Has anyone done this? Is it even worth it?

 

My oem heater core went and I had it fixed at a radiator shop. cost me $100. Not sure it was worth it when a aluminum replacement is $30......Nice and warm inside the car though.

 

I can't imagine it'd be worth fixing. The brass corrodes. Crud clogs up the coils. Assuming it's recored, how long until the end caps or tubes give out?

 

 

Okay, you guys convinced me. Which heater core fits just like the original one? It seems most of the require some modifications.

 

I have an aluminum replacement. It doesn't fit right, it fit OK, but not like stock. It also doesn't put out as much heat as stock because it was thinner core. I have 2 or 3 originals I am going to have re-cored and only use them in the future

 

Says "exact fit". Should I believe?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sgt-94606/

 

Its worth a shot. I wish I'd stocked up on parts store brass replacements that fit perfectly back before Obama's EPA forced everyone to switch to the aluminum garbage. The $15 replacements everyone used to sell were great. Sometimes you can find old stock being liquidated.

 

I just wish parts were still made to look and function exactly as the original. If the tubes rotate, just stay away. I tried a couple of different aftermarket ones a few years back and broke them all. Ended up returning all of them and taking my factory one to a radiator shop who did repair it, but it only lasted a couple of months and sprung a leak in a different spot. I ended up buying a factory core from a member here who was parting a low mile car. It's been working fine since. On my recently acquired Formula, I discovered the core was bypassed, so as long shot, I got on Ebay and found a NORS Bauer brand core and installed it. It was 100% identical to the original core. If I need anther core, it's NORS, NOS or used for me.

 

Do you have any info on NORS Bauer? I tried searching them and found nothing.

 

NORS stands for New Old Replacement Stock (kind of like NOS), but instead of factory, it's aftermarket. Bauer was a US parts maker up until China. The parts were made to exacting standards. At any rate, sometimes, you can find some on Ebay. Another avenue I thought about looking into was having one made. Here is one company that seems to do this:
https://www.thebrassworks.net/heater-cores.html

Looks like you could send a factory core and they can replicate it. I haven't tried them yet though, but I might next time I need one if I can't find an original one.

 

It won't be cheap, but that looks very promising.

 

I think I'm gonna get this one. Anyone have any input?

https://www.fvpparts.com/products/un...g/heater-cores

 

Chaz.....Whats it made of?
How much?

 

I'm assuming aluminum, like all the others. $32-ish.

 

I had a good condition brass/copper unit re-cored - cost was a couple hundred with buying a good used core to start with. The aluminum cores don't heat nearly as well in my opinion. Totally worth it and my guy checked out the tanks and pipes, etc. Also used a TON of solder on the thing. Been two winters on the new core and I'm 100% satisfied. But finding someone that can and will do this anymore is difficult. Here's my thread with pics:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cool...nt-custom.html

GD

 

Thanks

 

The Spectra Has The Recess In The Core Like The Factory Did To Accept The Clamp (38) To Attach It To The Shroud (40) The Other Cores Don't Seem To Have The Recess, They Would Only Be Held On With The Strap (41)

 

I bought the Spectra, it didn't fit very well, and the reason I will go back to re-cored factory units.

 

Toomuch work to risk doing over...get the best one you can and make it fit
Is anything aftermarket bolt on? Seems you gotta fudge something.

 

Not if you have a stock one recored properly by a skilled professional. Perfect fit, perfect function, and last at least as long as the original.

GD

 

On a 2.3 Fox beater I decided to run one winter I used an aluminum core. Had zero issues and made great heat. I also used one in one of my 5.0s. Never drove that one in winter but heat was always decent.

 

Here's a question for the folks smarter than me. Is coolant always circulating through the heater core or only when the heat is on?

 

Early thirdgens, always circulating. Later thirdgens have a bypass valve...

 

If you still have the heater control valve thing still hooked up it should prevent coolant from circulating through the core. At least that's how it's supposed to work, I think.

 

Do you know what year is the cut off?

 

Your current 1989 cars should have the valve. It's located on the passenger side of the engine and appears as shown in the following image from Hawks:


As long as the heater controller is full Cold position, coolant is bypassed away from the heater core using the above device.

 

Oh, the diverter valve.

The failed core is on my '85. I shut off the heat when it started leaking and it stopped leaking. Drove it home and shampoo'd the carpet. Sat for 2 day, no leaks. Figured I'd top off tank for winter before weather gets nasty, with the heat still off, started leaking again. Got gas, drove home, shampoo'd the carpet. It's been leaking ever since. I've been putting paper towels up there about every 6-8 hours so it doesn't get on the carpet.

Is it possible it's still residual coolant still draining out of the core?

 

Well just because the bypass valve is closed, it's not going to pump air into the heater core. It'd still be full of coolant, it just wouldn't be circulating through the engine and the core.

 

Does your '85 have the valve? My '85 Firebird shop manual does not show or discuss it. The parts manual I have shows the 1985-1986 LB9 as not having it until 1987 but that may not be fully correct given there has been changes or mistakes in the manual.

If you don't have the valve, coolant always circulates in the heater core. As Drew said, even if you have the valve, there's still coolant inside the heater core. And since the valve is vacuum operated and/or can leak, there's the ability for it to not be working correctly as well.

 

The diverter valve keeps hot coolant away from the cabin making the AC more efficient. That's really it's only job. You don't "need" it. Also it is unlikely that they "seal" perfectly since they really don't have to and are just cheap plastic valves. If a little coolant leaked through it's not a "problem" it just has to divert the vast majority of the coolant.

Also it's vacuum operated so without vacuum it might be normally open..... idk though.

GD

 

I ordered and rejected this one. No notch on the tank for the clip and the pipes swivel, which I understand is s common source of leaks. Search continues.May just go with Spectra, since no one around here recores old ones.

 

Find someone you can send it to. You can call Superior Radiator and AC in Oregon City, OR and talk to Randy. He's my guy that did my core linked above. Factory fit and going on two winters - no issues.

GD

 

I was recommended a place near me by another 3rd genner, to repair the factory core. He had his done there after a couple failed aftermarket attempts and is very happy. I'm gonna check it out.

This may turn into another "why can't we get good reproduction TPI emblems" thread......

 

Here's a pic of his core.

 

Nice Job

 

Just scored this one!


Haven't seen one of these in awhile.

 

Do you even use the heat? If not, why not just bypass it?
I never use heat so I always bypass the heater core on every old car I drive.
No need to worry about it leaking and ruining anything

I eliminated all the heater "crap" when I removed all my emissions "crap" on my 91 RS....

 

This is the way. But shhhhh... Don't need the unwashed masses draining the limited pool of old stock.

Yes, yes, everyone knows the best way to go is to just bypass the heater core. Heat is for sissys. Aluminum makes more better heat without corroding than brass anyway. Who wants those heavy old brass cores anyway.

 

I love the total lack of understanding involved in deleting the "emissions crap"..... sure because that's accomplishing so much. The vacuum cap on the EGR valve is priceless. Sure - drive up cylinder temps and throw away fuel economy. Oh and don't forget to plug that EGR nipple! That's a vacuum leak ya know!

I just light my passenger seat on fire for heat.

GD

 

Dont need heat here in Florida smart a**........keep you general disorder comments to yourself if your just looking to make trouble,
which, with a comment like that, you are!

 

Seeing as 1, the OP is asking for a reason, and 2 it says he lives in Chicago, the irony is that your comments are exemplified here, you live in Florida so your comment is pointless and useless. There is no other reason for you to post except to be, no pun intended, inflammatory.

 

I can see deleting some stuff on early cars, because the AIR injection and whatnot on early cars is in the way of everything. But on the later cars, the pipe that wraps around the back of the engine is a flexible rubber hose that you can actually move out of the way. And none of the emissions equipment gets in the way when you're changing spark plugs from the bottom. Really, for all the clutter, the 88-up cars are a lot easier to work around than 82-87. Even the smog pump on 88-up cars is just one more pulley to run the belt around, it's not like V-belts where it's another belt, another set of tensioning bolts, blah blah blah. Without the "junk", the later cars just look naked to me.

That said, if a person is putting headers on a car, I'd cast the AIR injection system in the closest dumpster. I can't begin to understand why people would bother trying to adapt the AIR injection to a set of headers. The OE look already went out the window with the headers. I mean maybe if you're in California or another communist ****-hole where an inspection looks for crap like that... But even then, delete your communist ****-hole residency and live a free-er life.

 

Yeah if installing headers and a modern high flow cat for sure get rid of the AIR system. Zero point in keeping it.

I disagree with removing EGR tho. For the folks that want to remove it can you turn off EGR function in the tune?
​

 

I never said much about deleting the heater core. But the OP doesn't live in Hell (Florida), so your comments are pretty useless to the thread and his question.

I was more pointing out the useless and stupid comments about removing emissions crap. The AIR system is debatable - depending on what type of cat is being run it may not be needed. But deleting it with the stock converters only serves to pollute our already royally F'd up environment.

Deleting EGR is absolutely the dumbest thing you could possibly do. That alone shows you have basically no clue what you are doing. Let alone plugging the valve nipple itself.

EGR improves fuel economy by as much as 1-4 mpg under cruise conditions. It allows higher vacuum and therefore less pumping losses at cruise, and lowers combustion temps which allows increased timing advance. Not to mention keeping the combustion temps below 2500 degrees where oxides of nitrogen are formed. EGR really has NO drawbacks as it is both better for emissions and fuel economy (and engine longevity - exhaust valves will thank you) and has NO impact on performance (it is closed at idle and WOT).

Deleting systems because YOU don't like the way they look or you THINK you know better than the hundreds of engineers that designed it is patently stupid. You should re-evaluate your process and consider what you are doing much more carefully before you start hacking and slashing.

GD

 

Did you LOOK at the picture I attached?
Do you see the EGR ???
All I deleted was the AIR system....mostly because I was getting ready to put headers on it.
I'll bet you money, it would still pass an emissions sniff test without the AIR system on the car

I'm getting a good laugh about your engineering comment......as I am an engineer

Dont make accusations about what people do to their cars, maybe they do so with extreme knowledge of what they are modifying (someone may actually know more than you)
but clearly you are the "emissions" expert here....so I bow to your expertise on the subject.....you go dude!

 

All I see is clay bar residue....

 

Be careful....I'm going to contact my attorney soon.....

 

I thought it was the camera flash?

 

I see the valve. It looks like it's plugged with a vacuum cap. If that's not the case then I retract my statement. But in my defense, you simply said "emissions crap" and that generalization is not specific enough to know the extent to which you intend to apply that phrase.

It is not likely that the stock converter will function as designed without the smog reactor. Emissions "sniff" test acceptable levels vary by state and local regulations and many localities have lowered or eliminated requirements for older cars. So saying "I bet it would pass" isn't saying much. Under some conditions and under some test requirements it absolutely will pass. But that is not to say that it wouldn't have better emissions if the smog reactor was left in place. Newer style converters, if fitted, could likely work just as well without it. But even modern cars have smog pumps again now - they are being used during cold start to get the converter up to temp faster. So as regards to cold starts the emissions would absolutely be reduced even with modern cats if the reactor was in place.

GD