So radiators ARE a crap shoot lol.
Just like batteries, unless it happens to you, and you know the exact circumstances of failure, it's often hard to believe that all the problems you hear are just due to shoddy construction. Unfortunately, with as many failures as we hear and read about, it seems unlikely it's user-error every time.
I don't know the mishimoto construction, but I don't understand how every OEM radiator I know of, is made of aluminum/plastic, and seem to last decades. Yet you buy an aftermarket of the same construction (or theoretically better), and it fails in short order.
I had considered trying to crimp the one that failed a bit more, just to see if I could get it to stop leaking, but I didn't want them to say I was the one that screwed it up. I need to look at the OEM radiators and see if they are doing something differently with the crimps. Or perhaps it's just that larger radiators are less suited to this type of construction vs. the smaller radiators? Aluminum certainly doesn't seem like a very good material to crimp something in place with (You are advised not to use AL fuel lines on vehicles due to vibration for instance) maybe the additional unsupported height on these just doesn't work well if the tanks aren't sturdy enough.
