There's been MANY posts about people having to replace their cracked radiators. I keep wondering when mine will crap out, but that raised a question. Can I here from people with ALPHAS that have had to do a replacement. Thanks

 

Replaced at 48K and 104K. First failure was in the core. Replaced with OEM. That one failed at 104K. A crack in the tank not at a seam. Replace that one with a cheapo. 25K on it . I do a lot of short trip driving, I think the thermocycling just got to them.

 

2010 Alpha H3 garage sleeper with 78,000 no issues. 25 mile work trip M-F.
2010 Alpha H3T sleeps outside with 66,000 no issues. 6 mile work trip M-F.
I have wheeled both many times also (jostling, mud, dust & sand in the radiator).
Every fall I clean them & look for cracks. Halo and I have the exact same climate so not sure about Thermocycling.

 

An H3 radiator is a radiator, they are all the same. OEM junk.

However, there is more vibration with an I5, so maybe there is a correlation to earlier failure with those?

 

Doc, I had read in an Alpha review when they first came out that the radiator was upgraded/improved. Don't know if that's accurate or not.

 

Found the article from Sept '09 of Popular Mechanics. 3rd and 4th paragraphs.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a4520/4213782/

 

I'm thinking that guy's mouth was moving faster than his brain?

Do a parts search from a GM supplier:

V8 = Part Number: 25964054 ; 22000; 25827383; 19153663
RADIATOR,(ACDelco #22000).

I5 = Part Number: 25964054 ; 22000; 25827383; 19153663
RADIATOR,(ACDelco #22000).

I also checked using Rock Auto's drill down list, a 2007 H3 and 2008 H3 Alpha, comes up with the same numbers.

These are replacement part #s so it is possible that what the factory installed could be different, but I am doubting it. Or, maybe they did improve the radiator for all 2008s which included the new V8s?

 

working on mine now.
Having trouble separating bottom of ac from radiator

 

Oh Boy this is an OLD Thread. Remove the AC Condenser Bolts at the top each side attaching it to the Radiator, the lift the condenser UP to get the tangs at the bottom out of the slots on the front of the radiator. Let Condenser hang and remove Radiator.