Heater Core and A/C Evaporator Core Recommendations

[N2UN]

Hey all. Have to replace my heater core and A/C Evaporator, I can smell coolant inside the car when the heater first starts working. Looking for recommendations of brands you have used and are happy with. Any guidance or advice is appreciated.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Options are pretty limited, and I'm using a Spectra like many others. It hasn't been in long but works well. It's just a tiny bit smaller than stock so a couple layers of foam tape help make sure the air flows where it should, and if you've got a stock one that can be repaired they're the best.

Is the evaporator core leaking as well?

 

[86 Salon]

Hey all. Have to replace my heater core and A/C Evaporator, I can smell coolant inside the car when the heater first starts working. Looking for recommendations of brands you have used and are happy with. Any guidance or advice is appreciated.

Before you order a new heater core, take a good look at the original. I repaired mine. On mine, the retainer, being made of metal, caused electrolysis to make a small hole under the clamp where it touched the core. I used a piece of rubber to insulate it when I reinstalled it. Also, make sure that it is actually leaking. If the heater hoses are pushed way on to the heater core and are up against the heater box, coolant can leak between the hoses and the tubes and run into the ac box if the clamps are loose or the hoses are soft. Pressure test the cooling system and make sure that you don't have any other coolant leaks. The fumes can be sucked in through the cowl where the air for the HVAC system comes from.

 

[N2UN]

Before you order a new heater core, take a good look at the original. I repaired mine. On mine, the retainer, being made of metal, caused electrolysis to make a small hole under the clamp where it touched the core. I used a piece of rubber to insulate it when I reinstalled it. Also, make sure that it is actually leaking. If the heater hoses are pushed way on to the heater core and are up against the heater box, coolant can leak between the hoses and the tubes and run into the ac box if the clamps are loose or the hoses are soft. Pressure test the cooling system and make sure that you don't have any other coolant leaks. The fumes can be sucked in through the cowl where the air for the HVAC system comes from.

That is great info, thanks. I'll look into all that.

 

[N2UN]

Options are pretty limited, and I'm using a Spectra like many others. It hasn't been in long but works well. It's just a tiny bit smaller than stock so a couple layers of foam tape help make sure the air flows where it should, and if you've got a stock one that can be repaired they're the best.

Is the evaporator core leaking as well?

Thanks for the reply. Not tearing this apart until warmer weather because I'm still driving it a lot. This is a project car, it sat for 15 years before I got back on the road. Replaced the entire fuel and cooling systems and this is the first full season for the heater. I'm preparing for the replacement of the heating and cooling systems this spring. None of the cores I've found are more than $80, so money well spent I think. Trying to find the best available product. I have manufacturing preferences.

 

[pagrunt]

I'd suggest looking into those NOS copper-brass heater cores that float around on Ebay. I grabbed one for a back up a few months back as I'm not too crazy on those aluminum ones that may or may not be different than the originals & older aftermarkets cores.

 

[565bbchevy]

On my Regal I bought everything new for the AC and heat except for the hardline, the condenser is a Spectra Premium and everything else is from Four Seasons and the new brass valve for the heater hose I bought from a Corvette place.
The AC hose I made since this is a custom set up and I polished all of the aluminum components.