Oil cooler control valve story.

[Randy S.]

Had a failing water reg valve, temperature driven, on an antique double ender.
Spec'd the price of the OEM valve and about you know whatted. So I went to another well known supplier of water reg valves, and found one considerably cheaper, but would require a fair degree of re piping so the probe could reach the cooler. The difference in labor hours would more than make up the difference, and this is at times a critical machine.

I then decided to just go ahead and bite the bullet and order the OEM part.

So, when the OEM part came in at its inflated OEM price, it was the exact same valve from the other manufacturer I had earlier spec'd. :stinks:

I really felt like going and getting drunk. But, instead, I spent several hours scrounging piping and fitting in the "new and improved" OEM replacement.

At least I avoided a real bad hangover.

For now, anyway.

[bullgear420]

My father was in this racket and lived by the mantra, "No good deed goes unpunished."

[turbomaster]

I was told many years ago the logic behind gradually increasing the price of parts on aging equipment... If we keep raising the price on these parts, eventually owners will be forced to buy new equipment. There was all sorts of other logical theories thrown in there too. Like "we have to pay taxes on inventory" or it "costs money every year to inventory this stuff and store it".
This is true but damn, lets not get insane about it.
Not so long ago I needed a valve that was OEM. OEM wanted 5 figures for it, yeah that's right 5 figures. I got lucky and bought 3 of them from a inventory purchaser on EBAY for 3 figures delivered. Brand new still in factory crate. No warranty but then there's not a lot that can go wrong with said valve short of age and wear and tear.
Moral is look around and have faith in your judgement, maybe what you think might be a pain at first, might be your best option.

[Randy S.]

In my case, what I tried to avoid, was exactly what I ended up doing.
But at a price higher than what I tried to avoid.

Oh, well, I got to change the oil filter, too.

1975 vintage, and it runs so smooth. But at twice the KW as the new stuff.