use... is it normal to take this long? I'm just paranoid it might be burning something else... smell is most apparent after parking, but malamang the burnt smell's there all throughout use.

Thanks!

No it isn't normal to smell burnt paint or plastic.

Unless it is a quality issue, wherein the enamel wasn't properly cured prior to packaging. Thereby the solvent (paint cures/dries) reacts by evaporating causing the paint to harden. If it is packed prematurely it traps the solvent under the surface of the coating and this is what "burns".

This is a quality issue often ignored by some manufacturers. You can tell if the box where your radiator came from has paint stains or your radiator has fibers from the boxes.

Burning plastic, I reckon is something far more worrisome. Check if your hoses are properly routed and if any wires may have been disturbed during replacement.

Long term problem with improperly cured paint means that either they didn't have enough solvent or didn't really follow proper curing procedures. This means your fins may not be coated properly and will therefore be more prone to corrosion.