What the hell??

[SWE11L]

Does anyone know what could have caused my heater tap to literally explode while sitting in traffic this morning? I replaced it about a month ago and everything has seemed fine with it till today.

[haloeight]

These things are a bastard. A metal one would be considerably better!

[showbags]

Commodore heater taps are rubbish. Failure like that is pretty normal caused by thermal fatigue, they're only plastic. Pay an extra few dollars and use the genuine GM ones as they last a bit longer.

[Dum*P*ster]

oh wow, I was gonna say bad manufacturer.. But damn !
hope nothing else went wrong?

[SWE11L]

Well nothing else seems to have gone wrong. Hoping that coolant spewing all over the place didn't do any damage to anything. I replaced it with one made by 'dayco', supposedly a reputable brand according the the guy at Auto One... he also said he'd never seen that happen to a heater tap before and agreed that it must have been a pretty cheaply made tap.

[Sabbath']

What brand was your last one?

[hako]

The unit may well have been damaged before you bought it by being thrown around or squashed etc. Overtightening the clamps or straining the connections when tightening the clamps may also have contributed although this usually happens when installing it, not a month after - please note I am not saying that this is what happened but just suggesting some possible fail reasons. You probably could return it but they'd only offer a replacement which I'd guess you wouldn't want!

[SWE11L]

What brand was your last one?

I don't know mate, I didn't pay attention the first time and I've thrown out the packaging.

The unit may well have been damaged before you bought it by being thrown around or squashed etc. Overtightening the clamps or straining the connections when tightening the clamps may also have contributed although this usually happens when installing it, not a month after - please note I am not saying that this is what happened but just suggesting some possible fail reasons. You probably could return it but they'd only offer a replacement which I'd guess you wouldn't want!

The guy I bought it from seemed a little slippery. He was trying to flog me radiator hoses and heater hoses for VL's and VN's, telling me 'no no all is 3.8 engines, the same' needless to say I didn't buy them, just the tap, which he somehow probably knew was rooted.

[VS_Pete_1]

No idea why after a short time installed????????????????

After I did mine I was nearly going to take it out of the bracket so it could move around abit as the hose pipe I got from Repco ( the ones from firewall to tap ) which was very firm. I was just thinking maybe with movement while the car is going would put a great strain on the tap but all good so far.
I think you may have been unluckly and got a shit one.
I got a holden one.

PS. the wall thickness was bigger that a stanard one so it was firmer.
Hope that makes sence.

[SWE11L]

No idea why after a short time installed????????????????

After I did mine I was nearly going to take it out of the bracket so it could move around abit as the hose pipe I got from Repco ( the ones from firewall to tap ) which was very firm. I was just thinking maybe with movement while the car is going would put a great strain on the tap but all good so far.
I think you may have been unluckly and got a shit one.
I got a holden one.

Mine was actually sitting a little loose. But I think it was just a dud. Combined with a dud cap too. I'm not happy about having to spend money to replace dodgy parts. Interestingly though, I have just noticed that my fan isn't coming on when the air con is on but does kick in when the temp reaches halfway...

[VS_Pete_1]

dodgy parts.
Yep I`d be pissed aswell.

Funny you should say that.
I got flamed on here for buying new DFI modual and coils and new connection instead of going ebay or second hand they were dear.
But they work and I didn`t want them to last 2 months or so and didn`t have the time to play with it.
Sometimes you have to buy new and good parts.

[SWE11L]

dodgy parts.
Yep I`d be pissed aswell.

Funny you should say that.
I got flamed on here for buying new DFI modual and coils and new connection instead of going ebay or second hand they were dear.
But they work and I didn`t want them to last 2 months or so and didn`t have the time to play with it.
Sometimes you have to buy new and good parts.

At the end of the day I think if you're serious about your car you get new parts, parts from the wreckers are ok to test for an error I think, then go for a new one once you discover the problem.