Add my name to the Canton Casualty List...

[Canebrake]

I was driving the car this morning and merging onto the interstate when the car began to lose power beyond 3000 rpm. I immediately pulled over and did a quick check of all the Aeroforce gauges. No overheating, cylinder head and coolant temps at 195F. Shut her off, popped the hood and saw coolant dripping from what looked like everywhere. Upon further inspection, the front bottom corner weld had developed a small hairline crack and coolant was spraying out and spreading across and under the radiator support and dripping from everywhere it could find. I had it towed to my shop and had my welder fix the crack.

Pics to follow soon.


In the interest of full disclosure, I called Canton while waiting for the rollback and spoke with them. They immediatley emailed me an RGA number and instructions. They stated they had issued a recall for the defective units (I never heard about a recall) and that they would replace the unit with the improved version. So apparently they are at least willing to stand behind it.


I hope the power loss is not a sign of something seriously wrong. It may have been caused by coolant saturating the air filter. I checked the oil and it was clean and clear. Any suggestions or precautions I should take?

 

[HISSMAN]

This is the only reason why I don't have one on my cobra. Glad to see they are still fixing these. :beer:

-Jeff

 

[Canebrake]

 

[Canebrake]

This is the only reason why I don't have one on my cobra. Glad to see they are still fixing these. :beer:

-Jeff

Just my luck. It was on the car when I bought it. I'll likely swap it out for a PFab unit or a Moroso.

 

[utfan98]

Go Pfab if you can get one

 

[JB]

I hope the power loss is not a sign of something seriously wrong..

No worries; that's normal.

computer goes into temporary 'limp mode' to protect engine

 

[Canebrake]

No worries; that's normal.

computer goes into temporary 'limp mode' to protect engine

Oh Thank God.

 

[Snake Plissken]

Mine was on the car when I bought it; same thing happened. Took it to work and tossed it in the alum. scrap bin. Picked-up P-fab unit; you'll note the heavy plate welded on the bottom. Thought about going back to factory unit but don't like the looks of plastic, I understand they can have problems too.

 

[01cobravortech]

Moroso makes a good tank. The only problem with mine is that the rear mounting tab recently split as the car sat all winter. I'd hate to remove the tank just to weld that tab back together.

 

[JB]

Oh Thank God.

:thumbsup: :beer:

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I would send it back and get a replacement or an upgrade from Canton, in fact I did. They add a plate that greatly strengthens the area most prone to flexing.

Looks fine and works fine, I only paid freight one way.

Make sure when you are cleaning up that you get the plug wells cleaned out.
Any coolant leak that sprays the engine will likely have loaded the wells.

I would not hesitate to buy another Canton product, their oil pans are top shelf also!:rockon::thumbsup:

 

[Sniperdog]

that sucks sorry to here

 

[timspony]

Pfab tanks on my DSG!

 

[Canebrake]

Good news!

I had my welder/fab guy fix the tank, and it worked fine. I refilled the system with coolant and burped it to be safe. The car ran fine all the way home, with temps never exceeding 192 cruising, stayed around 188 mostly, and a max of 203 in traffic. Not bad considering the ambient temps were a scorching 98F here yesterday, and probably 95 or so when I left the shop.

I think part of the problem was the previous owner had the vent tube capped off, and pressure built up enough to split the inferior weld.

 

[Canebrake]

that sucks sorry to here

Not the best way to start my day, but it could have been much worse. The worst part was waiting 2 1/2 hours for the wrecker. Thank God I pulled over right under a big shady oak tree. I just grabbed a blanket out of my trunk and went and sat under it until the rollback arrived. Ticks were kind of bad, but other than that the only thing I wish I had was some water.

 

[Canebrake]

I would send it back and get a replacement or an upgrade from Canton, in fact I did. They add a plate that greatly strengthens the area most prone to flexing.

Looks fine and works fine, I only paid freight one way.

Make sure when you are cleaning up that you get the plug wells cleaned out.
Any coolant leak that sprays the engine will likely have loaded the wells.

I would not hesitate to buy another Canton product, their oil pans are top shelf also!:rockon::thumbsup:

I may do that, or I may sell it and get a PFab or Moroso. I just don't feel good about their stuff anymore.

Since it sprayed forwards and under the radiator support/ plastic shroud cover nothing reached the top of the engine. No worries there. Thanks though.

 

[HISSMAN]

I just wonder how these tanks are so weak when you compare them to their oil pans that have been know to take a good bottoming out or two and hold up just fine.

-Jeff

 

[Canebrake]

I just wonder how these tanks are so weak when you compare them to their oil pans that have been know to take a good bottoming out or two and hold up just fine.

-Jeff

According to Canton's own tech department, there was not enough room or material to make a proper weld and get enough heat penetration into the base material. I think it was a combination of a poor design, a lack of supervision, quality control and testing. Also at first, I beleiev they showed a reluctance or refusal to ackowledge the issue and stand behind the product and support the customer. This may have been out of concern for protecting their reputation, but it had the opposite effect.

Its easy to stand behind a product when it works flawlessly. The true test of a manufacturer is how they support the customer when things go wrong.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I think part of the problem was the previous owner had the vent tube capped off, and pressure built up enough to split the inferior weld.

I just wonder how these tanks are so weak when you compare them to their oil pans that have been know to take a good bottoming out or two and hold up just fine.

-Jeff

BINGO!!!

They now have an added panel and that is the fix for the early gens that get sent in for repair. They don't just weld it back up.

I have to wonder what percentage of split tanks were caused by owners plugging off the vent hole? This prevents the cap from functioning at what ever pressure the cap you have is, the pressure has no where to go.

Yet in this very thread we have an owner who admits the previous owner had the vent plugged off, but none the less has reservations about Canton quality, to the point of not wanting to use them anymore.

This is very unfortunate in my mind.