68 heater core
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 39
From: Denver, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
68 heater core
So, i had antifreeze leaking onto the passenger side floor, and came to the conclusion it was from the heater core... Out goes the old and in comes the new. The problem is, it is still leaking. Anyone have any idea why a brand new core (bought from Willcox) would be leaking?? Is it that common to buy a "new" broken core?
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Josh.. no it is not normal... I had a tech install one about a year ago and he bent the tube to tweak just a tiny bit while installing. When he did this instead of the tube bending it pulled it loose from the core. Now what he did was attempt to bend it with the end.. If you have to bend a tube you should always support it from above the solder connection to the core to prevent this from happening.... He knows better now....
I'm not saying this is what you did... by any means.. and boy what a PITA to remove again.
Send me a message to Support@Willcoxcorvette.com I'll be out of the office tomorrow but I'll check on my virtual network.
Boy.. that's a three hour job too.. I hate it..
Ernie
I'm not saying this is what you did... by any means.. and boy what a PITA to remove again.
Send me a message to Support@Willcoxcorvette.com I'll be out of the office tomorrow but I'll check on my virtual network.
Boy.. that's a three hour job too.. I hate it..
Ernie
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It's always a good idea to test the core before you install it. I have seen some leak. I just did one on my 65. It's a PITA as the dash has to come out. The core just started leaking on my 68. I wasn't up to another one this soon. I just by-passed it. The big block puts enough heat in that cockpit anyway.
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From: Madeira Beach, FL
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Mine is by passed to big a job right now.
Marshal
Marshal
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Central Michigan
Bought a new heater core from Corvette Central a number of years ago....broke the solder joint on one of the tubes and didn't catch it till I fired up the motor
fortunately there was no carpet in the car yet
I had to take the core back out, take it to a radiator shop and have the tubes re-soldered and pressure checked....they did a great job and have had no problems since
fortunately there was no carpet in the car yetI had to take the core back out, take it to a radiator shop and have the tubes re-soldered and pressure checked....they did a great job and have had no problems since
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 39
From: Denver, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
I took it to a local rad- shop today, and the said what yall said, i probably bent it on the install.. Guess thats what i get for asking the wife to help install this thing! I did the re-install by myself and viola!! no leak!
project creep keeps on moving now...
project creep keeps on moving now...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 4
From: Concord Calif
I probably should not say anything here as I don't know all the details and I don't want to know them. But still it sounded like a cheap comment to blame the wife on your problem when you don;t even know what happened!
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Denver, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
It was meant as a small joke. The rad shop said there was a crack in the solder on the lower neck. From what they said, it is an often cracked spot because that part doesnt really "bend". While installing i asked my wife to push gently on the box to push the core through the firewall. The original core has straight maybe 3" tubes. The replacement is angled with 5"-6" tubes. While applying pressure, i noticed her "jiggle" the box back and forth, probably from misunderstanding what i was trying to do (she gets frustrated quickly when she doesnt understand and wont just say she doesnt get it). At the time, i did not think a little movement would crack it. Now i know otherwise, and i know where the movement came from.