Heater core (again)

[mehedgec]

So I hop into my vehicle this morning to head to work, and its like 45*F so I turn my heat on, and surprise surprise it smells like antifreeze. This will be the 4th time I replaced in like 3 years. First replacement was a clogged core, not a leak. Every single one I got from NAPA have leaked eventually. Some after a year, some after a few months.

Has anyone else had as bad luck with these? This is getting ridiculous.

 

[westfield]

Yeah...I had a ford escort with a bad heater core...The replacement only lasted a year ! I had a mechanic put it in because you had to take the entire dash out to replace the thing...Found out the core he repaced it with was cheap chinese junk...At least the explorer is not too hard to replace...When your heater core goes bad in the escort, you replace the car !

 

[FIND]

wow.... I have never had that much trouble with a heater core.... If it is not clogged, take it to a radiator shop and ask them to fix the leak. It will cost as much as buying a replacement probably, but the quality of their brazing will probably be higher.

 

[mehedgec]

wow.... I have never had that much trouble with a heater core.... If it is not clogged, take it to a radiator shop and ask them to fix the leak. It will cost as much as buying a replacement probably, but the quality of their brazing will probably be higher.

I talked them into giving me a new one.

 

[FIND]

Inspect it well before you install it.

 

[mehedgec]

Inspect it well before you install it.

The connection for the pipes are actually brazed on instead of crimped like my old one. But I'm still not even sure thats where the leak is coming from. I haven't pulled my old one yet.

 

[FIND]

Yeah, I prefer the brazed ones. I won't even buy them if they are crimped.