Hang onto your old heater cores!

[chris142]

Driving to work today I noticed that my windshield was fogging up. Ok, No big deal. Heaters leaking. It only lasted 27 yrs. I went to order a new one and all I can get is the Aluminum replacement.

The Aluminum one works fine except for one thing. If there's any Electrolysis in your cooling system they will leak in a short time. I called every supplier I have and no Copper Heaters available. It gets worse... My cost on a core from Thermal Solutions is $200! So if I recored a customers heater by the time I buy the core for $200, add in shipping $25, add in time to solder the tanks on and a little profit to keep the lights on i'm looking @ $325-$350 to the customer!

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

yes i learned this back along already myself too.it sucks man but if we keep them we just need to take them to a local rad shop and have 'em fixed.
i thought my f250 needed one way back due to foggy windshield but it must of just been moisture in the cab from sitting cus she cleared right up.i was thankful.i dunno of my f450 has it's original or not.i suspect it does due to the heat temp of the vent.those old copper cores just shed heat.too hot to hold your hand in front of.the aluminum ones just don't do that.im gunna take a peek and see.i bet a nickle she's copper.

for the aluminum ones,you should really make sure they're grounded well.

 

[chris142]

We use to ground them. Now they say grounding them makes it worse. Gives electrolysis a reason to go to the heater

 

[icanfixall]

You can completely solve the electrolysis by running only steam distilled water in the cooling systems. Its non conductive. My last heater core was copper and it was a oem Ford core for around $30.00. The aftermarket cores were running almost $20.00. Been about 14 years now.

 

[Drollins]

I have a question about this reported electrolysis. If it is truly an issue then are these aluminum radiators that seem to be a popular replacement going to succumb to the same short life? I would think that AL heater cores failing early is just poor quality not electrolysis. Since AL cooling system components are common these days. Has anyone on here had an AL radiator fail quickly?

 

[chris142]

We use distilled water in every car that we work on and distilled water does not always prevent the problem

 

[icanfixall]

Then install the cathode pill in the radiater under the cap. Then if any electrical action is going on it will eat away the protective pill first. Replace as needed. So far nobody has posted about any aluminum radiaters having a failure. Mine has been run for almost 8 years now but.. Mine is the top of the line Rodney Red.

 

[OLDBULL8]

I've got 3-4 of these heater cores, $45 shipped. They are Ford trucks, lost the info on them.

 

[cpdenton]

So, is there any difference between our diesel heater cores and a gasser of the same vintage? Do I need to start scooping up these original copper cores when I find one?

 

[chris142]

Same heater core engine does not matter
. There is a difference between a factory AC and no AC trucks though. And those heater cores will not swap
. since I own a radiator shop I see tons of aluminum radiators damaged from electrolysis. I guess that's the most common failure I see

 

[Alan Slingsby]

Damnit I paid $88 for mine from the stealership,have heard to many horror stories about non oem cores so I bit the bullet an bought it,I mean if this one lasts 27 years then I imagine it will be dug out of a junk yard somewhere lol

 

[chris142]

I am curious as to how long this alone one last in my truck. Running some errands tonight and it's definitely hotter than the copper one was But the old one most likely was plugged up Or at least restricted. Thankfully the heater car is a 15 minute job on these trucks. I went to Napa got the thing Then went to Wendys got my lunch went back to the shop Ate my lunch then install the heater core all in my lunch hour .

 

[PackRat239]

The bigger problem is the hoses. If you use rubber, the black color is carbon, which is a conductor. And not compatible in any way with aluminum as it is a steel by product. . Silicone hoses will help.

 

[chris142]

We use red hoses

 

[icanfixall]

I have used gates red hose for many years. Knew nothing about black hoses being conductive with the carbon in them.. Good info...