Heater Core
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 583
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Heater Core
What can be worse than changing a heater core...changing one, buttoning up the job, filling the surge tank, starting the care and seeing fluid on the passenger floor. Yea thats right the new heater core leaked. This time I am off to the Chevy dealer to get raped but get a GM version if available. What a crummy day. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Always the possibility it's one of the hoses - check them closely. If one or the other (but particularly the inlet) is leaking at the end, you might not see it in the engine compartment and it will go into the passenger compartment.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 163
From: Davis CA
Sorry about how your job went. Sounds like one of mine.
I saw a tip once that you might use to check the new one before installing. You could take a tube, like a thin racing bike tire, cut the tube and use hose clamps at the connections, then pump up the tire to the 15 or so lbs that it will see in use. Because it is a simple tire, you can measure pressure easily. Then leave it overnight and see whether it still holds. I guess you could hold it underwater, too. Anyway, if you try it, let me know what worked as I never have.
I saw a tip once that you might use to check the new one before installing. You could take a tube, like a thin racing bike tire, cut the tube and use hose clamps at the connections, then pump up the tire to the 15 or so lbs that it will see in use. Because it is a simple tire, you can measure pressure easily. Then leave it overnight and see whether it still holds. I guess you could hold it underwater, too. Anyway, if you try it, let me know what worked as I never have.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
take no chances next time run water through it to make sure it dosen't leak. you might be able to patch up (weld) the one you're about to take out.
I would bet that you can simply resolder that leaking joint, it is copper after all so just like soldering copper pipe.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,292
Likes: 239
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
I feel your pain 
I put mine in a bucket of water, plugged one line and blew into the other. I saw no air bubbles, so I hope it's good and that I had enough lung pressure to really test it.
I put mine in a bucket of water, plugged one line and blew into the other. I saw no air bubbles, so I hope it's good and that I had enough lung pressure to really test it.
Oh no, you have me wrong, the dealer is where I will get the GM part, no more after market. I fully plan to do the job for myself.