If your FD stock ast has damaged please help me on this little study.

Thanks.

 

Mine was never damaged. Replaced it with an aftermarket one anyway.

 

74K miles on mine. It's next on the upgrade list.

 

Look like my poll choices didn't make thru...

Anyway I am interest if your AST was cracked or split at the seam & its age.

My 12 yrs old 53K miles original AST got damaged during removal, the midle nipple broke off. Alum AST didn't work out so I am back with a stock AST (somewhat modified)

TIA

 

You should solicit people with and without cracked ASTs. That would help in determining if some of the failures are just anomalies. Here is my data point:

Original AST with 10years and 108K miles and is still working fine (crossing fingers).

 

While having work done at a reputable rotry shop I asked to have mine replaced or eliminated and was told that early ones were a problem and that the one on my 94 was the improved one and dosen't need to be replaced

 

Given the relatively inexpensive replacement, I can't believe anyone would just cross their fingers and hope. Mine cracked at 66k, way overheated when it did, and engine seal went about a month later. Basic maintenance item, replace stock AST ASAP!
Note: Mine is a '93, I don't know about later years.

 

93' R1 with 26,000 miles

stock ast its next on my list after a koyo radiator

 

changed mine around 74k miles, preventative maintenence. use factory part, they are updated.

 

my original made it to 40k before I upgraded it

 

found a crack in mine as i was replacing...

 

Mine split at the seam at about 139,000 miles. Repair was impractical so I fabricated one to replace it.

 

Never had a crack or leak in mine over the course of 9 years. Replaced it with a metal AST as a precaution. (Kept the old part. Always keep the old part. You never know when it might pay to go concours.)

 

Mine went about 80k before cracking

 

My never cracked at seam, but at around 85,000k, the nipple leading to the thermo housing broke off. It was as brittle as a....wafer cookie. (Best analogy I could come up with.)

 

mine had about 100k on it and worked fine...until i was doing some pulls out on the high way and it just about blew up!

 

year is also important in this info gathering...

I think 93 has most problem since, pressure cap wasn't 13 psi and car ran much hotter.

Later I will post what I done to the stock AST just installed last night. Promised not to laugh tho...

 

I have a 95 with 70k on it and the top part of the AST blew apart at the seem a week ago.

 

80k on mine. Never had a problem yet. I'm getting a pettit one as soon as I get my car back though.

 

Never still running the original. I sort of have a death wish for the rotary though.

 

well here what I did to a stock ast before have it installed to my FD...

JB Weld then painted flat black. Not bullet proof, but rather see leaks than a split...big difference.

Then again averaging 1000 miles per year this stock ast might last another 15 yrs.

 

Mine blew up at teh track, that day sucked ***.

 

tphan, your JB Weld might offer you some extra protection, but I could still see the plastic weakening internally at the seam and the coolant leaking out. Liquids have a way of doing that. MOBSTER's post also shows that the late model cars are not immune. In the long term I think you'd do better to switch to a metal AST.

 

Stock plastic AST lasted through 46k miles without an issue.

Replacing it and installing a Koyo radiator in two weeks as preventative maintenance.

 

LOL mine just exploded friday night , aluminum one on order....