Vol. 27, No.10      December 1999

RADIATOR REPORTER'S ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE INDUSTRY

In terms of repair shop revenue and employee wage growth, 1999 marks the radiator repair industry's best year of the decade. Shop revenues are up sharply from previous years, and average employee pay has jumped, too. All in all it's a rather remarkable accomplishment given that the average radiator repair shop has been hammered by years of increasing competition and industry consolidation.

For the year, the number of rad shops grossing over a million dollars soared 71%. Monthly wages paid to rad shop workers jumped an average of 5.6%, while average hourly labor rates climbed an impressive 10%. After a decade of ups and downs, 1999 continues a three-year run of relatively good news from rad shop owners. All evidence suggests a turnaround trend, not a statistical fluke.

FROM RADMAN TO COOLING SYSTEM SPECIALIST

In a bid for profits as well as survival, rad shop owners are doing a lot more nowadays than simply patching up or selling radiators. Revenue from AC, heater, electrical and cooling-related engine work has never been higher.

At many radiator shops, net profit from non-radiator work now exceeds that from radiator recores, repairs and replacements combined. Radiator service of all types-from rodouts and recores to box sales-has become secondary to the larger task of servicing a vehicle's entire cooling system.

The transition from benchman to "cooling system specialist" has required a substantial investment in tools, training and information resources. Where rad shops once functioned with little more than a torch and test tank, now the tools of the trade include scan tools, CD-ROM databases, and infrared thermometers, to name just a few. Changes in vehicle technology have had a dual effect on rad shop owners.

On the downside, the majority of newer radiator designs hold up much longer than their copper/brass predecessors, which translates into less work for the traditional benchman. But newer vehicle cooling systems are becoming increasingly complex. and this complexity opens the door to a wide range of diagnostic and repair opportunities beyond the actual heat exchanger. The key. of course, is to acquire the tools and skills to service the entire cooling system.

This shift in repair focus hasn't come easy for many radmen, but it has become a business necessity driven by the needs of today's consumer, who can buy a radiator at dozens of local businesses, not to mention from Internet websites and nationwide toll-free numbers. As incredible as it sounds, we are no longer the consumer's first thought when it comes to buying a radiator. And when it comes to repairing or recoring, most consumers don't even know they have the option.

Evans Non-Aqueous Engine Coolant

For years, race car drivers and competition engine builders have known about Evans non-aqueous coolant. It's a propylene glycol-based coolant which, as its name implies, is intended to be used without water.

Recent publicity materials written for the general consumer market may trigger inquiries from your regular customers, even though Evans coolant may not be suitable for their vehicle. Here's why.

Evans non-aqueous NPG coolant is "thicker" than traditional automotive engine coolants. To overcome the increased viscosity of Evans NPG coolant, certain radiator and water pump modifications may be required. For example, non-aqueous coolant isn't recommended for radiators with tubes smaller than one-half inch, and the use of NPG coolant often requires a stronger water pump and special high-flow thermostat.

Evans sells its NPG coolant as a "system" which includes optimized high-flow radiators with 1" or 11/4" tubes, water pumps with enlarged coolant passages and extremely efficient impellers, and special expansion tanks to accommodate the coolant's rate of expansion.

For race car owners, the Evans system delivers cooling system performance far better than traditional coolants mixed 50/50 with water. The boiling point of Evans NPG coolant is 370° F in an unpressurized system. This eliminates localized hot spots inside the engine caused by coolant vaporization. Also, because water is a catalyst for virtually all types of cooling system and metals deterioration, the use of non-aqueous coolant offers protective benefits unavailable from mainstream automotive coolants, even the newer organic-acid coolants sold as "long-life" products.

For the average Joe driving a car or truck with a wimpy water pump and small "high efficiency" 318" or 5/16" radiator tubes, use of non-aqueous coolant is not recommended. Evans says it is working on a "thinner product that could be used by average consumers without expensive cooling system modifications. This "consumer version" of Evans NPG coolant may yield significant advantages over today's automotive coolants.

Additionally, Evans is working on a heavy-duty non-aqueous diesel coolant that will provide the same boilover and corrosion protection benefits of its racing coolant. Steve Pressley, V.P. and general manager at Evans, says most HD truck radiators are perfectly suited for a non-aqueous coolant because of their large tube size and large headers. Class 7 and 8 truck engines also feature rugged high-flow water pumps and large coolant passages, so higher-viscosity non-aqueous coolant can be used without expensive cooling system modifications.

As cooling system specialists, we'll be hearing more about non-aqueous coolants as time goes on. Bear in mind that for most passenger car and light-truck applications, Evans NPG coolant is not intended as a "drop-in" replacement for traditional coolants mixed with water. For additional details, contact RR or call Evans at 610/323-3114. Evans also has an Internet website at www.evansccoling.com.