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Heater core options

dyeager535

dyeager535

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Anyone kept up on the heater core situation?

Seemed once everything started going to AL, people started to have issues. Looking at summit and rockauto, doesn't appear you can even get a copper/brass non-AC heater core anymore.

Many companies are now advertising their products as Spectra, which appear to be all aluminum. Looking at the generally poor pictures, they appear to be crimped together, not welded. Not a huge fan, but they are the ones that have to warranty them.

Any luck with the newer aftermarket junk? As the heater core just died in mine, I'm going to have to do something.
 
kennyw said:
I have an extra copper/brass sitting on the shelf in great condition.[/QUOTE

If I were you I might auction that off to the highest bidder! lol.

If you want to get rid of it, is it worth the hassle of shipping? I honestly probably won't have a chance to get to this for six months or more, so I'm not in a lurch.

I don't particularly mind using the AL ones if there are decent ones out there, because I'll eventually get use out of the warranty, but swapping out a heater core that fails shortly after install is a lot tougher than swapping out a radiator.
Click to expand...
 
I have a Spectra aluminum heater core in my square body I installed along with the new GM Goodwrench crate engine. I have had no problems with it so far. When I installed my new crate engine I put some effort into making sure the new engines block coolant passages where flushed out. I also put one of those new cheap Chines plastic tank radiators in it, and all new hoses. I made sure the entire coolant system was new and clean from one end to the other for my new engine. My new TBI engine runs rock solid at 190-degrees no matter what the outside ambient temperature is.
 
I replaced mine a few months ago. I bought an original style copper/brass one and some other parts from some restoration place. I can’t remember the name off hand but I’ll try and look.
 
A/C and non A/C cores are different. Make sure to order accordingly.
 
I pulled all that out, at least whats in the engine bay. Still have to yank whatever is left under the dash. But, Im in Arizona, no real need for a heater. When cold I wear a jacket.
 
i have the summit version in my rig, its not gave me any trouble.
NEVER AGAIN will i put aluminum on in my rig
 
Yeah, apparently non-ac cores are no longer made in copper brass.

I was thinking about how to put a fair bit of pressure into the heater core before install, after my AL radiator failure.
 
I put a Spectra heater core in my old 4runner. Factory one lasted 220k miles and 12yrs. The Spectra lasted a month. I was annoyed to say the least.
 
with aluminum heater cores, you should use an aluminum rad and a coolant designed for aluminum like Dexcool. Having a sacrificial anode in an easy place to monitor and replace is also a good thing.
 
Kain said:
if you have cooper have it redone at rad shop
Click to expand...

Last I checked, re-coring the stock radiator it was ~$500, about 5 times what a cheapy lifetime warranty AL unit runs now. In some ways $100 for a heater core wouldn't be outrageous, but Spectra seems to have a pretty good reputation, if their heater cores work, I'm not averse to AL. As I said earlier however, I'd much rather swap the radiator out than the heater core, so failure on the heater core is not something I want to deal with.

I'm sure I bought this under warranty, but I doubt I'll be able to find the paperwork. But I need to look. Not that they will replace copper with copper, but at least it would be "free".
 
wish i would have kept my copper but tossed it when i bought 1st aluminum one
 
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