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Just figured Id share my story. Seeing as how the aftermarket has such issues with our cars heater cores I knew I was in for a fun time, but really it wasn't terrible. I went under the dash and didn't bother the dash pad. The only inconvenience is that top 7mm bolt. I did drill a small hole behind the map holder to slip an extension through., I'm not too worried about the hole the rest of the car is FAR from some unmolested gem, And it makes it sooo much easier. I did the best thing you could probably do and bought the cheapest aftermarket core because from what I read they are all junk anyways. 35$ at Autozone. Its a SPI/Duralast Heater Core 399083.
This is really more of a review for others who wanna know if this core is any good. SO like other brands the dimensions aren't perfect, Although it fits the bracket well enough and with the provided seals for the sides its honestly a decent fit. I see no issues with air leaks. Now the inlet and outlet are a different story. These do not fit out of the box. The bends are vaguely right so you do have to bend them around a bit, I probably bent mine around a bit too much for my liking and weakened the joints as this is the first install on 3rd gen id done, but no leaks at the moment. With this core there's JUST enough of the inlet/outlet sticking through the firewall to get the hoses on. Not as generous as the oe, but you can get the clamps on behind the barbed ends. As far as performance It made decent hot heat. And I am running a 180 t-stat.
Do I expect it to last? With the amount of bending I did I doubt it. Core will probably fail at the outlet joint as that one needed the most bending. Honestly if it gets me through this winter/spring that's all I ask of it really. The job to replace it isn't bad at all in my case. Fitting the new one was the worst part. If I had a second person to watch the holes on the fire wall and tell me when I was lined up it probably would have went much smoother. Like others I will probably see about getting the old one fixed or finding a NOS, but for now for 35$ I can't complain...yet.
For less than $100, have an Inter-Cooler Company put together a Water to Air Inter-Cooler, in the dimensions of the original Heater-Core.
E-Mail them Images of the positioning of the original copper Inlet and Outlet Pipes, so they can weld-up an Aluminum version.
Really wasn't necessary to drill that hole. I'd rather remove the dashpad so that a light can be shined down behind the dash for better visibility. That hidden screw is easily acccessible (once you know where it is) with a long 1/4-inch extension & 7mm socket just under the front of the dash (below that map pocket)...
That's what I read and I've heard that's pretty simple on these cars, but I also read that the later years 88-92 I believe that there just isn't the required room. Mines an 89 and in my case that was the case. I did try what you said. just without removing the dash pad. Had my phone slipped up in there on camera with the light on like a camera snake. You could get the extension in where you described, but you couldn't get it angled down level enough to get on that bolt. I even tried a couple short extensions together hoping the droop would be enough but no dice. The hole is only as big as the 7mm socket so it and the extension could slip in straight enough to get on that bolt so its not some big hole. And I mean its behind that map holder so out of sight our of mind I say. I though for sure id never get that one back in though to be honest, but with a tad of grease in the socket to hold that screw i slipped it right back in.
For less than $100, have an Inter-Cooler Company put together a Water to Air Inter-Cooler, in the dimensions of the original Heater-Core.
E-Mail them Images of the positioning of the original copper Inlet and Outlet Pipes, so they can weld-up an Aluminum version.
This way, the Heater-Core never goes bad again!
Can they really get it right with only images of the positioning?
I have a 89 Firebird...i was able to easily get the core out...I had the dash pad off, looked down, and used one of those cheap gimicky flex extensions to get to it...took more time gettign the core out really lol
I swapped heater core in my 92 bird in 2hrs. Only 20mins to have the core on the floor. Not sure why people freak out about doing them. I did use a nos core I had and I will have the original re-cored.
Can they really get it right with only images of the positioning?
Close actually...
I was not going to say anything about this, ...because I was selling My Own Heater-Cores for a long time.
I am not anymore; I have more or less Retired, and closed my Shop.
I am putting together a small Shop at Home...
I am going to continue to offer any Services that can be done as "Bench Work".
No "On Car" Services.
Anyway...
After a few "Trial and Error" fitment experiments; I decided to implement a short section or High-Pressure Crimped Braided-Stainless (Teflon Core) Hose.
I use a Three Inch section of the Hose for each Aluminum Pipe (Inlet and Outlet)...
This makes it very easy to get everything aligned nicely, for the Two holes in the Fire-Wall.
Here is an Image of My modified Stock Engine Oil-Cooler Lines below (Black Braided Material over Teflon Core).
Just Imagine a 3" section of Braided Stainless Steel in the middle of 1/2" or 5/8" Aluminum Pipes, for the Heater-Core:
Last edited by vorteciroc; 12-03-2021 at 07:10 PM.
I swapped heater core in my 92 bird in 2hrs. Only 20mins to have the core on the floor. Not sure why people freak out about doing them. I did use a nos core I had and I will have the original re-cored.
Here is a YouTube Video of a small Aluminum Inter-Cooler being made...
An Aluminum Heater-Core could have just as easily been made: LINK
I like your idea of an intercooler for a heater core. And that video is impressive. But I'd be surprised if any intercooler manufacturers would be interested in such a project, especially for as little as $100. But you seem to have the knowledge and the resources, so if you know of a place, then let's get these rolling. I'll buy one.
A local machine/radiator shop re-cored my OE last year, and it wasn't cheap. Unfortunately, they botched the job, and it wouldn't fit back into the HVAC box. The OE cores fit with ZERO margin for error, but the shop wasn't so precise. They and I were all cool about the situation, and they were going to redo it. But then the owner got involved, and he wasn't so cool and didn't want to mess with it. So he gave me my money back and my tanks. We were all looking at each other, like, *shrug* and I left.
So I put a thick layer of foam insulation all around a cheap replacement core and made a nice installation with it, but mainly just to fill the space. It's nice and snug and will probably be fine, but I prefer your idea for an intercooler. I have my side tanks to contribute lol.
There are a couple of used OE cores on ebay at the moment. And the cores are always still in junkyard cars. So there should be plenty of OE examples for an intercooler shop to use, for size.
I also installed this Duralast heater core last night. After carefully bending the pipes to where they are supposed to go, it installed really easily actually.
I initially ordered a "four seasons 98606" from RockAuto. It is $11 cheaper (but, add shipping) and IS THE EXACT SAME PART! Both say 98606 on them. I broke my first one bending the pipes to fit. I just needed some practice I guess...
11-28-2021, 10:36 PM
