Heater Core Woes
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Northeast, OK
Heater Core Woes
Just in case someone is needing to replace the heater core in a factory air, standard output heater I should warn you that you may be in for problems. Amazon, O'Reilly's, and Rock Auto say that the Ready-Aire and Vista-Pro part # for that application is 398300, and it is a copper/brass unit. However, none of those three are able to supply that part. In fact, what they will supply will be a #398247 aluminum core that will not fit - but it will be in a 398300 box.
How do I know? In the last week I've un-boxed 5 of them at O'Reilly's and 1 each from Amazon and Rock Auto. All were marked 398300 on the outside but had a 398247 inside. And the last one was in spite of calling Rock Auto and having them put a note in the order to the warehouse that said "Please ensure the content is a copper/brass item, which is yellow in color, and not an aluminum item, which is white in color. Do not ship an aluminum unit." The guy at Rock said that would take care of it, but it came in today and it is aluminum. (This isn't a rant about Rock Auto so I won't tell you my thoughts.)
So, good luck. I don't know what to tell you about getting a heater core that will fit.
How do I know? In the last week I've un-boxed 5 of them at O'Reilly's and 1 each from Amazon and Rock Auto. All were marked 398300 on the outside but had a 398247 inside. And the last one was in spite of calling Rock Auto and having them put a note in the order to the warehouse that said "Please ensure the content is a copper/brass item, which is yellow in color, and not an aluminum item, which is white in color. Do not ship an aluminum unit." The guy at Rock said that would take care of it, but it came in today and it is aluminum. (This isn't a rant about Rock Auto so I won't tell you my thoughts.)
So, good luck. I don't know what to tell you about getting a heater core that will fit.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: Rocky Mountain High
Gary, have you checked NAPA? I bought a core for Festus right after I got him, but after tearing into the heater box I discovered I didn't need to replace it, and returned it. But it was definitely fitted with copper/brass...
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FTE Legend
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From: Northeast, OK
Unfortunately we don't have NAPA here. There are NAPA stores in other towns in the area and I might try them. And, Autozone appears to have some of them as the manager of the O'Reilly's store here had just had a customer return the 398247 core, which was in a 398300 box, because it wouldn't fit. At the time the manager didn't know that it is the wrong part in the right box. Anyway the customer stopped in Autozone 20 miles away and they had a copper/brass core in a 398300 box. He stopped at the O'Reilly's on the way home and that's how the manager figured out what is going on.
So, when I walked in with another one he grabbed the one on the shelf and opened it. Sure enough, aluminum and a different shape from mine. He ordered in 4 more - all aluminum, at which point he sent me elsewhere.
So, when I walked in with another one he grabbed the one on the shelf and opened it. Sure enough, aluminum and a different shape from mine. He ordered in 4 more - all aluminum, at which point he sent me elsewhere.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2012
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I replaced my heater core last fall. I used a Spectra 94582 unit. It was a tight fit, but it worked. Here's a link to it: http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/de...QSPI94582.html
I remember it was this one because the in/out tubes were bent near the core and straightened out to pass through the firewall. The other two that Autozone had as "direct replacements" (Spectra 94521 and 94522) have the bends on the engine-side of the firewall... these didn't fit in my heater box. The in/out tubes were in the wrong spot.
I remember it was this one because the in/out tubes were bent near the core and straightened out to pass through the firewall. The other two that Autozone had as "direct replacements" (Spectra 94521 and 94522) have the bends on the engine-side of the firewall... these didn't fit in my heater box. The in/out tubes were in the wrong spot.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
So it being aluminum is just a problem because they said it was brass correct? The real problem is it won't physically fit? I have used aluminum cores and aluminum radiators with no problems, but I understand if they say you are going to get brass, you should get brass.
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FTE Legend
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From: Northeast, OK
I replaced my heater core last fall. I used a Spectra 94582 unit. It was a tight fit, but it worked. Here's a link to it: 1980-1983 Ford F-100 Heater Core - Spectra 94582 - Natural, OE replacement
I remember it was this one because the in/out tubes were bent near the core and straightened out to pass through the firewall. The other two that Autozone had as "direct replacements" (Spectra 94521 and 94522) have the bends on the engine-side of the firewall... these didn't fit in my heater box. The in/out tubes were in the wrong spot.
I remember it was this one because the in/out tubes were bent near the core and straightened out to pass through the firewall. The other two that Autozone had as "direct replacements" (Spectra 94521 and 94522) have the bends on the engine-side of the firewall... these didn't fit in my heater box. The in/out tubes were in the wrong spot.
)So it being aluminum is just a problem because they said it was brass correct? The real problem is it won't physically fit? I have used aluminum cores and aluminum radiators with no problems, but I understand if they say you are going to get brass, you should get brass.
Second, it is not what is advertised. The aluminum units are cheaper than the copper/brass. I can get the aluminum 398247 for $25 from O'Reilly's, although it won't fit, where the copper/brass 398300 is ~$45 from either Amazon or Rock Auto - assuming you could get it. I'd be happy with an aluminum core since I have an aluminum radiator so I'm already sure to change coolant frequently.
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From: Martinsburg, WV
If you can remind me Monday, I'll go out to the warehouse and pull the 15 or so that I have and check construction. we may get lucky. I have had them for a while. The aluminum will fit, but requires pulling the case. The CBR slips in through the access hole.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Northeast, OK
And, you may have explained why it won't fit.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
He's cool to talk to, don't be shy, Gary.
I still have a Taurus AC line to send back to him, I even found a box to send it in.
He told me to use some special billing code that will bill the recipient but I'm not sure how to go about doing that, I'd guess I'd need to take it to a UPS shipping place but have been kinda lazy in that. 
I still have a Taurus AC line to send back to him, I even found a box to send it in.
He told me to use some special billing code that will bill the recipient but I'm not sure how to go about doing that, I'd guess I'd need to take it to a UPS shipping place but have been kinda lazy in that.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Northeast, OK
Got the box to RA boxed up. Yeah, a box within a box to follow their return policy - even though they didn't ship it in another box.
Anyway, it seems odd given the discussion elsewhere about shocks, that the heater core box is going in a Monroe Sensatrac/Reflex strut box. It is the only thing that it would fit in. And, you are probably thinking "Wow, how could a heater core fit in a strut box?" Have you seen the struts and shocks for a Chrysler Pacifica? They are huge! And the shocks list for $600/ea and sell for $225/ea on Amazon.
Anyway, it seems odd given the discussion elsewhere about shocks, that the heater core box is going in a Monroe Sensatrac/Reflex strut box. It is the only thing that it would fit in. And, you are probably thinking "Wow, how could a heater core fit in a strut box?" Have you seen the struts and shocks for a Chrysler Pacifica? They are huge! And the shocks list for $600/ea and sell for $225/ea on Amazon.
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Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Corvallis, OR
Mark mentioned the Spectra Premium 94582. I ordered this one and looked at it but didn't actually try to shove it in my box because by then I'd found a copper/brass 398300, but from visual inspection it looked the most likely to fit. If Mark got it in, then maybe this is really the best alternative.
Luke