Leaky heater core quick fix

[SLOroadster]

My heater core started to leak last night. Does anyone have a quick fix for it. Will radiator fix stuff work in the heatercore (as in will it get there). I'd really like to get this thing fixed because my car is my only car and gets cold this time of year (with the top on or not).
Any ideas?

Thanks,
Will

[TR]

Hey Will,

I have had some luck in the past with Alumaseal. I was told a long time ago that it is the only brand to use...It patched a radiator that a deer tried to destroy...

As for sealing the heater core, that might be a tall order. The stuff does seem to get everywhere in the cooling system, though. I recommend adding it to a warm engine to make sure it dissolves well and doesn't clump in the radiator. You may try blocking the flow of coolant to the radiator and adding the stuff to one of the heater hoses so that the car is only running with the heater core in circulation. That might aid in getting the seal thoroughly through the core. Watch the temp of the engine as you may not be getting realistic gauge readings with the flow blocked...

It doesn't take too long to get the heater out to have someone solder and pressure test it...I should have a spare core somewhere if you need it...Good luck and stay warm! TR

[Minh]

That sealant might work for awhile.

If you wish to keeap the services of your heater system, your best bet is tak to a radiotor shop to get fixed, refurbished, rebuilt... whatever the order is.

Or take this opportunity to find an interchangeable part for the forum. Even better yet find a part that can house a humidifier for AC.

Will: I found a radio for your troubled condition. I posted it in the FOR SALE Topic.

[SLOroadster]

How hard is it to extract the core? I see a few screws that appear to hold an acess cover on the passenger side, but I think it will be tough to get the screws that run along the bottom out. I'm going to play with it tomorrow, in the mean time I'm going to freeze my butt off.

Will

[TR]

I've never taken one out of a 68, but I think it is much easier than a 66 because the water valve is inside the car instead of in the oh so hard to reach tunnel...

Buy some extra hose so you can connect the lines and still drive the car. If you have a shop ready and waiting for it, they should be able to boil and clean and resolder it in a day...

Good luck! TR

PS - I've seen electric blankets that plug into a cigarette lighter!

[oilleak]

I recommend adding it to a warm engine to make sure it dissolves well and doesn't clump in the radiator.

Read the directions. Most of that stuff says to add to a cold engine as heat is what cures it. Adding to a cold engine allows it to circulate throught the system before the coolant heats up and starts to solidify the stuff. I've used original Bar's leak with success although I recomend that kind of product only as a last resort as I think it's got to coat the water passages in the block and head to which ought to result in a loss of cooling efficancy.

On a high windshield car, remove the center console, then the radio console. You'll need to unscrew the three vent/temp control cables to get the radio console out. Once out, you'll see the screws that hold the heater assembley in place. Oh, remember to drain the cooling system first and you'll still need something to catch coolant comming out of the heater core and hoses so that you don't do in your carpet. It's not that bad a job. I've never pulled the core out of the heater assembely but it shouldn't be too hard.

[TR]

Directions!? TR

[SLOroadster]

Sweet I'm half way there as far as removing stuff. I have no carpet, no center consol, and no ducting to remove. It looks like I will be doing a 3 hour run to my parents place with no top or heater. It could be worse. As long as it doesn't rain, I'm good to go.


Will

[Ratster]

try that in the Great White North buddy

[DatsunBucky]

Ratster-

I think their definition of "cold" (bwahahaha) is just a little different from ours. I'm not sure what you've seen so far in BC, but we had a low of 8 Sat night/Sun morn. Taylorsville is about 12 miles SW of downtown Salt Lake City.

FWIW, when I lived in LA, the top was down unless it was raining. Cold? Put the tonneau on and turn the heater up. The heat had to come out by my face, so it felt warmer than totally open. I did wear a jacket, though.

Nothing personal, Will.

[SLOroadster]

I did the heater on with the cover, but the heater died. A leather jacket works however. I do know cold, I grew up in a place where it would warm up to freezing during the winter. Days would be clear and about 15 degrees with about 15% humidity (it was so dry you couldn't make a snow ball out of the snow on the ground). I rode my bicycle to school many times when it was well below 0, I think the coldest was -32 (good thing it was only about 1 mile to school). A 3 hour drive with no heater is nothing big. My next question is, how do I remove the heater core without removing the whole dash? This looks like a huge pain in the behind.

Will

[spl310]

Will,

With the console out, it is not as bad as you think. You may want to remove the passenger seat (more comfortable to lay in the floorboard that way), but it is not necessary. Once you dig in, it will make sense. I generally find it easier to just cut off the old heater hoses when I remove the units - when they go back I use new to prevent those failures.

Best of luck!

[SLOroadster]

I can't see how to just remove the core. I just replaced the hoses 3 weeks ago ( no they arn't the factory ones but oh well.) I will play with it in the morning.

Will

[oilleak]

You need to remove the whole heater / fan assembely first. Once the whole assembely comes out then you (I think) pull the core out through the top. It's been a while but I only remember a few screws that hold it in on the transmission tunnel.