My truck just ate it's third heater core in two years and I'm getting seriously peeved. Two came from O'Reillys and one came from Autozone. What is with this China made junk? The old brass heater core lasted 14 years and I can't get one of these POS cores to last a year???? Has anyone found a reliable heater core anywhere? If no luck I may be forced to install a small wood stove as a source of reliable heat.

 

This is a good question and I would like to know as well.

 

Have you ever thought of getting one from a junkyard truck?

I don't know what a heater core is, but if the original made it so long, why can't you get another from a junk truck?


Maybe get it from like, rockauto.com or broncograveyard or something like that.


You know... Ford makes a good Heater Core...

 

I think Ford sources original heater cores still. When you changed your heater core did you flush the radiator? I flushed the rad recently and got some pretty nasty stuff out.

 

I personally would go with a brass one. I know many of the replacements are aluminum and I find aluminum is terrible for cooling system parts. I have seen brass ones on rockauto. I have no idea where they are made, but I've had very good luck with rockauto parts vs. local parts stores and their return policies and warranties are way better. If no dice on another new one it might be junkyard hunting time.

 

I am in the same boat--gonna try Napa auto parts here in AZ will let you know how it comes--

 

I have had the same problem with my 84. I replaced the original heater core when I rebuilt it in 2000 with an oem FORD. That one lasted a few years. Replaced that one with another Ford one. Since then I am lucky if I get a 6 months out of one. I have tried napa, O'reilly & Ford. That truck just eats them, they usually start leaking a small amount.. Some look like they have froze, but I run good coolant at the right mixture. The truck has the high output heater and no AC with a healthy 473.

 

Have you double checked the truck's cooling system to see if there might be something that keeps knocking them out?

 

Electrolysis can kill heater core or radiator in as little as a day depending on the severity. Usually a combination of a system that needs to be flushed and cleaned and bad grounds. There is actually voltage being carried through the cooling system, which is very bad. HERE is a good writeup on it. It is just as bad for Copper/brass assemblies, just takes a little longer. Aluminum is fine for cooling systems as long as they are maintained properly, and is much more efficient at dissipating heat. Does the heater core look like it has little black spots all over the core? There are really on three manufacturers of heater cores left, @80% come from VistaPro, the former GDI/Visteon/Modine/G&O/Daniel buyouts over the years. Plants are being moved from Mexico to China. Your "original" Ford cores come from the same company(Visteon). They have switched most of their line over to aluminum and continue to change part numbers over without notice. The are also beginning to make smaller more universal numbers which require various brackets and foam to fill the case of a larger core.

 

When my core went out I eventually replaced the t-stat, fan clutch, and flushed the system 2x. My autozone core has lasted 4years now. And I do the yearly maintenance flush.

 

The cooling system is fine. I swapped in a rebuilt motor a year and a half ago and made sure everything was okay. I haven't pulled the heater core out yet, but my main problem is where the heater cores are crimped. A buddy of mine who restores Mopars has also seen a high percentage of these cheap aluminum heater cores go bad in his vehicles.

 

back from the dead with an update. i had time last week to pull my heater core out and just like before, it was leaking, no pissing, out of the bottom tank of the heater core. i ended up taking the oem heater core out of my bronco (being torn apart and it doesn't need it anymore). i find it funny a 25 year old part works better then this cheap junk they produce now. problem solved.

 

The next heater core you get a OEM (you may have to ask for it ) auto zone does not carry these try napa,carquest,big a or a major auto parts dealer.You've got to remember auto zone does not sell top grade parts.

 

Pretty much all of them have different grade levels to play the pricing game!

All you have to do is tell them what you want, some push the lower grade while others push the higher grade!

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

Napa is definatly the best parts store out there, but you'll pay....