I hope you don't think this is uncommon.
'most' vendor aftermarket parts I install don't fit that well..
and occasionally ...not at all.

I have that pipe in stainless a customer gave me ...because it did not fit.
Cast pieces ....I've had better luck with those.
Bent and fabricated pieces...less so.

I just let one vendor know about a not-perfectly-fitting piece and who's
van it went on ..
He wrote back ..'yeah, we fixed it after we made the one he got.'

I've seen things that did not fit by a country mile...
even a rear  engine mount made with no provision to clear the thermostat
housing ..had to cut out a chunk of metal 3/4 of an inch wide, 2  1/2
inches long. The vendor said 'oh , really ?'
     Regarding other holes that did not line up by a half inch he said
'I guess that one got bent wrong.'
right ..thanks !

How do people send out stuff like this ?

On 6/14/2012 11:22 AM, Rick Koller wrote:
> Hi all,
>        Just wanted to make the List aware of potential problems with some
> aftermarket 2.1 black water pipes. I recently installed an
> aftermarket replacement and the fit was terrible at one end. Had to
> crow bar and muscle it into position at the thermostat housing end
> connection. This means I literally had to bend it and it wasn't
> particularly cooperative but I did succeed.I was able to bend it
> while it was bolted to the water pump side properly. So next time I
> will check the old and new side by side before installing. I will be
> p-mailing the vendor to warn them of this issue.
> Rick
>